When Excel row numbers skip, the missing rows are usually hidden, filtered, grouped, or set to a tiny height. Hidden rows are still in the worksheet and can be brought back without restoring a backup.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and Excel for the web on Windows or Mac when rows vanish and the row numbers jump, such as from 5 to 9.
Unhide a specific range of rows
Use this when a few rows are hidden between visible rows.
- Find the gap in the row numbers.
- Select the visible row above the gap and the visible row below it.
- Right-click one of the selected row numbers.
- Choose Unhide.
You can also use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows. The hidden rows appear between the selected rows.
Unhide every row on the sheet
Use this when hidden rows may be scattered in several places.
- Click the Select All triangle where row numbers and column letters meet.
- Right-click any row number.
- Choose Unhide.
Excel unhides rows across the selected sheet. Repeat on other sheets if needed.
Unhide Row 1
The first row is awkward because there is no row above it to select.
- Click the Name Box to the left of the formula bar.
- Type A1 and press Enter.
- Open Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.
The same Name Box trick can help with hidden column A by selecting A1 and using Unhide Columns.
More control
Clear filters first
If row numbers are blue or a filter icon appears in headers, rows may be filtered out rather than hidden. Open Data and click Clear to show all filtered records.
Expand grouped rows
If plus or minus outline buttons appear beside the row numbers, the rows are grouped. Click the plus button to expand the group.
Fix near-zero row height
If Unhide does nothing, select the surrounding rows, open Home > Format > Row Height, and enter a normal height such as 15.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Hide or show rows or columns (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Find hidden cells on a worksheet (2024)