How to Insert Multiple Rows in Excel Between Data Automatically

Manually inserting rows between your data in Excel is mind-numbingly slow, especially when you need to add hundreds or thousands of them. Fortunately, you don't have to right-click and "Insert" your way to carpal tunnel. This tutorial will show you several automatic methods to insert multiple blank rows exactly where you need them, saving you a massive amount of time and effort.

Before You Start: A Quick Tip

Always work on a copy of your main dataset when trying these techniques for the first time. While these methods are safe, it's a good practice to have a backup in case you make a mistake and need to start over. Simply right-click on your worksheet's tab at the bottom of the screen, select "Move or Copy," check the "Create a copy" box, and click "OK." Now you have a duplicate sheet to experiment with.

Method 1: The "Helper Column" Trick for Evenly Spaced Rows

This is the most popular and versatile method for inserting a specific number of blank rows after each existing row of data. It feels a bit like a magic trick but works by using Excel's sorting feature to your advantage. It doesn’t require any formulas or code.

Let's say you want to insert one blank row after every line of data.

Step 1: Create a Helper Column

Find the first empty column to the right of your dataset. If there isn't one, right-click on the column letter to the right of your data (e.g., column B if your data is in A) and select "Insert." In the first cell of this new column (usually the header row), give it a name like "Helper" or "Sorting."

Step 2: Number Your Data Rows Sequentially

In the first cell of your helper column corresponding to your first row of data, type "1". In the cell directly below it, type "2". Now, select both of these cells. A small green square, called the fill handle, will appear in the bottom-right corner of your selection. Double-click this handle, and Excel will automatically fill the sequence down to the end of your data.

Step 3: Copy and Paste the Number Series

Highlight the entire series of numbers you just created in the helper column (from 1 to the last number). Copy them (Ctrl + C or Cmd + C). Now, scroll down to the first empty cell directly below your last number and paste the series (Ctrl + V or Cmd + V).

You should now have two identical sets of numbers in your helper column, one after the other. One set is next to your data, and the other is beside a block of empty cells.

Step 4: Sort by the Helper Column

This is where the magic happens. Click on any cell within your helper column. Go to the Data tab in the Excel ribbon and click the A-Z Sort button (Sort Smallest to Largest). Excel might show a "Sort Warning" pop-up, if it does, make sure "Expand the selection" is chosen and click "Sort."

Excel will now sort your entire dataset based on the numbers in the helper column. Since you have two of every number, it will place all the "1s" together, "2s" together, and so on. This effectively interleaves a blank row between each of your original data rows.

Step 5: Delete the Helper Column

Your work is done. You can now delete the helper column. Right-click the column letter at the top and choose "Delete." You are left with your beautifully spaced data.

Variation: Inserting More Than One Row

What if you need two, three, or five blank rows between each data row? Easy. Just repeat the series of numbers accordingly.

• To insert two blank rows, paste the original number series two times below the original.
• To insert five blank rows, paste the original number series five times below the original.

Then, simply sort as you did before. For every duplicate number in your helper column, Excel will add a corresponding blank row.

Method 2: Using a VBA Macro for Ultimate Automation

If you need to insert rows frequently or have more complex needs (like inserting 3 rows after every 5 rows of data), a VBA macro is your best friend. It may seem intimidating, but you just need to copy and paste the code we provide. It’s the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it solution.

Step 1: Open the Visual Basic Editor (VBE)

First, you need to access the VBE. Simply press Alt + F11 on Windows or Fn + Option + F11 on a Mac. This opens a new window where you can add the macro code.

Step 2: Insert a New Module

In the VBE window, look for the "Project" pane on the left side. Find your workbook name. Right-click on it, then go to Insert > Module. A blank white code window will appear on the right.

Step 3: Copy and Paste the VBA Code

Copy the code block below and paste it directly into the blank module window.

Sub InsertMultipleRows()
    ' Excel macro to insert a specified number of blank rows after a specified interval of data rows.

