Manage Columns in Excel Files Online
Drop or select specific columns from Excel files directly in your browser. No upload required.
How to manage Columns in Excel files
- Drop your file onto the upload area. Every column is listed as a chip with its detected type, and all are selected to start with.
- Click a chip to deselect a column you want to drop. It turns grey with a line through it. Click again to bring it back.
- Use Deselect all and then click the few columns you need when you only want to keep a handful.
- Click Apply to preview the result, then Download to save it in the same format you uploaded.
Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded. The free limit is 50 MB per file; larger files work if your device has the memory for them.
Worked example
An HR analyst needs to send a headcount list to a facilities team, without salary or national ID numbers.
Input (Excel)
Excel workbook, first sheet (Sheet1)
| emp_id | name | dept | salary | national_id |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2041 | Maria Keane | Finance | 68000 | KX 44 91 02 C |
| 2042 | Dev Patel | Operations | 54500 | LM 20 17 88 A |
| 2043 | Sofia Brandt | Finance | 71200 | PR 63 05 19 D |
Settings
- Deselected: salary, national_id
- Kept: emp_id, name, dept
Result
| emp_id | name | dept |
|---|---|---|
| 2041 | Maria Keane | Finance |
| 2042 | Dev Patel | Operations |
| 2043 | Sofia Brandt | Finance |
The two sensitive columns are removed entirely, not blanked, so they are absent from the downloaded file. The three kept columns stay in their original left-to-right order with their original types. Every row is kept, and no values change.
Working with Excel files
The tool works on the first sheet and lists each header from row 1 as a chip. Blank header cells get generated names such as column3, so check the list before deciding what to drop. Hidden columns in Excel are still data, so they appear here too and are kept unless you deselect them. Columns that have a header but no values are listed too and are usually safe to drop.
The output is a new workbook with a single Sheet1 containing only the kept columns. Values are written as plain cell values. Formulas that referred to a dropped column do not break, because every cell is exported as its last calculated value rather than as a formula. Dates are written as text cells, and cell formatting is not carried over. Column widths are not kept either, so long text may look cramped until you widen the columns. This is a quick way to remove sensitive columns before emailing a sheet, without a hidden column slipping through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hidden Excel columns show up in the column list?
Yes. Hiding a column in Excel does not remove its data, so it is listed and kept unless you deselect it.
Will removing a column break formulas in my Excel file?
No. The download contains values, not formulas. Each cell holds the result it had when the workbook was last saved.
Can I reorder columns with this tool?
No. Kept columns stay in their original left-to-right order. To change the order, use the SQL Query tool and list the columns in the order you want.
Does selecting columns change any values or types?
No. Kept columns are copied exactly, with the same types. Only the dropped columns are removed.
Can I drop every column?
No. At least one column must stay selected, and Apply is disabled until one is.
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