Setting Cell Width and Height Using the Keyboard

Sawan wonders if there is a way to adjust the height and width of a cell by using the keyboard, without using the mouse. (Some people are really adverse to using the mouse!) The answer is yes, there is a way. The problem, however, is that it isn't a terribly intuitive way. If you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007, then you can do the following to change the row height:

1. Press Alt+o. Excel displays the Format menu.
2. Press r. Excel chooses the Row option and displays a submenu.
3. Press e. Excel chooses the Height option and displays the Row Height dialog box.
4. Type the value you want for the row height.
5. Press Enter.

The method for changing the column width is equally obtuse:

1. Press Alt+o. Excel displays the Format menu.
2. Press c. Excel chooses the Column option and displays a submenu.
3. Press w. Excel chooses the Width option and displays the Column Width dialog box.
4. Type the value you want for the column width.
5. Press Enter.

Of course, in Excel 2007 the menus were done away with and you are left to use a new obtuse key sequence for setting the row height:

1. Press Alt. This kicks Excel into a "shortcut key mode" and you should see the shortcut keys appear above each tab of the ribbon.
2. Press H to indicate you want to use the Home tab. New shortcut keys appear above each tool in the tab.
3. Press O to indicate you want to use the Format tool in the Cells group. Excel displays a drop-down list of options.
4. Press H to choose the Row Height option. Excel displays the Row Height dialog box.
5. Type the value you want for the row height.
6. Press Enter.

The only difference in these steps when you want to specify the row height is that you should press W in step 4.

Here's a different method of changing the row height that will work in any version of Excel:

1. Press Shift+Spacebar. Excel selects the entire row.
2. Press Shift+F10 to display a Context menu. (This is the same menu you see if you were to right-click on the selection.)
3. Press R to indicate you want to change the row height. Excel displays the Row Height dialog box.
4. Type the value you want for the row height.
5. Press Enter.

A similar sequence will work for setting the column width:

1. Press Ctrl+Spacebar. Excel selects the entire column.
2. Press Shift+F10 to display a Context menu. (This is the same menu you see if you were to right-click on the selection.)
3. Press C twice to choose the second "C" command in the Context menu (Column Width).
4. Press Enter. Excel displays the Column Width dialog box.
5. Type the value you want for the column width.
6. Press Enter.