Best Ways to Insert a New Line in an Excel Cell for Better Formatting
Nov 06, 2024
Adding a new line in Excel cell saves space and improves the appearance of your spreadsheet.
However, the simple task may seem confusing if you are new to Excel. You don't have to worry, though! We are to help.
This article will guide you through the easy steps to insert a line break in a cell without hassle.
Keyboard Shortcut for Adding a New Line in Excel (Windows and Mac)
The fastest way to insert a new line in an Excel cell is with a keyboard shortcut. Here’s how:
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For Windows users: Press Alt + Enter while typing within a cell. This will create a line break, moving the cursor to a new line without exiting the cell.
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For Mac Users: Press Option + Command + Enter to insert a new line within the cell.
Example Use Case:
Suppose you're entering an address. Type the street name, then press the shortcut for a new line to enter the city, state, and ZIP code, making each line easier to read within a single cell.
Tip: Make sure “Wrap Text” is enabled for the cell. You can do this by selecting the cell, navigating to the “Home” tab, and clicking “Wrap Text” in the Alignment group.
Adding Line Breaks with Formulas
If you want to add line breaks automatically, Excel’s CHAR function can help. The character code for line breaks is 10 for Windows and 13 for Mac. Here’s how to use the line break code:
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Example Formula:
=A2 & CHAR(10) & B2 & CHAR(10) & C2
In this formula, CHAR(10) adds a line break between A2 and B2 and so on.
Using the TEXTJOIN function.
As you can see, the formula above gets more complex as you add more cells. You can easily combine multiple cells with line breaks using the TEXTJOIN function.
1. Choose the cells to join: Identify the cells you want to combine with line breaks. For example, let’s say you want to join cells A1, A2, and A3.
2. Enter the TEXTJOIN formula: In the cell where you want the combined text, enter the formula =TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10), TRUE, A1:A3)
Here’s what each part of the formula does:
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CHAR(10) represents a line break in Excel.
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TRUE tells Excel to ignore any empty cells in the range.
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A1:A3 is the range of cells you want to join.
3. Press Enter: Press Enter to apply the formula. This will combine the text from cells A1, A2, and A3, with line breaks between each cell’s content.
4. Enable Wrap Text: To see the line breaks, select the cell with the formula, go to the Home tab, and click Wrap Text. This will display each item on a new line within the cell.
Adding Line Breaks After a Character
When organizing a sheet with lots of data, it can be challenging to add line breaks individually. Fortunately, you can work faster by adding multiple line breaks at once using Find and Replace.
1. Select the range: Highlight the cells where you want to insert line breaks after a specific character (e.g., a comma).
2. Open Find and Replace: Press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + H on Mac to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
3. Enter the character to find: In the Find what field, type the character after which you want to add a line break (e.g., a comma ,).
4. Enter the replacement: In the Replace with field, Press Ctrl + J on Windows or Option + Command + Enter on Mac after typing the character.
5. Replace all: Click Replace All to apply the changes. Excel will insert a line break after each occurrence of the specified character in the selected cells.
6. Enable text wrap: To view the line breaks, select the cells, go to the Home tab, and click Wrap Text.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Adding new lines in Excel can occasionally result in formatting issues. Here are some common problems and how to solve them:
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Text not wrapping properly: If the new line doesn’t appear, ensure “Wrap Text” is enabled. Right-click the cell, select “Format Cells,” and check “Wrap Text” under the “Alignment” tab.
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Row height adjustment: Sometimes, the row height may not automatically adjust to fit the new lines. To manually adjust row height, right-click the row number, select “Row Height,” and enter a value that fits your content.
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Formula errors with CHAR(10): If using CHAR(10) in formulas, remember to apply “Wrap Text” to the formula cell. Without this, the line break won’t be visible.
Final Thoughts on "How To Insert New Line in Excel Cell"
To add a line within a cell in Excel, place your cursor where you want the line break and press the Alt key + Enter on Windows or Option + Command + Return key on Mac. Make sure to enable Wrap Text under the Home tab to display the line breaks properly.
For more easy-to-follow Excel guides and the latest Excel Templates, visit Simple Sheets and the related articles section of this blog post.
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FAQ on "How To Insert New Line in Excel Cell"
Can I add multiple new lines in one cell?
Yes, you can! Use the keyboard shortcut multiple times to add as many lines as needed.
Does adding a new line affect cell size?
Yes, Excel may automatically adjust row height, but you may need to tweak it manually to fit longer text.
Can I remove a new line once added?
Yes, simply delete the line break by placing your cursor where the break occurs and pressing Backspace. Alternatively, uncheck “Wrap Text” to remove all line breaks visually.
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