How to Combine Cells in Google Sheets

Sanskar Tiwari

Author: Sanskar Tiwari

Founder at MagicSlides

Published

Easily organize and format your spreadsheet by learning how to combine cells in Google Sheets

How to Combine Cells in Google Sheets

Combining cells in Google Sheets is a great way to clean up your spreadsheet and improve data presentation.
Whether you're formatting a title across multiple columns or merging address fields, the process is quick and easy.
You can either merge cells to create a single large cell or combine their contents using a formula. This step-by-step guide will show you both methods so you can choose the best one based on your needs, whether for layout or data manipulation.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Method 1: Merge Cells (for formatting)

Step 1: Open Your Sheet
Go to Google Sheets and select the sheet with the cells you want to combine.
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Step 2: Select the Cells
Click and drag to highlight the cells you want to merge.
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Step 3: Merge the Cells
  • Click Format in the top menu.
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  • Hover over Merge cells and choose one of the following:
    • Merge all – merges all selected cells into one.
    • Merge horizontally – merges cells across a row.
    • Merge vertically – merges cells down a column.
The text will remain in the upper-left cell, and other contents will be removed.

Method 2: Combine Cell Contents (for data)

Step 1: Use the CONCATENATE Function
In a blank cell, type:
=CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1)
This combines the contents of A1 and B1 with a space in between.
Step 2: Use the & Operator (Alternative Method)
You can also use:
=A1 & " " & B1
This is a quicker way to join values with custom separators.

Conclusion

Whether you're formatting your sheet for better readability or combining data from different columns, Google Sheets offers easy tools for both merging cells and joining cell contents.
Choose the method that fits your task and keep your spreadsheet clean and organized.

FAQs can take you forward!

Can I undo merged cells?

Yes, just select the merged cell, go to Format > Merge cells > Unmerge, and it will revert.

What happens to the data when I merge cells?

Only the upper-left cell's content remains; the rest are deleted. Use CONCATENATE to keep all data.

Can I merge non-adjacent cells?

No, Google Sheets only allows merging of adjacent cells.

Can I combine text and numbers from different cells?

Yes, using =A1 & " " & B1 or TEXT() for number formatting in formulas.

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