How do I change the row height on a spreadsheet?

(Note: This guide on how to change row height in Excel is suitable for all Excel versions including Office 365)

Excel consists of a multitude of cells. These cells are arranged in rows and columns for easy data entry and retrieval. 

By default, the rows and columns appear with a specific height and width. Sometimes, when you enter data in the cells, the rows and columns might adjust to the height and width of the content. In most cases, the content will be hidden unless you enter the edit mode or double-click on the cell. In some cases, this can even cause a # error. 

When the data in multiple cells exceed the display width, it’ll be hard to view the data. This hinders the readability of the data and makes the data look incomplete.

In such cases, you can change the row height or the column width to make the data in the cell easily readable to the user. 

In this article, I will tell you how to change row height in Excel.

You’ll Learn:

• How to Change Row Height in Excel?
  • By Clicking and Dragging
  • By Double Clicking
  • By Using AutoFit Rows
  • By Changing the Row Height Manually
  • Using Excel Hotkeys

Watch this short video on How to Change Row Height in Excel

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How to Change Row Height in Excel?

There are a variety of ways to change row height in Excel. Some methods are used to change the row height for particular cells, whereas others help to change the row height or column width to suit the data in the cells.

Let us see each method in detail with an example.

Consider an Excel workbook that has the following data.  

At first glance, it seems as though the data perfectly fit in each cell. Upon taking a closer look, it can be seen that the data visible to the user is not the actual data. Some of the text is hidden within the cells, which makes it difficult for the reader to understand and infer the contents of the cell.

In these cases, changing the row height and column width will enable you to understand the complete data. Let us see each method in detail.

By Clicking and Dragging

This is a prevalent and frequently used way to change row height or column width in Excel. By clicking and dragging, you can change the height and width of cells in Excel.

• First, identify the cell that you want to change the height or width of. 

• If you want to change the row height, place your cursor on the row headings on the left side of the sheet. And, in case you want to change the column width, move the cursor to the column headings on the top of the sheet.

• Once you hover over the row or column headers, you can see the mouse pointer change to a double-sided resize pointer. 

• Now by holding the left mouse button, drag to the desired height/width. 

• Leave the mouse button.

• This sets the height of the particular row. 

In the same way, you can set the column width to get a perfect readable view.

This method is a simple and easy method to change the row height. However, one drawback to this method is that when data is large, you have to click and drag every row. Also, when you change the height of one particular row, the other row’s height might get altered. 

Let us now see the other methods to change the row height in Excel.

By Double Clicking

This is a very fast and easy method to change row height in Excel. Instead of altering the row height or column width, this method sets the height or width to perfectly fit the content in the cell.

• Place the mouse pointer in between the rows where you want to change the height. 

• You can see the mouse pointer change to a double-sided resize pointer. 

• Double click on the place and you can see the row height change to fit the content in the cell. You can see that if the row or column is expanded, double-clicking on the row shortens it. On the other hand, if the row is shortened, double-clicking expands it.

Note: To adjust the row height for multiple cells together, select all the cells and double-click on the row header. 

By Using AutoFit Rows

In most cases when changing the row height, you would aim to make the contents of the cell visible. Double-clicking on the rows/column fits the rows and columns to the perfect height. Let us see how.

• Select the cells you want to adjust the height. 

• Navigate to Home. Under the Cells section, click on the dropdown from Format. 

• Since we want to adjust the row height, click on AutoFit Row Height. 

• This instantly adjusts the row height to fit the content of the cells. This way, you can adjust the row height for any number of cells altogether. 

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By Changing the Row Height Manually

When you change the row height by clicking and dragging or by double-clicking, you will not know the height or width value you set the rows or columns to. There might be times when you have to set the row height or column width to a specific value.

• First, select the rows that you want to change the height. To do this, navigate to the row header where you can see the mouse pointer change to an arrow. 

• Left-click and hold the mouse button to select the rows.

• Now, right-click on the row headings and select Row Height.

• Another way to select Row Height is by navigating to Home. Under the Cells section, click on the dropdown from Format and select Row Height.

• This opens the Row Height dialog box. 

• Specify the row height you want and click OK.

• This sets the row height to the specific units you have entered.

• If you are not satisfied with the row height, you can select the rows, change the value again, and click OK. 

One advantage is that when you use this method and set the row height, all the rows will have the same height. This helps the rows and columns look aesthetically similar as they all have uniform spacing. 

Using Excel Hotkeys

Keyboard shortcuts always help in quick and efficient ways to solve problems. Using keyboard shortcut keys also known as hotkeys, you can change the row height in Excel. 

• Open the worksheet. 

• Select the rows you want to change height either by clicking on the left mouse button and dragging them. Or hold shift and use the arrow keys to select the rows.

• Press the ALT key. This opens the hotkeys layout in the Excel window.

• Now press H and then O. This opens the Format dropdown. 

• You can see the keyboard shortcut keys which correspond to specific options in the Format dropdown. If you want to set the row height to a specific value, press H. In case you want to autofit the row height to the content in the cells, press A.

Note: In the same way, you can change the column width easily using the shortcut keys. Press the keys Alt + H + O + W one after the other to change the column width. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why cannot I alter the row height in Excel?

You cannot alter the row height or column width when entering the edit mode in any cell. To exit the edit mode, click anywhere outside the particular cell or click on the row or column headings. When you see a single selection arrow or a double-sided resize arrow, you can change row height in Excel.

What is the easy and efficient way to change row height in Excel so that all content is visible?

The easiest and most efficient way to change the row height to fit the content is by selecting all the rows you want to change the height and double-clicking on the row. This changes the row height to fit the contents of the cell in an instant.

Can I change row height in Excel just by using keyboard shortcuts?

Yes, you can change the row height using the keyboard shortcut keys. Select the rows by holding the Shift key and using the arrow keys to select the cells. Then, press the shortcut keys Alt+H+O+H to set the row height manually. If you want to autofit the row height, press the keys Alt+H+O+A.

Closing Thoughts

Changing the row height or column width is a very essential feature. This helps simplify large amounts of data that may be hidden or intertwined in the cells, confusing the users. Simplified data, on the other hand, is easy for the user to read, understand, and perform operations to. 

In this article, we saw how to change row height in Excel in 5 easy ways. Using the same methods, you can also change the column width. Depending on your preference and purpose, choose the method that suits you the best.

If you need more high-quality Excel guides, please check out our free Excel resources center. Simon Sez IT has been teaching Excel for over ten years. For a low, monthly fee you can get access to 140+ IT training courses. Click here for advanced Excel courses with in-depth training modules.

Simon Calder

Chris “Simon” Calder was working as a Project Manager in IT for one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious cultural institutions, LACMA. He taught himself to use Microsoft Project from a giant textbook and hated every moment of it. Online learning was in its infancy then, but he spotted an opportunity and made an online MS Project course - the rest, as they say, is history!

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