Add/Remove Columns in Excel

Animated demonstration of adding/removing columns in Excel. The Gif shows how to add/remove column by menu option in the Ribbon. The second way of adding column by right click menu is also shown.

  • In this tutorial, you will learn how to add a column in between other existing columns.
  • For example, you have entered data in columns A, B, C, D, and E.
  • Now you need another column in the worksheet that is between C and D. So, the existing column D becomes E while a new column D is added with empty values.
  • Two ways of adding the column for that scenario are explained below.
  • The tutorial also covers how to remove columns.

First way – Add a column by right click

Suppose we have five existing columns as shown below:

Excel add columns exist

We want to add a new column between C and D. This is how you can do this easily.

Step 1:

Select the existing column D and right-click on this. You may also right-click on any cell of column D after selecting the column.

Step 2:

In the popup menu, click on the “Insert” option as shown below:

Excel add column

After you click the Insert, a new column should be added with the letter D head:

Excel column added

You can see, the new column is D with empty values. The previous column D became E, and E became F.

Second Way of adding the column – In the Ribbon

This method applies to the following MS Excel versions:

Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel Online, Excel for Office 365

To add a column in these versions of Excel, follow this:

Step 1:

Select the column as we selected D in the above example.

Step 2:

Select Home > Insert > Insert Sheet Columns

Excel add column ribbon

That’s it.

The example of removing a column

Just like adding a new column is simple in Excel, removing an existing column takes two clicks.

To remove a column, follow these steps.

Suppose we want to remove the existing “Price” column (D) for the demo sheet.

Step 1:

Select the column D and right-click any of its cells.

Step 2:

Click on the “Remove” option in the right-click menu.

Excel remove column

Column D should be removed.

Note: You may also right-click on any cell in the D column without selecting the whole column. In that case, Excel will ask to remove “Table Columns” or “Table Rows” in the right click menu as shown below:

Excel remove col 2

Click on the “Table Columns” and the D column should be removed.

Using the main menu example

Just like adding a new column for Excel version 2007 and above, you may use the main menu to remove a column as follows:

  • Go to “Home” in the ribbon
  • Under the “Cells” group, open the “Delete” menu
  • Click on the “Delete Sheet Columns

Excel remove col ribbon

The selected column should have been removed.