How to Select Multiple Rows in Excel?

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One of the advantages of using spreadsheet software like Excel is that you get to perform operations in bulk.

Instead of working on one cell or one row at a time, you get the option to work with multiple rows (or columns) all at once.

To be able to take advantage of this facility, you should know the right and most efficient ways to select the rows you want, so that you can work on all of them in one go.

In this tutorial, we will show you how you can select multiple rows that are contiguous and those that are non-contiguous too.

Selecting Multiple Rows that are Contiguous

If the rows you want to select appear one below the other, then the process is quite simple. You can use one of the following methods.

Selecting Multiple Rows that are Contiguous by Dragging

The first method is quite easy and quick since you don’t need to raise your finger from the mouse button and can select multiple rows with a single swift movement of your mouse.

Here the steps to select multiple contiguous rows by dragging:

  1. Select the row header of the first row in your selected range.Select the row header of the first row
  2. With the left mouse button still pressed, drag down the row headers till you reach the last row in your selected range.Drag down to select multiple rows
  3. Release your left mouse button.

All the rows in your selection range should now get selected.

Multiple rows are selected

Also read: How to Delete Multiple Rows in Excel?

Selecting Multiple Rows that are Contiguous using the SHIFT Key

The first method, though easy, can be a little inconvenient if you want to select rows that span over multiple screen scrolls.

In such cases, the second method can be useful. Here the steps to select multiple contiguous rows using the SHIFT key:

  1. Select the row header of the first row in your selected range.Select the row header of the first row
  2. Press down the SHIFT key on your keyboard (if you’re on a Mac, then press down on the CMD key).
  3. While the SHIFT key is pressed, select the last row of the range that you want to select.Shift and select the rows
  4. Release the SHIFT key.

All the rows in your selection range should now get selected.

Multiple rows are selected

Note: Any hidden rows in your selected range do not get selected by this method.

Selecting Multiple Rows that are Contiguous using the Excel Name Box

Excel provides a convenient Name Box to help you quickly select cells using their cell references.

The Name Box appears in the form of an input box located at the top left of the Excel window, directly below the menu ribbon.

Name Box

In general, the Name box typically displays the address of the active cell or cells in the worksheet.

However, you can also use it for many other purposes. For example, you can use it to name a cell or range of cells or navigate to a cell or range of cells.

To select multiple contiguous rows using the Name box, you can follow the steps below:

  1. Click inside the Name Box.
  2. Type a reference to the range of cells you want to select, for example, 2:6 if you want to select the row numbers 2 to 6.Enter the row numbers in the name box
  3. Press the return key.

This will select all the rows in the range that you typed in.

Multiple rows are selected

Selecting Multiple Rows that are Not Contiguous

If the rows you want to select do not appear one below the other or are non-contiguous, you can use the CTRL key of your keyboard. Here’s how you can select your required non-contiguous rows using the CTRL key:

  1. Select the row header of the first row that you want to select.Select the row header of the first row
  2. Press down the CTRL key of your keyboard.
  3. While the CTRL key is pressed, select row headers of subsequent rows that you want to select one by one.Select rows while holding the Control key
  4. Once you’re done selecting all your required rows, you can release the CTRL-key.Non contiguous rows selected

In this tutorial, we showed you three ways in which you can select multiple rows in Excel that are contiguous and one way to select multiple rows that are non-contiguous.

All methods demonstrated are simple and quick, so we hope you found the tutorial easy to follow.

Other Excel tutorials you may also like:

I am a huge fan of Microsoft Excel and love sharing my knowledge through articles and tutorials. I work as a business analyst and use Microsoft Excel extensively in my daily tasks. My aim is to help you unleash the full potential of Excel and become a data-slaying wizard yourself.

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