The standard column width corresponds to the average number of digits which can be contained in a cell according to the font selected. Assuming that the font is the default (Arial 10) the default column width is 8.43 (64 pixels). This represents the number of zeros that can be displayed in the column.
Contents
- 1 What is the column width unit in Excel?
- 2 What is the width of a column?
- 3 How do I set column width in Excel?
- 4 What is the default width of column?
- 5 Why is Excel height and width different?
- 6 Where is the column width dialog box in Excel?
- 7 What is the size of column?
- 8 What is fixed width in Excel?
- 9 How do you adjust column widths to show labels?
- 10 How do you find the width in Excel?
- 11 How do you unlock column width in Excel?
- 12 Why are column width and row height different?
- 13 How do I size all columns in Excel?
- 14 How do I increase bar width in Excel?
- 15 How do I change column width to CM in Excel?
- 16 How do I make 1 inch in Excel?
- 17 How do I choose a column size?
- 18 What is the thickness of column?
- 19 What is the maximum height of column?
- 20 What is fixed width?
The column width is measured in characters, i.e. the default column width fits 8.43 characters. Not bold, italic, big or small characters: this measure is based on the default font used in the workbook (press CTRL+1 to open the Format Cells dialog then click the Font tab).
What is the width of a column?
The pixel width is stored internally in Excel for positioning data on the screen. The number that you see in the Column Width dialog box is the pixel width retranslated into character units (based on the Normal font) for display. A column width of 8.43 means that 8.43 of the default font’s characters fit into a cell.
How do I set column width in Excel?
Resize columns
- Select a column or a range of columns.
- On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format > Column Width.
- Type the column width and select OK.
What is the default width of column?
8.43
The default size of an Excel column is 8.43, which correlates to 64 pixels.
Why is Excel height and width different?
You may wonder why Excel frequently overrides your choice of column width, such as by changing 8.5 to 8.43. Microsoft looks at the number of pixels that correspond to your choice of column width—and rounds your choice so that it converts into a whole number of pixels. Row height is always measured in points, however.
Where is the column width dialog box in Excel?
Click the Format command on the Home tab. The format drop-down menu appears. Select Column Width. The Column Width dialog box appears.
What is the size of column?
Standard size of an RCC column should not be less than 9”x 9” (225mm x 225mm) with 4 bars of 12mm Fe500 Steel with m20 grade of concrete and stirrups of [email protected]″C/C. I will recommended 9″ × 12″ (230mm × 300mm) standard size of RCC column for ground floor residential building.
What is fixed width in Excel?
Fixed-width text describes text where each group is a set number of characters. You can draw a line down all the records to separate all the groups, as shown in Figure 3.9. If your text doesn’t look like it’s fixed width, try changing the font to a fixed-width font, such as Courier.
How do you adjust column widths to show labels?
To quickly set the column width to display everything, double-click the column separator. To shrink the contents of a cell so that they fit in the current column width: In Excel 2016 for Mac, on the Home tab, click the Format button, click Format Cells, and then select Shrink to Fit.
How do you find the width in Excel?
Select the entire column and right click and you can see a option called Column width . Click on Column width and you can see the width of a column in a new window.
How do you unlock column width in Excel?
Select and right click the cells you need to unlock, then click Format Cells. In the Format Cells dialog box, uncheck the Locked box on the Protection tab, then click the OK button.
Why are column width and row height different?
The units of measurement are different for rows versus columns, by the way. Column width is measured in characters of the default font size. Row height is measured in points. A point is 1/72 of an inch.
How do I size all columns in Excel?
Select one or more columns that you wish to resize. To select all columns, press Ctrl + A or click the Select All button. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format > Column Width. In the Column width box, type the desired number, and click OK.
How do I increase bar width in Excel?
Click on any bar in the Bar Chart and right click on it, then select Format Data Series from the right-clicking menu. See screenshot: 2. In the popping up Format Data Series pane, move the Zoom bar of the Gap Width to the left side until the bar width meets your needs under the Series Options section.
