All Types of Alignment in Excel (Explained in Detail)

While working with a dataset, you may need to organize your data in the cells. For organizing your text or numbers into cells, you need to be familiar with the alignments in Excel. It is the position indicator of the texts or numbers in the cells. Mainly, the alignment has two types. One is for horizontal formation, and the other is for vertical formation. In this article, we’re going to discuss the types of alignment along with the methods of application in Excel. So, let’s get started.

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What Is Cell Alignment?

Mainly, Alignment can be defined as the position of your text or number in a cell. In Microsoft Excel, you can align your text or number vertically and horizontally. Horizontal alignment shifts your text to the left, center, and right whereas vertical alignment moves the text to the top, middle, and bottom edge of the cell.

Two Types of Alignment in Excel

Basically, there are two types of alignment presented in Excel. One is Horizontal Alignment and the other is Vertical Alignment. Right now, you’ll learn the two major types of alignments with their options utterly.

1. Horizontal Alignment

Mainly, the horizontal alignment consists of Left, Center, and Right, whereas the vertical alignment consists of Top, Middle, and Bottom.

The following table represents some basic things about the several types of horizontal alignment available in Excel.

Now let’s explore each horizontal alignment extensively.

♦ Align Left

Align Left moves the input content to the left side of the Excel cells. If you take a close look at the Alignment group in the Home tab, you’ll see the Align Left button as shown in the below image. Remember, this is the default alignment of text in Excel. That means if you type any text in a cell, it will be left aligned automatically.

♦ Center

The Center alignment will align the text in the center. Like the Align Left, it also exists in the Home tab under the Alignment group.

♦ Align Right

Align Right will shift the text to the right edge of your cells. See the below image to use the Align Right option in your text.

2. Vertical Alignment

Alternatively, Vertical Alignment comprises Top, Middle, and Bottom alignment.

The following table shows the overview of three options available in Vertical Alignment.

Then read the details of the three vertical alignments.

♦ Top Align

If you go to the Alignment group in the Home tab, you will find the Top Alignment. It will move your text to the top of the cell. See the image below for a better understanding.

♦ Middle Align

In addition, Middle Align will align your text in the middle of the cell, which is in between the top and bottom of the cell.

♦ Bottom Align

Furthermore, it moves your text to the bottom edge of the cell. Under the Alignment section of the Home tab, the Bottom Align exists.

Methods to Apply Horizontal Alignment

Horizontal alignment aligns your text horizontally. There are three types of horizontal alignment, discussed earlier for your better understanding. In this section, we’ll cover the methods to apply horizontal alignment in Excel cells with practical examples.

1. Align Left

There are 3 methods to Align Left in Excel. Here, we discuss the process of using the Align Left button to align the left. Follow the below steps.

Steps:

• Firstly, select your entire data range and go to the Home tab.
• Secondly, in the Home tab >> choose the Alignment command >> select Align Left.

After that, you’ll get the following output.

Alternatively, you can press the keyboard shortcut (ALT + H + A + L) to align left in Excel.

2. Center

Similarly, you can use the center alignment by 4 quick methods of Center Alignment. See the below image to use the Center Alignment.

Finally, you will have your text aligned in the center.

3. Align Right

For aligning right, you may apply 5 methods to Align Right your texts in your worksheet. See the output we have attached after using the Align Right button.

Read More: How to Apply Center Horizontal Alignment in Excel (3 Quick Tricks)

Methods to Apply Vertical Alignment

Vertical alignment moves or shifts your content vertically into a cell. Here, we’ll discuss the relevant ways to use vertical alignment in Excel.

1. Top Align

You may use 4 methods to top align to shift your text to the top of the cell. Follow the steps for doing this.

Steps:

• Firstly, select the dataset and go to the Home tab.
• Secondly, Choose the Alignment command from the Home tab and select Top Align.

Finally, your texts will move to the top of your cell.

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2. Middle Align

Besides, you can use 2 simple ways to middle align the text.

Eventually, the final output is displayed in the below image after using the Middle Align button.

3. Bottom Align

Hereafter, by applying any one of 4 easy ways of bottom aligning, you can move your text to the bottom of the cell.

Consequently, your dataset will look like the above image after applying the Bottom Align.

The Default Alignment of Numbers in Excel

Basically, in Microsoft Excel, the default alignment of numbers is on the bottom right side of the cell. When you enter any number in your worksheet, you will see the default alignment automatically. But you can alter this by changing the vertical and horizontal alignment. It is totally your own call. Thus, they will provide you with a default alignment for entering any number or text. Here, we take a dataset that includes student marks. When we insert any marks, they are aligned on the bottom-right side of the cell.

Subsequently, the above picture shows the default alignment of numbers, which is the bottom alignment on the right side.

Read More: How to Align Numbers in Excel (6 Simple Methods)

Using Combination of Horizontal and Vertical Alignments in Excel

Moreover, you can also organize your text with both Horizontal and Vertical Alignment. Thus, that means you can use these two alignments combined in the following ways.

1. Aligning Upper Left

However, we align our text to the Top and Left sides combinedly. For doing this, follow the steps we stated below.

Steps:

• Firstly, select the entire data range and go to the Home tab.
• Secondly, choose Align Left and Top Align combinedly under the Alignment section.

• Eventually, your text will look like the image below.

2. Aligning Bottom Right

Similarly, you can use the Bottom Align and Align Right combinedly and get the result as the image shown below.

Read More: How to Bottom Align in Excel (4 Easy Ways)

3. Aligning Center Middle

You can also use Center and Middle Align to get the text at the middle and center of your cell. See the image to get a better conception.

Read More: How to Align Columns in Excel (4 Easy Methods)

Practice Section

We have provided a practice section on each sheet on the right side for your practice. Please do it by yourself.

Conclusion

That’s all about today’s session. And these are the types of alignment in Excel. Please let us know in the comments section if you have any questions or suggestions. For a better understanding, please download the practice sheet. Visit our website Exceldemy, a one-stop Excel solution provider, to find out diverse kinds of Excel methods. Thanks for your patience in reading this article.

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