To wrap text in Google Sheets, select the cells, then click the Text wrapping button in the toolbar (or open the Format menu and go to the wrapping options) and choose Wrap. Long text then drops to new lines inside the cell, and the row gets taller to fit. To break a line at a specific spot, edit the cell and press Alt + Enter on Windows.
Google lists “Wrap text in a cell” among the formatting options on its Edit & format a spreadsheet help page.
How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets on a computer.
- Select the cells you want to wrap. Click a column letter to select a whole column.
- Click the Text wrapping button in the toolbar. You can also click Format and hover over the wrapping option. It is called Text wrapping; some versions of Sheets label it Wrapping.
- Choose Wrap, the middle of the three options.
Result: the text appears on multiple lines inside the cell, and the row height adjusts automatically so all the text fits.
Wrap the whole sheet
Select every cell first, by clicking the blank box between row 1 and column A or pressing Ctrl + A, then choose Wrap.
Wrap vs. Overflow vs. Clip
- Overflow is the default. Long text spills into empty cells to the right. If the next cell has data, the text gets cut off at the edge.
- Wrap keeps the text inside the cell on multiple lines and makes the row taller.
- Clip only shows what fits within the column width. You can still see the full text by double-clicking the cell. It’s handy for long URLs you don’t need to read.
To unwrap text, select the cells and choose Overflow from the same menu.
How to Force Text to the Next Line in a Cell
- Double-click the cell, or select it and press F2, to edit it.
- Click where you want the new line.
- Hold Alt and press Enter (Windows).
- Press Enter when you’re done.
Result: the text always breaks at that point, no matter how wide the column is. This works one cell at a time.
Add line breaks with a formula
If your text uses a separator, such as commas in an address, use a formula that swaps each separator for a line break:
=SUBSTITUTE(B2, ", ", CHAR(10))CHAR(10) returns a line break character and SUBSTITUTE replaces each comma and space in cell B2 with it. If the result still shows on one line, you may also need to apply Wrap to that cell.
How to Wrap Text in the Sheets App
- Open the spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app and tap the cell. Tap a column letter or row number to select a whole column or row.
- Tap the Format button (the A with lines) at the top.
- Tap Cell.
- Turn on Wrap text.
Result: the selected cells wrap. Tap the sheet to close the formatting panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t my row get taller after wrapping?
If a row stays short after you wrap its cells, you can change the row height yourself. Also try merging cells so wrapped text has more room without making other rows taller. Wrapping is also useful after you make the font bigger in Google Sheets, because larger text needs more room.
Can I wrap text in only part of a sheet?
Yes. Wrapping applies only to the cells you select, so you can wrap one column and leave the rest set to Overflow or Clip.
Related Guides
- How to merge cells in Google Sheets
- How to change row height in Google Sheets
- How to align text in Google Sheets
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
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