Double-click the cell (or press F2), hold Alt and type 0149 on the numeric keypad to insert •. Alt + 7 on the keypad gives the same dot and Alt + 9 gives a hollow ○. Mac shortcuts differ; Option + 8 types the dot on a US keyboard layout.
To bullet a whole column without changing the values, select the cells, press Ctrl + 1, choose Number → Custom, and enter "• "@ in the Type box. The bullet is display-only, so sorting, filters and lookups still see the original text.
With a formula, use =UNICHAR(8226)&" "&A2 and fill down. UNICHAR needs Excel 2013 or later. The older =CHAR(149)&" "&A2 works on Windows but may not return a bullet on a Mac. Type the quote marks in Excel: curly quotes pasted from a web page break the formula.
For a bulleted list inside one cell, type each bullet, press Alt + Enter to start the next line, and turn on Home → Wrap Text. To bullet every line of a cell that already has line breaks, use =UNICHAR(8226)&" "&SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(10),CHAR(10)&UNICHAR(8226)&" ") with Wrap Text on. For a properly indented list, insert a text box, right-click the text and choose Bullets.
If Alt + 7 or Alt + 0149 types nothing, you are using the number row above the letters; these codes work only on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. On a laptop without a keypad, go to Insert → Symbol, set from to Unicode (hex), type 2022 in Character code and click Insert.
Capturing data in the right way is important.
In Excel, most of the time we use serial numbers but when you are working on lists, the best way is to use bullet points. I mostly use bullet-point lists to capture my day-to-day work (To-do lists, Important points).
Now, the bad news: in Excel, there is no default way to insert a bullet point like we have in Microsoft Word.
But here is the good news. A few days back, I realized that we can actually use 8 different ways to insert bullet points in Excel.
And, all these methods can be useful in different situations. So, today in this post, I’d like to share with you all those methods.
[icon name=”bell” unprefixed_] This tutorial is a part of our Basic Excel Skills, and if you want to sharpen your existing Excel Skills, check out these Excel Tips and Tricks.
Add a Bullet Point from Symbol Dialog Box
I am sure you have used this method before.
- Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point.
- Go to Insert Tab ➜ Click on Symbol.
- Once you click on the symbol button, you’ll get a symbol dialog box.
- In the symbol dialog box, you have a lot of smart symbols to use as a bullet point, or you can simply use a black dot.
- Once you choose your bullet point, just click Insert to add it to the cell.
Here are some symbols which you can use for a list in Excel as a bullet point.
Insert Bullet Points with a Shortcut Key
Shortcut keys are the best way to insert a bullet point if you don’t have the time to play with a symbol dialog box. We have two different shortcut keys, and you can use either of them.
- Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point.
- Press F2 to edit the cell.
- Hold the Alt key and press 7 or 9 on the numeric keypad to insert a bullet.
Both shortcut keys will give you different types of bullets. If you want to add a dark dot for bullet points, you can use Alt + 7, or if you want to add a circle, you can use Alt + 9.
These shortcuts only work with the number keys on the numeric keypad, not the ones above the letters. On a laptop without a numeric keypad, use one of the other methods on this page. On a Mac, press Option + 8 to insert a bullet (•).
You can also add several bullet points in one cell. Type the first bullet and line, press Alt + Enter to start a new line in the same cell, and add the next bullet.
Use CHAR Function for Bullet Points
You can also use CHAR(149) to add a bullet in a cell. This method is helpful if you want to insert a bullet in many cells at once by using a formula in the formula bar in the cell where you need to insert it.
- Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point.
- Enter =CHAR(149)&” “&A1
- Now, drag the formula down to the last cell in which you want to add the bullet.
CHAR(149) gives a bullet in Excel for Windows, but on a Mac, it returns a different character. If you share your file with Mac users, use UNICHAR with the Unicode number of the bullet instead (Excel 2013 and later):
=UNICHAR(8226)&" "&A1
As this is a formula, the bullet and the text stay linked to column A. To keep only the result, copy the cells and paste them as values.
Custom Formatting for Bullet Points
It’s a one-time setup. All you have to do is create a custom format to insert bullet points. Just follow these simple steps.
- Press Ctrl + 1 and you will get a format dialog box.
- Under the Number tab, select Custom.
- In the type input bar, enter the following formatting.
- ● General;● -General;● General;● @
- Click OK.
How it Works
Let me give you a short note to use custom formatting for bullet points.
In custom formatting, you can mention 4 different formats: positive, negative, zero, and text. I have used a black dot for all four types. The negative section has a minus sign after the dot, as a custom format doesn’t show the minus sign on its own, and the text section uses @, which stands for the text you type.
