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How to Combine Cells in Google Sheets (6 Quick Formulas)

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Google Sheets is a powerful tool that helps users seamlessly organize, analyze and manipulate data. However, there are times when you might need to combine cells in Google Sheets for specific reasons. 

Whether you need to combine data from different cells into a single cell or you want to merge cells together, the process can be a bit challenging and time-consuming. Thankfully, there are several exciting ways you can quickly combine cells in Google Sheets. 

In today’s article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of combining cells in Google Sheets. While today’s guide will highlight different ways to combine cells in Google Sheets, we will also show you the best way to combine text from two cells in Google Sheets using formulas. 

A comprehensive step-by-step  guide to combining cells in Google Sheets

As we mentioned right from the get-go, one of the best ways to combine cells and columns in Google Sheets is to use formulas. And in this guide, we will show you different formulas to use to combine cells in Google Sheets. 

Keep in mind that whatever method or formula you decide to use to combine cells in Google Sheets will deliver the correct results. So at the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preference. 

Method 1: Combining cells in Google Sheets without any separator 

If there is one thing we love about Google Sheets, it is the plethora of formulas it provides for combining cells in Google Sheets. 

Let’s assume for a minute you’re dealing with a sample dataset as shown below and you’re tasked with combining columns A and B, with the result generated in column C, you can do that by simply specifying the cells with an ampersand in between. 

Sounds confusing? Well, read on as we simplify the entire process.

Combining cells in Google Sheets without a separator is easy and straightforward. Here is the formula you can use to achieve that: 

=A2&B2

Let’s quickly show you how to combine cells in Google Sheets without a separator using the above formula. 

Step 1: Select the cell where you want the result generated

Start by selecting the cells where you want the result generated. For this guide, we will use cell C2.

Step 2: Type in the formula 

With the cell selected, navigate to the formula bar and type in the following formula: 

=A2&B2. 

Step 3: Hit the Enter button on your Keyboard

After typing the formula in the formula bar, simply hit the Enter button on your keyboard. It takes only a few seconds for the result to be generated. 

Here is what our spreadsheet now looks like after using the =A2&B2 formula to combine Cell A2 with B2. 

As you can see from the image above, we only combined cells A2 and B2. Now we need to do the same for other cells. But instead of doing it manually, we will use Google Sheets’ auto-fill option to make our job easy. 

The video below shows you how to do that: 

Method 2: Merging cells in Google Sheets using the CONCAT function

If you’re looking for a seamless way to combine cells in Google Sheets, you won’t go wrong to use the CONCAT function. After experimenting with this formula a couple of times, we found it pretty useful as it makes the entire process a walk in the park. But don’t take our word for it. Find out for yourself. 

Before we show you how to use the CONCAT function to combine cells in Google Sheets, let’s look closely at the syntax that makes up this formula. 

CONCAT(string1, [string2, …])

The string parameters in the above formula clearly specify the cells we would like to combine. 

We will use our previous sample data to show you how to use the CONCAT function to combine cells in Google Sheets. 

Let’s get right into business: 

Step 1: Select the cell where you want the result generated

Before we can use the CONCAT function to combine cells in Google Sheets, we need to select the specific cell where we want the result generated. For this example, we will use cell C2. 

Step 2: Enter the CONCAT formula

After selecting the cell where you want the result generated, head over to the formula bar and type in the following formula: 

=CONCAT(A2,B2)

Step 3: Hit Enter on your keyboard

With your formula now correctly typed in, click the Enter button on your keyboard. The result should be generated almost immediately. 

Take a look at our spreadsheet to see the result generated by Google Sheets after using the CONCAT function: 

Since we only combined cells A2 and B2 in this example, we need to repeat the same process for the other cells. But because we like to keep things simple, we will use Google Sheets’ auto-fill option, which makes our job a tad easier. 

This video should guide you on how to use Google Sheets auto-fill option.

Method 3: Using CONCATENATE formula with a separator

There are certain instances where you need to use the CONCATENATE formula along with a separator. While you can use the CONCAT function we showed you earlier, we need to add a twist to our formula by including “double quotes.”

So instead of using the previous formula we showed you, we will use the one below: 

 =CONCATENATE(A2,”,”,B2)

So if you need to add a separator when using CONCATENATE formula to combine cells in Google Sheets, here is how it’s done: 

For this example, we will use the same sample dataset from earlier examples: 

Step 1: Select the cell where you want the result generated

First, you need to choose the cell where you want the result for the combined cells to be generated. As we did for other methods, we will use cell C2. 

Step 2: Enter the formula

Having selected the cell where you want the result generated, you’ll need to type in the following formula in the formula bar: 

 =CONCATENATE(A2,”,”,B2)

Step 3: Hit Enter on your keyboard 

Done typing in the formula? Great. Now hit the Enter button on your keyboard. The result should be generated in cell C2 almost immediately. 

The above CONCAT formula we used simply takes the cells values we want to combine and generate results in cell C2. But instead of just combining both cells together, it included a separator. To do this for other cells, simply drag the box from the first result generated to the cells below. What this does is replicate the result for the other cells using the same formula. 

If you did exactly as we explained above, your spreadsheet should look something like this: 

Method 4: Combining cells in Google Sheets with a separator (comma/space)

There are several instances when you need to combine cells in Google Sheets. But instead of just combining values in one cell with the next, you want to add a separator such as a dash, a comma or a space character in between. 

If that’s the case, you can use some of the formulas we have highlighted so far. But instead of using the formula as we showed you earlier, you need to include the separator within the formula. 

