In Microsoft Excel, the default action when pressing Enter is to move down to the next cell. However, when working with a cell containing multiple lines of text, it can be frustrating to create a new line. Below are the keyboard shortcut keys to make this task easy.

All latest versions of Microsoft Excel

All versions of Microsoft Excel for the PC and Mac now support the ability to press the keyboard shortcut Alt+Enter to move to the next line. To use this keyboard shortcut, type text in the cell. When ready for a new line, press and hold down Alt, then press Enter. The shortcut key can be used as many times as needed.

  • All latest versions of Microsoft Excel.
  • Microsoft Excel in Windows.
  • Early versions of Microsoft Excel for the Mac.

Microsoft Excel in Windows

On all versions of Microsoft Excel for the PC and Windows, the keyboard shortcut Alt+Enter moves to the next line. To use this keyboard shortcut, type text in the cell and when ready for a new line, press and hold down Alt, then press Enter. The shortcut key can be used as many times as needed.

If you are on a Mac and the key shortcut above doesn’t work, try Control+Option+Return.

Instead of adding a note or lots of text in a cell, create a comment to make the spreadsheet look cleaner. For help creating a comment, see: How to create, edit, and delete a comment in Microsoft Excel.

Early versions of Microsoft Excel for the Mac

On earlier versions of Excel for the Mac, Alt+Enter does not work. To create a new line on the Mac, use Control+Option+Return. To use this keyboard shortcut, type text in the cell and when ready for a new line, press and hold down Control, Option, and Return. The shortcut key can be used as many times as needed.

  • How to start a new line in a spreadsheet cell.
  • All Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts.
  • See our cell and new line definitions for further information and related links.
  • Microsoft Excel help and support.