Sometimes a single cell in Google Sheets contains multiple pieces of information, like "John Doe, New York" or "123-456-7890." Splitting such data into separate cells makes it easier to organize and analyze.
Google Sheets offers built-in tools like Split text to columns and formulas such as
SPLIT() to divide cell content. This tutorial walks you through both easy and advanced methods to split data in a cell efficiently.
How to Split a Cell in Google Sheets | Step-by-Step Guide
Method 1: Use “Split text to columns”
Step 1: Open your Google Sheet and select the cell or column you want to split.
Step 2: Click on the Data menu in the top bar.
Step 3: Choose Split text to columns from the dropdown.
Step 4: A separator dropdown will appear. Select the appropriate separator like comma, space, semicolon, or custom.
Result: The content in the selected cells will now be split into multiple columns based on your chosen delimiter.
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Method 2: Use the SPLIT() Function
Step 1: In a new cell, use the formula:
Replace
A1 with the reference to your target cell and , with your actual separator.Step 2: Press Enter, and the cell content will be divided into multiple cells horizontally.
Bonus Tip: You can also split by characters like slashes (
/) or hyphens (-) depending on your data.Conclusion
Splitting cells in Google Sheets helps clean and structure your data for better analysis and readability.
Whether using the quick "Split text to columns" feature or the
SPLIT() function, both methods are easy and effective for managing mixed content in a single cell.FAQs can come handy!
Can I split cells vertically instead of horizontally?
No, the built-in functions only split across columns (horizontally), not rows (vertically).
What happens to data in adjacent columns?
Make sure there's no data next to the target cell, as splitting can overwrite it.
Can I use multiple delimiters in the SPLIT() function?
Yes! For example:
=SPLIT(A1, ",;") splits by both commas and semicolons.Does splitting work on merged cells?
No, you must unmerge cells before using split functions.