Grouping rows lets you collapse sections of data to focus on what matters
Grouping in Google Sheets lets you bundle related rows together and hide them with a single click. When you group rows, a small minus sign appears on the left edge of your spreadsheet. Click it to collapse that section and see only the summary rows you care about. This is useful when you have a spreadsheet with many line items under category headers, monthly breakdowns under yearly totals, or detailed transaction lists under account summaries.
Google Sheets groups are not the same as sorting or filtering. Grouping is purely visual — it does not change the order of your data or hide rows permanently. You can expand and collapse groups as many times as you want while working, then print or share the spreadsheet with groups either expanded or collapsed.
Key Takeaways
- Select the rows you want to group, then use Data > Group rows and choose how many rows to group at once.
- A minus sign appears on the left margin — click it to collapse the group and show only the header row above it.
- You can create multiple levels of grouping so you can collapse by category, then by subcategory, then by individual items.
- Grouping is temporary and visual only; it does not change your actual data or prevent you from editing cells inside a group.
How to select and group rows in three steps
Start by identifying which rows belong together. In a budget spreadsheet, you might group all the grocery expenses under the "Food" category. In a sales report, you might group all transactions from one month together. The rows you group should be consecutive — they must sit next to each other with no gaps.
Click on the row number of the first row you want to group. Hold Shift and click the row number of the last row in that group. All the rows between them will highlight in blue. For example, if your "Food" expenses are in rows 5 through 12, click row 5, then Shift-click row 12.
With the rows selected, go to the Data menu at the top and click Group rows. A dialog box will appear asking how many rows to group at once. Leave this at the default setting (usually 1) unless you are creating multiple levels of grouping. Click OK. A small minus sign will appear on the left side of your spreadsheet next to the grouped rows.
Collapsing and expanding groups with the minus and plus signs
Once you have grouped rows, a minus sign (−) appears on the left margin next to your selection. Click this minus sign to collapse the group. The grouped rows will disappear, and the minus sign will change to a plus sign (+). Only the row when ready above the group will remain visible — usually your category header or summary row.
Click the plus sign to expand the group again and see all the rows inside it. You can collapse and expand groups as many times as you want without changing any data. This is especially helpful when you are working with a large spreadsheet and want to focus on totals or summaries without scrolling past dozens of detail rows.
If you have created multiple levels of grouping, you will see multiple minus and plus signs stacked on the left margin. Each one controls a different level. Click the topmost number (usually 1, 2, or 3) to collapse all groups at once and see only the highest-level summaries.
Creating multiple levels of grouping for complex data
You can nest groups inside other groups to organize data by multiple categories at once. For example, in a sales report you might group individual transactions by week, then group weeks by month, then group months by quarter. Each level can be collapsed independently.
To create nested groups, first group your smallest units (like individual transactions). Then select a larger range that includes several of those groups and group it again. Google Sheets will automatically create a second level. You will see two minus signs on the left margin — one for the inner groups and one for the outer group.
When you have multiple levels, numbered buttons appear at the very top of the grouping controls (1, 2, 3, etc.). Click button 1 to collapse everything and see only your highest-level headers. Click button 2 to show the first level of detail. Click button 3 to show everything. This lets you zoom in and out of your data without manually clicking dozens of individual plus and minus signs.
Removing groups when you no longer need them
Grouping is not permanent. If you want to remove a group and go back to a flat spreadsheet, select any row inside the group you want to remove. Go to Data and click Ungroup rows. The group will disappear, and all rows will remain visible and unchanged.
If you have multiple levels of grouping and want to remove only one level, select rows from that specific level before clicking Ungroup rows. The other levels will stay in place. If you want to remove all grouping at once, select your entire data range (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and then click Data > Ungroup rows.
When grouping works best and when to use filters instead
Grouping is best when you want to temporarily hide detail rows while keeping them in the spreadsheet and ready to view. It works well for budgets with category breakdowns, project timelines with subtasks, or financial statements with line-item details. Grouping is also useful when you plan to print the spreadsheet — you can collapse groups before printing to create a summary version on one page.
Use filtering instead of grouping if you want to permanently exclude certain rows from view or if you want to see only rows that match specific criteria. For example, if you have a customer list and want to see only customers from one state, filtering is faster than grouping. Grouping is for organizing data you want to keep visible but temporarily hide; filtering is for narrowing down to a specific subset.
You can also use grouping and filtering together. Group your data by category, then explore a filter to show only rows from one category. The groups will still work inside the filtered view.
Printing and sharing spreadsheets with groups
When you print a spreadsheet that has groups, Google Sheets will print it in whatever state it is currently in. If groups are expanded, the printout will show all rows. If groups are collapsed, the printout will show only the visible rows. This makes it straightforward to create a summary printout — just collapse your groups before printing.
When you share a spreadsheet with someone else, the grouping structure stays in place, but the groups will be expanded by default when they open it. The other person can collapse and expand groups just as you can. Grouping does not affect permissions or prevent anyone from editing cells inside a group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I group rows that are not next to each other?
No. Rows must be consecutive to group them. If you have data scattered across your spreadsheet, you will need to rearrange it so related rows sit together, or use filtering instead to hide the rows you do not want to see right now.
What happens to my data when I collapse a group?
Nothing. Collapsing a group only hides rows from view — it does not delete them, move them, or change any values. All the data is still there. Click the plus sign to expand and see it again.
Can I group columns the same way I group rows?
Yes. Select column letters instead of row numbers, then go to Data > Group columns. The same collapse and expand controls will appear above your columns instead of to the left of your rows.
Will grouping slow down my spreadsheet?
No. Grouping is a display feature only and does not affect how fast your spreadsheet calculates or loads. Even a spreadsheet with thousands of rows and multiple levels of grouping will perform normally.
Can I save a spreadsheet with groups already collapsed?
Google Sheets saves the current state of your groups when you save the file. If groups are collapsed when you save, they will be collapsed when you open the file again. However, when you share the spreadsheet with someone else, groups will be expanded by default for them.