Click path
1 Select cell
2 Format
3 Wrapping
4 Wrap
Line break while editing: Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or ⌘+Enter (Mac). Wrapping → Wrap shows soft wraps.
Excel line break in cell
Two different jobs, one page: press Alt+Enter to put a real line break (CHAR(10)) inside a cell, or turn on Wrap Text so long text soft-wraps at the column edge. The demo shows both side by side.
Menu paths & shortcuts
Insert a line break inside a cell (Alt+Enter) or turn on Wrap Text so long text soft-wraps at the column edge:
Click path (Ribbon)
1 Select cell
2 Home
3 Alignment
4 Wrap Text
Hard line break while editing: Alt+Enter (Windows) or Control+Option+Return (Mac). Excel turns Wrap Text on so the break is visible.
Line break shortcuts
Windows
Alt ➔ Enter
Mac
⌃ ➔ Option ➔ Return
Mac Excel: Control+Option+Return inserts a line break in the active cell.
Hard break vs Wrap Text — what’s the difference?
Line break in cell (Alt+Enter)
Inserts a real line-feed character (CHAR(10)) into the cell value. The break stays where you put it — useful for addresses, multi-line labels, and notes.
Wrap Text (soft wrap)
Does not change the stored text. Long strings reflow when the column is narrow or wide. Turn it off and the text overflows or clips again.
Line break and Wrap Text step by step
- Edit the cell → Alt+Enter (Win) or Control+Option+Return (Mac) for a hard break
- Home → Alignment → Wrap Text to soft-wrap long text without changing the value
- Google Sheets: Format → Wrapping → Wrap; Ctrl+Enter / ⌘+Enter while editing
Replace or remove line breaks (CHAR(10) / SUBSTITUTE)
Hard breaks are CHAR(10) in the cell. To strip or replace them with a formula:
Replace line breaks with a space
=SUBSTITUTE(A1,CHAR(10)," ")
Remove line breaks entirely
=SUBSTITUTE(A1,CHAR(10),"")
On Windows Excel, Find & Replace can search for the break code with Ctrl+J in the Find box.
Related cell tools
FAQ
How do I insert a line break in an Excel cell?
Double-click the cell (or press F2), place the cursor where the break should go, then press Alt+Enter on Windows or Control+Option+Return on Mac. Excel enables Wrap Text so the break is visible.
What is the difference between Alt+Enter and Wrap Text?
Alt+Enter inserts a hard line-feed character (CHAR(10)) into the cell value at a fixed spot. Wrap Text only changes display: the stored text stays one string and reflows when you resize the column.
How do I remove line breaks from Excel cells?
Use SUBSTITUTE to replace CHAR(10) with a space or empty string, e.g. =SUBSTITUTE(A1,CHAR(10)," "). Find & Replace can also search for Ctrl+J (the line-break code) on Windows.