In Excel: 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.
On this page8
3 rows joined
Combine names and check each row
Paste the two input columns into A1. Enter =A2&" "&B2 in C2 and fill down to C4. Keep A and B until you have checked the output.
A1| A: First name | B: Last name | C: Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | Lovelace | Ada Lovelace |
| Grace | Hopper | Grace Hopper |
| Alan | Turing | Alan Turing |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
- The quoted space separates the names. =A2&B2 would return AdaLovelace.
- If B2 is empty, the ampersand formula leaves a trailing space. On versions with TEXTJOIN, =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:B2) skips empty cells.
- To delete the source columns, first copy C2:C4 and use Paste Special > Values. Check the three names again before deleting A:B.
- Merge & Center changes the cell layout and discards other values. It does not join the two text fields.
Documentation reviewed .
Microsoft: Combine text from cellsMicrosoft: Merge and unmerge cells
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. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. Treat “combine two columns in excel” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected columns shows up while it is still harmless. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. That turns a text operation that turns messy entries into clean, usable data into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
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. A practical tip before you scale it up: build it once on a small block of test data, confirm the number against the tool on this page, and only then point it at your real sheet. That one habit catches almost every mistake while it is still cheap to fix, long before a wrong figure reaches a report or a colleague.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets support for this task has not been verified. Check the function, arguments and workflow in the target product before transferring the example. Matching formula notation does not establish identical behaviour. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, rebuild the example once in your own sheet — doing it yourself, with the tool above to check against, is what turns a copied formula into a technique you own. The short version of “combine two columns in excel”: the answer is at the top of this page, the tool proves it on your own numbers, and the sections above explain why it holds so the next variation does not stump you. Excel rewards people who reference cells instead of typing values and who keep inputs separate from formulas, because that is what makes a result you can audit months later. Build it once, deliberately, with the live tool as a check, and you convert a one-off lookup into a reusable skill — which is the whole point of learning the why and not just the what.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
Other ways people ask this
This is also commonly searched as “combine two columns in excel”, “how do i combine two columns in excel”, “how do you combine two columns in excel” and “how can i combine two columns in excel”. They describe the identical operation, so you are in the right place no matter how you phrased it.
Why do people search for this in so many different ways?
Because the same task has many names. “combine two columns in excel”, “how do i combine two columns in excel”, “how do you combine two columns in excel” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.