How To Return Inside A Cell In Excel

Introduction

Struggling with line breaks in Excel cells? Navigating Excel's functionality for text manipulation can often be unintuitive.

Learning to return within a cell is essential for organizing data effectively. This guide will provide clear, step-by-step instructions on how to do just that.

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Excel Cell Line Return on Mac and Windows

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

To create a line return in an Excel cell on Windows, press Alt + Enter. On a Mac, use Option + Enter or Control + Option + Return. This method is the quickest way to start a new line within a cell.

Find and Replace Feature

For multiple line breaks, use the Find and Replace feature to add a line break after a specific character. This is effective for editing several lines at once in an Excel sheet.

Formulas for Line Returns

To merge text from various cells with each text starting on a new line, employ a formula. Use the CHAR function with code 10 on Windows or 13 on Mac within your formula. The TEXTJOIN function simplifies the process, especially for users of Excel for Office 365, Excel 2019, and Excel 2019 for Mac.

Text Wrapping and Cell Width

Ensure text wrapping is enabled and the cell width is sufficient for the line returns to display properly. Without text wrapping, the Option + Enter and CHAR(13) on Mac may not show the intended results.

Special Cases for Excel on Mac

When using Excel for Mac via Citrix or Excel online on Mac, standard shortcuts might differ. Alternative shortcuts such as 'fn' + 'alt' + 'cmd' may be required for a line return.

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Conclusion

Excel offers multiple methods to start a new line within cells, providing flexibility for formatting data and text layouts.

While these methods work, modern spreadsheet tools like Sourcetable offer simpler solutions. With its AI chatbot, you can instantly learn cell formatting techniques without memorizing keyboard shortcuts or formulas.

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