To combine text in Excel, join cell values with the ampersand operator or functions such as TEXTJOIN and CONCAT.
The right choice depends on whether you need a separator, want to skip blank cells, or need compatibility with an older Excel version.
Combine text with the ampersand operator
The ampersand (&) joins text values and cell references.
For example, if A2 contains Jordan and B2 contains Lee, this formula joins them with a space:
=A2&" "&B2
The result is Jordan Lee.
The space inside quotation marks is part of the formula; without it, the result would be JordanLee.
You can mix cell references and fixed text.
If A2 contains a first name and B2 contains a last name, use =A2&" "&B2&" is on the roster" to produce a sentence such as Jordan Lee is on the roster.
The same approach works for addresses, labels, and identifiers.
Use CONCAT to join cell values
CONCAT combines text from cells or ranges without inserting a separator.
For the names in A2 and B2, write:
=CONCAT(A2," ",B2)
This returns Jordan Lee.
Because CONCAT does not add spaces automatically, include spaces, commas, or other punctuation as quoted arguments.
CONCAT is available in Excel 2016 and later, including Microsoft 365.
In older Excel versions, use the ampersand operator or CONCATENATE.
Microsoft retains CONCATENATE for compatibility, but CONCAT is its newer replacement.
Join a range with TEXTJOIN
TEXTJOIN combines text using a delimiter you choose.
It can also ignore empty cells, which makes it useful for lists with optional values.
Its syntax is:
=TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)
Suppose A2:A4 contains Jordan, a blank cell, and Lee.
Use:
=TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:A4)
The result is Jordan Lee.
The first argument specifies a space between items, and TRUE tells Excel to skip empty cells.
To retain empty entries as positions in the joined result, use FALSE.
For a comma-separated list from A2:A5, use =TEXTJOIN(", ",TRUE,A2:A5).
If the cells contain Apples, Bananas, and Pears, with one blank cell, the result is Apples, Bananas, Pears.
TEXTJOIN is available in Excel 2019 and later, including Microsoft 365.
If you see #NAME? in an older version, use the ampersand operator or CONCATENATE instead.
Choose the right method
- Ampersand: Best for short formulas that combine a few cells and fixed text.
It works across old and new Excel versions. - CONCAT: Useful for joining several values or a range when you do not need automatic handling of blank cells.
- TEXTJOIN: Best for joining a range with a repeated separator and skipping empty cells.
- CONCATENATE: A legacy option for workbooks that need to support older Excel editions.
All of these methods return text.
If a cell contains a number or date, Excel converts it to text when joining it, which can affect how the value appears.
Keep dates and numbers readable
When Excel joins a date or number with text, the displayed result may not match the original cell formatting.
For example, if A2 contains a date formatted as November 3, 2026, =A2&" report" may show the date as its underlying serial number followed by report.
Use TEXT to specify the format before joining.
For a date in A2, use =TEXT(A2,"mmmm d, yyyy")&" report".
For a number in B2 with two decimal places, use =TEXT(B2,"0.00").
The format code controls the text output; it does not change the stored value in the source cell.
Handle blanks and missing values
If you join cells with ampersands and one cell is blank, the formula still returns the other values, but any separators you typed remain.
For example, =A2&" "&B2 can leave a trailing space if B2 is empty.
To remove extra spaces at the ends, wrap the formula in TRIM:
=TRIM(A2&" "&B2)
TRIM removes leading and trailing spaces and reduces repeated internal spaces to one.
If you are combining many cells and want to skip blanks without managing extra separators, TEXTJOIN with TRUE is usually simpler.
To show a separator only when both cells contain values, you can use =IF(AND(A2<>"",B2<>""),A2&" - "&B2,A2&B2).
The comparison operators <> mean “not equal to.” This formula inserts a hyphen only when neither cell is blank.
Common problems and fixes
- Missing spaces or punctuation: Add the separator as a quoted string, such as
" "or", ". - Unexpected numbers for dates: Format the value with TEXT before joining it.
#NAME?error: Check function spelling and version support.
TEXTJOIN and CONCAT are unavailable in some older Excel releases.#VALUE!error: Check for errors in the source cells; a referenced error can carry into the combined result.- Formula appears as text: Change the formula cell from Text format to General, then re-enter the formula.
- Leading zeroes disappear: Store codes as text or convert them with TEXT, for example
=TEXT(A2,"00000")for a five-digit code.
Copy the formula down a column
After entering a formula in a row, use the fill handle—the small square at the lower-right corner of the selected cell—to copy it down.
Relative references update for each row: a formula using A2 and B2 becomes one using A3 and B3 in the next row.
To keep a reference fixed while filling, add dollar signs, as in $C$1.
For example, if first names are in A2:A100 and last names are in B2:B100, enter =A2&" "&B2 in C2, then fill it through C100.
Each row combines its own pair of names, and the source cells remain unchanged.