Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Sep 29, 2020

alt-enter (cell line breaks) is not working in Excel 365.

I have tried Ctrl+Enter, Windows+Alt+Enter. etc. but unable to start a new line in a cell in Excel 365. Please help.

Brass Contributor

Jul 26, 2021

Finally have the solution - use the alt key to the left of the space bar (and not the one on the right) while simultaneously pressing the Enter key. This creates another line within the cell. Not sure when did Microsoft make this change!!

Copper Contributor

May 31, 2022

Thanks for help.. I was struggling too. What I was doing that simply a laptop restart to make the right Alt again. Interestingly when I applied your WA ( using the left Alt ) once then right Alt started working again... this means that code is somehow getting updated in memory after applying the WA. So this is a bug ..not a feature I guess

AuntieAnn
Copper Contributor
Sep 21, 2022
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH -- This was driving me crazy!!! koushikm2
- KisselK
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 21, 2022
  When you’re in your cell, do a Option + Enter.
bj1980
Copper Contributor
Aug 03, 2022
koushikm2

Check the keyboard layout and change it to US"

You can find it using Windows+Space

select the US Keyboard. Maybe this will help you to fix the problem.
- wadesko
  Copper Contributor
  Dec 05, 2022
  bj1980
  This did it for me! https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/alt-key-is-not-working-in-excel/418f801e-7f7e-4b36-abd5-fb1a1d177b2f also shares this answer.
- Frangipani
  Copper Contributor
  Aug 03, 2022
  bj1980
  Thank you this has fixed my problem. I use an iMac and Apple keyboard and was using the Australian layout (it seems exactly the same except for solving this issue). As others have mentioned, you need to use the far left 'command' key rather than the one closest to the 'return' key for a cell line break. Thanks for the tip. I really appreciate it.

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