How do I change column width to CM in Excel?
Set the column width to centimeters
Click View tab, in Workbook Views group, click Page Layout button. To change the column width, do one of the following: Right click the column header, choose Column Width, in the Column width box, type the value that you want.
How do I make 1 inch in Excel?
Below are the steps to do this:
- Click the View tab.
- In the Workbook Views group, click on the ‘Page Layout’ option.
- Right-Click on the column header (on the column for which you want to change the width and set in inches)
- Click on Column Width option.
- Specify the width in inches.
- Click OK.
How do I choose a column size?
Column size depends on various factors like number of floors, span between two column, is it short or slender, For 5m span 1 storey/single floor/ground floor/G+0 residential building, it could be 230×230, for G+1 it could be 230x 300mm, for G+2 it could be 300x 300mm,for G+3 it could be 300x 380mm and for G+4 it could
What is the thickness of column?
6. Minimum Thickness of Other Concrete Members
| Structural Element | Thickness, mm |
|---|---|
| Chajja | 100mm |
| Cable / pipe trench walls and base slab | 125mm |
| Precast trench cover | 125mm |
| Insert plate | 12mm |
What is the maximum height of column?
The maximum height of a column is 24 m. Columns height from 20 m to 24 m can be manufactured as one piece (uncut), and composite. Fire resistance of precast concrete columns – R150 (according to the DBN V.
What is fixed width?
Fixed-width is a file format where data is arranged in columns, but instead of those columns being delimited by a certain character (as they are in CSV) every row is the exact same length. The application reading the file must know how long each column is.
Содержание
- Change the column width and row height
- Set a column to a specific width
- Set a column to a specific width
- What Is Column Width In Excel?
- What is the column width unit in Excel?
- What is the width of a column?
- How do I set column width in Excel?
- What is the default width of column?
- Why is Excel height and width different?
- Where is the column width dialog box in Excel?
- What is the size of column?
- What is fixed width in Excel?
- How do you adjust column widths to show labels?
- How do you find the width in Excel?
- How do you unlock column width in Excel?
- Why are column width and row height different?
- How do I size all columns in Excel?
- How do I increase bar width in Excel?
- How do I change column width to CM in Excel?
- How do I make 1 inch in Excel?
- How do I choose a column size?
- What is the thickness of column?
- What is the maximum height of column?
- What is fixed width?
Change the column width and row height
If you find yourself needing to expand or reduce Excel’s row widths and column heights, there are several ways to adjust them. The table below shows the minimum, maximum and default sizes for each based on a point scale.
If you are working in Page Layout view ( View tab, Workbook Views group, Page Layout button), you can specify a column width or row height in inches, centimeters and millimeters. The measurement unit is in inches by default. Go to File > Options > Advanced > Display > select an option from the Ruler Units list. If you switch to Normal view, then column widths and row heights will be displayed in points.
Individual rows and columns can only have one setting. For example, a single column can have a 25 point width, but it can’t be 25 points wide for one row, and 10 points for another.
Set a column to a specific width
Select the column or columns that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Column Width.
In the Column width box, type the value that you want.
Tip: To quickly set the width of a single column, right-click the selected column, click Column Width, type the value that you want, and then click OK.
Select the column or columns that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Column Width.
Note: To quickly autofit all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then double-click any boundary between two column headings.
Select a cell in the column that has the width that you want to use.
Press Ctrl+C, or on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy.
Right-click a cell in the target column, point to Paste Special, and then click the Keep Source Columns Widths 
button.
The value for the default column width indicates the average number of characters of the standard font that fit in a cell. You can specify a different number for the default column width for a worksheet or workbook.
Do one of the following:
To change the default column width for a worksheet, click its sheet tab.
To change the default column width for the entire workbook, right-click a sheet tab, and then click Select All Sheets on the shortcut menu.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Default Width.
