Hidden sheets (tabs) in Google Sheets are a tidy way to tuck away raw data, lookup tables, or old versions without deleting them. The catch is that they vanish from the tab bar, so it’s easy to forget they exist. Unhiding a sheet takes two clicks once you know where to look. This guide shows how to find and unhide sheets on a computer and phone, and what to do if the option is missing.
Quick Answer
Go to View > Hidden sheets and click the name of the sheet you want to show. It reappears in the tab bar at the bottom. The number in parentheses, like Hidden sheets (2), tells you how many are hidden.
Unhide a Sheet on a Computer
Option 1: View menu
- Open the spreadsheet in your browser.
- Click View in the menu bar.
- Hover over Hidden sheets. If it’s grayed out or missing, there are no hidden sheets (or you don’t have edit access).
- Click the sheet you want to unhide. Repeat for each hidden sheet.
Option 2: All Sheets list
- Click the All Sheets button (the icon with four lines) at the bottom-left, next to the +.
- Hidden sheets appear in the list in gray. Click a hidden sheet to unhide it and jump to it.
The All Sheets list is also the fastest way to navigate a spreadsheet with many tabs.
Unhide a Sheet on Android or iPhone
- Open the spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app.
- Tap the sheets list button in the bottom-left corner (or the three-line menu in some versions) to see all sheets.
- Hidden sheets are listed separately or shown in gray. Tap the hidden sheet, then tap Unhide if prompted.
The mobile menus change from time to time. If you can’t find the option, open the spreadsheet in a browser on your phone (request the desktop site) or on a computer.
How to Hide a Sheet
- Right-click the sheet tab at the bottom (or click its small arrow).
- Choose Hide sheet.
You can’t hide the only visible sheet; a spreadsheet must always show at least one.
Hidden Sheets Are Not Private
Hiding only removes the tab from view. Anyone with edit access can unhide it, and viewers can often still see hidden data through formulas, downloads, or copies. If data must stay private:
- Move it to a separate file shared only with the right people, and pull in what’s needed with IMPORTRANGE.
- Use Data > Protect sheets and ranges to stop others from editing a sheet (protection doesn’t hide content, though).
Troubleshooting
- “Hidden sheets” is grayed out: No sheets are hidden, or you have view-only or comment access. Ask the owner for edit access.
- Sheet still doesn’t appear: Scroll the tab bar with the arrows at the bottom-right, or use the All Sheets list. The sheet may be far to the right.
- Looking for hidden rows or columns instead: Hidden rows and columns show small arrows in the row numbers or column letters. See our guides to unhiding rows and showing hidden columns.
- Sheet was deleted, not hidden: Restore an earlier version from File > Version history > See version history, or copy the sheet from that version.
Summary
- Go to View > Hidden sheets and click the sheet name.
- Or open the All Sheets list at the bottom-left and click the gray sheet.
- On mobile, use the sheets list and tap Unhide.
- Remember that hiding isn’t a privacy feature.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.