The quickest way to AutoFit a column in Excel is to double-click the right edge of its column header. To AutoFit from the keyboard, select the column and press Alt, then H, O, I. For rows, press Alt, H, O, A. Both shortcuts walk through the Home > Format menu.
In this article:
- AutoFit columns
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Three ways to change width
- Set width in inches
- Copy a column’s width
- Why Excel shows #####
- FAQs
How to AutoFit Columns in Excel
- Select the column or columns you want to resize. To pick every column, click the Select All button in the top-left corner of the sheet.
- Double-click the boundary on the right side of any selected column header.
Excel widens or narrows the columns to fit the longest entry. You can also go to Home > Format and choose AutoFit Column Width.
Result: Each selected column becomes just wide enough for its longest entry, so nothing is cut off or shown as #####.
Keyboard Shortcuts to AutoFit Columns and Rows
- AutoFit column width: Alt, H, O, I
- AutoFit row height: Alt, H, O, A
- Set an exact column width: Alt, H, O, W
Press the keys one after another, not at the same time. These are KeyTips, the letters Excel shows on the ribbon when you press Alt. If your version shows different letters, follow the ones on screen. See Microsoft’s Excel keyboard shortcuts for how KeyTips work.
Three Ways to Change Column Width
- Drag: drag the right edge of the column header until the column is the width you want.
- Type a number: right-click the column header, choose Column Width, type a value, and click OK.
- AutoFit: double-click the right edge of the column header.
Column width is measured in characters of the default font. The default is 8.43 and the maximum is 255. Row height is measured in points, up to 409. These sizes apply to whole columns and rows; to make one cell look bigger, see whether you can resize a single cell in Excel.
Result: The column width changes to your exact value, which helps when several columns need to match.
How to Set Column Width in Inches
- Go to View > Page Layout.
- Right-click the column header and choose Column Width.
- Type the width in inches and click OK.
In Page Layout view, Excel uses inches by default. To use centimeters or millimeters, go to File > Options > Advanced and change Ruler Units under Display.
Result: The columns print and display at the width you entered in inches.
How to Copy One Column’s Width to Another
Microsoft’s Change the column width and row height article explains how to match widths without measuring:
- Select a cell in the column that has the width you want.
- Press Ctrl + C, or go to Home > Clipboard > Copy.
- Right-click a cell in the target column, point to Paste Special, and select Keep Source Column Widths.
Result: The target column takes on the same width as the source column.
Why Is Excel Showing ##### Instead of a Number?
Excel shows ##### when a column is too narrow to show the whole value. Widen the column or AutoFit it and the number appears. Microsoft lists a few other fixes:
- Check Shrink to fit in the Alignment settings on the Home tab to make the text smaller.
- Use Decrease Decimal on the Home tab if the number has too many decimal places.
- Change a long date to Short Date in the Number Format list.
- If a date or time formula returns a negative value, Excel also shows #####. Fix the formula or change the cell to a number format.
Sources: Microsoft’s Change the column width and row height and How to correct a ##### error articles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the default column width in Excel?
Microsoft lists 8.43 characters as the default column width, with a maximum of 255. Rows default to 15 points and can go up to 409.
Why doesn’t double-clicking the column edge work?
Make sure you double-click the boundary on the right side of the column header, not inside the column.
Can I AutoFit every column at once?
Yes. Click the Select All button in the top-left corner, then double-click any column boundary.
More Excel Guides
- How to fit a spreadsheet on one page in Excel
- How to print gridlines in Excel
- How to fill a cell with color in Excel
- How to put Excel column A on the right side
- How to calculate a percentage in Excel
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.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.