How to Add a Line Break in SharePoint

To add a single line break in most SharePoint rich text editors, use Shift + Enter.

Adding a line break allows you to start a new line of text directly below the current one without creating a new paragraph, which typically adds more vertical spacing. This is crucial for formatting content neatly within text web parts, news posts, and multi-line text fields.

Using Shift + Enter for Line Breaks

The most common and effective way to insert a line break in modern SharePoint environments is by using the keyboard shortcut Shift + Enter. This method works consistently across various SharePoint text editing surfaces.

When to use it: This shortcut is ideal when you want to keep lines of text closely together, such as in addresses, lists within a paragraph, or short descriptions where distinct paragraphs would create too much space.

Example:

Employee Name: John Doe
(Press Shift + Enter)
Department: Sales
(Press Shift + Enter)
Contact: [email protected]

This will appear as:
Employee Name: John Doe
Department: Sales
Contact: [email protected]

Understanding the Difference: Enter vs. Shift + Enter

It's important to distinguish between pressing Enter and pressing Shift + Enter in SharePoint's rich text editor (RTE).

Feature	`ENTER` Key	`SHIFT + ENTER` Keys
Action	Creates a new paragraph	Creates a single line break
Spacing	Adds more vertical space	Adds minimal vertical space
HTML Equivalent	`<p>...</p>` (paragraph tag)	`<br>` (break tag)
Use Case	Separating distinct thoughts/sections	Continuing a thought on a new line

Line Breaks in Various SharePoint Components

The method for adding line breaks largely depends on where you are editing text in SharePoint.

Modern SharePoint Pages and News Posts

When using the Text web part on modern SharePoint pages or creating news posts, the rich text editor behaves like most word processors.

Simply place your cursor where you want the line break and press Shift + Enter. This will insert a line break, moving the subsequent text to the next line without the extra spacing of a new paragraph.

Multi-line Text Columns (Lists and Libraries)

SharePoint lists and libraries often use multi-line text columns to store larger blocks of text. The behavior of line breaks here depends on the column's configuration:

Enhanced Rich Text: If the column is configured to use "Enhanced rich text (Rich text with pictures, tables, and hyperlinks)," you can use Shift + Enter to add line breaks, similar to the Text web part.
Plain Text: If the column is set to "Plain text," pressing Enter will typically act as a line break, as there is no rich text formatting to distinguish between a line break and a paragraph break. However, you won't have other formatting options like bolding or italics.

HTML-Based Web Parts and Custom Solutions

For more advanced scenarios, especially when working with older web parts like the Content Editor web part (in classic SharePoint) or within custom development (e.g., SPFx solutions that render HTML), you can directly insert the HTML line break tag: <br>.

Example:
```
This is the first line.<br>
This is the second line directly below.
```
This method is generally not needed for out-of-the-box text editing in modern SharePoint.

Practical Tips for Formatting

Always use Shift + Enter when you need to control vertical spacing and ensure text remains visually part of the same logical block.
Reserve the Enter key for creating new paragraphs when you want to separate distinct ideas or sections of text with more generous spacing.
Familiarize yourself with the rich text editor's toolbar options, as some may offer specific buttons for paragraph or line formatting, though Shift + Enter is universally recognized for line breaks.

For more information on using the Text web part, refer to Microsoft's documentation.