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How to Turn Off Text Wrapping in Microsoft Office

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is looking for instructions on how to disable or change text wrapping settings, but has not specified whether this applies to an image in a document, a text box, or a spreadsheet cell.

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adjusting the layout of a document or spreadsheet where text is automatically wrapping around objects or dropping to new lines within cells.
Observed behavior: Text wraps around inserted objects (like images or shapes) or wraps to multiple lines within a data cell, which conflicts with the user's desired formatting.

Before you start

Identify the specific object you are working with, as the steps to turn off text wrapping differ completely depending on whether you are adjusting an image in Word or a cell in Excel.

Solution 1Recommended

Turn Off Text Wrapping for Images and Objects in Word

Use this method when inserting images, shapes, or text boxes into a Word document and you want them to sit inline or float independently without displacing text.

By default, Word may wrap text tightly or squarely around inserted pictures. To disable this, you need to change the object's layout properties to either be completely separate from the text flow or sit strictly in line with it.

Select the object

Click on the image, shape, or text box in your document to select it.

Access Layout Options

Click the 'Layout Options' icon that appears at the top right corner of the selected object, or go to the 'Picture Format' tab on the top ribbon.

Change the wrapping style

Under the 'With Text Wrapping' section, change the selection to 'In Line with Text' (to treat the image like a giant text character) or 'In Front of Text' (to allow the image to float freely without wrapping text around it).

Solution 2

Disable Text Wrapping in Excel Spreadsheet Cells

Use this method if text in your Excel spreadsheet is automatically dropping to a second line within the same cell instead of overlapping into the next column.

Solution 3

Remove Text Wrapping Around Tables

Use this method if a table in your document has text floating on its left or right side and you want the table to sit on its own dedicated lines.

Seamless Document Formatting

Easily Manage Text Wrapping with WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive and highly compatible interface for managing text wrapping across documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can easily turn off text wrapping for images, tables, or cells using familiar layout options.

1. Open your file in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the document or spreadsheet you want to edit.
2. Disable wrapping in Spreadsheets: Select your cell(s) and simply click the 'Wrap Text' icon on the Home tab to turn it off.
3. Disable wrapping in Writer: Click your image, tap the 'Wrap Text' icon in the floating menu, and choose 'In Line with Text'.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word and Excel formats (.docx, .xlsx).One-click 'Wrap Text' toggle button for spreadsheet cells.Intuitive floating layout options menu for images and objects.Free, lightweight, and easy to navigate for everyday office tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my text still wrapping in Excel after I clicked the Wrap Text button?

If text continues to wrap after toggling the setting off, there are likely manual line breaks within the cell. Double-click the cell, find where the line breaks occur, and press Backspace or Delete to remove the manual breaks (originally inserted using Alt+Enter).

Can I turn off text wrapping for an entire Word document at once?

Text wrapping is applied per object (image, text box, table), so there is no single toggle for the entire document. You must select each object individually and adjust its Layout Options to 'In Line with Text' or 'In Front of Text'.

How do I stop text from wrapping inside a Word text box?

Right-click the text box border and choose 'Format Shape'. Navigate to the 'Text Box' layout settings and uncheck the box that says 'Wrap text in shape'. This will force the text to continue on a single line, even if it goes past the visible boundary.

Does WPS Office handle text wrapping the same way as Microsoft Office?

Yes, WPS Office uses the exact same terminology and layout options for text wrapping. Features like 'In Line with Text' in WPS Writer and the 'Wrap Text' button in WPS Spreadsheet function identically to their Microsoft counterparts, ensuring perfect formatting compatibility.

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