Comments on: How to start a new line in Excel cell: 3 ways to insert a line break

In most Office applications, starting a new paragraph is not a problem - you simply press Enter on your keyboard. In Microsoft Excel, however, this work differently - pressing the Enter key completes the entry and moves the cursor to the next cell. So, how do you create a new line in Excel? Continue reading →

Comments page 2. Total comments: 58

  1. Some great work and advice here! High end know-how. Thank you.

  2. How can I create a single carriage return in a cell WITHOUT using Alt + enter? This action is conflicting with the virtual meeting software we are using. Ideas?

  3. Thank you, thank you. This was a life saver!
    Mac and MS office really need to kiss and make up....

  4. Thank you for including the shortcut for Citrix use, big help.

  5. How can I press enter and then go to the next row. For example if I am typing in a row and now I am done and I am at cell G1 and now I want to go to A2. If I hit enter it goes to G2. This might sound stupid but we are trying to format a spreadsheet to go to the next line when you hit enter not tab. And we want to be able to hit enter for each cell in the row rather than tab. Is that possible? Thank you.

    1. Not exactly what you want , but still worth considering: Use a table vs just a list in Excel. In a table, once you fill in the last column and hit tab, it moves to the beginning of the next row. If you are at the bottom of the table, it creates a new row. So if your table is defined as A1:G2, when you hit tab after entering something in G2, you end up in A3 and A3:G3 are now made a row in the table. I don't believe you can have a single-row table, because there's always a header row plus the data.

    2. Maybe this will work for you.

      Place your cursor in A1
      Use the Tab button to move across to G1
      Complete your data
      Press Enter
      Your cursor should now be in A2

      You will then have to Tab across to G each time for this to work next time you press enter.

      1. You could merge+centre the full row of cells to the width you require - left align it and then when you hit enter you would go into the next row treated the same way, and it would appear as if you are typing into the next line.

  6. you can try using Command + Shift + Enter to break a new line in Mac. Hope it helps you out.

  7. I'm also accessing Excel via Citrix and this has been driving me SO crazy, but I just figured it out! Command+Option+Return worked! Not sure why the order changed from before.

    1. Awesome!!!! This worked for me as well

    2. Amanda, you rock! Thanks :)

  8. I was having this issue and finally got it to work by pressing [option + return] only. The option key is considered the alt key on a Mac

    1. Thanks you!! you saved me so much frustration. This was the only thing that worked for me.

  9. I would like to trim multiple lines within a cell can you anyone give any solution or suggestion on my question?

    1. Hello!
      I’m sorry but your task is not entirely clear to me.
      Please describe your problem in more detail. Include an example of the source data and the result you want to get. It’ll help me understand your request better and find a solution for you. Thank you.

      1. we all have the same problem, we can't get rid of returns in a cell on a Mac. None of the PC options work. We are typically copying something from a website and it througs a return in the cell. when will someone here answer the bloody question??????

  10. I am trying to do a line return on a excel sheet using a mac in the same cell. I have tried cntl + Cmnd + rtn and cntl + opt+ rtn I have tried numerous times on several different excel sheets. Also tried FN + opt+ rtn. Opt+ rtn. I have no alt key on the Mac.

  11. For a mac, adopt the same process for formula but use CHAR(13).

  12. also unable to use the key combinations to do a carriage return in an excel cell using a Mac. Any ideas?

  13. I'm on a Mac using excel online. I am trying to do a line return in a cell, i.e., make a new line in the same cell. There is no ALT key.
    cntl+cmnd+rtn] nor [cntl+optn+rtn] do not work. I tried it once and it worked. And now it doesn't work anymore. I've tried it 20 times.
    What do I do?

    1. Hi Natalie,

      The equivalent of Alt on a Mac is the Option key, though in many cases they behave differently. For more information, please see How to use the Alt key on a Mac keyboard.

      So, if you are using Mac Excel 365, please try Option + Enter to make a new line in a cell.

  14. Hi, the instructions for carriage break in a excel cell do not seem to work for me. I am using Office 365 but via Citrix on a Mac. There is no Alt key, but neither [cntl+cmnd+rtn] nor [cntl+optn+rtn] seem to work. The cell already has an existing Carriage return, ie two lines of text (so yes Warp Text is definitely already enabled for the cell) and I need to add a third line.

    1. I think I've found it after trying all combinations. I am also using Office 365 via Citrix on a Max but I do have a function key and an alt key.

      I've found 'fn' + 'alt + 'cmd' works for me!

      1. 'fn' + 'alt' + 'cmnd' + Return doesn't work. There is no alt key on macs (I'm using an M1 Macbook Pro), it would be the 'option' key instead but even that doesn't work as 'fn'+ 'option' + 'cmnd' + Return. Can't believe Microsoft hasn't resolved this.

      2. Thank you! This worked for me and is going to save me a ton of time on a project!

    2. yOU MAY NEED TO MAKE YOUR COLUNM WIDER ABSD TURN TEXT WRAPPING ON AS WELL

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