Mastering the CHAR Function in Excel – Insert Symbols and Line Breaks Easily

What is the CHAR Function?

The CHAR function in Excel returns a character based on its numeric code. It’s commonly used to insert special symbols or line breaks inside text formulas.

=CHAR(number)

• number — The numeric code for the character you want to display.

CHAR Function Syntax

=CHAR(number)

For example:

=CHAR(65)

returns A, because 65 is the ASCII code for the uppercase letter A.

Example 1: Add a Line Break in a Formula

When combining text, use CHAR(10) (Windows) or CHAR(13) (Mac) for a new line. Remember to enable “Wrap Text.”

=A1 & CHAR(10) & B1

This displays the text from A1 and B1 on separate lines within the same cell.

Example 2: Create Bulleted Lists

="• " & A1 & CHAR(10) & "• " & A2 & CHAR(10) & "• " & A3

Result (with Wrap Text):

• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3

Example 3: Insert Symbols Using CHAR

Example 4: Clean and Format Data

Sometimes downloaded text data contains hidden characters like carriage returns or tabs. You can remove or replace them using CHAR inside formulas such as:

=SUBSTITUTE(A1, CHAR(10), " ")

This replaces all line breaks in a cell with spaces.

Common CHAR Codes in Excel

Practical Use Cases

• Insert line breaks in merged text
• Add symbols in headers or reports
• Format text output for dashboards
• Replace hidden control characters
• Create custom bullet lists

VBA Example Using CHAR Equivalent

Sub CharExample()
    Dim msg As String
    msg = "Hello" & Chr(10) & "World!"
    MsgBox msg
End Sub

Conclusion

The CHAR function is a simple yet powerful tool for inserting symbols, formatting text, and cleaning data. Combine it with SUBSTITUTE or TEXTJOIN for even more flexibility.