How to Hide a Sheet in Excel (and hide it properly)

Hiding a sheet keeps lookup tables and workings out of the way. Formulas that use it still work.

Hide one sheet

Right-click the tab › Hide.

Hide several

Ctrl+click the tabs, then right-click › Hide. At least one sheet must stay visible.

From the ribbon

Home › Format › Hide & Unhide › Hide Sheet.

Stop people unhiding it

Anyone can right-click › Unhide. To block that:

1. Review › Protect Workbook.
2. Tick Structure, add a password, OK.

Now Unhide, Delete and Rename are greyed out for everyone without the password. Keep the password safe — see password protect Excel.

Very hidden (VBA)

In the VBA editor, set the sheet’s Visible property to 2 - xlSheetVeryHidden. It won’t appear in the Unhide list at all.

Getting it back: unhide sheets