Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Increasing the Capacity of AutoCorrect.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 23, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Ken regularly uses AutoCorrect to replace short mnemonics with longer text blocks (sometimes much longer). When adding an AutoCorrect entry, Ken noted that the With box appears to have a limit of approximately 1,400 characters. There have been a few rare instances when Ken wanted to have AutoCorrect replace with more characters than this limit, and he wondered if there was a way to increase the capacity of the "With" side of an AutoCorrect entry.
The short answer is that no, there isn't a way. The longer answer indicates there must be some misunderstanding on Ken's part, as the longest text string we could place in the text box was 254 characters; Excel just won't accept more than that in the With box.
Whether the limit is 254 or 1,400 characters, the workaround is the same, however: Break the AutoCorrect entry up into two (or more) smaller entries. If you would have put the larger entry under, let's say, the mnemonic BP27 (for "boilerplate 27"), you could put the divided entries under the names BP27a and BP27b. You could then type the desired mnemonics, in order, and get them automatically corrected to the enlarged text blocks.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10484) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Increasing the Capacity of AutoCorrect.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
Tired of having Excel second-guess you when you type a word that starts with two capital letters? You can turn off this ...
Discover MoreThe AutoCorrect feature in Excel can change some of your data in ways you don't like. If you discover this is happening, ...
Discover MoreWhen you enter a day name into a cell, Excel automatically capitalizes it. If you want to modify this behavior, follow ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2025-04-24 09:50:37
J. Woolley
@Barry
I believe AutoText is a feature of Word. If you know how to add it to Excel, please advise.
2025-04-23 07:14:41
Barry
As Allen sugest, I also understood that the AutoCorrect tool is limited to 254/255? characters. For larger pieces of text (and others items; graphics etc) surely AutoText is the better tool?
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments