The letters and numbers that identify the columns and rows in your Excel spreadsheet are pretty important.
They are useful when writing formulas, or simply when describing a cell’s location to someone.
So when you are working on a spreadsheet and you don’t see that information, it can be a problem.
Luckily there is a way that you can toggle the display of that information so that you can see them when you need to.
How to Show Headings in Microsoft Excel
- Open your spreadsheet.
- Choose the Page Layout tab.
- Check the box to the left View in the Headings group of the ribbon.
Our guide continues below with additional information about how to display Excel headings, including pictures of these steps.
The letters at the tops of your columns and to the left of your rows provide information that helps you identify specific cells in your spreadsheet. This is beneficial both for when you are discussing the spreadsheet with someone, or when you are creating formulas.
So if you open your spreadsheet in Excel and find that those column letters and row numbers aren’t there, then it can make it difficult to work. Fortunately, it’s possible to adjust a setting in the file and make the headings visible again.
Read our guide on how to name columns in Excel if you are looking for additional options when working with data in formulas or tables.
How to Display Headings in Excel (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed in the Microsoft Excel for Office 365 version of the program.
Note that we are discussing the column letters at the top of the spreadsheet and the row numbers at the left side of the spreadsheet.
Step 1: Open your file in Excel.
Step 2: Click the Page Layout tab at the top of the window.
Step 3: Check the box to the left of View under Headings.
Now that you know how to show headings in Microsoft Excel you will be able to quickly switch between hiding or displaying this information in your worksheets.
You may notice that there is also a Print option directly under this. If you find that you need to be able to include those headings on the printed version of your spreadsheet, then you will want to check that option as well.
If your spreadsheet is printing at the left side of the window, then find out how to center it horizontally so that it looks better when you print it.
Matthew Burleigh has been a freelance writer since the early 2000s. You can find his writing all over the Web, where his content has collectively been read millions of times.
Matthew received his Master’s degree in Computer Science, then spent over a decade as an IT consultant for small businesses before focusing on writing and website creation.
The topics he covers for MasterYourTech.com include iPhones, Microsoft Office, and Google Apps.