How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (2023)

There are times when cells contain long strings of text, such as addresses or descriptions. If the text is longer than the width of the cell, it spills over to the empty cell to the right, or is truncated if the next cell is not empty. This makes the text difficult to read because you have to resize the cell or click and scroll through the formula bar. Fortunately, there are several ways to paste text into cells so that this doesn't happen.

This guide will show you how to wrap text in Google Sheets using the toolbar button and Format menu options. You'll also learn how to wrap text in the Google Sheets app for iOS and Android. Finally, you'll learn how to force a text break using the word wrap shortcut.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (1)

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How can I wrap text in Google Sheets?

There are several ways to wrap text in Google Sheets. The quickest way is to select the cells where you want the text to wrap and click the Wrap Text button on the toolbar. Alternatively, you can select the cells and go to Format > Wrap > Wrap.

How to wrap text in Google Sheets via toolbar?

Follow these steps to adjust the text using the button on the toolbar.

  1. 1.Select the cells that contain the text you want to wrap.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (2)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Select Cells

  1. 2.Click the Wrap Text button on the toolbar.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (3)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide): Wrap Text Toolbar Button

  1. 3.Is that. The text surrounds.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (4)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrapped Text

How to wrap text in Google Sheets using the format menu?

Complete the following steps to use the menu options to wrap text in cells.

  1. 1.Select the cells that contain the text you want to wrap.
  1. 2.Go to Format > Break > Wrap.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (6)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Format > Wrap Text

  1. 3.Is that. The text surrounds.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (7)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrapped Text

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (8)

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How to wrap text in Google Sheets in mobile app?

iOS app for mobile devices

Follow the steps below to adjust text in the Google Sheets app on iOS.

  1. 1.Select the cells with the text you want to wrap.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (9)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Select Cells

  1. 2.Click the Wrap Text button on the toolbar.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (10)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrap Text Button on Toolbar

  1. 3.The text will now fit the current cell width.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (11)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrapped Text

android mobile app

Follow the steps below to adjust text in the Google Sheets app on Android.

  1. 1.Select the cells with the text you want to wrap.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (12)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Select Cells

  1. 2.Click the Format Text button on the toolbar.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (13)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Text Formatting Toolbar Button

  1. 3.Click the Cell tab.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (14)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Cell Format

  1. 4.Turn on Wrap Text. The text will now fit the current cell width.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (15)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrapping Text

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (16)

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What is the shortcut to wrap text in Google Sheets?

Double-click the cell that contains the text. Place the cursor in the text where you want to insert the line break. Press Alt + Enter (Mac: Ctrl + Enter) and repeat the process to add more pauses. This wraps the text to a specific width, but you must apply it to each cell individually.

  1. 1.Select the cell with the text and double click to edit.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (17)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Edit Cell with Text

  1. 2.Position the cursor where you want to insert the line break and press Alt + Enter (Windows) or Ctrl + Enter (Mac).

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (18)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide): Hover and Alt+Enter OR Ctrl+Enter

  1. 3.The text after the line break has been moved below the rest of the text.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (19)

How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets (Easy Guide) - Wrapping Text

Why doesn't my text wrap in Google Sheets?

If your text doesn't wrap despite having the option turned on, the cell is most likely wider than the length of the text. Try resizing the column so that the width is less than the length of the text and it will fit automatically.

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Diploma

Wrapping the text can make the contents of the cells easier to read. Cells that contain text longer than the cell width overflow or are truncated from the cell to the right. This can make it difficult to read the content without having to resize the columns. However, this can distort the layout of other cells. You can avoid this problem by using the text wrap option.

You now know how to group cell content using the toolbar button and menu option in Google Sheets. You also know how to wrap text in the Google Sheets mobile app. Finally, you know how to use line breaks to break text at a specific point. However, this technique must be applied to each cell individually. Also, if the column is reduced to a smaller width, the effect is lost and the content can look very weird.

How to Wrap Text in Google Spreadsheets (Easy Guide) | capes blog (20)

Get started with Layer today!

Share parts of your Google Sheets, track, review, and approve changes, and sync data from different sources, all in seconds.

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Hadi El Hadi

Hady is a content lead at Layer.

Hady is passionate about technology, marketing, and spreadsheets. In addition to his computer science studies, he has extensive experience developing, introducing, and scaling content marketing processes in SaaS startups.

Originally published on February 9, 2023, updated on February 7, 2023

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