Why is the column width changing in excel. How to quickly reduce and set the same size of cells in Excel

You may find that the data on your worksheet is not large enough for the standard column width. You can change the column width and row height with the mouse, without resorting to buttons or commands. To do this, you need to get the mouse pointer in the form of a double black arrow with a transverse line on the right border of the column header or the lower border of the row header. Then either drag and drop the border, or double-click. In the first case, you can set any width or height. In the second case, the row or column will be expanded to the size of the tallest character and the long text in these rows of cells.

10. Get the mouse pointer in the form of a double-sided arrow on the border of the headings between columns A and B.

1. Drag the border to the right so that all labels in column A are fully visible.

2. In order for numbers to appear in column C instead of ##### characters, get the mouse pointer in the form of a double-sided arrow on the border of the headings between columns C and D.

3. Double click. The width of column C has changed to match the length of the data it contains.

4. Decrease the width of the empty column B by 2 times.

Similar methods can be applied not to one, but to a group of columns.

5. Select the D:N column group by dragging the mouse over their headings.

6. Within the selected block, double the width of column E.

Bars appear in D:N columns.

7. Get the mouse pointer in the form of a double-sided arrow on the border of the headings between columns D and E.

8. Increase the width of column D by three times. The width of all D:N columns will increase at the same time. Instead of grids in the cells, numbers will appear with a large empty space in front of them.

9. Get the mouse pointer in the form of a double-sided arrow on the border of the headings between columns D and E.

10. Double click the mouse. The width of the D:N columns will shrink to the width of the longest data.

11. Deselect by clicking outside the box.

How to add frames and change colors

You can decorate individual cells or areas of the sheet by highlighting them with frames or different colors. Frames can highlight cells with additional lines at the top, bottom, sides, and around the cells.

1. Select cells C6:D8.

2. In the Font section of the Home ribbon, click the arrow next to the Borders button. A table of different frames will open.

3. Select the Thick Outer Border icon. Deselect block C6:D8. A thick border will appear around the selected block of cells.

4. Draw a line with profit C21:N21 both above and below with double lines.

Question: How to cross out with double lines if there is no such option in the frame table? (Answer7)

5. Select cell C1.

6. In the Font section of the Home ribbon, click the arrow next to the Fill Color button. A palette of different color shades will open.

7. Click on the lightest shade of blue to color the header cells with light turquoise.

8. In the Page Layout ribbon, in the Sheet Options section, uncheck the GridView box. The grid around the cells will disappear from the screen.

Method number 1

Microsoft Excel allows you to specify the column width in familiar units of measurement: millimeters, centimeters, and even inches. To do this, you need to switch from the “Normal View” of the document to the “Page Layout” mode, in which you can view documents in the form in which they will be printed. You will clearly see the beginning and end of the pages, as well as all their headers and footers.

Enabling Page Layout mode is easy:

  • on the ribbon View tab → Book View group → Markup Mode.
  • in the status bar next to the zoom slider → Layout Mode button.

You can change the units of measure in the Excel options: "File" → "Options" → "Advanced" → section "Screen" → the "Units on the ruler" parameter.

Method number 2

Create any shape on the current sheet, for example, a rectangle (Insert → Illustrations → Shapes → Rectangle). In the properties of the shape, specify the required size, and also select the option “Do not move or resize”. Use this rectangle to adjust the width of the current sheet's columns.

For any, not only electronic, table, the height and width of a cell is one of the basic questions. What are, for example, various unified forms, which are often implemented using Excel. In this article, you will learn about ways to set the size of elements. spreadsheets(rows, columns, cells).

Let's consider several options:

  • manual setting of borders;
  • auto-selection depending on what is entered in the cell;
  • precise setting of dimensions in the selected units of measurement;
  • using the clipboard;
  • merging cells as a way to resize.

The first case is the most common. When placing the mouse cursor between column names or row numbers, it changes shape to a double-headed arrow, the tips of which indicate in which directions the element can be resized.

The second option is best suited for a situation where you want to make the sizes of rows or columns as small as possible. User action algorithm:

  • select an element or several elements of the table for which sizes are set;
  • tab home expand the list at the command Format and select the appropriate command auto-match.

You can see the result of autofitting the column widths in the figure.

For various standardized tables, it is important to set the dimensions of the elements accurately. In this case, you first need to decide on the units of measurement. The default dimensions are Excel sheets specified in inches. You can change these settings under Additionally teams Options tab File.

Changes are more clearly displayed in the mode Page layout(on tab View find the appropriate command). Rulers with markings in the selected units, such as centimeters, become visible. Next, select the custom element (column or row) and set the size of the element (in the example, this is a column) using the appropriate command in the button menu Format.

