Whether you’re combining first and last names, addresses, product descriptions, or other text, Excel offers several easy ways to merge information from multiple cells into one.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn four different methods for combining names or text in Microsoft Excel. We’ll cover the CONCAT, TEXTJOIN, and ampersand (&) methods, explain when each one works best, and show how to preserve your results after combining your data.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to combine first and last names in Excel
  • How to use the CONCAT function
  • How to combine a range of cells with CONCAT
  • How to join text using the ampersand (&) operator
  • How to use the TEXTJOIN function
  • When each method is the best choice
  • How to convert formulas into permanent text values

Common Uses

  • Combining first and last names
  • Creating full mailing addresses
  • Building product descriptions
  • Merging city, state, and ZIP code
  • Combining IDs or reference numbers
  • Preparing data for imports
  • Cleaning exported data
  • Creating labels and reports

Practice & Resources

You can follow along using any worksheet with text stored in separate columns.

For example:

First NameLast Name
JohnSmith
SarahJones

The examples below combine these values into a single cell while preserving a space between them.

Need a quick refresher later? This tutorial includes a printable reference guide that summarizes the steps and key concepts covered in the lesson.

Click the button below to view the resources available for this tutorial.

View Guide

Video Tutorial

Requirements / Compatibility

This tutorial was originally recorded in 2020.

The formulas shown continue to work in current versions of Microsoft Excel, including:

  • Microsoft 365
  • Excel 2024
  • Excel 2021
  • Excel 2019
  • Excel 2016*

*TEXTJOIN and CONCAT require newer versions of Excel (Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and later). The ampersand (&) operator works in virtually every version of Excel.

Breaking Down the Concept

Excel gives you several ways to combine text from multiple cells.

Although each method produces similar results, they each have different strengths.

Method 1 — CONCAT

=CONCAT(A2," ",B2)

A straightforward way to combine individual cells.

Best for:

  • Short formulas
  • Combining a few cells

Method 2 — CONCAT with a Range

=CONCAT(A2:C2)

Instead of listing each cell separately, CONCAT combines an entire range.

Best for:

  • Multiple adjacent cells
  • Structured data

Method 3 — Ampersand (&)

=A2&" "&B2

The classic Excel method.

Best for:

  • Simple formulas
  • Maximum compatibility
  • Quick typing

Method 4 — TEXTJOIN

=TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2,B2)

TEXTJOIN automatically inserts a delimiter and can ignore blank cells.

Best for:

  • Larger datasets
  • Missing values
  • More advanced text combinations

Which Method Should You Use?

MethodBest For
&Simple formulas and maximum compatibility
CONCATModern replacement for CONCATENATE
CONCAT (Range)Adjacent ranges of text
TEXTJOINFlexible formulas and ignoring blank cells

Step-by-Step Instructions

Method 1: CONCAT

  • Click in cell C2 & select CONCAT function
  • Text 1 = A2, Text 2 = ” “, Text 3 = B2
  • Formula: =CONCAT(A2,” “,B2)

Method 2: CONCAT Range

  • Insert a column of spaces (insert a column between A&B, enter a space in B2 & copy & paste down column B)
  • Click in a blank cell & select CONCAT function & select a range of A2:C2
  • Formula: =CONCAT(A2:C2)

Method 3: Use &

  • Click in a blank cell & type = then click in the first name cell, then type &, then type ” “, then type &, then click in the last name cell
  • Formula: =A2&” “&B2

Method 4: Use TEXTJOIN

Formula: =TEXTJOIN(” “,TRUE,A2,B2)

Click in a blank cell and select TEXTJOIN function

Enter a space for the delimiter, ignore empty = true, text1 = A2, text2 = B2

Additional Tips

  • Remember to Copy → Paste Values if you want to replace the formulas with permanent text.
  • If some cells may be blank, TEXTJOIN usually produces cleaner results because it can ignore empty cells.
  • The ampersand (&) remains one of the fastest ways to combine a small number of cells.
  • If you’re combining many columns repeatedly, consider converting your data into an Excel Table first.

Related Features

  • LEFT
  • RIGHT
  • MID
  • TRIM
  • SUBSTITUTE
  • Flash Fill
  • TEXTSPLIT (for the opposite task)

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