    ' --- User Inputs ---
    Dim dataRows As Long
    Dim blankRows As Long
    
    ' --- Variables for the Loop ---
    Dim i As Long
    Dim lastRow As Long
    Dim startRow As Long

    ' --- Stop screen flickering for a smoother run ---
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False

    ' --- Ask the user for inputs using input boxes ---
    dataRows = Application.InputBox("Insert rows AFTER how many data rows? (e.g., enter 1 to insert after every single row)", "Data Row Interval", 1, Type:=1)
    
    ' Exit if the user clicks Cancel or enters 0
    If dataRows = 0 Then Exit Sub

    blankRows = Application.InputBox("How many blank rows would you like to insert?", "Number of Blank Rows", 1, Type:=1)
    
    ' Exit if the user clicks Cancel or enters 0
    If blankRows = 0 Then Exit Sub

    ' --- Determine the working range ---
    ' Defines the starting row (assumes a header) and the last row with data
    startRow = 2 ' We start at row 2, assuming row 1 is a header
    lastRow = ActiveSheet.Cells(ActiveSheet.Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row ' Find the last used row in Column A

    ' --- Loop backwards to avoid errors ---
    ' It is crucial to loop from the bottom up. If you loop from the top down,
    ' inserting new rows would shift the row indices and your loop would skip rows.
    For i = lastRow To startRow Step -1
        
        ' This checks if the current row number is an interval we need to act on.
        ' We use (i - startRow + 1) to make the count relative to the start of our data, not the sheet.
        If (i - startRow + 1) Mod dataRows = 0 Then
            
            ' This is the action: it selects the row below the current one,
            ' resizes the selection to the number of blank rows needed, and inserts them.
            Rows(i + 1).Resize(blankRows).Insert Shift:=xlDown
            
        End If
    Next i

    ' --- Turn screen updating back on ---
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    
    MsgBox "Done! Blank rows have been inserted.", vbInformation, "Process Complete"

End Sub

Step 4: Run the Macro

You can close the VBE window (Alt + F11 again) to return to your Excel sheet. Now, run the macro:

1. Press Alt + F8 (or Fn + Option + F8 on a Mac) to open the macro dialog box.
2. Select "InsertMultipleRows" from the list.
3. Click "Run."

The macro will now prompt you with two simple questions:

1. Insert rows AFTER how many data rows? Enter '1' to insert a gap after every row, '5' to insert a gap after every five rows, etc.
2. How many blank rows would you like to insert? Enter the number of blank rows you want in each gap.

After you answer, the macro will execute in seconds. When it's finished, you’ll get a small "Process Complete" notification.

Important Note on Saving:

To keep the macro for future use, you must save your workbook as an Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (*.xlsm). If you try to save as a regular .xlsx file, Excel will warn you that the VBA code will be removed.

Method 3: A Quick Way to Insert Rows Between Specific Items

Sometimes you don't need to insert rows in a perfectly even pattern. Instead, you might want to insert a blank row every time the value in a certain column changes - for instance, to create a visual break between different categories, dates, or salespersons.

For this, we'll use a simple formula and Excel's Go To Special feature.

Step 1: Sort Your Data

Before you begin, make sure your data is sorted by the column you want to group by. For example, if you want a blank row after each salesperson's data, sort your sheet by the "Salesperson" column.

Step 2: Add a Helper Column with a Formula

Insert a new helper column next to your data. Assuming your data starts in row 2 (with headers in row 1), and the column you want to check is Column B, enter this formula in your helper column (e.g., in cell D2):

=IF(B2<>B3, 1, "")

Let's break that down:

• B2<>B3: This checks if the current cell in Column B is not equal to the cell below it.
• IF(..., 1, ""): If the value changes, the formula returns a 1. If it's the same, it returns an empty string ("").

Use the fill handle to drag this formula down to the last row of your data.

Step 3: Go to Special > Constants

With the helper column still selected, press F5 or Ctrl + G to open the "Go To" dialog box. Click the "Special..." button in the bottom-left corner.

In the "Go To Special" window, select Constants and make sure only Numbers is checked. Click OK.

This will automatically select only the cells in your helper column that contain the number 1 - in other words, every row where the data changes.

Step 4: Convert to Entire Row

With those cells still selected, right-click on any one of them and choose Insert.... In the dialog box that appears, select Entire row and click OK.

Excel will instantly insert a blank row above each of the selected cells, perfectly separating your data groups. Finally, you can delete your helper column.

Final Thoughts

Manually handling data in spreadsheets is one of those tasks that feels productive but consumes hours that could be better spent on analysis. The methods above - from the simple helper column sort to a fully automated VBA macro - are designed to give you that time back. Choosing the right one depends on how often you do the task and the complexity of your spacing needs.

Thinking about automation is exactly why we built Graphed. So much of a marketer's or founder's time is lost in the cycle of downloading CSVs, cleaning them up in Excel, and wrestling with pivot tables just to see what's happening. Instead of manually inserting rows to format reports, you can connect your data sources to Graphed once and ask for real-time dashboards in plain English. We handle all the data prep and give you the insights, so you can focus on strategy, not spreadsheets.