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How to Concatenate in Excel (Join Text from Cells)
Concatenating means joining text from several cells into one: combining first and last names, building an address line, or merging codes into a single key.
Excel gives you three ways: the & operator for quick joins, CONCAT for ranges, and TEXTJOIN when you need a separator between items. This guide covers all three.
CONCAT syntax
=CONCAT(text1, [text2], ...) | Argument | Required | What it does |
|---|---|---|
text1 | Required | The first cell, range, or piece of text to join. |
text2 | Optional | More cells or text to join. CONCAT also accepts whole ranges like A2:C2. |
Note: CONCAT replaces the legacy CONCATENATE. For a separator between items use TEXTJOIN; the & operator does the same job as =A2&" "&B2. Works in Google Sheets.
Examples
Real, copy-paste-ready formulas.
1. Join two cells with a space
=A2&" "&B2 The & operator glues text together; " " inserts a literal space. This is the quickest way to combine a couple of cells.
2. Combine a whole range
=CONCAT(A2:C2) CONCAT accepts a range and joins every cell in order. Unlike the older CONCATENATE, you do not have to list each cell separately.
3. Join a list with commas, skipping blanks
=TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A2:A20) TEXTJOIN puts the ", " separator between items; the TRUE tells it to skip blank cells so you do not get double commas.
How to write CONCAT step by step
- 1
For a quick join, click the result cell and type =A2&" "&B2 (the & glues text, " " adds a space).
- 2
For many cells, type =CONCAT( and select the range, then close the bracket ).
- 3
To put a separator between items, use =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, range). The TRUE skips blanks.
- 4
Add literal text in "quotes" anywhere, e.g. =A2&" - "&B2.
- 5
Press Enter and fill the formula down.
Common errors and fixes
| Error | Why it happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
No spaces between words | The cells were joined with nothing between them. | Insert a space in quotes between fields: =A2&" "&B2, or use a separator in TEXTJOIN. |
Numbers lose formatting | Dates and currency join as raw serial numbers, e.g. 46000 instead of a date. | Wrap the value in TEXT(), e.g. =A2&" "&TEXT(B2, "$#,##0.00"). |
#NAME? | CONCAT or TEXTJOIN is not available in your Excel version (they need Excel 2016/2019+). | Use the & operator or the legacy CONCATENATE function instead. |
One long string | CONCAT was used where you needed items separated. | Switch to TEXTJOIN and supply a delimiter such as ", ". |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CONCAT and CONCATENATE?
CONCATENATE is the legacy name and only takes individual cells. CONCAT replaces it, also accepts whole ranges, and is the function Microsoft now recommends. Both still work.
What is the difference between CONCAT and TEXTJOIN?
CONCAT just glues everything together. TEXTJOIN adds a separator between items and can skip blank cells, which is ideal for building comma-separated lists.
How do I add a space when joining cells?
Put a space in quotes between the cells: =A2&" "&B2, or include " " as the separator in TEXTJOIN.
Does concatenation work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Google Sheets supports the & operator, CONCATENATE, and TEXTJOIN; its CONCAT joins just two values.