How to Insert a Text Box in Excel

A text box floats above the cells, so it never changes column widths or gets sorted with your data.

Insert one

1. Insert › Text › Text Box.
2. Click and drag on the sheet to draw it.
3. Type.

Format it

• Select the text and use Home for font, size and colour.
• Shape Format › Shape Fill / Shape Outline for the background and border.
• No border: Shape Outline › No Outline.

Move and resize

Drag the border to move. Hold Alt while dragging to snap it to cell edges.

Show a cell’s value in the text box

1. Click the text box border (not inside it).
2. Click in the formula bar, type =B2, Enter.

The box now updates whenever B2 changes — useful for dashboard labels. See build a dashboard.

Bullets inside

Select the text › right-click › Bullets.

Make it print

Right-click › Format Shape › Size & Properties › tick Print object.

Related: rotate text · bullet points