Merge cells or split merged cells

When you merge two or more adjacent horizontal or vertical cells, the cells become one large cell that is displayed across multiple columns or rows. The contents of one of the cells appear in the center of the merged cell, as shown in the following example.

You can split a merged cell into separate cells again but you cannot split a single cell that has not been merged.What do you want to do?

Merge adjacent cells

Split a merged cell

Merge adjacent cells

1. Select two or more adjacent cells that you want to merge.

   Note Make sure that the data that you want to display in the merged cell is in the upper-left cell of the selected range. Only the data in the upper-left cell will remain in the merged cell. Data in all of the other cells of the selected range will be deleted.

2. On the Home tab, in the Alignment group, click Merge and Center.

   

   The cells will be merged in a row or column, and the cell contents will be centered in the merged cell. To merge cells without centering, click the arrow next to Merge and Center, and then click Merge Across or Merge Cells.

   Note If the Merge and Center button is unavailable, the selected cells may be in editing mode. To cancel editing mode, press ENTER.

3. To change the text alignment in the merged cell, select the cell, click any of the alignment buttons in the Alignment group on the Home tab.

Split a merged cell

1. Select the merged cell.

   When you select a merged cell, the Merge and Center button also appears selected in the Alignment group on the Home tab.

   

2. To split the merged cell, click Merge and Center .

   The contents of the merged cell will appear in the upper-left cell of the range of split cells.

See also:

• Combine or split the contents of cells