How to Wrap Text in Google Sheets

Key takeaways

Wrapping text in Google Sheets can help represent your information more uniformly and avoid missing key information due to limited data visibility. 

• To wrap text, highlight the cell you want to wrap, choose Format from the menu and hover over the Wrapping option. Select Wrap. 

• When text wrapping fails, double-check your formatting for any extra spaces or hidden characters.

• You can unwrap text in Google Sheets by highlighting the cell you want to change, and go to the Format menu. Hover over Wrapping and select either Overflow or Clip to change the style. 

Learn more about how to wrap text in Google Sheets and how to choose the right text style for your needs. If you want to advance your abilities in using spreadsheets and build skills for a career in data analytics, consider enrolling in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. This beginner-friendly program takes an average of six months to complete, and provides opportunities to learn how to gather, clean, organize, and visualize data. 

How to wrap text in Google Sheets

Here is a quick overview of how to wrap text in Google Sheets cells:

1. Open your Google Sheet.

2. Highlight the cell or cells with the text you would like to wrap.

3. Click the Format menu option.

4. Hover over the Format > Wrapping option.

5. Click Format > Wrapping > Wrap.

Now, let’s go over each step in more detail and alternate styles you can choose for your text format.

1. Open your Google Sheet file.

The first step is to open the Google Sheet file with text in cells that you would like to wrap.

2. Highlight the cell or cells with the text you would like to wrap.

Once you open your sheet, click on the cell or cells with text that you would like to wrap.

3. Click the 'Format' menu option.

After you highlight your cells, click Format on the menu tab. Once you click it, a drop-down menu should appear.

4. Hover over the 'Wrapping' option.

In the Format menu tab, hover your mouse over the Format > Wrapping option. This should lead to three options appearing to the right, titled Overflow, Wrap, and Clip.

5. Click 'Wrap.'

Next, click Format > Wrapping > Wrap to wrap the text in your highlighted boxes. This function will wrap text in each individual cell.

Read more: Google Sheets Dynamic Charts: How to Build Visuals That Update Automatically

Why isn't Google Sheets wrapping text?

Several underlying reasons could be the culprit. Troubleshoot your challenges with wrapping text in Google Sheets by checking three areas, including the formatting of your information.

- Wrapping not enabled: Make sure you enable text wrapping

- Cell width: Check to ensure the cell you’re wrapping text within is wide enough to accommodate the information

- Formatting issues: Review the cell for any extra spaces and hidden characters, both of which can interfere with text wrapping

Unwrapping text

To unwrap text, highlight the cell or cells you want to unwrap and go to Format > Wrapping > Overflow or Format > Wrapping > Clip, depending on which style you want for your cell text. 

What are the wrap options in Sheets? 

While text wrapping can be convenient for looking at your text and avoiding missing any key information, in some cases, you may prefer another format. You can explore other options by choosing Overflow or Clip from the Format > Wrapping menu. 

• The Clip function hides text that extends beyond your designated cell size.

• The Overflow function will allow text to run into the next cells if no text is present in them.

Continue exploring data analytics with our free resources

Whether you want to do more with Google Sheets or expand your skills, our Career Resource Hub can help connect you with the information you need. You might also consider checking out the following:

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• Watch on YouTube: 7 Steps to Become a Data Analyst

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