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How to AutoFit Columns and Rows in Excel (Plus Shortcuts)

Use Excel’s AutoFit commands to size selected columns or rows to their contents, apply the change across a worksheet, or troubleshoot wrapped text that remains clipped.
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To AutoFit in Excel, select the columns or rows and choose Home > Cells > Format > AutoFit Column Width or AutoFit Row Height. On Windows, the commonly reported keyboard sequences are Alt, H, O, I for column width and Alt, H, O, A for row height; press each key in order, not all at once.

AutoFit selected columns or rows from the ribbon

  1. Select the column or columns, or the row or rows, you want to resize. You can select multiple neighboring or nonadjacent headers.
  2. On the ribbon, go to Home > Cells > Format.
  3. Choose AutoFit Column Width or AutoFit Row Height, depending on what you selected. Microsoft documents these commands in its instructions for changing column width and row height.

AutoFit adjusts the selected whole columns or rows to their contents. It does not set a separate width for one cell in a column or a separate height for one cell in a row. To use a fixed dimension instead, open the same Format menu and choose the manual column-width or row-height option.

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Windows keyboard sequences

After selecting the relevant column or row headers, press the sequence one key at a time:

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What to AutoFit Windows sequence
Column width Alt, H, O, I
Row height Alt, H, O, A

These ribbon access sequences are reported by Trump Excel’s AutoFit tutorial. Microsoft’s support page confirms the ribbon commands, but does not list these exact keystrokes. They can vary with Excel version or configuration, so if a sequence does not work, use the ribbon method.

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AutoFit every column or row on a worksheet

Fit all columns

  1. Select the entire worksheet using Select All, the square at the intersection of the row and column headings.
  2. Double-click the boundary between any two column headings.

Excel fits the columns across the worksheet to their contents. Microsoft documents this method in its column-width and row-height guide.

Fit all rows

  1. Select the entire worksheet.
  2. Double-click the boundary just below any row heading.

This fits all worksheet rows. If you only want to adjust part of the sheet, select the relevant rows or columns instead of Select All.

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Mouse and touch methods

For a selected column, double-click the boundary to the right of its heading. For a selected row, double-click the boundary beneath its heading. Microsoft also describes these boundary gestures for its web and Mac guidance; available controls can differ by platform. On iPad, Microsoft’s touch guide says to double-tap the column or row heading to AutoFit: Excel for iPad touch guide.

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Why wrapped text can still be clipped

Wrap Text makes content display on multiple lines within the existing column width, but the row still needs enough height to show those lines. If wrapped text remains hidden, the row may have a fixed height, or the cell may be merged. Select the affected row and apply AutoFit Row Height; if needed, drag the boundary below the row heading to increase its height. Microsoft’s Wrap text in a cell guidance describes the behavior and limitations.

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What AutoFit changes—and how Excel measures size

AutoFit changes the width of a column or the height of a row; it does not change individual cell dimensions. In Normal view, Microsoft describes column width using a character-based unit and row height in points. The dimensions published in Microsoft’s reference are:

Dimension Minimum Maximum Default
Column width 0 (hidden) 255 8.43
Row height 0 (hidden) 409 15.00

These figures are from Microsoft’s Excel specifications and limits; the page does not state a publication year.

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Optional: AutoFit with VBA

For a macro, use Range.AutoFit on a range representing whole columns or whole rows. For example, Columns("A:C").AutoFit fits columns A through C, while Rows("1:10").AutoFit fits rows 1 through 10. Microsoft Learn notes that the range must be rows or columns; using another range shape causes an error. See Range.AutoFit method (Excel).

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