How to wrap text in a JTextArea

Question

I have a JTextArea in Java. When I place a large amount of text in it, the text area provides horizontal scrolling.

How can I make my text area wrap instead?

score 79 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:25

79

answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:25

Robin

1

That's a first. Most times I am too slow due to the creation of the links to the Javadoc which take some time, even if you know the API from the top of your head – Robin Jan 13 '12 at 23:29
8

You may also want to use [JTextArea#setWrapStyleWord](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/javax/swing/JTextArea.html#setWrapStyleWord(boolean)) if don't want it to break words. – Trevin Avery Jul 01 '14 at 18:57

score 31 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:26

31

Look at the API for the methods available to JTextArea, in particular setWrapStyleWord and setLineWrap.

answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:26

score 18 · Answer 3 · edited Dec 15 '14 at 12:26

18

Try This :

jTextArea.setLineWrap(true);

edited Dec 15 '14 at 12:26

answered Jan 31 '14 at 05:26

sathya

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 08 '15 at 01:05

In a Swing GUI Designer Like Netbeans IDE,

you could just 'check' the lineWrap in jTextArea property window.

if property window is hidden:

Goto WINDOW -> IDE TOOLS -> Properties

or press

CTRL + SHIFT + 7

In Swing GUI

add the line

jTextArea.setLineWrap(true);

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered May 28 '22 at 20:35

0

you would need to use this to wrap text with multiple words.

JTextArea.setWrapStyleWord(true);

answered May 28 '22 at 20:35

Jed

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 20 '23 at 00:08

0

In the IntelliJ GUI Designer, you can just check the "lineWrap" box to get the wrapping functionality:

answered Feb 20 '23 at 00:08

Code on the Rocks

6 Answers6