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To AutoFit in Excel, select the column or row, then choose Home > Cells > Format > AutoFit Column Width or AutoFit Row Height. On Windows, the commonly reported keyboard sequences are Alt, H, O, I for columns and Alt, H, O, A for rows—press each key in succession, not all at once.

AutoFit a selected column or row from the ribbon

Fit column width

  1. Select one or more columns by clicking their column headings. To select a cell range, select the cells in those columns.
  2. Choose Home > Cells > Format > AutoFit Column Width. Excel adjusts the selected columns to fit their contents.

Fit row height

  1. Select one or more rows by clicking their row headings, or select cells in those rows.
  2. Choose Home > Cells > Format > AutoFit Row Height. Excel adjusts the selected rows to fit their contents.

Microsoft documents both ribbon commands in its instructions for changing column width and row height. The same Format menu also offers manual sizing when you want a fixed dimension instead of a fit to content.

Windows keyboard sequences for AutoFit

After selecting the target columns or rows, press the keys in the relevant sequence:

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What to fit Windows sequence Result
Column width Alt, H, O, I AutoFit Column Width
Row height Alt, H, O, A AutoFit Row Height

These are ribbon access sequences, not a simultaneous key combination. Trump Excel reports these sequences in its AutoFit tutorial; Microsoft’s retrieved support page confirms the commands but does not list the sequences. Treat them as Windows- and version-sensitive: if they do not work in your Excel installation, use the ribbon path above.

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AutoFit every column or row in a worksheet

Fit every column

  1. Click Select All at the intersection of the row and column headings to select the worksheet’s cells.
  2. Double-click the boundary between any two column headings. Excel AutoFits the columns across the worksheet.

Fit every row

  1. Select all cells using the corner button above row 1 and to the left of column A.
  2. Double-click the boundary below any row heading. Excel AutoFits the worksheet’s rows.

Microsoft’s worksheet sizing guidance describes selecting all cells and double-clicking a column boundary to fit all columns. For a smaller selection, select the relevant column or row headings first, then double-click the boundary to the right of a selected column heading or below a selected row heading.

Use a mouse or touch gesture

On Excel versions that support the heading-boundary gesture, double-click the boundary to the right of a column heading to AutoFit its width, or beneath a row heading to AutoFit its height. Microsoft documents these gestures for Excel for the web and Mac. On iPad, Microsoft’s touch guide says to double-tap the column or row heading to AutoFit.

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Why wrapped text may still be clipped

Wrapping makes cell contents flow onto multiple lines within the column’s width, but the row must also be tall enough to show those lines. If wrapped text remains hidden, the row may have a fixed height, or the cell may be merged with others.

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  • Select the affected row and apply Home > Cells > Format > AutoFit Row Height.
  • If needed, drag the boundary below the row heading to increase its height manually.

Microsoft notes that merged cells can interfere with AutoFit behavior. If a merged cell’s text still does not display fully, resizing the row manually is the practical alternative.

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AutoFit versus setting a fixed size

AutoFit sets the dimension from the contents of the selected rows or columns. A column’s width applies to that whole column, not separately to each cell or row; likewise, row height applies across the row. If the layout needs consistent dimensions rather than content-based sizing, use the manual width or height options in Home > Cells > Format.

In Normal view, Microsoft describes column width in a character-based unit and row height in points. Its published dimension limits are:

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These limits and defaults are from Microsoft’s column-width and row-height reference; the retrieved article does not state a publication year.

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Optional: AutoFit with VBA

For automation, VBA’s Range.AutoFit adjusts dimensions for a range consisting of rows or columns. Microsoft Learn specifies that the range must be rows or columns; using a different range shape causes an error. See Microsoft’s Range.AutoFit documentation.

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