📥 Learn how to move columns with hands-on practice
Want to get the most out of this guide? Download the free practice workbook 👉 HERE and follow along step by step.
Method 1: Drag and Drop (Easiest Way)
If you want a quick way to move a column in Excel, drag and drop is the best method.
Steps to Move a Column Over in Excel:
- Download the practice file – Get our workbook and follow along.
- Select the column – Click the letter at the top (e.g., “B” for Column B).
- Hover over the edge – Your cursor should change to a four-sided arrow.
- Hold the Shift key – This makes sure the column moves instead of replacing data.
- Click and drag the column to the new location.
- Release the mouse button first, then the Shift key – Your column is now moved!
📌 Tip: If dragging doesn’t work, your worksheet might be locked. Check out our blog post on how to lock and unlock cells in Excel to fix this.
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Method 2: Cut and Insert (Best for Large Datasets)
If your Excel file has a lot of data, cut and insert is a safer way to move columns.
How to Switch Columns in Excel Using Cut and Insert:
- Click the column letter to select the column you want to move (e.g., column B).
- Press Ctrl + X (or right-click and choose Cut).
- Click the column before which you want to insert the cut column (e.g., if you click Column D, the cut column will be inserted before it).
- Right-click and choose Insert Cut Cells.
- Your column will move without overwriting any data.
📌 Tip: If you accidentally delete data, press Ctrl + Z to undo the action.
Method 3: Moving Multiple Columns at Once
Need to move more than one column at once? Excel lets you do this, but there’s an important rule: the columns must be next to each other.
If they aren’t, you’ll get an error message:
Steps to Move Multiple Columns Together
- Select the columns you want to move
- Click the letter of the first column (e.g., “B”).
- Hold the Shift key and click the last column you want to move (e.g., “D”).
- Now, columns B, C, and D are selected together.
- Cut the columns
- Press Ctrl + X (or right-click and choose Cut).
- Choose the new location
- Click the column before where you want the selected columns to be inserted.
- Example: If you want B and C to move before Column G, click on Column G.
- Insert the columns in the new spot
- Right-click the column letter and select Insert Cut Cells.
Done! Your columns are now moved to their new location!
📌 Note: If you have to move non-adjacent columns (e.g., B and D, but not C) 👉 Move the columns one at a time instead.
Method 4: Copy and Insert Multiple Columns in Excel
Need to copy multiple columns in Excel without overwriting existing data? Excel lets you do this quickly with a simple trick.
This is useful when:
✅ You want to duplicate a set of columns while keeping the original.
✅ You need to reorganize data but don’t want to lose anything.
Here’s how to copy and insert multiple columns in Excel the easy way:
Steps to Copy & Insert Multiple Columns
1️⃣ Select the columns you want to copy
- Click the letter at the top of the first column (e.g., “B”).
- Hold Shift and click the last column you want to copy (e.g., “D”).
- Now, columns B, C, and D are all selected.
2️⃣ Start moving the columns
- Move your mouse to the edge of the selected columns.
- Your cursor should change to a four-sided arrow (this means you’re ready to move them).
3️⃣ Hold down Ctrl + Shift at the same time
- This tells Excel you want to copy the columns instead of moving them.
4️⃣ Drag the columns to the new location
- Click and drag them to the column where you want to insert them.
- A vertical bar will appear, showing where the columns will go.
5️⃣ Release the mouse button first, then Ctrl and Shift
- Your copied columns will appear at the new location, and existing data will shift to the right.
Done! You’ve successfully copied and inserted multiple columns without losing data.
📌 Important: When copying and inserting columns, make sure to hold down Ctrl and Shift the entire time while dragging the columns. If you accidentally let go of they keys, Press Ctrl + Z to undo the action and try again.
Download the Free Practice File
Want to try these steps in Excel without messing up your own data? We’ve got you covered!
📥 Download our free practice file to follow along with the tutorial and test each method yourself. It includes a fun dataset with TV characters so you can practice moving, copying, and rearranging columns.
👉 Click here to download the Excel practice file
Using a practice file makes it easier to learn how to move columns in Excel without worrying about making mistakes in your own spreadsheets.
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Leila Gharani
I’ve spent over 20 years helping businesses use data to improve their results. I've worked as an economist and a consultant. I spent 12 years in corporate roles across finance, operations, and IT—managing SAP and Oracle projects.
As a 7-time Microsoft MVP, I have deep knowledge of tools like Excel and Power BI.
I love making complex tech topics easy to understand. There’s nothing better than helping someone realize they can do it themselves. I’m always learning new things too and finding better ways to help others succeed.