In the Standard column width box, type a new measurement, and then click OK.
Tips: If you want to define the default column width for all new workbooks and worksheets, you can create a workbook template or a worksheet template, and then base new workbooks or worksheets on those templates. See the following links for more information:
Do one of the following:
To change the width of one column, drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading until the column is the width that you want.
To change the width of multiple columns, select the columns that you want to change, and then drag a boundary to the right of a selected column heading.
To change the width of columns to fit the contents, select the column or columns that you want to change, and then double-click the boundary to the right of a selected column heading.
To change the width of all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the boundary of any column heading.
Select the row or rows that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Row Height.
In the Row height box, type the value that you want, and then click OK.
Select the row or rows that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Row Height.
Tip: To quickly autofit all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then double-click the boundary below one of the row headings.
Do one of the following:
To change the row height of one row, drag the boundary below the row heading until the row is the height that you want.
To change the row height of multiple rows, select the rows that you want to change, and then drag the boundary below one of the selected row headings.
To change the row height for all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the boundary below any row heading.
To change the row height to fit the contents, double-click the boundary below the row heading.
If you prefer to work with column widths and row heights in inches, you should work in Page Layout view ( View tab, Workbook Views group, Page Layout button). In Page Layout view, you can specify a column width or row height in inches. In this view, inches are the measurement unit by default, but you can change the measurement unit to centimeters or millimeters.
In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button 
> Excel Options> Advanced.
In Excel 2010, go to File > Options > Advanced.
Set a column to a specific width
Select the column or columns that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Column Width.
In the Column width box, type the value that you want.
Select the column or columns that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Column Width.
Tip To quickly autofit all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button and then double-click any boundary between two column headings.
Select a cell in the column that has the width that you want to use.
On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy, and then select the target column.
On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow below Paste, and then click Paste Special.
Under Paste, select Column widths.
The value for the default column width indicates the average number of characters of the standard font that fit in a cell. You can specify a different number for the default column width for a worksheet or workbook.
Do one of the following:
To change the default column width for a worksheet, click its sheet tab.
To change the default column width for the entire workbook, right-click a sheet tab, and then click Select All Sheets on the shortcut menu.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Default Width.
In the Default column width box, type a new measurement.
Tip If you want to define the default column width for all new workbooks and worksheets, you can create a workbook template or a worksheet template, and then base new workbooks or worksheets on those templates. For more information, see Save a workbook or worksheet as a template.
Do one of the following:
To change the width of one column, drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading until the column is the width that you want.
To change the width of multiple columns, select the columns that you want to change, and then drag a boundary to the right of a selected column heading.
To change the width of columns to fit the contents, select the column or columns that you want to change, and then double-click the boundary to the right of a selected column heading.
To change the width of all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the boundary of any column heading.
Select the row or rows that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click Row Height.
In the Row height box, type the value that you want.
Select the row or rows that you want to change.
On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Row Height.
Tip To quickly autofit all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button and then double-click the boundary below one of the row headings.
Do one of the following:
To change the row height of one row, drag the boundary below the row heading until the row is the height that you want.
To change the row height of multiple rows, select the rows that you want to change, and then drag the boundary below one of the selected row headings.
To change the row height for all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the boundary below any row heading.
To change the row height to fit the contents, double-click the boundary below the row heading.
Источник
What Is Column Width In Excel?
The standard column width corresponds to the average number of digits which can be contained in a cell according to the font selected. Assuming that the font is the default (Arial 10) the default column width is 8.43 (64 pixels). This represents the number of zeros that can be displayed in the column.
What is the column width unit in Excel?
The column width is measured in characters, i.e. the default column width fits 8.43 characters. Not bold, italic, big or small characters: this measure is based on the default font used in the workbook (press CTRL+1 to open the Format Cells dialog then click the Font tab).
What is the width of a column?
