How to change the Column width in Excel worksheet
If you are new to spreadsheet concepts like Row, Column and Cell, please visit following link to learn the terms Row, Column and Cell in Excel worksheet before reading the tutorial lesson.
Column width in Excel is a value based on the number of characters that will fit into column width. If you are using Excel default Calibri font with font size 11, the default width of a column in Excel worksheet is 8.43 (64 Pixels). If you change the default font type or size, the default Column width also will change in new worksheets.
Following are the values related with Column width in Excel 2019.
| Minimum | Maximum | Default |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (For hidden Column) | 255 | 8.43 (for default font Calibri, Size 11) |
If you try to increase the Column width beyond 255, Excel will show below dialog box.
Two methods for changing the Column width in Excel worksheet are explaind below.
Method 1 - How to change Column width by clicking and dragging on boundary gridline
To change the Column width of a single Column by clicking and dragging on Column boundary gridline, follow these steps.
Step 1 - Select the Column you want to change its height by clicking on Column letter. Place the mouse pointer on left-side or righ-side gridline of the Column letter until the mouse pointer turns to a double-sided arrow. You need to place the mouse pointer on left-side or right-side gridline depending on to left or right direction you want to change the Column width. In this example, Column letter C and right-side gridline are selected.
Now click on the right-side gridline of Column letter, as shown below.
Step 2 - Drag the mouse till the desired width is reached and then drop the mouse to change the Column width. As you drag, Excel will keep displaying the changing Column width as tooltip message.
An animation about how to change the Column width of a single Column by drag and drop is copied below.
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Similarly, you can change the width of multiple Columns simultaneously by click, drag and drop. Select multiple Columns and then click, drag and drop on left-most or right-most gridline of the Columns selection for changing the width of multiple Columns simultaneously.
An animation about how to change the Column height of multiple Columns by drag and drop is copied below
Method 2 - How to change Column width by entering the exact Column width value
Sometimes it is difficult to select the exact Column width by using drag and drop method described above, because the Column width value keep changing as you drag. Follow below steps to change single Column width by entering the exact Column width value.
Step 1 - Right-click the the Column you want to change the column width and click the "Column Width" to open "Column Width" dialog box from the context menu, as shown in below image.
You can open the "Column Width" dialog box also from Excel Ribbon > "Home" Tab > "Cells" > "Format" as shown below.
Step 2 - Enter exact value for Column width in Column width dialog box and click "OK" to change the Column width, as shown below.
Similarly, you can change the width of multiple Columns simultaneously by typing-in the Column width value. Select multiple Columns and then right-click on any Column in the selection. Click the "Column Width" from the context menu and type-in the Column width value in dialog box. Click "OK" button.