Swap columns in Excel

If you have exchanged or forgotten entire columns in Excel, you can add them between two other columns. We'll show you how to swap columns in Excel on Windows and Mac OS.

Instructions: Swap complete columns in Excel

1. First select the column you want to move. To do this, click on the letter at the top of the column header (see picture).
2. Move the mouse pointer into the Excel table on the border line to the adjacent column. The mouse pointer now turns into an arrow pointing in four directions. On Mac, the pointer becomes one hand.
3. Hold down the column at this point with the left mouse button and move the column in the desired direction. So you can move the column anywhere.
4. Note: In older versions of Word you have to hold down the [Shift] key at the same time to move.

Variant: cut and paste columns in Excel

Alternatively, you can simply cut out the desired column and paste it in another location. This is particularly useful when the start and end locations are very far apart.

1. Select the complete column again by clicking on the letter of the column above.
2. Right click on the column and select the "Copy" or "Cut" option. Alternatively, you can also use the keyboard shortcuts [Ctrl] + [C] (copy) or [Ctrl] + [X] (cut). On Mac, use the [cmd] key instead of [Ctrl].
3. Now select another column and paste the copied column there again, either by "right-clicking" + "Paste" or [Ctrl] + [V]. The selected column is now overwritten with the copied content.
4. If you want the copied column to be placed between two others, select the column in front of which the copied content is inserted. Right-click on the letter of this column and select "Paste copied cells" or "Paste cut cells" in the context menu depending on the action.

The most useful Excel functions can be found in our next practical tip.

Excel: Colorize every second cell