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How to maximize all columns in Excel?

Author Sun Last modified

In Excel, the column width is 8.38 characters long in default, but in many times, the text strings we type in the cells are longer than this standard, so that we need to maximize the columns to show the whole text string. Here I introduce multiple tricks to maximize all columns in Excel.

Maximize all columns to auto fit cell contents

Maximize all columns to a fixed width with dragging or Format

Maximize all columns to a fixed width with Kutools for Excel good idea3


arrow blue right bubble Maximize all columns to auto fit cell contents

If you want to maximize all columns to auto fit your cell contents, you can do as these:

1. Activate the worksheet you want to maximize columns, and click the button select all button at the top-left corner of this worksheet to select the whole worksheet, see screenshot:

select the whole worksheet

2. Then put the cursor at one of the column border, and double click it, then all the columns are automatically adjusted to fit the cell contents. See screenshots:

put the cursor at one of the column border, and double click
all the columns are automatically adjusted to fit the cell contents


arrow blue right bubble Maximize all columns to a fixed width with dragging or Format

If you want to maximize columns to a fixed width as you need, you can drag the column border or go to Format to adjust the width of column.

Dragging column border

click the button at the top-left corner of active worksheet to select all cells in the worksheet, and place cursor at one of the column border, then drag the border to left or right to meet your need. See screenshots:

drag column border
drag the border to left or right to meet your need

Format the column width

Select the whole worksheet, and click Home > Format > Column Width. See screenshot:

click Home > Format > Column Width

Then in the popping Column Width dialog, type the width you need into the textbox, and click OK button. Here I want to maximize it to put 15 characters. See screenshot:

type the width into the textbox

Now all the columns are maximized to 15 characters long.

all the columns are maximized to 15 characters long

If you want to maximize the column width in a fixed centimeter, pixel, pound or inch, you can use Kutools for Excel, a handy add-in tool.


arrow blue right bubble Maximize all columns to a fixed width with Kutools for Excel

With Kutools for Excel installed, you can apply Adjust Cell Size utility to change the cell’s width or height as you need.

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After free installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:

1. Select any blank cell and press Ctrl + A keys to select whole worksheet, and click Kutools > Format > Adjust Cell Size. See screenshot:

click Adjust Cell Size feature of kutools

2. Then in the Adjust Cell Size dialog, select a unit you want in Unit type section, and check Column width only, and type the length number you need into the below textbox. See screenshot:

specify options in the dialog box

3. Click Ok. Now all column widths are maximize to 4 centimeters.

all column widths are maximize to a specific centimeters

Tip:

If you want to change the row height together, you can check both Row height and Column width checkboxes, and type the height and width into the textboxes.

Click here to free download Kutools for Excel

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