What is text wrap in excel

What is Wrap Text in Excel?

The wrap text feature in excel allows displaying lengthy text strings of a cell in multiple lines. This enhances the readability of the worksheet and ensures that the entire cell data is visible at all times. After wrapping text, the row height increases automatically though the column width stays the same. If one changes the column width, the cell content adjusts itself to fit the new width.

For example, in the following image, wrap text has been applied to the string in cell B2. At the same time, column B has been widened.

The purpose of wrapping text is to prevent the cell data from spilling to the cells on the right. Moreover, it ensures that a text string is not cut by the border of the adjacent cell. Wrapping text is extremely helpful in worksheets that have a lot of content to display at a time.

How to Wrap the Text in Excel?

Wrap text is a formatting feature of Excel, which changes the appearance of a string without changing the string itself. The methods of wrapping text are listed as follows:

• Method #1–Wrap text using the Home tab
• Method #2–Wrap text using the “format cells” window
• Method #3–Wrap text using the keyboard shortcut
• Method #4–Wrap text using line breaks

Note that methods #1 to #3 wrap text automatically, while method #4 wraps text manually. In method #4, line breaks are inserted at the desired place in a cell. A line break serves as a substitute for the wrap text feature of Excel.

Let us discuss the four methods with the help of examples.

You can download this Wrap Text Excel Template here – Wrap Text Excel Template

Method #1–Using the Home tab

The succeeding image shows a long text string in cell A2. We want to wrap this text in cell A2. Use the “wrap text” option of the Home tab.

The steps to wrap text in excel by using the stated method are listed as follows:

Step 1: Select cell A2 whose text string needs to be wrapped.

Step 2: From the “alignment” group of the Home tab, click “wrap text.” The text string of cell A2 is displayed in multiple lines, as shown in the succeeding image.

Notice that even after wrapping text, the width of column A stays the same as that of the other columns. However, the height of row 2 increases when this feature is turned on.

Note 1: “Wrap text” is a toggle button that can be turned on and off to wrap and unwrap the text.

Note 2: To wrap the text of multiple cells simultaneously, select all such cells and press the “wrap text” toggle button.

Method #2–Using the “Format Cells” Window

Working on the text string of method #1, we want to wrap the text in cell A2. Use the “format cells” window of Excel.

Method #3–Using the Keyboard Shortcut

The succeeding image shows a text string in cell A1. We want to wrap this string of cell A1. Use the keyboard shortcutAn Excel shortcut is a technique of performing a manual task in a quicker way.read more for wrapping text.

The steps to wrap text in excel by using keyboard shortcut are listed as follows:

Step 1: Select cell A1 that consists of the string to be wrapped.

Step 2: Press the shortcut keys “Alt+H+W.” For this shortcut to work, first press the “Alt” key and release it. Next, press and release the “H” key followed by the “W” key.

Step 3: Once the “W” key is released, the “wrap text” feature is applied to the cell selected in step 1. The output is shown in the following image.

Method #4–Using Line Breaks

Working on the text string of method #1, we want to perform the following tasks:

• Apply the wrap text feature in cell A1.
• Insert line breaks manually after the strings “enter,” “large,” and “a” in cell A2.
• Compare the results of applying wrap text with inserting line breaks.

Use the keyboard shortcut for inserting line breaks. Note that both cells A1 and A2 should contain the text string of method #1.

The steps to perform the given tasks are listed as follows:

Step 1: Wrap the text in cell A1 by selecting the cell and choosing “wrap text” from the Home tab. The output is shown in cell A1 of the succeeding image.

Step 2: To insert line breaks, place the cursor in that part of the cell where line breaks are to be inserted. Next, press the keys “Alt+Enter” together.

So, first, place the cursor after the string “enter” and press the given shortcut. The line break is inserted at the end of this string. Likewise, insert line breaks after the strings “large” and “a.”

The result is shown in cell A2 of the following image.

Comparison between applying wrap text and inserting line breaks: It must be noted that when a line break is inserted, the “wrap text” feature is automatically turned on in Excel.

Therefore, when “wrap text” is applied, it is applied alone. However, when a line break is added, it is added in combination with “wrap text.”

The line breaks entered in cell A2 will stay in place even if column A is made wider. Moreover, if “wrap text” is turned off but the line breaks are retained, the string of cell A2 appears in a single line. However, the line breaks inserted in step 2 are visible in the formula bar.

In contrast, when the “wrap text” of cell A1 is disabled, the string appears as a single line, in this cell and the formula bar. So, with wrap text in excel, the cell content can regain its initial appearance with a single click of the toggle button.

