These instructions apply to Microsoft Excel 2019 and 2016 as well as Excel in Office 365.

It just takes a highlight and a drag-and-drop motion.

Here’s how to move columns in Excel using your mouse.

The arrow indicating a column selection in Microsoft Excel.

You should see your cursor change to an arrow.

When it does, click to highlight the column.

When you’re happy with the location, release the mouse click.

The darkened border that displays when moving a column in Excel.

You column will be moved to the location indicated by the darker border.

This works much as you would expect it.

In the menu, selectInsert Cut Cells.

An Excel column in a new location after being moved.

The new column is inserted to the left of the selected column.

This method will not work if you have Data Validation in place on your existing columns.

To proceed, you’ll need to remove data validation.

A column in Excel that has been “cut” from it’s current location.

To start, you better add a row to the very top of your spreadsheet.

To do this, right-nudge the first row and selectInsertfrom the context menu.

A new row is inserted above your top row.

The Insert Cut cells option in the context menu on Microsoft Excel.

Be sure to number every column you’re using.

Next, select all the data in the spreadsheet that you want to rearrange.

Then on theDatatab, in theSort & Filtergroup, clickSort.

A column that was moved in Microsoft Excel.

In theSortdialog box, clickOptions.

In theSort Optionsdialog box, hit the radio button next toSort left to rightand then clickOK.

You’re returned to theSortdialog box.

The Insert option in Microsoft Excel.

In theSort Bydrop down menu selectRow 1and then clickOK.

This should sort your columns according to the numbers you listed in that first row.

Now you might right smack the first row and selectDeleteto get rid of it.

A new row in Excel that’s been used to number the preferred order of the columns.

FAQ

To unhide any single column in Excel, use the keyboard shortcutCtrl+Shift+0.

Toadd columns in Excel, right-smack the top of the column and selectInsert.

you’ve got the option to also go to theHometab >Cellsgroup and selectInsert>Insert Sheet Columns.

The Sort option in Microsoft Excel.

This combines the data in cell A2 with the data in cell B2, with a space between them.

The options button in the Sort dialog box on Microsoft Excel.

The Sort Left to Right option in Microsoft Excel.

The Sort By row options in Microsoft Excel.

An Excel sheet sorted by column using the Sort Feature.