Combine Two Columns
Combine two pasted columns row by row with a space, comma, dash or custom separator. Preview and copy the joined lines without dropping the longer list.
3 rows joined
How it works
In Excel or Google Sheets, put =A2&" "&B2 in C2 to join two cells with a space, then fill down. Where TEXTJOIN is available, =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:B2) skips empty cells. Keep the input columns until you have checked and copied the results as values.
Insert a new empty column to the right of the two you want to combine.
In its first data cell type =A2&" "&B2, putting a space, comma or other separator in quotes between the references.
Press Enter, then double-click the fill handle to copy the formula down the whole column.
For several columns at once use =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:C2); or skip formulas entirely and press Ctrl+E to Flash Fill from one typed example.
What this does
Combining columns takes the value from each row of two (or more) neighbouring columns and writes them into a single new column, row by row down the whole table — first name beside last name becomes one full-name column. The ampersand (&) joins the two cells of a row with whatever literal text you put in quotes between them, and you copy that one formula down so every row is combined at once. TEXTJOIN does the same across a wider band of columns, taking the separator a single time. This is a per-row column operation, quite different from joining a couple of stray cells or visually merging cells into one box.
A worked example
A2 contains Ada and B2 contains Lovelace. Enter =A2&" "&B2 in C2: the result is Ada Lovelace. Fill the formula down to combine each row separately. If B2 is empty, this formula leaves a trailing space; =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:B2) skips empty cells where that function is available. For three input columns A:C, put =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:C2) in D2, outside the input range. To remove the input columns later, first copy the results and use Paste Special > Values, then check them again. Combining columns is how you fold scattered fields into the single column a mail merge, import or lookup expects — first + last into full name, street + city into one address line. It is the everyday inverse of splitting one column into several.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for Merge & Center — that visually fuses cells and keeps only the top-left value, it does not combine the two columns row by row.
- Forgetting the separator, so "Ada" and "Lovelace" run together as "AdaLovelace".
- Deleting the source columns A and B while the new column still holds live
=A2&B2formulas — copy the result and Paste Special ▸ Values first. - Combining a number or date directly and losing its formatting — wrap it in TEXT() to keep it readable.
FAQ
How do I combine two columns without a formula?
Type the combined result for the first row by hand, then press Ctrl+E (Flash Fill). Excel detects the pattern and fills the rest of the column instantly — no formula required.
How do I combine more than two columns?
Use =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:C2): it takes the separator once and joins the whole span A2:C2, with the TRUE skipping any empty cells.
Can I delete the original columns afterwards?
Not while the formula references them. First select the new column, copy it, then Paste Special ▸ Values to freeze the text — only then is it safe to delete columns A and B.
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