As simple as it sounds, try starting a new line in the cell of a Microsoft Excel worksheet. You will be left puzzled like countless other Microsoft Excel users before you.
However, there is no reason to worry, as you will be learning in this tutorial an easy way to add a new line in an Excel cell.
Problem Starting a New line in Excel Cell
In order to understand the problem, try entering 2 simple lines of text, one below the other into a single Excel cell and see what happens.
1. This is my first line
2. This is my second line
Here is how most Excel users would try to accomplish this task.
1. Open a new Excel workbook
2. Place the curser into any cell that you want to enter the first line and start typing.
In the image below we have selected Cell B2 to enter – ‘This is my first line’.
3. Now the task is to get the second line below the first line in the same cell B2.
If you are like most users, you will hit the enter key to move to the second line within the same cell. However, pressing the enter key will land you in another cell (B3) instead of keeping you in another line in the same cell B2.
As you can see in image below, the cursor has moved to cell B3, instead of remaining in the same cell B2, where you were trying to enter the second line of text.
Wrap Text Function
By trial and error, most users end up using the Text Wrap Feature in Microsoft Excel to fit 2 or more lines into a single cell. Here is how this method appears to work.
1. Type the first line in Cell B2 – This is just an example, you can select any cell that you wish to fit 2 lines into.
2. Hit the space Key and enter the second line in the same cell.
3. Next Click on the ‘Wrap Text’ button to see two lines in the same Excel Cell.
Amazing! – You have just managed to fit 2 lines into a single cell of Microsoft Excel worksheet.
However, this is not the right way to get 2 lines in a single Excel cell. In order to understand why, just try changing the width of Cell B2 and see what happens.
You will see words of your second line merging with the first line and all your line breaks will be gone (see image below).
Imagine the scenario, if you put in all the hard work to finish a large worksheet this way, only to see all your line breaks gone when your supervisor decides to resize column widths.
Never try this method again; there is a very simple way of accomplishing this task.
Right Way to Start New line in Excel Cell
As mentioned above, there is a simple way to start a new line in an Excel cell. With this method, all your break points will stay exactly in the same place, irrespective of the column widths.
1. Type the first line in Cell B2
2. Press Alt Key followed by Enter Key (ALT + Enter), you will find your curser below the first line
3. Type the second line.
That’s it – You now have 2 lines (one below the other) in a single excel cell. You can start as many lines as you want in the same cell by using the Excel shortcut (Alt + Enter).