Microsoft Excel is the most renowned tool used all over the world to perform data collection, data management, and for analytics. It becomes one of the basic needs to understand how to apply formulas correctly while using Excel. Primarily you collect and analyze data with Excel, however today we will discuss how to join cells in Excel.
Sometimes, you can use shortcuts to collect data because it helps speed up the function. Below you will find some useful hacks that ultimately let you merge two cells in Excel. When it comes to organizing data, merging plays an important role.
Benefits of Merging Two Cells in Excel
When you merge cells in Excel, you will be able to sort out data nicely from multiple strands. You can apply this feature on both horizontal and vertical cells. Once the procedure is done, you will see all merged data in one big cell instead of many columns. It helps to make the spreadsheet presentable and uniform.
CONCATENATE Method to Join Cells
Sometimes, when you organize data, it might be possible that some part of your data is lost. You apply multiple features to maintain data properly, but you end up losing some data unintentionally. For this, you follow the CONCATENATE method to avoid data loss.
To apply this method, add =CONCATENATE(A1.” “,B1) in your dataset.
You always have to enter a space in this method and you can even use the command without a separator as well. in that case, the syntax would be: =CONCATENATE(A1, B1).
How to Join Cells in Excel?
Below you will find some useful steps to follow in order to learn how easily you can merge multiple cells in an Excel sheet.
- Choose the cells that needed to be merged. Highlight these cells with your mouse. Or else you can start from a cell by pressing and holding Shift and then the arrows to select the end.
- Click on the Format Cells button given on the Home ribbon. Or else you can press the CTRL + 1 from the keyboard and it will open up the Format Cells dialog box.
- Click on the Alignment tab given in the Format Cells menu and check the box of Merge Cells.
- Choose the center to put the title in the center and set the background color to make your title look awesome.
How to Join Cells in Excel with Shortcut?
Other than the above method, you can apply some shortcuts as well to merge multiple cells in one large cell. For this, select all the cells that needed to be merged and then enter the following shortcut keys from your keyboard.
Excel Shortcuts for Windows
Press ALT + H + M + M to merge cells.
Press ALT + H + M + C to merge and center cells.
Press ALT + H + M + A to merge across cells
Press ALT + H + M + U to unmerge cells.
Excel Shortcuts for Mac OS
You will not find an ALT key in the Apple devices that’s why you will not be able to apply the above-mentioned shortcuts on Mac OS. For this, you will have to set your own shortcut to merge cells. Here is how you can do it:
- Click the “Tools” option given under the navigation bar.
- Choose “Customize Keyboard.”
- You will see a pop-up and click on “Specify a Command” placed under the header. There are two columns: Categories and Commands. Click on the “Home” tab for Categories columns and choose “Merge Cells” for Commands.
- Now, you will see a text box placed under the “Press new keyboard shortcut” option. Enter the shortcut keys here, such as:
CONTROL + M
- Click OK.
Now the shortcut keys will be functional to merge cells.
Similarly, you can set further shortcuts to merge cells, unmerge cells, merge and center.
Merge and Center Cells
You can merge and center data by following the below-given procedure. Sometimes when you need the title of a spreadsheet document in the center, you will need to set it in the center.
- Choose the cells that needed to be merged.
- Find and click on the “Merge & Center” option from the “Home” tab.
- All the selected cells will be merged and your data will be centered.
- Bear in mind that all the data except left cell data will be removed if the content is in separate cells.
Merge Cells without Losing Data
You must be thinking about how you can merge cells without losing your data. For this, we have a highly reliable method here.
Other than CONCATENATE method, you can use the Ampersand method to merge cells without losing data. CONCATENATE method is explained above; now let’s move on to the Ampersand formula.
- Highlight all the cells in which you need to put the merged data. Type “=”.
- Choose the first cell and enter “&”.
- Make sure you have entered “ “ to keep space between the existing data.
- Now, choose the second cell and add the entire formula. Press Enter key.
- Your data is merged and you will see it in the next cell.
Press and hold the left mouse button to drag the formula down. It will get you the same outcome for further following cells.
Final Thoughts
That’s it!
Now, you can freely merge cells whenever you need. You are now fully aware of multiple methods that can help you in merging cells. Keep trying and one day you will become an expert.