The Reasons “Wrap Text” Feature may not Work in Excel

The reasons due to which the wrap text feature may not work in Excel are listed as follows:

• It does not work on merged cells. So, cells need to be unmerged before the wrap text feature can be applied to them.
• It does not work if the cell is already wide enough to display the entire text string. In this case, one can insert line breaks to display the cell content in multiple lines.
• It may not be visible if the height of the row has been set at a very low value. To avoid this, make sure that the height of the row adjusts automatically with the application of the wrap text feature in excel.

Note: To ensure that wrapped text is visible at all times, follow either of the listed techniques in Excel:

• Set the row height to adjust automatically. For this, click the “format” drop-down from the “cells” group of the Home tab. Next, choose “AutoFit row height” from the “cell size” option.
• Enlarge the height of the row manually. For this, place the cursor on the lower border of the row label. The row labels are displayed on the left side of the worksheet. Once the “resizing” mouse pointer appears, drag the lower border of the row downwards to increase the row height.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Wrap text in a cell

Microsoft Excel can wrap text so it appears on multiple lines in a cell. You can format the cell so the text wraps automatically, or enter a manual line break.

Wrap text automatically

In a worksheet, select the cells that you want to format.

On the Home tab, in the Alignment group, click Wrap Text. (On Excel for desktop, you can also select the cell, and then press Alt + H + W.)

Data in the cell wraps to fit the column width, so if you change the column width, data wrapping adjusts automatically.

If all wrapped text is not visible, it may be because the row is set to a specific height or that the text is in a range of cells that has been merged.

Adjust the row height to make all wrapped text visible

Select the cell or range for which you want to adjust the row height.

On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

Under Cell Size, do one of the following:

To automatically adjust the row height, click AutoFit Row Height.

To specify a row height, click Row Height, and then type the row height that you want in the Row height box.

Tip: You can also drag the bottom border of the row to the height that shows all wrapped text.

Enter a line break

To start a new line of text at any specific point in a cell:

Double-click the cell in which you want to enter a line break.

Tip: You can also select the cell, and then press F2.

In the cell, click the location where you want to break the line, and press Alt + Enter.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

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Wrap text in a cell

Microsoft Excel can wrap text so it appears on multiple lines in a cell. You can format the cell so the text wraps automatically, or enter a manual line break.

Wrap text automatically

In a worksheet, select the cells that you want to format.

On the Home tab, in the Alignment group, click Wrap Text. (On Excel for desktop, you can also select the cell, and then press Alt + H + W.)

Data in the cell wraps to fit the column width, so if you change the column width, data wrapping adjusts automatically.

If all wrapped text is not visible, it may be because the row is set to a specific height or that the text is in a range of cells that has been merged.

Adjust the row height to make all wrapped text visible

Select the cell or range for which you want to adjust the row height.

On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

Under Cell Size, do one of the following:

To automatically adjust the row height, click AutoFit Row Height.

To specify a row height, click Row Height, and then type the row height that you want in the Row height box.

Tip: You can also drag the bottom border of the row to the height that shows all wrapped text.

Enter a line break

To start a new line of text at any specific point in a cell:

Double-click the cell in which you want to enter a line break.

Tip: You can also select the cell, and then press F2.

In the cell, click the location where you want to break the line, and press Alt + Enter.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

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Usage and Function of Wrap Text in Excel

In this tutorial, you will learn completely the definition, usage, and function of wrap text in excel. This wrap text feature can be important to manage your data display in excel more optimally.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links from which we earn commission from qualifying purchases/actions at no additional cost for you. Learn more

Want to work faster and easier in Excel? Install and use Excel add-ins! Read this article to know the best Excel add-ins to use according to us!

What is Wrap Text in Excel?

Wrap Text Function in Excel

The wrap text feature helps us make a text not too long in its display. Thus, we can see its content much easier in its cell. This feature does it by dividing a text which is too long for its column width into several different lines.

By default, Excel will show our text data in one line in its cell, however long the text is.

We can still see the whole long text content if the cells on the right of the text cell are empty. But, if they aren’t, then the text display will be cut. This is where wrap text comes in. It can help us to show the whole content of the text when we use it.

As an example of the function, let’s say we have text data as shown in the screenshot below.

The text there looks cut because its length is greater than its column width and there is data on the right. What can we do so we can show the whole text easily?

