How to rotate cells in excel

Answer

To rotate the text inside a cell in Excel, use the Orientation controls on the Home tab or the Format Cells → Alignment dialog to set a preset or an exact angle. 

Quick steps (works in Excel for Windows and macOS)

1. Select the cell, row, column, or range whose text you want rotated.

2. On the Home tab, find the Alignment group and click Orientation.

3. Pick one of the presets (Rotate Text Up, Rotate Text Down, Angle Clockwise, Angle Counterclockwise, or Vertical Text).

4. To use a specific angle, choose Format Cell Alignment from the Orientation menu and enter the desired number of degrees in the Degrees box (positive rotates upward; negative rotates downward). 

What are the differences between Windows, macOS, and Excel for the web?

To know the differences: Windows and macOS desktop Excel provide the Orientation controls and the Format Cells → Alignment dialog; Excel for the web lacks the full font orientation options and requires the desktop app for angled text. 

Platform notes

1. Windows/macOS desktop: Full orientation presets and precise-degree input (Format Cells → Alignment → Degrees). 

2. Excel for the web: Vertical text and angled rotation are not available in the web UI; open the workbook in the desktop app to rotate text. 

How to rotate text to a precise angle

To set an exact rotation angle, open the Format Cells alignment settings and type the degree value in the Degrees box; positive values tilt text upward; negative values tilt text downward. 

How to rotate an object (text box, shape, WordArt, or picture) instead of cell text

To rotate objects: select the object, use the Rotate control on the Drawing Tools / Picture Tools Format tab, and choose Rotate Right 90°, Rotate Left 90°, or use the rotate handle to set a custom angle. 

Step-by-step numbered procedure (safe to copy and follow)

1. Select the target cells.

2. On Home → Alignment, click Orientation.

3. Choose one preset rotation or select Format Cell Alignment for exact control.

4. In Format Cells → Alignment, set Degrees (enter number or use arrow).

5. Click OK to apply.

6. If text visibility is poor after rotation, use Wrap Text or adjust column width/row height. 

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Merged cells may produce unexpected results with rotation; unmerge if the layout looks wrong.

2. Rotating very long text can make it unreadable; use shorter labels or wrap text into multiple lines.

3. Use shapes or text boxes when you need more flexible rotation and positioning than cell text offers. 

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