How to Resize Multiple Columns in Microsoft Excel

Last updated on August 25, 2011 By

In Excel you do not need to change column widths one by one, you can change multiple column widths all at the same time. We saw in a previous post how to change the standard width of all columns on one worksheet.


In this post we cover three neat tricks to help you change the width of many columns all in one go. Read on to find out more…

Trick 1: Select multiple columns then apply your favorite method of resizing columns

1. Select multiple columns by clicking on the column headers (e.g. columns A:E)

2. Resize the selected columns using the mouse to drag the columns to the width you want, or choose your favorite method of resizing columns (with the mouse, with the keyboard, precisely)

Select multiple columns then change column widths

Trick 2: Select all columns then apply your favorite method of resizing columns

1. Select all cells on the worksheet by clicking on the top left-hand corner, above Row 1, left of Column A

2. Resize the selected columns using the mouse to drag the columns to the width you want, or choose your favorite method of resizing columns (with the mouse, with the keyboard, precisely)

Select all cells then change column widths

Trick 3: Copy and paste multiple column widths using paste special

Few Excel users know that you can copy multiple column widths in Excel by selecting a range, copying it and then pasting the width of the columns to another range, using Excel’s Paste Special command. This technique is available in Excel 2007 & 2010, however it can be troublesome when there are merged columns.

Here are the two data sets with different column widths

1. Let’s say we have a data set in range B2:E12 with column widths we want to copy…

2. …over to a second data set in range H2:K12.

Select the columns you want to change

3. Copy columns B:E

4. Select columns H:K, right click to bring up the context menu, select paste special

Excel Paste Special Dialog Box for Column Widths

5. In the Paste Special dialog box, go to the Paste section → Column widths

6. Click OK to close the Paste Special dialog box.


Read More: Resize & autofit column widths in Excel

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