If you don’t want to widen your column, then you can activate wrap text on the cell containing the text. By using the wrap text feature, excel will divide your text form into several lines

The number of lines depends on the column width where your text cell is and the text length too. Excel will automatically add the cell row height until we can see the whole text in its cell.

Cell with wrap text will always adjust its data lines and row height to the column width and data length. If you update the data content, then the number of data lines and row height will also change automatically if needed.

How to Use Wrap Text in Excel 1: Button in the Home Tab

After discussing the function of the wrap text feature in excel, next, we will talk about the steps to use it. There are three methods explained here with their usage steps.

We will begin with the first method, which is by using the button in the Home tab to activate wrap text.

Highlight the cell with the data content where you want to activate the wrap text on

Make sure you are already in the excel Home tab. Then, click the wrap text button which location is shown in the following screenshot

How to Use Wrap Text in Excel 2: Shortcut (Only for Windows)

If you want to do wrap text fast without using your mouse, then apply the use of these shortcut buttons. This shortcut only works for computers with Windows operating system.

Highlight the cell with the data which you want to activate the wrap text on

Press Alt then H and then W (in sequence, not simultaneously)

Done!

How to Use Wrap Text in Excel 3: Format Cells

The last method is by utilizing the format cells feature in excel.

Highlight the cell containing the data you want to activate the wrap text feature on

Press Ctrl + 1 or right-click on the cell and choose Format Cells

Go to the Alignment tab in the dialog box shown. Then, check the wrap text checkbox there

Click OK

Alternative: How to Wrap Text Manually

Not satisfied with the text lines setting from wrap text and want to set the lines in your text manually? You can do that by implementing how to enter in your text. You can enter by pressing the Alt + Enter (Option + Enter in Mac) buttons. Do that when your typing cursor is in front of the text part you want to be in a new line.

As an example, let us go back to the text example where we implement the wrap text feature previously. If we want to wrap text manually on it, then do this. Place our typing cursor in front of the text part which we want to be in a new line.

Then, press the Alt + Enter buttons like what we discussed earlier. The text behind your typing cursor will be moved into a new line!

Excel automatically adjusts the row height and activates wrap text for other parts of the text after you press Alt + Enter. If you want to set the lines again, place your typing cursor in the text and set it as you prefer.

The Reasons Why Your Wrap Text Doesn’t Wor

You feel you have activated the wrap text feature but your text still doesn’t show its whole content? Or you might have used wrap text but your text doesn’t separate itself into several lines?

Various factors can become the causes here. However, you might need to check the points below first, which often become the factors that cause wrap text not working.

The row height isn’t enough to show the whole text

Check the row height where you activate the wrap text. Maybe, you have unintentionally changed the row height so your text becomes invincible again.

If that is what happens, immediately add more row height until you can see the whole content of your text

Your cell is a result of some cells combination/merge cells

Try to check the cell where you wrap text and see whether your cell is a result of using merge cells.

If yes, then know that excel cannot automatically widen that cell row when you activate wrap text. You need to widen it yourself so you can see the whole content of your text

Your column width is already enough to show the whole text

If your text doesn’t separate itself into several lines, then try to check the column width where your cell is. Is the column wide enough to show all your text? If it is, then wrap text won’t separate your text into some lines.

The wrap text objective is to make your whole text shown in the cell where it resides. If that already happens with your column width, then wrap text doesn’t need to separate your text into several lines.

If you still want to separate your text into lines with wrap text, then narrow down your column to do that. Or, probably, try to wrap text manually with the method explained above.

Have you checked all the points above? If your wrap text doesn’t work, then most probably one of those points is the cause!

Additional Note

Consider merging cells also to show the data in your cells. Sometimes, it is better to show them this way rather than using wrap text.

Related tutorials for you to learn:

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How to wrap text in Excel

by Svetlana Cheusheva, updated on February 7, 2023

This tutorial shows how to wrap text in a cell automatically and how to insert a line break manually. You will also learn the most common reasons for Excel wrap text not working and how to fix it.

Primarily, Microsoft Excel is designed to calculate and manipulate numbers. However, you may often find yourself in situations when, in addition to numbers, large amounts of text need to be stored in spreadsheets. In case longer text does not fit neatly in a cell, you can of course proceed with the most obvious way and simply make the column wider. However, it’s not really an option when you work with a large worksheet that has a lot of data to display.

A much better solution is to wrap text that exceeds a column width, and Microsoft Excel provides a couple of ways to do it. This tutorial will introduce you to the Excel wrap text feature and share a few tips to use it wisely.

What is wrap text in Excel?

