Microsoft Excel: how to insert additional rows above or below your data in MS Excel

Microsoft Excel is undoubtedly one of the most effective spreadsheet tools ever created for computers. While Apple has built its own Numbers and Google has Sheets, the nativity of Excel and its wide distribution allows it to maintain an edge all these years later. To recall, Microsoft Excel was first introduced in 1985 and the fact that it is still around as a dominant spreadsheet tool is testament to its success.

Also Read: Microsoft Excel: how to multiply numbers, cells, columns using three methods

While Excel is a great tool, it can also be complicated at times. There is so much one can do on Excel that remembering all of those actions and reactions can be hard. Take for example you are working in an Excel sheet and realize after a point that you need to add more rows of data to the sheet. While it may sound complicated, Microsoft Excel makes it easy. Here is how.

How to insert multiple rows in Microsoft Excel on Mac or Windows PC

1. Select the row below where you want the new rows of your Excel spreadsheet to appear.
2. Right click on the highlighted row and select “Insert” from the drop down menu.
3. This process will insert one new row above the row that you selected initially.
4. To insert multiple rows, the process is the same but you need to follow a different selection.
5. First, you need to select the same number of rows that you want to insert.
6. To select multiple rows at once, hold down the “Shift” key on your keyboard on a Mac or a Windows PC.
7. If you want to insert five rows, select five rows while holding the “Shift” key.
8. At this moment, you might be thinking what if these rows have data in them. Well, it doesn’t matter whether these rows and cells have any data.
9. Now, right click inside the select rows and tap on “Insert” from the list.
10. You will see five new rows added on top of the rows previously selected by you.

Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for creating spreadsheet, crunching numbers and if you are adventurous enough then to compose music. While we saw how to add additional rows to your spreadsheet, you can also check out how to delete blank rows from your spreadsheet. While Excel is easy to use and popular, its effectiveness depends on presentation of data.