If you need two elements of the same size, then you can use special insert. To do this, you first need to copy the sample element. Then select the element to which you want to apply formatting settings (including dimensions) and select special insert in command options Insert, then in the dialog box - Column Widths.

Often there is a task to change the size of only one cell. This is possible in Word, but not in Excel, so you have to resort to workarounds, namely merging cells. This can be illustrated by the example of a unified form. First, a width of 1 mm is set for all columns, and then a certain number of cells are selected in the desired row and combined using the button Merge and center.

The combination of all the resizing capabilities allows you to create the most complex tables, while retaining all the advantages of automating calculations in Excel.

The sheet itself in Excel consists of many cells. You can simply enter data into them, make a table, or show your imagination and paint over them so that you get a picture. In general, whatever your goal is, its standard sizes do not always fit.

In this article, we will look at several ways that we can use to change the size of the cells: make it so that it becomes the same for everyone, is matched to the size of the entered text, is indicated in centimeters or millimeters.

As an example, let's take following table. Here, in cell C1, the name indicated in the header did not fit.

To increase the size of a cell in width, it is enough to select it, hover over the border, which is located to the right of "C", and when the pointer takes the form of a double-headed arrow, drag to the right. Accordingly, to decrease, we move the cursor to the left. In this case, there will be a small window at the top, where the width is indicated in points, and in brackets the corresponding value in pixels.

With a change in height, everything is the same: select a block and move the border, which is under the number of the selected row (in the example, the line under the number 8).

To set more precise values, you can use the following method. Select a cell, then click on "Home" at the top. Find the "Format" button, click it and select either "Row Height" or "Column Width" from the list.

A window like this will appear. You need to enter a value in it. Please note that it is indicated in points. Like pixels, this is a unit of measure that you can work with in Excel. Click OK.

If you need to set the same width size for several cells, then first select the columns in which they are located, right-click on the selection and select the appropriate item in the list.

About different ways to select cells in Excel, read a separate article.

You can also specify the same size for cells that are not in adjacent columns, such as B and F.

The same applies to the rows, select those that are nearby or in different places, open a small window and indicate in it desired value.

If you need to make all cells in Excel the same size, then select them using context menu or toolbar, open the "Column Width" window and specify a value in it.

To make the lines the same size in height, you also need to select them, open the familiar window and enter the appropriate number there.

To make cells in Excel in one column different in width, just like in a row different in height, will not work. To do this, you can use the merging of cells in Excel. Read more about this in the article.

If, as in the example, the printed text does not fit in the blocks, it overlaps the neighboring one, and the whole is not displayed, then you need to resize the cell according to the content.

Alternatively, you can move the text to a new line in Excel in the same cell. To do this, click on the corresponding button on the toolbar. You can read more about it in the article at the link.

You can adjust the size of the block according to the text in another way. To do this, select the necessary ones and in the Format drop-down list, select autofit width and height.

As a result, all the words in the cells will be visible.

If you have the task of changing their size and strictly specifying the values ​​​​in centimeters or millimeters, then select "File" at the top and click "Options" on the left.

In the next window on the left, go to "Advanced", scroll down the window and in the "Units on the ruler" field, select the appropriate value. Click OK.

We return to the Excel sheet, open the “View” at the top and click on the “Page Layout” button. After that, it will look like in the screenshot.

Move the borders between the column names (A, B, C...) to adjust the size - it will be displayed in the pop-up window. To change the lines, everything is the same: move the borders between their numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5…).

This method is not entirely accurate. For example, I never managed to choose a width of exactly 3 cm. Therefore, here is a small cheat sheet:
1 point - 1.33 pixel - 0.35 mm
1 pixel - 0.75 points - 0.24mm
1 mm - 2.85 points - 3.8 pixels
As for centimeters:
0.98 cm - 37 pixels
1.01 cm - 38 pixels
0.50 cm - 19 pixels

You can convert the desired value in centimeters or millimeters to points or pixels and set this value for the cell in the very first way described.

I will end with this. As you can see, you can set the size of cells in Excel in various ways, make them all the same in height or in the text that is printed in them. In general, choose what is right for you.

How to quickly reduce and set the same size of cells in Excel. Most often, this is necessary when you urgently need to edit some form for the treasury or bank. Those who work in accounting often face the problem of creating and submitting documents for reporting. I rarely have to work in Excel, but if they ask for help, I can’t refuse. Just yesterday, a woman from our accounting department came to me and almost crying asked for help editing an Excel document. I do not understand anything in accounting, but sometimes I am simply surprised and outraged by the insanity of the demands of our treasury. They require you to fill out a form in some form, and you can take the form of this form only on the Internet or the Garant system. Naturally, on such a form there is either a website logo or a link from Guarantor, and the treasury does not accept such documents. So our accountants are suffering with such documents.

