How to add or insert specific characters every X characters in Excel cells
In Excel, adding separators like dashes or specific characters every few positions in text strings can be a tedious task if done manually. For example, inserting a dash after every four characters in multiple cells requires an efficient approach. This article provides two simple solutions: using VBA code or the Add Text utility in Kutools for Excel to insert characters at fixed intervals seamlessly.
Insert certain character every x characters into cell with VBA code
Insert certain character every x characters into cell with Kutools for Excel
Insert certain character every x characters into cell with VBA code
You can apply the following VBA code to insert a specific character after every four characters into cells, please do as follows:
1. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys in Excel, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following code in the Module Window.
VBA code: Insert certain character every x characters into cell
Sub InsertCharacter()
'Updateby Extendoffice
Dim Rng As Range
Dim InputRng As Range, OutRng As Range
Dim xRow As Integer
Dim xChar As String
Dim index As Integer
Dim arr As Variant
Dim xValue As String
Dim outValue As String
Dim xNum As Integer
xTitleId = "KutoolsforExcel"
Set InputRng = Application.Selection
Set InputRng = Application.InputBox("Range :", xTitleId, InputRng.Address, Type:=8)
xRow = Application.InputBox("Number of characters :", xTitleId, Type:=1)
xChar = Application.InputBox("Specify a character :", xTitleId, Type:=2)
Set OutRng = Application.InputBox("Out put to (single cell):", xTitleId, Type:=8)
Set OutRng = OutRng.Range("A1")
xNum = 1
For Each Rng In InputRng
xValue = Rng.Value
outValue = ""
For index = 1 To VBA.Len(xValue)
If index Mod xRow = 0 And index <> VBA.Len(xValue) Then
outValue = outValue + VBA.Mid(xValue, index, 1) + xChar
Else
outValue = outValue + VBA.Mid(xValue, index, 1)
End If
Next
OutRng.Cells(xNum, 1).Value = outValue
xNum = xNum + 1
Next
End Sub
3. Press F5 key to run this code. A prompt box will appear, asking you to select the data range where you want to insert a specific character into the text strings. See the screenshot below:
4. And click OK, in the following prompt box, please enter the number that you want to insert certain character every after, see screenshot:
5. Go on clicking OK, and in the followed prompt box, please enter the certain character that you want to add to the text, see screenshot:
6. Click OK button, and choose one cell where you want to output the result in the prompt box, see screenshot:
7. Finally, click OK. The specified character will now be inserted into each text string after every four characters. See the screenshot below:
Insert certain character every x characters into cell with Kutools for Excel
The VBA code may be challenging for Excel beginners. Here’s an easier alternative: Kutools for Excel. Using its Add Text feature, you can quickly add specific text or characters before, after, or at specific positions in cell values.
1. Select the data range that you want to insert a specific character.
2. Then click Kutools > Text > Add Text, see screenshot:
3. In the Add Text dialog box, specify the character you want to insert in the Text field. Under the Position section, choose Specify and enter the positions where the character should be inserted. You can preview the result in the right pane. See the screenshot below:
Tips: Here I type 4,8,12 in the textbox of Specify which indicate to insert the specific text after the 4th, 8th and 12th characters of the text string.
4. Then click Ok or Apply button, the specified character has been inserted into the cell values at specific positions.
 |  |  |
Click to know more details about this Add Text utility.
Kutools for Excel - Supercharge Excel with over 300 essential tools. Enjoy permanently free AI features! Get It Now
Demo: Insert certain character every x characters into cell with Kutools for Excel
Best Office Productivity Tools
Supercharge Your Excel Skills with Kutools for Excel, and Experience Efficiency Like Never Before. Kutools for Excel Offers Over 300 Advanced Features to Boost Productivity and Save Time. Click Here to Get The Feature You Need The Most...
Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier
- Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
- Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
- Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!
All Kutools add-ins. One installer
Kutools for Office suite bundles add-ins for Excel, Word, Outlook & PowerPoint plus Office Tab Pro, which is ideal for teams working across Office apps.
- All-in-one suite — Excel, Word, Outlook & PowerPoint add-ins + Office Tab Pro
- One installer, one license — set up in minutes (MSI-ready)
- Works better together — streamlined productivity across Office apps
- 30-day full-featured trial — no registration, no credit card
- Best value — save vs buying individual add-in