The pixel width is stored internally in Excel for positioning data on the screen. The number that you see in the Column Width dialog box is the pixel width retranslated into character units (based on the Normal font) for display. A column width of 8.43 means that 8.43 of the default font’s characters fit into a cell.
How do I set column width in Excel?
Resize columns
- Select a column or a range of columns.
- On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format > Column Width.
- Type the column width and select OK.
What is the default width of column?
8.43
The default size of an Excel column is 8.43, which correlates to 64 pixels.
Why is Excel height and width different?
You may wonder why Excel frequently overrides your choice of column width, such as by changing 8.5 to 8.43. Microsoft looks at the number of pixels that correspond to your choice of column width—and rounds your choice so that it converts into a whole number of pixels. Row height is always measured in points, however.
Where is the column width dialog box in Excel?
Click the Format command on the Home tab. The format drop-down menu appears. Select Column Width. The Column Width dialog box appears.
What is the size of column?
Standard size of an RCC column should not be less than 9”x 9” (225mm x 225mm) with 4 bars of 12mm Fe500 Steel with m20 grade of concrete and stirrups of [email protected]″C/C. I will recommended 9″ × 12″ (230mm × 300mm) standard size of RCC column for ground floor residential building.
What is fixed width in Excel?
Fixed-width text describes text where each group is a set number of characters. You can draw a line down all the records to separate all the groups, as shown in Figure 3.9. If your text doesn’t look like it’s fixed width, try changing the font to a fixed-width font, such as Courier.
How do you adjust column widths to show labels?
To quickly set the column width to display everything, double-click the column separator. To shrink the contents of a cell so that they fit in the current column width: In Excel 2016 for Mac, on the Home tab, click the Format button, click Format Cells, and then select Shrink to Fit.
How do you find the width in Excel?
Select the entire column and right click and you can see a option called Column width . Click on Column width and you can see the width of a column in a new window.
How do you unlock column width in Excel?
Select and right click the cells you need to unlock, then click Format Cells. In the Format Cells dialog box, uncheck the Locked box on the Protection tab, then click the OK button.
Why are column width and row height different?
The units of measurement are different for rows versus columns, by the way. Column width is measured in characters of the default font size. Row height is measured in points. A point is 1/72 of an inch.
How do I size all columns in Excel?
Select one or more columns that you wish to resize. To select all columns, press Ctrl + A or click the Select All button. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format > Column Width. In the Column width box, type the desired number, and click OK.
How do I increase bar width in Excel?
Click on any bar in the Bar Chart and right click on it, then select Format Data Series from the right-clicking menu. See screenshot: 2. In the popping up Format Data Series pane, move the Zoom bar of the Gap Width to the left side until the bar width meets your needs under the Series Options section.
How do I change column width to CM in Excel?
Set the column width to centimeters
Click View tab, in Workbook Views group, click Page Layout button. To change the column width, do one of the following: Right click the column header, choose Column Width, in the Column width box, type the value that you want.
How do I make 1 inch in Excel?
Below are the steps to do this:
- Click the View tab.
- In the Workbook Views group, click on the ‘Page Layout’ option.
- Right-Click on the column header (on the column for which you want to change the width and set in inches)
- Click on Column Width option.
- Specify the width in inches.
- Click OK.
How do I choose a column size?
Column size depends on various factors like number of floors, span between two column, is it short or slender, For 5m span 1 storey/single floor/ground floor/G+0 residential building, it could be 230×230, for G+1 it could be 230x 300mm, for G+2 it could be 300x 300mm,for G+3 it could be 300x 380mm and for G+4 it could
What is the thickness of column?
6. Minimum Thickness of Other Concrete Members
| Structural Element | Thickness, mm |
|---|---|
| Chajja | 100mm |
| Cable / pipe trench walls and base slab | 125mm |
| Precast trench cover | 125mm |
| Insert plate | 12mm |
What is the maximum height of column?