When the data input in a cell is too large fit in it, one of the following two things happens:

• If columns to the right are empty, a long text string extends over the cell border into those columns.
• If an adjacent cell to the right contains any data, a text string is cut off at the cell border.

The screenshot below shows two cases:

The Excel wrap text feature can help you fully display longer text in a cell without it overflowing to other cells. «Wrapping text» means displaying the cell contents on multiple lines, rather than one long line. This will allow you to avoid the «truncated column» effect, make the text easier to read and better fit for printing. In addition, it will help you keep the column width consistent throughout the entire worksheet.

The following screenshot shows how wrapped text looks like in Excel:

How to wrap text in Excel automatically

To force a lengthy text string to appear on multiple lines, select the cell(s) that you want to format, and turn on the Excel text wrap feature by using one of the following methods.

Method 1. Go to the Home tab > Alignment group, and click the Wrap Text button:

Method 2. Press Ctrl + 1 to open the Format Cells dialog (or right-click the selected cells and then click Format Cells…), switch to the Alignment tab, select the Wrap Text checkbox, and click OK.

Compared to the first method, this one takes a couple of extra clicks, but it may save time in case you wish to make a few changes in cell formatting at a time, wrapping text being one of those changes.

Tip. If the Wrap Text checkbox is filled in solid, it indicates that the selected cells have different text wrap settings, i.e. in some cells the data is wrapped, in other cells it is not wrapped.

Result. Whichever method you use, the data in the selected cells wraps to fit the column width. If you change the column width, text wrapping will adjust automatically. The following screenshot shows a possible result:

How to unwrap text in Excel

As you can easily guess, the two methods described above are also used to unwrap text.

The fastest way is to select the cell(s) and click the Wrap Text button (Home tab > Alignment group) to toggle text wrapping off.

Alternatively, press the Ctrl + 1 shortcut to open the Format Cells dialog and clear the Wrap text checkbox on the Alignment tab.

How to insert a line break manually

Sometimes you may want to start a new line at a specific position rather than have lengthy text wrap automatically. To enter a line break manually, just do the following:

• Enter cell edit mode by pressing F2 or double-clicking the cell or clicking in the formula bar.
• Put the cursor where you want to break the line, and press the Alt + Enter shortcut (i.e. press the Alt key and while holding it down, press the Enter key).

Result. Inserting a manual line break turns on the Wrap Text option automatically. However, the line breaks entered manually will stick in place when the column is made wider. If you turn off text wrapping, the data displays in one line in a cell, but the inserted line breaks are visible in the formula bar. The following screenshot demonstrates both scenarios — a line break in entered after the word «owl.

For other ways to insert a line break in Excel, please see: How to start a new line in a cell.

Excel wrap text not working

As one of the most often used features in Excel, Warp Text was designed as simple as possible and you will hardly have any problems using it in your worksheets. If text wrapping does not work as expected, check out the following troubleshooting tips.

1. Fixed row height

If not all wrapped text is visible in a cell, most likely the row is set to a certain height. To fix this, select the problematic cell, go to the Home tab > Cells group, and click Format > AutoFit Row Height:

Or, you can set a specific row height by clicking Row Height… and then typing the desired number in the Row height box. A fixed row height comes in especially handy to control the way the table headers are displayed.

2. Merged cells

Excel’s Wrap Text does not work for merged cells, so you will have to decide which feature is more important for a particular sheet. If you keep the merged cells, you can display the full text by making the column(s) wider. If you opt for Wrap Text, then unmerge cells by clicking the Merge & Center button on the Home tab, in the Alignment group:

3. The cell is wide enough to display its value

If you try to wrap a cell(s) that is already wide enough to display its contents, nothing will happen, even if later on the column is resized and becomes too narrow to fit longer entries. To force the text to wrap, toggle the Excel Wrap Text button off and on again.

4. Horizontal alignment is set to Fill

Sometimes, people want to prevent text from spilling over into next cells. This can be done by setting Fill for horizontal alignment. If later on you enable the Wrap Text feature for such cells, nothing will change — text will still be truncated at the cell’s boundary. To resolve the issue, remove the Fill alignment:

1. On the Home tab, in the Alignment group, click the Dialog launcher (a small arrow in the lower-right corner of a ribbon group). Or press Ctrl + 1 to open the Format Cells dialog box.
2. On the Alignment tab of the Format Cells dialog box, set General for Horizontal alignment, and click OK.

This is how you wrap text in Excel to display longer text on multiple lines. I thank you for reading and hope to see you on our blog next week!

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