How to use the CHAR function

Use the CHAR function to convert a number to the corresponding character. This is determined by your computer's character set.

Windows	ANSI
Macintosh	Macintosh character set

1. Introduction

What is ANSI code?

In the context of the CHAR function in Excel, ANSI code refers to a numerical code that corresponds to a specific character in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) character set. In this context, ANSI codes are used to represent characters that may not be easily typed or represented using standard keyboard characters. For example, the ANSI code for a line break is 10, so the formula =CHAR(10) returns a line break character. The ANSI codes used in the CHAR function in Excel range from 1 to 255, and correspond to the characters in the ANSI character set. This includes letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and special characters.

The image above shows numbers and the corresponding characters.

2. Syntax

CHAR(text)

text	Required. The number for which you want the corresponding character.

Back to top

3. Example

The image above shows how to convert a number to a character using the CHAR function.

Formula in cell D3:

Explaining formula

The CHAR function converts a number between 1 and 255 to a corresponding character.

CHAR(B3)

becomes

CHAR(65)

and returns "A".

Back to top

4. How to convert comma delimiting numbers to a string of characters

This example demonstrates a formula that converts a series of numbers to characters based on the ANSI character set. The TEXTSPLIT function is a new Excel 365 function.

Formula in cell D3:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - Split numbers using a comma as a delimiting character

The TEXTSPLIT function lets you split a string into an array across columns and rows based on delimiting characters.

TEXTSPLIT(Input_Text, col_delimiter, [row_delimiter], [Ignore_Empty])

TEXTSPLIT(B3, ",")

becomes

TEXTSPLIT("72,101,108,108,111,33", ",")

and returns

{"72","101","108","108","111","33"}.

There is no need to convert "text" numbers to regular numbers, the CHAR function accepts "text" numbers.

Step 2 - Convert numbers in array to characters

CHAR(TEXTSPLIT(B3, ","))

becomes

CHAR({"72","101","108","108","111","33"})

and returns

{"H","e","l","l","o","!"}

Step 3 - Join characters

The TEXTJOIN function allows you to combine text strings from multiple cell ranges and also use delimiting characters if you want.

TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)

TEXTJOIN(, , CHAR(TEXTSPLIT(B3, ",")))

becomes

TEXTJOIN(, , {"H","e","l","l","o","!"})

and returns "Hello!".

Back to top

5. How to list all characters based on ANSI code

Number 65 to 90 correspond to A to Z. Number 97 to 122 correspond to a to z.

1		33	!	65	A	97	129		161	193	Á	225	á
2		34	"	66	B	98	130	‚	162	194	Â	226	â
3		35	#	67	C	99	131	ƒ	163	195	Ã	227	ã
4		36	$	68	D	100	132	„	164	196	Ä	228	ä
5		37	%	69	E	101	133	…	165	197	Å	229	å
6		38	&	70	F	102	134	†	166	198	Æ	230	æ
7		39	'	71	G	103	135	‡	167	199	Ç	231	ç
8		40	(	72	H	104	136	ˆ	168	200	È	232	è
9		41	)	73	I	105	137	‰	169	201	É	233	é
10		42	*	74	J	106	138	Š	170	202	Ê	234	ê
11		43	+	75	K	107	139	‹	171	203	Ë	235	ë
12		44	,	76	L	108	140	Œ	172	204	Ì	236	ì
13		45	-	77	M	109	141		173	205	Í	237	í
14		46	.	78	N	110	142	Ž	174	206	Î	238	î
15		47	/	79	O	111	143		175	207	Ï	239	ï
16		48	0	80	P	112	144		176	208	Ð	240	ð
17		49	1	81	Q	113	145	‘	177	209	Ñ	241	ñ
18		50	2	82	R	114	146	’	178	210	Ò	242	ò
19		51	3	83	S	115	147	“	179	211	Ó	243	ó
20		52	4	84	T	116	148	”	180	212	Ô	244	ô
21		53	5	85	U	117	149	•	181	213	Õ	245	õ
22		54	6	86	V	118	150	–	182	214	Ö	246	ö
23		55	7	87	W	119	151	—	183	215	×	247	÷
24		56	8	88	X	120	152	˜	184	216	Ø	248	ø
25		57	9	89	Y	121	153	™	185	217	Ù	249	ù
26		58	:	90	Z	122	154	š	186	218	Ú	250	ú
27		59	;	91	[	123	155	›	187	219	Û	251	û
28		60	<	92	\	124	156	œ	188	220	Ü	252	ü
29		61	=	93	]	125	157		189	221	Ý	253	ý
30		62	>	94	^	126	158	ž	190	222	Þ	254	þ
31		63	?	95	_	127	159	Ÿ	191	223	ß	255	ÿ
32		64	@	96	`	128	160		192	224	à	256