The maximum height of a column is 24 m. Columns height from 20 m to 24 m can be manufactured as one piece (uncut), and composite. Fire resistance of precast concrete columns – R150 (according to the DBN V.
What is fixed width?
Fixed-width is a file format where data is arranged in columns, but instead of those columns being delimited by a certain character (as they are in CSV) every row is the exact same length. The application reading the file must know how long each column is.
Источник
Have You already noticed, that row height unit is not the same as column’s width? If yes and You’re curious what is the unit of Excel column width read more to find out!
Some background
Recently I was working on the tool, which main goal is to make previews of the image files. To make it nice and visible I wanted that cells, or to be more precise – columns, to adjust its width to the image width.
Sounds simple, right?
So following that I took the .Width of the image object and wanted to set its value to the column .Width. Unfortunately I received run-time error 1004.
It turned out that .Width property is Read-Only.
Two types of width
After short research I realized, that there is another width property .ColumnWidth. Unfortunately again, this property doesn’t have pixel unit.
One unit of column width is equal to the width of one character in the Normal style. For proportional fonts, the width of the character 0 (zero) is used.
So default width of column in Excel, which is 8.43, is the measure of 8 zeros and one apostrophe. Really funny Microsoft, really…
Is this really a joke?
At first I was helpless and did not know what to do. When my brain came back, after that life turning information, I realized that I can solve it with simple mathematical proportion.
.ColumnWidth = i / .Width * .ColumnWidthWhere i is the chosen width value in pixels.
Satisfactory solution
Obtained width was close to set value, but not the same. It wasn’t good enough. I did small research again and found Dick Kusleika article about this case. He read, that doing this equation twice gets You closer to the set value, than one time. Also he proved, with some tests, that in most cases it is enough, but to be sure You get as close as it could ever be, You need 3rd iteration.
Sub f_width(rng As Range, i As Long)
Dim j As Long
With rng
For j = 1 To 3
.ColumnWidth = i / .Width * .ColumnWidth
Next j
End With
End SubI was a little shocked, surprised and impressed at the same time.
Results
I did try this theory and also confirm, that 3rd iteration can get You as close as it is possible to the set value. Just try it and You’ll see that magic.
I think this solved the mystery width issue and now You know what is the unit of Excel column width. I hope You will be able to handle with this by yourself.
I’m very advanced in VBA, Excel, also easily linking VBA with other Office applications (e.g. PowerPoint) and external applications (e.g. SAP). I take part also in RPA processes (WebQuery, DataCache, IBM Access Client Solutions) where I can also use my SQL basic skillset. I’m trying now to widen my knowledge into TypeScript/JavaScript direction.
View all posts by Tomasz Płociński
Adjusting the column width is one of the important activities while working with Excel. It is one of the important activities performed by a user while preparing the reports, creating dashboards, developing summary tables, and using worksheets to do calculations on data. Microsoft Excel facilitates a set of options for changing the width of the column. However, columns in Excel worksheets cannot automatically adjust the width based on the data.
- A column in Excel has a default width of 8.43 characters, less than one inch. Excel presents different ways, including dragging through a mouse, using the shortcut menus on the ribbon, and double-clicking on the right side edge of the column heading.
- The present article discusses the various effective ways to adjust the width of columns manually by covering the following topics.
Table of contents
- Column Width in Excel
- Explanation
- How to Adjust Column Width in Excel?
- Examples
- Example#1 – Adjusting the Excel Column Width by Using the Mouse
- Example#2 – Setting the Width of the Column to a Certain Number
- Example#3 – Use of Autofit to Adjust the Column Width in Excel
- Example#4 – Setting the Default Width for Columns in Excel
- Things to Remember
- Recommended Articles
Explanation
- In an Excel worksheet, a user can set the width of a column in the range from 0 to 255, and one character width is equal to one unit. For a new Excel sheet, the column width equals 8.43 characters, equal 64 pixels. It will hide a column if its width is equal to zero.