I just had to select everything that was on the form page and paste it into another excel file. Everything is fine, but all the data of the form stretched to the original size of the cells. Initially, the cell size is 8.43.

Now we need to reduce all the cells so that the document would fit on one sheet when printed. There are several ways to quickly set the desired cell size in Excel, but I'll show you two of the easiest.

Method 1.

  • Select the required number of cells.
  • Right-click on any cell with a Latin letter at the very top of the table column
  • Select an item from the dropdown menu Column Width...

  • In the opened window Column Width set your number and press the button OK.

Now cell size in excel will be the one you specified.

Method 2.

You can not select the required number of cells, but change their size at once in the entire sheet.

  • Left-click on the square at the top left at the intersection of rows and columns
  • You should select the entire sheet of the document
  • Now move the mouse cursor to the intersection of any column (where Latin letters are written). When the cursor becomes a cross, press the left mouse button, and without releasing it, reduce the size of the column to the size you need, and release the mouse button.

Thus, you have changed the size of the cells in the entire sheet of the Excel document.

Video clip How to quickly resize cells in Excel.

Quite often, when working with tables, users need to resize cells. Sometimes the data won't fit in the elements of the current size and you have to expand them. The reverse situation is also often encountered, when in order to save a workplace on a sheet and ensure compact placement of information, it is required to reduce the size of the cells. Let's define actions with which you can change the size of cells in Excel.

It should be noted right away that for natural reasons, changing the value of only one cell will not work. By changing the height of one sheet element, we thereby change the height of the entire row where it is located. Changing its width - we change the width of the column where it is located. By and large, there are not so many options for resizing a cell in Excel. This can be done either manually by dragging the borders, or by specifying a specific size in numerical terms using a special form. Let's learn about each of these options in more detail.

Method 1: dragging borders

Changing the cell size by dragging the borders is the easiest and most intuitive option.


Changing the width of sheet elements by dragging the borders follows the same principle.


If you want to resize several objects at the same time, then in this case you must first select the sectors corresponding to them on the vertical or horizontal coordinate bar, depending on what you want to change in a particular case: width or height.


Method 2: change the value in numerical terms

Now let's find out how you can change the size of the elements of the sheet by setting it with a specific numeric expression in a field specially designed for this purpose.

In Excel, by default, the size of sheet elements is set in special units. One such unit is equal to one character. The default cell width is 8.43. That is, in the visible part of one sheet element, if it is not expanded, you can enter a little more than 8 characters. The maximum width is 255. Large quantity characters cannot be entered into a cell. The minimum width is zero. An element with this size is hidden.

The default line height is 15 points. Its size can vary from 0 to 409 points.


In approximately the same way, you can change the width of the column.


There is another option to change the size of the elements of the sheet by setting the specified value in a numeric expression.


However, some users are still not satisfied with the Excel system for specifying the size of sheet elements in points, expressed in the number of characters. For these users, it is possible to switch to another measurement value.


Now you can control the change in the size of the cells using the options that are indicated above, operating with the selected unit of measure.

Method 3: Automatic resizing

But, you must admit that it is not very convenient to always manually resize cells, adjusting them to specific content. Fortunately, Excel provides the ability automatic change the size of the elements of the sheet, according to the size of the data they contain.


As you can see, there are several ways to change the size of cells. They can be divided into two large groups: dragging borders and entering a numerical size in a special field. In addition, you can set the autofit height or width of rows and columns.

Quite often there is a need to change the width of a table column. This can be done in several ways.

The easiest way to change the column width is with the mouse. To do this, place the mouse pointer in the sheet header on the right border of the column (the mouse pointer will take the form of a double-headed arrow), press the left button and, holding it down, drag the column border to the right or left.

To change the column width, you can use the function of selecting the column width according to the contents of the cells. To do this, select the column (make a click in the column header of the sheet), on the Home -> Cells tab, open the Format list and select the AutoFit Column Width command.

If it becomes necessary to change the width of several successive columns of the table, then first you need to select these columns, then on the Home -> Cells tab, open the Format list, select the Column Width command, in the Column Width window that appears, set the width of the columns and click on the OK button.

Please note that the default column width is measured in characters. Since the length of a string depends on the characters that make up the string (one takes up less space than, for example, five), the value specified as the column width gives a rough estimate of the number of characters that can fit in a cell.

The Column Width... command can also be selected from the pop-up menu that appears as a result of right-clicking in selected columns.

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