Are you having trouble starting a new line or moving to the next line in Excel? In Excel, unlike other Office products, the Enter key does not function for this purpose. But don't be concerned! We'll show you four basic strategies that Excel users can utilize to generate new lines in cells and how to go to the next line in excel in this brief article. Let's look at how to simply insert and format text in Excel.
Method 1: Use the Keyboard Shortcut to Go to Next Line in Excel Cell
In Excel, how to go to the next line in excel in a cell is easily answerable using a keyboard shortcut. This is the simplest technique. Different shortcuts are used for Windows and Mac. To learn the approach, follow the steps below.
Steps
Firstly, users are required to select a cell. In our example, we will be using cell D% and type “Performance” in cell D5.
Next, users will need to press Alt+Enter on their keyboard to go to the next line in excel. If you’re using a Mac system, then simply press Control + Option + Return on your keyboard.
The result will be as seen in the screenshot down below. Simple and easy to use.
Method 2: Go to Next Line inside a Cell Using Wrap Text in Excel
To go to the next line in Excel cell, we will use the Wrap Text option. If you need to keep your cell width consistent, this method is for you. To demonstrate the steps, we will utilize a dataset containing the comments. The column width cannot be autofitted in this case.
Steps
Open your excel file on Microsoft Excel.
Users will need to select the cells for this step. In our example, we have selected cells D5-D8 to execute the Wrap Text function.
On the ribbon menu, select “Home” located on the top right of the screen and then select “Wrap Text”
After selecting Wrap Text, Excel will execute the function and wrap the text, however, the result will be as shown in the screenshot below.
Users can adjust the height and width of the row. Simply place the cursor on the line that divides two rows and double-click it. The result will be as shown on screenshot down below.
Method 3: Apply Formula in an Excel Cell to Create Next Line
By applying a formula in an Excel cell to create a next line, users can efficiently organize and display multiline text within a single cell. We will be using Excel's CONCATENATE function to combine text from many cells into a single cell, including the creation of a new line within the cell. This function is useful for organizing and formatting data so that it can be read and analyzed more easily.
Steps
Launch Microsoft Excel on your system and open the file with data.
Select the cell where you want to use the Excel Function to go to the next line.
Enter the following formula in the desired cell and type:
=CONCATENATE(
Users will be asked to select the cells they want to combine
After selecting the first cell, enter the function CHAR(10), this will introduce line break after every cell text.
Using the cursor, drag down the Fill Handle from the bottom right to copy the formula on to the remaining cells.
Select all the cells, head over to the ribbon menu and click on the Home tab followed by Wrap text.
The final result, text combined from multiple cells in separate lines just like we wanted.
Method 4: Insert Line Break with the ‘Find and Replace’ Feature to Go to Next Line in Cell
The 'Find and Replace' feature in Excel allows you to insert line breaks and go to the next line within a cell.
Steps
Visit Microsoft Excel and open the data sheet for editing.
Select the cells where you to insert line breaks
On the ribbon menu, click on the Home Tab and then select Find and Replace at the top left of the screen. Users can press “Ctrl+H” on their keyboards to open Find and Replace.
In the Find and Replace window, in the 'Find what' field, press the spacebar once using keyboard
In the 'Replace with' field, press Ctrl + J on your keyboard. Users don’t have to enter anything in this field, Excel will add some special characters itself following the command.
Click on “Replace All”, the result shall be similar to the snapshot below.
Users will need to adjust the height and width of the rows to make sure the text fits the cell.
Best Alternative - WPS Office
Microsoft Excel is the most popular spreadsheet software used by businesses and individuals alike. However, there are some alternatives to Excel that offer more features and better performance. One of the most cost effective alternatives is WPS Spreadsheet, which is a powerful spreadsheet program with a wide range of features. It has an intuitive user interface and allows users to easily create complex spreadsheets with multiple sheets, formulas, charts, and more. Users can download WPS Spreadsheet to streamline their workflow and explore various features such as “go to next line” and more to make their task easier.
Advantages of WPS Office
WPS Spreadsheet is available for free, offering a cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Excel's subscription-based pricing.
WPS Spreadsheet features a user-friendly interface that closely resembles Microsoft Excel, making it easy for users to transition and work with familiar tools and functions.
WPS Spreadsheet offers advanced formulas, data analysis tools, pivot tables, charting, conditional formatting, and collaborative editing for efficient data management and analysis.
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Users can learn how to use different Spreadsheet features through WPS Academy. Users can find a detailed and an easy to understand guide regarding each function.
How to go to the next line in the WPS Spreadsheet?
Method 1: Use the shortcut key Alt + Enter
Here’s how users can simply use the keyboard shortcut on WPS Spreadsheet to go to the next line.
Launch WPS Office on your system and open the Spreadsheet with data.
Select the cell where you want to go to the next line. In our example, we will be selecting cell J10.
Simply press Alt+Enter on your keyboard and the cursor will jump on to the next line.
Method 2: Using Wrap Text
To use the Wrap Text feature, go to WPS Spreadsheet and open the data file.
Select the cells where Wrap text feature needs to be applied
On the ribbon menu, click on Home tab and then select Wrap Text
Cells containing data will be wrapped, but oftentimes data is not displayed properly in the cell. To overcome this, simply adjust the height of the row to make sure data is properly displayed in the cells.
Take A Closer Look at Excel Line Breaks
What is the line break?
A line break is a formatting tool that allows you to break a line of text and begin a new line. It is frequently used to make paragraph breaks or to format text to improve readability or presentation.
The importance of line breaks in Excel
Line breaks can assist us in processing and managing extensive content, such as when writing articles, calculations, and so on.
It helps Improve the readability and cleanliness of data.
It is also a great way of saving space
FAQ
Q1. What are the practical application scenarios for line breaks in Excel tables?
Organize Work Plans and Reports: To ensure readability and clarity, use line breaks to enter lengthy text content.
Enter Multiple Rows of Data: Use line breaks within a cell to efficiently input and arrange multiple rows of data.
Modify Lengthy Headers: Use line breaks to alter and improve the display of long headers when generating tables and charts.
Q2. What are the precautions for using line breaks in Excel?
Line breaks can only be used in text-formatted cells.
Convert the cell format to text for line breaks in numeric or date cells.
When utilizing line breaks for long text, make sure the row height of the cell is large enough to display the complete content.
Unlocking Excel's Potential: Mastering Next Line Navigation with WPS Office
Mastering how to go to the next line in Excel is essential for efficient data entry and formatting. This article has provided four easy methods to achieve this, including keyboard shortcuts, the Wrap Text option, using formulas, and the 'Find and Replace' feature.
However, for a comprehensive and user-friendly alternative, consider leveraging WPS Office's capabilities. With its advantages and intuitive interface, WPS Office simplifies the process of inserting line breaks and enhances your Excel experience. Explore the various methods outlined here and discover the power of WPS Office in improving your Excel workflow.