- When a user inputs data into the columns of the excel sheet, they do not automatically adjust the size of the column. If the value presented in a cell is big to fit with the default width of the column, it overlaps with the next cells by crossing the border of the cell.
- The text string cell overlaps the cell border, whereas the numeric string displays in #####. Therefore, we need to apply various commands to adjust the column width to avoid these problems.
In Excel, a different type of command is available to format the width of a column. These include column width, AutoFit column width, and default width.
- Column width: This command sets the width of the column to a certain number of characters.
- Autofit column width: This command helps fit the content to the widest column width.
- Default width: Adjusts column width to the default widthTo autofit the column width to the entire column in Excel, select the entire column and drag the column according to the data. read more.
You are free to use this image on your website, templates, etc, Please provide us with an attribution linkArticle Link to be Hyperlinked
For eg:
Source: Excel Column Width (wallstreetmojo.com)
How to Adjust Column Width in Excel?
- Presenting the data in a readable format adjusting the column width.
- Matching the width of a column in excel to another column.
- Unhide data that is not visible to the readers.
- Setting the specific width to a column to fit with the content produced.
- Application of proper formatting to the cells and their data.
- Precisely controlling the column width by changing the different fonts and their size.
Examples
Below are examples of Excel column width.
You can download this Column Width Excel Template here – Column Width Excel Template
Example#1 – Adjusting the Excel Column Width by Using the Mouse
This example illustrates the adjustment of the column width for the following data.
As shown in the figure, data in two columns is not readable. Therefore, we must follow the following steps.
Step1: To adjust the width of only one column, we must drag the border of the column to the right side until the required column width is reached.
Step2: Next, drag the column B width until the desired width is reached.
Step3: Next, we need to drag the column C width until the desired width is reached.
We can adjust the width of all columns by selecting the three columns.
Step4: After that, we must select three columns by pressing “CTRL+A” or clicking the ‘All Button’ and drag on any column header shown in the screenshot.
Consequently, it may show the result as follows:
Example#2 – Setting the Width of the Column to a Certain Number
The following data is considered for this example.
We must follow the steps to set the width of a certain number of columns in Excel:
- We must first select the single or more columns to adjust the width.
- Then, go to the “Format” option under the “Home” tab and click on “Format.”
- Next, select the “Column width” from the list of options. It opens the “Column width” dialog box.
- Enter the desired value in the column width box (for example, 15) and click “OK.”
- The result is obtained as follows:
This method results in the same width for the columns selected.
Example#3 – Use of AutoFit to Adjust the Column Width in Excel
This example illustrates the procedure to AutoFit the width of all columns to contents. The following data is considered for this example.
Step1: To AutoFit the single column, first, we need to double-click on the right border of the column.
Step2: To apply the AutoFit to two columns, double-click on the boundary presented by selecting the two columns.
Step3: To apply the AutoFit to all columns, select the columns by pressing “CTRL+A” or selecting the all button.
Step4: Go to the “Format” option under the “Home” tab and click on “Format.”
Step5: Select the “AutoFit Column Width” from a list of options as shown in the screenshot.
It AutoFits the width of all columns, as shown in the screenshot.
Example#4 – Setting the Default Width for Columns in Excel
This example illustrates how to change the default column width for a worksheet or complete worksheets in a workbook. The following data is considered for this example.
Step1: First, we must select the single or more worksheets to adjust the default width. For this example, we are considering only one worksheet.
Step2: Go to the “Format” option under the “Home” tab and click on “Format.”
Step3: We need to select the “Default Width” from a list of options, as shown in the screenshot.
It opens the “Standard column width” dialog box.
Step4: After that, we must enter the desired width into the “Standard column width” box as 20.
Then, the result is obtained as follows:
Things to Remember
- “AutoFit” of column width does not affect width if the width of the column is sufficient for the content.