Assuming you have a sample data set as shown below and you want to combine columns A and B with a dash separator in between, you can achieve that using the following formula: 

=A2&”-“&B2

Step 1: Choose the cell where you want the result generated

The first thing you need to do is select the cell where you want to showcase the result of the combined cells. As we did in previous examples, we will use cell C2. 

Step 2: Type in the formula

After selecting the cell where you want to generate the result, simply navigate to the formula bar and type in the following formula: 

=A2&”-“&B2

Step 3: Hit the Enter key

Once you’re done typing in the formula, simply hit the Enter button on your keyboard. Google Sheets should automatically generate the result in the selected cell. Here, take a look at what our spreadsheet looks like: 

If you look closely at cell C2, you’ll notice that we now have a separator included in the result. Now, we need to do the same for the other cells. However, Instead of doing it manually, which will waste your time, you can use Google Sheets’ auto-fill option. If you have read to this point, we are sure you already know how to use Google Sheets auto-fill option as we showed you how to do that in previous methods. 

Here is what our worksheet looks like after applying Google Sheets auto-fill option: 

Method 5: Combine cells in Google Sheets (Separated with line breaks)

There are special scenarios where you might be working on a Google Sheets project that involves combining cells with a line break in between the content of each cell. 

Let’s say you’re working with a data set that involves clients’ personal details, including their names, the state and city they live in, as well as their street address, you can combine all this information in a single cell separated with line breaks. 

Want to learn how to combine cells in Google Sheets that are separated with line breaks? Well, read on as we look at some practical examples below. 

For this method, we will use the following sample data: 

What we want to do with this dataset is combine these cells into one single cell. But instead of having a long text string, which can be a bit confusing, you can have each of these in a separate line in the same cell. 

And guess what, you can do all these using a simple formula. Inside our formula, we will include a line feed character separator. 

Sounds confusing? Read on as we attempt to simplify the entire process. 

For this example, we will use the following formula, which will combine all the cells together while adding a line break between each cell’s content. 

=A2&char(10)&B2&char(10)&C2&char(10)&D2

Now, let’s show you how to use the above formula to combine cells in Google Sheets with line breaks. 

Step 1: Selected the cell where you want the result generated

Start by selecting the cell where you want the result generated. For our guide, we will use Cell E2. 

Step 2: Enter the formula 

Once you have selected the cell where you want to generate the result, head to the formula bar and type in the following formula: 

=A2&char(10)&B2&char(10)&C2&char(10)&D2

Step 4: Hit the Enter button on your keyboard

After typing in the formula, simply hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Google Sheets should automatically generate the result. 

If you followed the steps exactly as detailed above, you should have a spreadsheet that looks like this: 

From the screenshot above, you’ll notice we only generated results for cell E2. We need to do the same for the other cells. Thankfully, you don’t have to do this manually as Google Sheets auto-fill option lets you fill the other cells automatically. This video clearly explains how you can do that: 

If you have struggled to combine cells in Google Sheets, especially when you are required to insert a line break, we are sure this guide has now simplified the entire process. 

While the formula we showed you above gets the job done, you can also use the TEXTJOIN formula to achieve the same result. 

Here is what the TEXTJOIN Formula looks like: 

=TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10),,A2:D2)

The TEXTJOIN formula above combines different cells together while adding the specified separate (line breaks) in between the cells. 

Let’s quickly show you how to use the TEXTJOIN formula to achieve the same result. We will use the same sample data we used for the previous example: 

Step1: Select the cells where you’d like to generate the result

As we did in the previous method, you need to choose the cell where you want to generate the result. So we’ll go ahead and select cell E2. 

Step 2: Type in the formula

Chosen a cell where you’d like the result to be generated? Cool. Now head over to the formula tab and type in the following formula: 

=TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10),,A2:D2)

Step 3: Hit Enter

After typing the formula in the formula tab, all you need to do is hit the Enter button on your keyboard. You should see the output almost immediately in cell E2. 

Here is what our spreadsheet now looks like after executing these steps: 

What’s special about the TEXTJOIN formula is that you can include an array of cells and combine all of them in one cell. Not just that, the TEXTJOIN formula also includes the delimiter in between all the cells. 

Method 6: Combine cells with text and numbers in Google Sheets

Even though you might encounter some challenges when combining cells that feature text and numbers in Google Sheets, we have found a pretty easy way to do this. Whether you’re dealing with a spreadsheet that has been formatted in a unique way or not, rest assured that the steps we will show you shortly will allow you to combine cells with text and numbers almost seamlessly. 

Let’s assume for a minute we are dealing with a data set that has text data (Course) in column A and another data set in column B representing (Number of students), here is how you can combine cells with text and numbers in Google Sheets: 

Step 1: Select the cell where you want the result generated

Choose the cell where you’d want the result to be generated. To keep things simple, we will use cell C2. 

Step 2: Type in the formula

Head to the formula bar and type in the following formula: 

=A2&” – “&B2

Step 3: Press Enter on the keyboard

After typing in the formula, hit the Enter button on your keyboard. You should see the result generated almost immediately in cell C2. 

After executing all these steps, here is what our worksheet looks like: 

You can see that by using the simple formula we highlighted above, you can seamlessly combine cells with text and numbers in Google Sheets. To generate results for other cells, you can simply use Google Sheets’ auto-fill option. 

Final thoughts

Combining cells in Google Sheets can seem like a daunting task, especially if this is your first attempt. Thankfully, by leveraging some of the simple formulas featured in today’s guide, you should be able to combine cells in Google Sheets with just a few clicks. 

In case you need more clarification on how to combine cells in Google Sheets, feel free to leave a comment and we will respond as soon as possible. 

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