The two ways to combine text from separate cells

You can move text from two cells into one cell in Excel using either the CONCATENATE function or the ampersand (&) operator. Both methods create a new cell with the combined text, leaving your original cells unchanged. The ampersand method is faster to type; CONCATENATE is easier to read in a formula you'll come back to later.

A third option is to physically merge the cells themselves — combining the grid squares into one larger cell. This is useful when you want a single cell to span across multiple columns, but it deletes all but the first cell's content, so it's not the right choice if you need to keep both pieces of text.

Key Takeaways

  • The ampersand method (=A1&B1) combines text from two cells into a third cell in one line of typing.
  • CONCATENATE (=CONCATENATE(A1,B1)) does the same thing but reads more clearly when you open the formula later.
  • Merging cells physically combines grid squares but deletes everything except the first cell's text, so use it only when you don't need both pieces of text.
  • Adding a space or punctuation between the two text pieces requires putting it in quotes, like =A1&" "&B1.

Using the ampersand to combine text from two cells

Click on an empty cell where you want the combined text to appear. Type an equals sign, then the cell address of the first text, then an ampersand, then the cell address of the second text. For example, if your first name is in A1 and your last name is in B1, type =A1&B1 and press Enter. Excel will display both names together in that cell.

If you want a space between the two pieces of text, add it in quotes between the ampersands: =A1&" "&B1. You can add any character this way — a comma, a dash, a line break. Anything you put in quotes will appear exactly as you typed it between the two cell values.

Once you press Enter, the formula stays in that cell. If you change the text in A1 or B1 later, the combined cell updates automatically. You can copy this formula down to other rows by clicking the cell, then dragging the small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell down as far as you need.

Using CONCATENATE for longer or more complex combinations

CONCATENATE works the same way as the ampersand method but uses a function name instead of a symbol. Click on an empty cell and type =CONCATENATE(A1,B1), then press Enter. The result is identical to the ampersand version.

CONCATENATE becomes easier to read when you're combining more than two cells or adding multiple spaces and punctuation. For example, =CONCATENATE(A1," ",B1," ",C1) combines three cells with spaces between them. With ampersands, that same formula would be =A1&" "&B1&" "&C1 — longer and harder to scan. Choose whichever feels clearer to you.

Physically merging cells and what happens to your text

To merge cells, select the cells you want to combine by clicking the first one and dragging to the last one. Then go to the Home tab, find the Merge & Center button (or Merge Cells if you don't want centering), and click it. Excel will combine those cells into one larger cell.

When you merge cells, Excel keeps only the text from the first cell and deletes everything in the other cells. If A1 contains "John" and B1 contains "Smith", merging them will show only "John" in the merged cell. This is why merging is useful for headers or titles that span multiple columns, but not for combining two pieces of information you need to keep.

If you merge cells by accident, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo when ready. If you've already done other work, you can select the merged cell, go back to the Merge & Center button, and click Unmerge Cells to split it back apart — though the deleted text will not return.

When to use each method

Use the ampersand method when you want the fastest formula to type and you're only combining two cells. Use CONCATENATE when you're combining three or more cells, or when you know someone else will need to read and understand your formula later. Both methods preserve your original data and update automatically if you change it.

Use cell merging only when you want a single cell to visually span multiple columns — for example, a title row that stretches across all your data columns. Never use it if you need to keep both pieces of text, because merging deletes everything except the first cell's content.

Adding line breaks and special formatting between combined text

If you want the combined text to appear on separate lines within the same cell, use CHAR(10) to insert a line break. For example, =A1&CHAR(10)&B1 will put the contents of A1 on the first line and B1 on the second line, both inside the same cell. You'll need to turn on text wrapping for that cell to see both lines — right-click the cell, choose Format Cells, go to the Alignment tab, and check Wrap Text.

You can also add punctuation, symbols, or repeated characters. =A1&" - "&B1 adds a dash and spaces. =A1&" | "&B1 adds a pipe symbol. Anything in quotes will appear exactly as you type it, so experiment with what makes your data easiest to read.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I combine more than two cells at once?

Yes. With ampersands, type =A1&B1&C1&D1 for as many cells as you need. With CONCATENATE, type =CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1,D1). You can also mix in text in quotes, like =A1&" and "&B1&" and "&C1.

What if the cells I want to combine contain numbers?

Both methods treat numbers as text and combine them the same way. If A1 contains 123 and B1 contains 456, =A1&B1 produces 123456. If you need to do math with those numbers instead, use addition or other math operators rather than combining them as text.

Does combining cells with a formula delete the original data?

No. The formula creates a new cell with the combined text. Your original cells in A1 and B1 stay exactly as they were. You can delete the combined cell without affecting the original data.

Can I undo a merge if I've already saved the file?

Yes. Open the file, select the merged cell, go to the Home tab, click Merge & Center or Merge Cells, and choose Unmerge Cells. This splits the cell back into separate cells, though any text that was deleted during the merge will not return.