Quickest Ways to Add Columns in Microsoft Excel (Step-by-Step)
Adding columns in Excel is a fundamental task that can be done using various methods. Here are four easy ways to accomplish this:
Method 1: Using the Insert Command
- Select the column to the right of where you want to add a new column.
- Right-click the selected column letter and choose
Insert
from the context menu. - A new column will be inserted to the left of the selected column.
Method 2: Using the Insert Icon
- Click on the column letter to select the entire column.
- Look for the small
Insert
icon that appears above the selected column. - Click the
Insert
icon to add a new column to the left of the selected column.
Method 3: Using the Keyboard Shortcut
- Select the column to the right of where you want to add a new column.
- Press
Ctrl
+Shift
++
(plus key) on your keyboard. - A new column will be inserted to the left of the selected column.
Method 4: Using the Home Ribbon
- Select the column to the right of where you want to add a new column.
- Go to the
Home
tab on the ribbon. - In the
Cells
group, click onInsert
and chooseInsert Sheet Columns
. - A new column will be inserted to the left of the selected column.