Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 12, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Ken has a worksheet with over 100 columns of varying widths. To make it readable, he selects the whole worksheet (except for the header row) and uses AutoFit Column Width. Some columns have a single digit and he loses the ability to read the header. Some columns have 200+ characters, so they become too wide. Ken wonders if there is a way to set a minimum (7) and maximum (50) column width for the AutoFit function.
This cannot be done natively within Excel as there is no built-in way to set the minimum or maximum. However, it is easy enough to do using a macro. Here's an example of one that will do the trick:
Sub SetColWidths()
Dim c As Range
Dim iMin As Integer
Dim iMax As Integer
iMin = 7
iMax = 50
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For Each c In Selection.Columns
c.AutoFit
If c.ColumnWidth < iMin Then c.ColumnWidth = iMin
If c.ColumnWidth > iMax Then c.ColumnWidth = iMax
Next c
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
In order to use the macro, simply select cells in the columns you want to affect (as Ken does), and then run the macro. It applies AutoFit to the columns and then steps through each one to make sure that nothing is narrow than 7 or wider than 50.
Note:
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2021-02-20 10:30:33
Allen Cody
The above macro requires that columns be selected before execution. The "c.autofit" line can be removed entirely, as it is unnecessary. Change the line, "For Each c In Selection.Columns" to "For Each c In Cells.Columns" so that the subroutine will autofit all columns in the worksheet within the minimum and maximum parameters established - 7 and 50, respectively.
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