Text to Columns
Paste a long list and choose how many columns you want. Fill across or down, then copy the result with tabs, commas, a pipe or spaces lined up.
Worked examples
Three columns across
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1,2,3 4,5,6 7,,
The last row has a single item and two empty cells.
Two columns down, lined up
apple fig pear kiwi
apple pear fig kiwi
Items are padded so the second column starts in the same place on every row.
About Text to Columns
A single long column is hard to print, hard to scan and awkward to fit on a page. Splitting it into several columns turns a list of forty names into ten rows of four, and lets you paste it straight into a spreadsheet so each name lands in its own cell. This tool does the rearranging in one step for any number of columns.
Choose whether to fill across, so the first items form the first row, or down, so the first column is filled before the second starts, which is how a printed list reads. Then choose how the columns are separated: tabs for a spreadsheet, commas for a CSV file, spaces lined up for plain text, or a pipe for a simple table. In the CSV option, an item that contains a comma is put in quotes so the file stays correct.
How to use Text to Columns
- Paste your list into the box, one item per line.
- Enter the number of columns you want.
- Choose across or down, and the separator between columns.
- Copy the result and paste it where you need it.
Common uses
- Fitting a long rota, seating list or register onto one page
- Pasting a column of data into a spreadsheet as a grid
- Making a compact list of words for a game or a lesson
- Preparing a simple plain text table for an email
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between across and down?
Across fills row by row: 1 2 3 on the first row, then 4 5 6. Down fills column by column: 1 2 3 in the first column, then 4 5 6 in the second.
What if the list does not divide evenly?
The last row or column is simply shorter, and the empty cells are left blank.
Will the columns line up in an email?
Use the spaces, lined up option. It pads each column to the width of its longest item, which lines up when the email uses a fixed width font.
Are empty lines kept?
By default they are skipped. Untick the option to keep an empty cell for each empty line.