To select only visible cells in Excel, select the range, then press Alt + ; (Alt and the semicolon key). Excel deselects every hidden row and column, so when you copy and paste, only the cells you can see come along. The menu route is Home > Find & Select > Go To Special > Visible cells only. On a Mac, press Command + Shift + Z.
Method 1: Alt + ; (Windows)
- Drag to select the range, including the hidden rows or columns.
- Press Alt + ;.
- Press Ctrl + C to copy. You’ll see separate marching-ant borders around each visible block.
- Click where you want the data and press Ctrl + V.
The pasted data has no gaps; hidden rows are skipped.
Method 2: Go To Special
- Select the range.
- Press F5 (or Ctrl + G) and click Special, or go to Home > Find & Select > Go To Special.
- Choose Visible cells only and click OK.
- Copy and paste as usual.
Method 3: Mac
Select the range and press Command + Shift + Z, or go to Edit > Find > Go To, click Special, and choose Visible cells only.
If you do this often, add it to the Quick Access Toolbar: go to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar, set Choose commands from to Commands Not in the Ribbon, select Select Visible Cells, click Add, then OK.
When you need this
| Situation | Need Alt + ;? |
|---|---|
| Rows hidden with Hide or grouped and collapsed | Yes |
| Rows hidden by a filter | No, Excel copies only visible rows from a filtered list automatically |
| Rows hidden by a filter and you want to delete visible rows only | Yes, select visible cells first, then delete |
| Formatting only visible rows | Yes |
Rows can also be hidden based on a cell value, and unhiding all rows in Excel brings them back. When you only need the visible rows on paper, you can print just the selected cells in Excel, and hidden rows stay off the printout.
Fill or edit only visible cells
To type the same value into visible cells only, select the range, press Alt + ;, type the value, and press Ctrl + Enter. Excel fills only the visible cells. This works for formulas too.
Pasting into a filtered list
Excel can copy from visible cells, but it can’t paste into only the visible rows of a filtered list. A normal paste fills the hidden rows too. Workarounds:
- Sort the data so the rows you want to update sit together, paste, then re-sort.
- Use a lookup formula, such as XLOOKUP, to pull values into the filtered rows, then fill it down with Alt + ; and Ctrl + Enter.
Count or sum visible cells
Selecting visible cells shows their Count and Sum in the status bar. In a formula, use =SUBTOTAL(109,A2:A100) to sum only visible rows. Other counting options are in counting rows in Excel.
Troubleshooting
Hidden rows still pasted
You pressed Alt + ; before selecting the range, or clicked elsewhere afterwards. Select the range again, press Alt + ;, and copy without clicking.
“This command cannot be used on multiple selections”
Some actions, such as cut (Ctrl + X), don’t work with visible-only selections. Copy instead, then delete the originals.
Alt + ; does nothing
On some keyboard layouts the semicolon is in a different place. Use Go To Special instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does this work in Excel for the web?
Excel for the web copies only visible rows from filtered lists, but it doesn’t have Go To Special. Use the desktop app for manually hidden rows.
How do I paste the copied cells into Word?
Copy with Alt + ; as above and paste into Word. Paste options are explained in copying and pasting data into Excel.
Summary
- Select the range, press Alt + ;, then copy.
- Or use Home > Find & Select > Go To Special > Visible cells only.
- Mac: Command + Shift + Z.
- Filtered lists copy visible rows automatically.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.