Here is how to create a table containing all characters returned from char using numbers 1 to 255 in Excel:

5.1 Explaining formula

Step 1 - Create numbers from 1 to 255

The SEQUENCE function creates a list of sequential numbers.

SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step])

SEQUENCE(32, 8)

returns

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; 9, ... , 256}

Step 2 - Return characters

CHAR(SEQUENCE(32, 8))

returns the table above without the numbers.

Back to top

6. How to identify a new line character in an Excel formula

The image above shows a formula that converts characters to ANSI code. Cell B3 contains a carriage return between 1 and 1. The number for a new line or carriage return is 10.

I used the following formula to identify the numbers for each character in cell B3.

Formula in cell C3:

You can use CHAR(10) to create a new line in a formula, see the next image below.

6.1 Explaining formula

Step 1 - Create an array

Cell B3 contains three characters. To extract each character we need an array containing numbers from 1 to 3.

The curly brackets and delimiting characters let you create an array containing constants.

{1,2,3}

Step 2 - Split text string

The MID function returns a substring from a string based on the starting position and the number of characters you want to extract.

MID(text, start_num, num_chars)

MID(B3,{1,2,3},1)

becomes

MID("1
1",{1,2,3},1)

and returns

{"1","
","1"}.

Step 3 - Calculate the number for each character

The CODE function returns a specific number for the first character of the text argument, determined by your computer's character set.

CODE(text)

CODE(MID(B3,{1,2,3},1))

becomes

CODE({"1","
","1"})

and returns {49, 10, 49}.

Step 4 - Join numbers

The TEXTJOIN function allows you to combine text strings from multiple cell ranges and also use delimiting characters.

TEXTJOIN(",",TRUE,CODE(MID(B3,{1,2,3},1)))

becomes

TEXTJOIN(",",TRUE,{49, 10, 49})

and returns 49,10,49.

7. How to create a new line in an Excel formula

The image above shows how to create a line break in a formula, cell E3 contains a formula that concatenates strings in cells B3 and C3 and inserts a line break in between.

Formula in cell E3:

7.1 Explaining formula

Step 1 - Create a new line

The following function and number 10 create a new line.

CHAR(10)

Step 2 - Concatenate text

The ampersand character concatenates strings in an Excel formula.

B3&CHAR(10)&C3

returns

John
Doe

8. How to show a new line in a cell (wrap text)

You need to allow the text to wrap in a cell, here is how to do that:

1. Select the cell.
2. Press CTRL + 1, and the "Format Cells" dialog box appears.
3. Press with mouse on tab "Alignment, see the image above.
4. Press with left mouse button on check box "Wrap text" to enable it.
5. Press with left mouse button on OK button.

Back to top

9. How to create a tab in an Excel formula

The picture above shows that the character is CHAR(9), however, the cell doesn't display the tab. Note that the formula bar shows the tab.

Formula in cell C3:

I am using the same formulas as in section 5 to identify the corresponding numbers for each character and concatenate tab characters with given strings.

Formula in cell E3:

Back to top

10. How to create superscript characters in an Excel formula

The formula in cell B5 demonstrates how to use superscript characters, there are not that many you can use.

Formula in cell B5:

The CHAR function lets you use a couple of superscript characters see list below, and the UNICHAR function gives you more options.

174	x®
175	x¯
176	x°
177	x±
178	x²
179	x³
180	x´

Back to top

Useful resources

CHAR function - Microsoft support

Formula to find if char 160 character is within cells - Reddit

Can someone explain this formula

'CHAR' function examples

Functions in 'Text' category

The CHAR function function is one of 29 functions in the 'Text' category.

Excel function categories

Excel categories

Leave a Comment