Show & Hide Field List in Excel Pivot Table

Have you ever had the scenario where you are working on your Pivot Table and the Field List disappears? Lots of Excel users get annoyed with this but luckily I’m here to help you out and explain to you How to Show Pivot Table Fields.  There are several methods to show & hide Pivot Table Field List: Using Right Click,  Using Ribbon, Using VBA. Let’s look at each method one-by-one!

Key Takeaways

• Easily Show or Hide the Field List – You can toggle the Field List in a Pivot Table by right-clicking anywhere inside the Pivot Table and selecting Show Field List or Hide Field List from the menu.

• Use the Ribbon for Quick Access – Navigate to the PivotTable Analyze tab in the Ribbon and click the Field List button to show or hide it instantly.

• Drag and Drop Fields to Customize Reports – The Field List allows you to drag fields into Rows, Columns, Values, and Filters sections, making it easy to adjust your Pivot Table layout.

• Field List Not Visible? – If the Field List disappears, ensure that the Pivot Table is selected; otherwise, Excel will not display the Field List option.

• Dock or Float the Field List for Convenience – You can move the Field List anywhere on the screen or dock it to the right side for easier access when working with large Pivot Tables.

Using Right Click

If your Pivot Table Field List disappears, you can easily bring it back as I show you below!

For our example, this is our Pivot Table:

STEP 1: To show the field list, Right Click on your Pivot Table and select Show Field List.

 

Your PivotTable Field List (renamed to PivotTable Fields in Excel 2013 and onwards) is now showing!

Let us show in the next step how to hide this.

 

STEP 2: To hide the Field List, Right Click on your Pivot Table and select Hide Field List.

 

Your Pivot Table Field List is now hidden!

 

Using Ribbon

The field list for Pivot Table can easily be toggled on and off using the ribbon menu.

 

Follow the steps below to show/hide Pivot Table Field List using the ribbon menu:

STEP 1: Click on any cell in the Pivot Table.

STEP 2: Go to PivotTable Analyze > Field List.

STEP 3: The field list will appear next to the Pivot Table!

You can hide the list using the same steps.

STEP 4: Go to PivotTable Analyze > Field List.

This will hide the field list section from the worksheet!

 

Using VBA

You can even use VBA to show and hide Pivot Table Fields in Excel. Let’s see how it can be done:

STEP 1: Press Alt + F11 to open the window for Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.

Or, Go to Developer > Visual Basic.

STEP 2: Go to Insert > Module and copy-paste the following code in it.

STEP 3: Copy-paste the following code in it:

Sub HideFieldList()
ActiveWorkbook.ShowPivotTableFieldList = False
End Sub

STEP 4: Press Ctrl + S to save the Excel Workbook.

STEP 5: In the dialog box, select No to save the WorkBook as Macro enabled.

STEP 6: In the Save as dialog box, select Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook from Save as type dropdown. Click Save.

Open this Macro-Enabled Workbook!

STEP 7: Go to Developer > Macros

STEP 8: Select HideFieldList and Click Run.

This will hide the field list section from the worksheet!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I show or hide the Field List in a Pivot Table?
To show or hide the Field List, click anywhere inside the Pivot Table, go to the PivotTable Analyze tab, and click the Field List button. Alternatively, right-click within the Pivot Table and select Show Field List or Hide Field List from the menu.

Why is the Field List missing in my Pivot Table?
The Field List might be hidden. Ensure your Pivot Table is selected, then go to PivotTable Analyze > Field List to enable it. If it still doesn’t appear, try restarting Excel.

Can I move or resize the Field List window?
Yes, you can drag the Field List to reposition it anywhere on the screen. You can also resize it by clicking and dragging its edges or dock it to the right side of the window.

Does the Field List disappear when I deselect the Pivot Table?
Yes, the Field List only appears when a Pivot Table is active. If you click outside the Pivot Table, it will disappear. Click back inside the Pivot Table to bring it back.

Can I reset the Field List layout if it gets changed?
Yes, you can close and reopen the Field List or restart Excel to reset its position. If the layout is incorrect, try dragging the sections within the Field List to rearrange them.