- When a user wants to modify the default width of an Excel file, save the empty workbook as a template in Excel.
Recommended Articles
This article is a guide to Excel Column Width. Here, we learn how to adjust the column width in Excel by using the mouse and AutoFit to adjust the column width, along with examples and a downloadable Excel template. You may learn more about Excel from the following articles: –
- Column Total in Excel
- How to Add Columns in Excel?
- Move Columns in Excel
- How to Track Changes in Excel?
-
Excel
Guide to Understanding How to Adjust Column Width in Excel (and Autofit Function)
How to Adjust Column Width in Excel
The following tutorial demonstrates the process of how to adjust the column width in Excel using keyboard shortcuts. Adjusting the column width in a financial model can ensure that all of the necessary data is visible as well as improve the overall presentability of the spreadsheet.
How to Adjust Column Width in Excel (Step-by-Step)
The column width in Excel can be adjusted to sufficiently fit the content within the spreadsheet.
- Narrow Column Width → If the width of a column is too narrow, the value of a cell can become hidden, where the number values appear as “###”.
- Wide Column Width → On the other hand, if the column width is too wide, there could be far too much white space in the spreadsheet, resulting in a distracting appearance. The column width must also be considered if the Excel file will be printed once complete.
By default, the Excel column is set at “8.43 units” with lower and upper parameters of 0 (i.e. hidden) and 255, respectively. The 8.43 units refer to 8.43 characters, which corresponds to 64 pixels, but the units can be adjusted in the settings tab (e.g. into inches, cm, mm).
In the context of financial modeling, it is a general best practice to maintain consistency in the formatting of the column width, albeit there are occasional exceptions.
For instance, most financials models utilize so-called “elevator drops” (i.e. an “x” in a “thinner” Column A) to make the process of navigating between different sections easier.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with one column being of a different width than the rest, a model can appear less professional if each and every column is noticeably set to be a different width.
In order to adjust the column width—either to expand or decrease the width—follow the steps below:
- Step 1 → Select the Column(s) to Adjust
- Step 2 → Open the “Home” Tab
- Step 3 → Click on “Format” to Open the Menu
- Step 4 → Press “Column Width” in the Cell Size Group
- Step 5 → Enter the Specific Width and Click the “OK” Button
If you need to adjust all the columns in the worksheet, simply press “Ctrl” and “A” simultaneously to select all (or click the arrow in the top left corner next to the formula bar), before repeating the same process.
Alternatively, a different method is to select the column to adjust with your cursor, right click to open the menu, and pick the “Adjust Column Width” option.
Whichever method is used, the following box should appear for the user to enter a custom column width.
Adjust Column Width in Excel — Keyboard Shortcut
Using the keyboard rather than the mouse is more time efficient in practically all cases, aside from certain exceptions.
The keyboard shortcut to quickly open the adjust column width box and enter the desired width is as follows.
Adjust Column Width Shortcut = Alt + H + O + W
Each key must be pressed one-by-one in that specific order, instead of pressing down on all of them simultaneously.
Excel Autofit Function: Change Column Width Automatically
Excel also offers the option to adjust the column width automatically to fit the content within the column.
In the “Format” box from earlier, there is a built-in “Autofit Column Width” option to pick from in the cell size group.
If you want to bypass the process of finding and clicking that option, a more convenient approach is to double-click the boundary of a column, i.e. the line separating each column.
Upon doing so, Excel automatically adjusts the column width based on the “best fit”.
Like earlier, selecting all cells and repeating the process on any of the chosen columns auto-adjusts the column width of all the actively selected columns.
Excel Autofit Column Width — Keyboard Shortcut
The preferred option to auto-fit columns, particularly for multiple columns, is to utilize keyboard shortcuts.
The autofit keyboard shortcut is the following:
Autofit Column Width = Alt + H + O + I
As with the shortcut earlier, press each individual key one after the other, and the selected column(s) should be automatically adjusted to display all the included content.
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