Question

Excel: move column - this is how it works

Answer 1

Move column in Excel with drag and drop
1st step:
2nd step:
3rd step:
4th step:
Video
Cut the column in Excel and paste it elsewhere
Brief instruction: Move column in Excel with drag and drop

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Would you like to compare columns side by side or restructure your Excel table? We'll show you how to move columns..

Surprisingly, Microsoft Excel does not provide an easy way to accomplish this common task. So if you are confronted with the task of editing large Excel tables in your day-to-day work, you have certainly faced the challenge of swapping individual columns or reorganizing several columns. That is why in our article we show two ways how you can move a column in Excel in a targeted manner. With both techniques, you can also move the formulas and formatting used in the cells and do not have to adjust them manually afterwards.

• Move column in Excel with drag and drop
• Cut the column in Excel and paste it elsewhere

Move column in Excel with drag and drop

Follow our step-by-step instructions , the quick start guide or the explanatory video .

1st step:

Select the column that you want to move. To do this, click with the left mouse button on the column header to select the entire column. You can also select any cell in the column and use the key combination [Ctrl] + [Space] to select the entire column automatically.

2nd step:

Move the mouse pointer to the edge of the selection until the display changes from a normal cross to a four-sided arrow pointer . Your best bet is to select the right or left edge of your column that you want to move.

3rd step:

Hold down [Shift] and the left mouse button and move the column to the new location. You may also be familiar with this principle as drag and drop . A green line shows you where the column will be inserted.

4th step:

Release the mouse button and then also the [Shift] key. You will now find your selected column in the desired position.

Video

Cut the column in Excel and paste it elsewhere

Another approach offers the cut and paste function of Windows to move columns in Excel. To do this, click on the column header again to highlight the entire column. You can then cut out the column with the key combination [Ctrl] + [X] . Now select the column where your content should be inserted. Press [Ctrl] + [+] at the selected point so that the content is automatically shifted and inserted with the correct formatting..

Brief instruction: Move column in Excel with drag and drop

1. Select the column to be moved with a left click on the column header .
2. Hover the pointer to the edge of the column until the cursor changes to a four-sided arrow .
3. Hold down [Shift] and the left mouse pointer and move the column.
4. Let go of the buttons and the column will appear in a new place.

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