And now, when you enter text or any number, whether positive or negative, it will add a bullet in front of it. The bullet is only part of the format, so the cell value stays the same, and you can still use the numbers in formulas.
Add Bullet Points in a Text Box
Inserting bullet points in a text box is the quickest way. You don’t have to run here and there for bullets. Follow these simple steps.
- First of all, insert a text box.
- Edit the text box and right-click.
- Click on the bullet option and select the bullet style to apply.
- Once you select your bullet style, it will automatically insert a bullet at the start of each line.
You can also use the numbers in a text box by using the same method.
Use Wingdings & Webdings Fonts for Bullet Points
Both of these fonts show an icon instead of a letter or number. If you enter any number or letter, you will get a cool icon instead.
You’ll even get a different symbol for a capital letter and a lowercase letter. To insert a simple black dot, use the small “n” & small “l” in Webdings & Wingdings respectively.
Bullet Points in a Cell Comment
You can also use bullet points in cell comments using symbols. In Microsoft 365, the old comments are called notes (Review ➜ Notes ➜ New Note), and these steps work for notes.
- First of all, insert a comment in a cell.
- Edit that cell comment.
- Go to Insert Tab ► Click on Symbol.
- Add any symbol that you want to add.
- Copy that symbol to the start of each line.
Use Smart Art to Create a Bulleted List
Smart art is also an effective way to create an organized list of bullet points.
- Go to Insert Tab ► Illustrations ► SmartArt.
- From the categories, select List.
- Select the type of smart art you want and click OK.
Which Method to Use
- A few cells: the Alt + 7 shortcut or the Symbol dialog box.
- A long list that keeps growing: the custom format, as every new entry gets a bullet automatically.
- Bullets added to existing text in many cells: the CHAR or UNICHAR formula.
- Notes or slides inside the sheet: a text box or SmartArt.
Remove Bullet Points
If you typed the bullets in the cells, use Find & Replace (Ctrl + H): type the bullet and a space in Find what, leave Replace with empty, and click Replace All. Or use a formula to remove them:
=SUBSTITUTE(A1,UNICHAR(8226)&" ","")
And if the bullets come from the custom format, select the cells and change the format back to General.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Alt + 7 not insert a bullet?
You need to press 7 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. The 7 key above the letters doesn’t work for this. On a laptop without a keypad, use the Symbol dialog box or the UNICHAR formula.
How do I add bullet points in Excel on a Mac?
Press Option + 8 while you type in a cell. The UNICHAR(8226) formula and the custom format also work on a Mac.
Can I add a bullet without changing the cell value?
Yes. Use the custom format method. The bullet only shows on the screen, and the value in the cell stays the same, so sorting, filtering and formulas still work as before.
I’m a Mac user and my default font is Calibri. I can get a bullet by pressing Option (alt) and 8.
Re: Bullet symbol in Excel comment
Is there a way to real bulleted lists with indent for multi-line entries, or just a symbol?
In a comment?
Thank you Puneet
You’re Welcome.
On my keyboard, Alt + 7 and Alt + 9 only work if you use the number keypad for the 7 and 9, not the regular numbers across the top (under the function keys).
Hi..
Good info..
In some laptop in place of Alt+9 / Alt+7 for bullets, we need to use Alt+Function Key+9 / Alt+Function Key +7.. Just sharing for the benefit of others for whom it is not working like mine.
Also for me, in webding font, need to put “=” in place of “l” for bullet. Correct me if I am wrong.
FYI – Even “r”, “t”, “u” etc. in winding font gives good bullets.
nice information,
i like excel because mostly all and any work can be done in excel easily.
we can use quick access toolbar to add symbol option.
I do like the custom formatting but you can still only place one bullet per cell. It would be nice if you could have a bulleted list of multiple bullets per cell. Does anyone know how this can be done. Using Excel on Mac
Is there a way to do custom formatting for one cell? So that the list of items is bulleted on each item (via ALT+ENT)? Thank you!
I use ALT 0149 all the time, all folders and files get one at the beginning.
@Grizz_UK:disqus Thanks for sharing
Love the custom formatting option! I’m going to use that from now on.
@disqus_al5c8qcwCx:disqus Great
Good information. You can also create a custom format using the @ symbol, which is a kind of wild card that represents all of the text that follows. Type Alt+0149 (or Alt+7, Alt+9 as noted above), press the space bar, type @, and then Enter to create the custom format.
@harolddola:disqus Thanks for sharing