How to Insert Bullet Points in Excel: Quick and Top Ways

Bullet points can be used very frequently in Excel. MS Excel is all about numbers and to make our data more representable and user-friendly we can use bullet points. Unlike in PowerPoint and Word, there is no direct way to add bullet points in Excel.

In this article, we will discuss different methods to add a bullet point in Excel. 

Inserting bullet points in Excel can be done in several ways, depending on your specific needs and the version of Excel you are using. Here we have provided some quick and easy ways to insert bullet points in Excel.

Using shortcut keys is the most catchy and easy way to add standard bullet points in Excel. You will use two keys to create a bullet point i.e. Alt and a number. The number pressed should be from the numeric keypad of your computer. If you do not have a numeric keypad then simply turn on the Num Lock button and you can use the normal number keys on your keyboard. 

1. Add A Solid Bullet Point in Excel

Following are the steps to insert solid bullet points: 

Step 1: Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point. Then double–click on it

Step 2: Press Alt + 7. Now, as soon as you will leave the Alt key, a solid bullet point will appear

2. Add A Hollow Bullet Point in Excel

Following are the steps for hollow bullet points:

Step 1: Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point. Then double-click on it

Step 2: Press Alt + 9. Now, as soon as you will leave the Alt key, a hollow bullet point will appear

3. Add Multiple Bullet Points in a Single Cell in Excel

Following are the steps to print multiple bullet points in a single cell:

Step 1: Select the cell in which you want to add a bullet point. Then double-click on it

Step 2: Press Alt + 7 to create a solid bullet point. Now add the item you want

Step 3: Press Alt + Enter. Now, being in the same cell you will end up at a new line. Now, you can add multiple bullet points in a single cell

4. Add Fancy Bullet Points in Excel

Despite adding the standard bullet points you can add fancy bullet points. Press Alt and any numeric number, and you will have different emojis appear.  Here is a small list of the fancy bullet points with their shortcut keys. 

You can also use the Symbols option in the Insert tab to add bullet points to your worksheet. It is very difficult to find the bullet symbol in such a huge list of symbols. So, you can also type the unique code provided for each symbol. We have compiled, the codes of the most commonly used bullet symbols. 

The following are the steps: 

Step 1: Go to the Insert Tab

Step 2: Under Symbols group. Click on the Symbols option

Step 3: Symbols dialogue box appears. In the lower right corner, there is an option name Character code. You can add code according to your wish. For example, type 2022 in the character code. Now, click on Insert

Step 4: A black bullet point is inserted

One of the very easy methods to insert a bullet in Excel is to copy it from Word/PowerPoint. Word/PowerPoint provides its users to insert a bullet in their slide with a single click. Excel has the power to copy the format of the selected text. The following are the steps: 

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word. Go to the Home tab, and click on the bullet list option. A bullet appears in the word sheet

Step 2: Write some text in front of the bullet. Copy the text

Step 3: Go to Microsoft Excel and paste it. You will have the bullet with the written text

This is not a much popular way to make bullets in Excel. But can be proved efficient when you want to convert a non-bulleted list into a bullet list, in just some clicks and functions. 

Note: The function ” =char(number) ” provides the character associated with that number. There is no need of remembering it. For example, ” =char(149) ” is for •(solid black bullet), ” =char(171) ” is for star bullet.

To Convert a non-bulleted list to a bullet list we will take the following example:

Given a list. Add bullets in front of each of them. 

The following are the steps:

Step 1: Use the formula ” =CHAR(149)&” “&(Selected cell) “. This formula joins the bullet point with any cell 

Step 2: Press Enter

Step 3: Copy the formula to the cells C4:C9

One of the most popular methods is to auto-generate bullets in the cells of the worksheet. This method is useful when you have to add bullet points in large. Otherwise, the methods read above are preferred. 

Here are the following steps: 

Step 1: Select the cells in which you want to add custom number formatting. Press Ctrl + A to select the entire worksheet

Step 2: Go to the Home tab, and in the number section, you can see a small down arrow. Click on it. You can also use the shortcut Ctrl + 1. Format Cells dialogue box appears

Step 3: In the Number tab, under the Custom section. Click on the editable Type

Step 4: Type • General; • General; • General; • General in your editable Type. Click Ok

Step 5: Type Beginner in the cell and press Enter. The bullet appears automatically

Inserting bullet points in a Text box can provide a more straightforward method to add bullets in Excel. Below is the step-by-step guide :

Step 1: Go to the Insert tab and click on the Text Box button in the Text Group

Step 2: Insert a text box by clicking and dragging on the worksheet to define its size

Step 3: Type your list items inside the text box

Step 4: Select the line that you want to convert into bullet points

Step 5: Right-click on the selected lines and click on the small arrow next to the bullet points

Step 6: A drop-down menu will appear with various predefined bullet styles

Step 7: Choose your desired bullet style

Note: You can also customize your own bullet type by clicking on Bullet and Numbering-> Customize.

In conclusion, adding bullet points in Excel is easy and can make your spreadsheets look more organized and professional. You can use simple shortcuts like “Alt + 7" or “Alt + 9" on Windows and “Option + 8" on Mac, or go through the Symbol menu. Adding bullet points helps make your data clearer and more appealing, making a big difference in how your information is presented.

How do you insert bullets and numbering?

To insert Numbering and Bullets you simply go to the home tab and select Select Numbering option. You can select the numbering and bullet style according to your choice.

Is there any direct way to insert bullets in Excel?

No, Excel doesn’t have the feature of adding bullets directly.

Can we copy bullet points from Word or PowerPoint into Excel?

Yes, you can copy the bullet points from Word or PowerPoint into Excel. First create the bullet points in Word or PowerPoint, copy the text with bullet points, and paste it into Excel.

How can we convert a non-bulleted list to a bullet list in Excel?

You can use custom number formatting in Excel to automatically generate bullets in cells. By modifying the cell formatting, you can set it to display bullet points when entering text.

What is the shortcut key for inserting bullet points in Excel?

The shortcut key for inserting bullet points in Excel are:

• Alt + 7 or Alt + 9 (numeric keypad) for Windows.
• Option + 8 for Mac.