How to add text from two cells in Microsoft Excel

The process of merging the contents of two neighboring cells in Microsoft Excel to form a single cell is known as combining text from two cells. This can prove to be a useful technique in enhancing the clarity and arrangement of data, particularly in the case of large spreadsheets. However, it is important to note that merging cells can impact other functions or formulas in your spreadsheet, thus it is necessary to review your calculations and modify any affected cells accordingly.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to add text from two cells in Microsoft Excel. There are various techniques available in Excel to combine multiple cells into a single cell, such as using the CONCATENATE function, Ampersand Operator, and other methods.

For instance, in our current dataset consisting of two columns, House and Street, we aim to add House Number and Street information from both cells into a single cell.

Method 1: Using the Concatenate Function 

Step 1 – Select a Blank Cell

• Select a blank cell where you want to add text from the two cells.

Step 2 – Place an Equals Sign

• Place an Equals sign in the blank cell.

Step 3 – Use the CONCATENATE Function

• The CONCATENATE function is used to merge content from multiple cells.
• The syntax will be: 

                     CONCATENATE(A2,” “,B2)

• Where A1 is the address of the first cell to be combined.
• “ “ is to separate the combined text using space.
• B2 is the address of the second cell to be combined.

Step 4 – Press the Enter Key 

• Press the Enter key to add the text from two cells.

Step 5 – Apply the CONCATENATE Function on Each Row

• Apply the CONCATENATE function on each row using the Autofill feature.

Method 2: Using the Ampersand Operator

 Step 1 – Select a Blank Cell

• Select a blank cell where you want to add text from two cells.

Step 2 – Place an Equals Sign

• Place an Equals sign in the blank cell.

Step 3 – Use the Ampersand Operator

• Use the Ampersand operator.
• The syntax will be : 

         A2 & “ “ & B2

• Where A1 is the address of the first cell to be combined.
• “ “ is to separate the combined text using space.
• B2 is the address of the second cell to be combined.

Step 4 – Press the Enter Key 

• Press the Enter key to add the text from two cells.

Step 5 – Apply the Ampersand Operator on Each Row

• Apply the Ampersand Operator on each row using the Autofill feature.

Method 3: Using the Flash Fill to Make 2 Cells into 1 Cell

Step 1 – Make the First 2 cells into 1 Manually

• Add the text from the first two cells manually by entering the text in another cell.

Step 2 – Press CTRL + E 

• Press CTRL + E shortcut keys to use the Flash fill feature.
• This will instantly add the text from each pair of two cells.

Method 4: Using the TEXTJOIN Function

Step 1 – Select a Blank Cell and Place an Equals Sign

• Select a blank cell where you want to add text from the two cells.
• Place an Equals sign in the blank cell.

Step 2 – Use the TEXTJOIN Function

• Enter the TEXTJOIN function.
• The syntax will be: 

                     TEXTJOIN(” “,FALSE,A2,B2)

• Where the first argument is the delimiter, the second argument specifies the function to include the empty cells.
• The third and fourth arguments are the cell references of the cells containing the text to be added.

Step 3 – Press the Enter Key 

• Press the Enter key to add the text from two cells.

Step 4 – Apply the TEXTJOIN Function on Each Row

• Apply the TEXTJOIN function on each row using the Autofill feature.