I just figured out how to enter a new line in an Excel cell. The trick is to use Alt+Enter to create a new line. Also, when you do that, Excel automatically enables text wrap for the cell.
Windows: Alt+Enter
Mac: Hold down apple key + Option + Enter
(Thanks to Tex and Andy for the Mac tip)
Tips List
——————–
Alt+Enter: Enter new line in a cell
F2: Edit a cell
Originally posted: 2005-05-02
Last updated: 2011-01-13
Useful, Informative, Interesting
Thanks Bobby. It works!
How such a simple posting can save a day! 🙂 Thanks, Bobby.
and how to remove a new line in all the cells of a entore column?
A simple post that can save a lot of work. Goood Post Bobby. Thanks.
I guess it works for Windows, but how about when using an eMac? This would help a bunch!
I knew there was a way! Thanks!
Thanks, dude!
easy way to save the day!
This was annoying me so much…THANK YOU!
Life saving..
Thanks a ton..
well..as far as i know..on mac, hold down Option with either ctrl or apple key and then press the enter..you should get the same thing..
I’ve always wanted to know how to do that! How perfect!
I love you. Seriously. I do.
cool man…cool, thx a lot
Radical dude!!
Great! Thanks. MS Excel Help does not help.
amesegnalehu, anta akuay.
you saved my …
Dude…I love you!
Dude, i needed this feature also, cause my boss does not know how to read. Life sucks and I wished I was dead. But hey anyway thanks.
many thanks for this. has been trying literally for years to figure how to do that 🙂
I know alot about excel, but didn’t know that one! Thanks for the tip!
Two tumbs up!
Thats great!
Hi Bobby,
Looks like you have been imortalised. I think you will get hits on this blog for the rest of the century. Thanks heaps
Thank you,
This issue has been bugging me for some time now.
CTRL+ALT+ENTER may also be required (instead) in some versions of OSX and Excel in order to enter lines within cells.
Just great…I previously used spacebar key to go to the new line and it was very frustrating…Thank you very much!
Thanks! just what I was looking for!
Thanks Bobby – you’re my Excel hero!
Thanks a lot for this. Saved a lot of time for me 🙂
Thanks, great info 🙂
Small, but very helpful.
Lol you saved the day, thanks 🙂 Damn excel.
merci!
\”Excel\”lent Bobby!
you guys are all funny. This is basic functionality – look in Excel help, Keyboard shortcuts. Spend 10 min and it\’ll save you a lot more.
Merci! I am dying for it!
Thanks dude. This is a great help.
Great tip, I had been looking for it for so long.
Saved the day, thanks.
Very helpful
thanks man.. this problem was killing me for long time. Stupid Micrsoft!
Thanks! Very useful.
Jacob
Thanks!
Thanks a ton Bobby! You have no idea how much this was annoying the hell outta me… 😀
if \”iva\” uses Help so much, I wonder why she/he is reading this.
Thanks alot! I was trying to figure that out for my job project.
Exactly what I needed! Thanks!
Truly appreciated, i have been trying to find this out for ever.
Thanks from Sweden
Wow…I am so glad I googled this. Thanks for the tip. I spent 2 hours trying to find the feature in Excel. Will use keyboard tips in the future.
Thanks a lot, it came as first result of google :). Thanks a lot again!!!!!!!!
Thanks a million, you\’re a lifesaver!
thanks
wasted one hour in excel help doc
Thanks you!
Your a legend! thx
On a mac you need to hold down the apple key and press option then press enter.
I LOVE YOU!!!! Thanks
Thank you! This has made my life much sunnier.
Can you imagine just how many people have been helped by this such a simple and single explanation. Not every one replies with a Thank you post. Wonder if Microsoft\’s complex minds would someday provide answers in such a straight way instead of going through 7 or 8 wizzard steps.
Micro$oft help was pretty useless (online and offline). Wth Bobby, 4 years down the line your blog is STILL helpin folks! Now THAT\’S a good reason for keeping the internet free
Thanks, this is a very helpful tip.
Bang on the target!
Saved my day!
Thank You!
My hero!
Thanks so much. I\’m using a Mac (and fairly new to it) and couldn\’t figure it out for the life of me!
woowwwww………thank yoooo
it is great, I have been looking and asking how to do it…yoo cool dude
Man Oh Man…
You know, there is Microsoft (with their online help blabla) and there is you (one line is worth more than … whatever!!! you know what I mean)…
THANK YOU MAN
Great job done…
You blog is 5 years old and still very helpful.
Thanks.
Thanks bob. That helps a lot.
Wow,. This is a time saver for me! 😀
Great help. Thanks Bob.
You da man, cheers Bob!
Thanks Bob!
Just what I needed! Cheers man.
haha lol.
Thanks from me too :)_
Thanks, you are the man!!
Thankzzz
Thank you so much for the tip!
Tried both Ctrl+Enter and Shift+Enter but not Alt+Enter. :0
5 years later and it\’s still a sweet tip!
Sweet, works like a charm. Keep it up bobby!
I tried everything except alt+enter. 🙁
Thanks dude!
Thanks, you are God-sent.
Thank you! I tried Shift and Ctrl and Enter and Alt, but not alt+enter.
you rock!! thankyou! I\’ve never tried alt, only shift.
Life saver!
Thanks 🙂
It crashes the ego when we all think that we know a lot in Excel. Even after 5 years of this post, this comes as the first thing when googled. Though I had only came across such a need today, your blog helped me not to spend too much time to figure it out. Great….Thanks a ton….
Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!
Thanks Dude
This is why hummankind created the World Wide Web. Excel Help was useless but Bobby Maisnam is a deep hero (and a hat tip to the other Andy with the Macintosh tip). Now we can go back to our creative lives and love.
Thanks! You helped out a marketing dept in Lake Forest, CA!
You go dude.
Thanks Dude
For Open office users …
In Open Office Org Calc,
Ctrl+Enter : to enter new line in a cell
🙂
Cheers..
Thanks for this!
Awesome! Still useful more than 5 years after posting.
Just googled this and you’re answer came straight up. Awesome, Thankyou!
Thanks for the tip it just saved my job lol.
Bloody amazing. This has been a bug for me for many years. Good on Google. Many thanks
Thanks for the tip. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for adding the Mac instruction. Been looking for this everywhere!!!
Hallelujah! A thousand thanks!
From ‘Down Under’ : love ya
Thanks lot bobby, from 2005 onwards still your post looking very young…long way to go….cheersup
Excellent!!! it definitely made my day.
thanks Bobby
Thank you so much! 😀
Thanks much Bobby!
I first learned how to do this years ago, but hadn’t had a chance to use it so I promptly forgot. Thanks for refreshing my memory.
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