How to move columns in Excel?

Moving data means placing data from one Column to another. MS Excel features us to move all types of data, including hidden cells, formulas with its resultant values, cell formats, and comments. However, when a cell contains a formula, the cell reference is not adjusted. Thus there might occur #REF! Error value, and for removing the error, we need to adjust the reference manually.

For moving columns in MS Excel, we can either use the cut or copy method or mouse method. So, we will discuss both ways through which we can move columns in the spreadsheet.

Using Cut or Copy Method

Follow the below steps for moving columns using the cut or copy method on MS Excel 2010:

Step 1: Open MS Excel on your computer system by simply searching on the search tab or by directly clicking on the MS Excel icon (if present on the desktop), as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 2: Type out some data in a column suppose entering in data in column A as shown below:

Step 3: Now, move the cursor on Cell A at the top and a downwards facing arrow will appear, click on the cell and the complete A column will get selected, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 4: On the Home tab, under the clipboard group, click on ‘Cut’ or ‘Copy’, or you can press ‘Ctrl + C’ (to copy) or ‘Ctrl + X’ (to cut) as you can see in the below snapshot:

Use the Copy option if you want the same data to be copied on another column; otherwise, use Cut if you want to cut data and paste it to another column.

Step 5: Select the column where you want to keep the copied or cut data and right-click on it and click on Insert Cut cells (if the cut option was used) or Insert Copied Cells (if the copy option was used). Here, we have copied the data:

Another way is on the Home tab, and you will see the Insert dropdown option, click on it and click on Insert Copied Cells or Insert Cut cells , as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 6: The data will be moved or copied to another column, as you can see in the below snapshot that we have copied the Column A data to Column D:

Note: If you will Paste or Ctrl + V option instead of Insert option, then the existing data of the destination cells will get replaced. Thus, it is recommended to use the above-discussed options.

Moving Column using Mouse

Through mouse cursor, we can move columns using the following steps:

Step 1: Open MS Excel on your computer system by simply searching on the search tab or by directly clicking on the MS Excel icon (if present on the desktop), as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 2: Type out some data in a column suppose entering some data into Column A as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 3: Now, to move the data of the columns, we can perform any of the following options:

  1. Move the cursor to the border of the Column from where you want to move the data and move the pointer to the border of the selection. When it becomes a moving pointer (with four direction arrows), drag the columns to another column where you want to place it.
  2. Press and hold the CTRL key while pointing to the border of the selection and when you see that the pointer has become a copy pointer with an Asterisk (*) sign, drag the Column to another column where you want to place data.

Note: In this case, data can be moved to the adjacent row or Column only. One should know that a user cannot move nonadjacent columns when doing through mouse.

Step 3: Then the data of the selected Column is moved to another column, and you will see the below-shown output: