This is an overview.
Solution 1 – Use the View Command to Re-Enable Missing Row Numbers and Column Letters in Excel
Steps:
- Go to View.
- In Show, check Headings.
The invisible row numbers and column letters will be displayed.
Read More: [Fixed!] Rows and Columns Are Both Numbers in Excel
Solution 2 – Apply the Page Layout Ribbon to Re-Enable Missing Row Numbers and Column Letters in Excel
Steps:
- In Page Layout on the ribbon, go to,
Page Layout → Sheet Options → Headings → View
The missing row numbers and column letters will be displayed.
Read More: How to Add Rows and Columns in Excel
Solution 3 – Use the Excel Options Command to Re-enable Missing Row Numbers and Column Letters in Excel
Step 1:
- Go to the File tab.
- A new window will open. Go to:
More → Options
Step 2:
- In the Excel Options dialog box, select Advanced.
- In Display options for this workbook, check Show row and column headers.
- Click OK.
The missing row numbers and column letters will be displayed.
Re-Enable Missing Row Numbers and Column Letters in Multiple Worksheets
Steps:
- Select all worksheets.
- In the View tab, go to,
View → Show → Headings
- Check Headings.
The invisible row numbers and column letters will be displayed.
Download Practice Workbook
Download this practice workbook to exercise.
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None of these methods actually fixed the issue. The row numbers keep disappearing or are numbered incorrectly every time I add a new Tab to my workbook or switch to a new Tab. Usually, pressing Ctrl+Home, then searching for the latest row will correct the problem.
Hello Jana,
Thanks for sharing your workaround! Since the standard methods didn’t resolve your issue, it might be related to specific workbook settings or perhaps a glitch within Excel itself.
Could you check if any macros or conditional formatting rules might be affecting row numbering when you add or switch tabs? Alternatively, testing this in a fresh workbook could help identify if the issue is file-specific.
Regards
ExcelDemy
I cannot resolve the missing row issue, jumps from R20 to R22, R21 has just disappeared on the specific worksheet, and I’m unable to recover it; other data on the other worksheets relates to the exact data each in each row specifically, now this creates a problems when creating the data links when copying the row data as reference.
Hello Garth,
Thank you for explaining the issue. Since the row numbers jump from 20 directly to 22, Row 21 has not been deleted—it is being hidden, most commonly by a filter, zero row height, or manual hiding.
Please try these steps:
1. Go to Data tab >> select Clear to remove any active filters.
2. Select the row headings for 20 and 22, then go to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.
3. If Row 21 still does not appear, with rows 20–22 selected, choose Home > Format > Row Height and enter a normal value such as 15.
4. If the sheet is protected, first check Review > Unprotect Sheet, then try unhiding again.
Because your formulas/data links depend on exact row positions, I recommend checking for filters first, especially since the same issue occurs on other worksheets.
Regards,
ExcelDemy