Two Ways to Auto-Adjust Column Width in Excel

There are several ways to adjust column width in Excel, but letting Excel do it automatically is often easiest. This guide explains two quick ways to auto-adjust columns to fit your data.

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1. Double-Click for Auto-Adjustment

1. Select the Column
   Let’s say you want to adjust Column. Place your cursor on the boundary between Column and Column in the column headers.
2. Double-Click
   When the cursor changes to a cross, double-click. Excel will automatically adjust the column width to fit the longest entry in that column.

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2. Keyboard Shortcut – Alt → H → O → I

Another quick method is to use a shortcut that doesn’t require a mouse:

1. Select the Column
   Place your cursor anywhere in the column you want to adjust and press Ctrl + Space to highlight the entire column.
2. Apply the Shortcut
   Press Alt → H → O → I. Here’s how it works step-by-step:
   • Press Alt to activate shortcuts.
   • Press H for the Home tab.
   • Press O to open the Format menu.
   • Press I to trigger “AutoFit Column Width.”

Some find it helpful to remember this as “Alt, H-O-I” for a quick reference.

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Summary

Here are the two methods we covered:

• Double-Click – Adjusts the column width to fit content with a quick double-click on the column border.
• Alt → H → O → I – Shortcut for auto-adjusting column width without a mouse.

Try both methods and see which works best for your workflow!