Excel CONCAT: Join Cell Values with a Formula

To combine cell values in Excel, use the CONCAT function: with text in A2 and B2, enter =CONCAT(A2,B2) to join them with nothing between. Add a space, comma, or other separator inside the formula when you want one, or use TEXTJOIN to apply the same separator across a range.

What CONCAT does in Excel

CONCAT combines text from cells, ranges, or text strings in the order you provide and returns one text value. It is useful for making a full name from separate name columns, creating a label from a description and an ID, or assembling a readable sentence from spreadsheet fields. It does not combine cells visually or change the original cells; it creates a result in the cell where you enter the formula.

CONCAT can accept separate references and ranges. It does not add spaces or punctuation automatically, and it does not have a delimiter argument. That distinction matters: if you join a first name and a last name without including a space, the result will run together. Blank cells normally contribute no visible characters, but any separators you explicitly put into a formula remain in the result.

CONCAT is available in modern Excel, including Microsoft 365. It replaced the older CONCATENATE function, which remains supported for compatibility with older workbooks. For a new formula, CONCAT is generally the clearer choice; the ampersand operator is another straightforward option.

Join two or more cells with CONCAT

With a first name in A2 and a last name in B2, enter =CONCAT(A2,B2). If A2 contains “Jordan” and B2 contains “Lee,” the result is “JordanLee.” This example shows why the function’s no-separator behavior should be planned for rather than assumed to include a space.

To include a space, with the same values in A2 and B2, use =CONCAT(A2," ",B2). The result is “Jordan Lee.” The quoted space is a literal text value in the formula. The same pattern works with a comma and a space, a hyphen, or wording such as “, ” between items.

For example, with a city in A2 and a state abbreviation in B2, enter =CONCAT(A2,", ",B2). If the cells contain “Denver” and “CO,” Excel returns “Denver, CO.” You can include a fixed word in the same way: with a product name in A2 and a category in B2, =CONCAT(A2," — ",B2) returns the two values separated by an em dash.

To join more than two pieces, list each cell reference and text string in the order you want them to appear. For a greeting, with a title in A2, a name in B2, and an exclamation mark supplied as text, use =CONCAT("Hello, ",A2," ",B2,"!"). The result is assembled from the literal text and cell values in sequence.

Join a range and control separators

CONCAT can join a range, but it still inserts no separator. With the words “Ada,” “Lovelace,” and “Byron” in A2, A3, and A4, respectively, enter =CONCAT(A2:A4). The result is “AdaLovelaceByron.” This can be appropriate for codes or deliberately continuous text, but it is usually not the desired format for names or lists.

For a consistent separator across many cells, use TEXTJOIN. It takes a delimiter, a setting for whether to ignore empty cells, and the text or range to combine. With “red” in A2, a blank A3, “blue” in A4, and “green” in A5, enter =TEXTJOIN(", ",TRUE,A2:A5). The result is “red, blue, green”; TRUE tells Excel to skip empty cells rather than create an extra empty position in the list.

Set the ignore-empty option to FALSE when empty cells should still occupy a position between delimiters. This can be useful when building a fixed-position string, but it may create repeated separators where values are missing. TEXTJOIN is available in Microsoft 365 and supported modern Excel versions. In Excel for the web, it can also be used in a worksheet formula.

When a range contains a blank and you use CONCAT with a separator added between every pair of cells manually, the blank does not remove the separator. If a list may have missing entries, TEXTJOIN is often less error-prone because its ignore-empty setting handles those gaps for you.

Use the ampersand as an alternative

The ampersand operator joins text values directly and is often the quickest choice for a short formula. With a first name in A2 and a last name in B2, enter =A2&" "&B2. If the cells contain “Jordan” and “Lee,” the result is “Jordan Lee.” The quoted space works just as it does in a CONCAT formula.

For a few pieces, CONCAT and ampersands produce the same kind of result. CONCAT can be easier to scan when you are combining many references or a range; ampersands can feel simpler for a small, custom expression. TEXTJOIN is usually more convenient for a range that needs one repeated delimiter and may contain blanks. These are alternatives, not different ways to change the source cells.

Choose the method that makes the formula easiest to maintain. If a workbook contains a long list that might grow, a range-based TEXTJOIN formula may be easier to update than a formula with a separate reference for every cell. For a simple label made from two fields, CONCAT or an ampersand is usually enough.

Preserve date, number, and percentage formatting

When Excel converts a number or date to text during concatenation, it may use the underlying value rather than the display format you see in the cell. A date is stored as a serial number, and a currency value is stored as a number. As a result, combining a date cell directly with words can show an unexpected number instead of a familiar date.

With a real Excel date in B2 representing January 1, 2024, enter =TEXT(B2,"mm/dd/yyyy") to return the text “01/01/2024.” The format pattern controls how the value is displayed in the text result. This does not change B2 or its number format; it creates a formatted text version for use in another formula.

With “Mira” in A2 and the same January 1, 2024 date in B2, use =CONCAT(A2," joined ",TEXT(B2,"mmmm d, yyyy")). The result is “Mira joined January 1, 2024.” The TEXT function is useful for currency, percentages, and other numeric formats too, but choose a pattern that matches the meaning of the value. For example, a percentage stored as 0.25 needs a percentage format pattern if the intended text is “25%.”

A concatenated result is text, even if its pieces came from numbers. If you need to calculate with the original numbers later, keep those numeric source cells unchanged and use them in calculations rather than trying to calculate from the assembled text.

Common problems and how to fix them

The result has no spaces. CONCAT does not add separators by itself. Include a quoted space or punctuation mark between references, or use TEXTJOIN for a range.
A date appears as a number. Format the value inside the formula with TEXT, using a date pattern that gives the output you want.
There are extra commas or spaces. Check whether the formula inserts a separator around empty cells. TEXTJOIN with TRUE can skip empty cells in a range.
The formula displays as text instead of calculating. Check that the cell is not formatted as Text, and that the entry begins with an equals sign. Changing a cell from Text to General may require re-entering the formula.
The result contains an error. Check the referenced cells for errors and confirm that the formula’s parentheses, quotation marks, and separators are balanced. An error in a referenced value can carry through to the combined result.
The output is too long. Excel worksheet cells can hold up to 32,767 characters. A result that exceeds the cell limit cannot be fully stored as an ordinary cell value.

In formulas shown here, commas separate function arguments. Depending on regional settings, Excel may display or expect semicolons as argument separators instead. If a pasted formula is rejected, check the separator convention used by your Excel installation; do not change commas that are inside quoted text, such as the delimiter in a TEXTJOIN formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I concatenate cells in Excel with a space?
Put a quoted space between the cell references in CONCAT, or use the ampersand operator with a quoted space. For a range with one repeated separator, use TEXTJOIN and specify a space as its delimiter.

What is the difference between CONCAT and TEXTJOIN?
CONCAT combines supplied values without inserting a delimiter. TEXTJOIN lets you choose a delimiter and decide whether empty cells should be ignored, which makes it especially useful for lists.

Can CONCAT combine an entire range?
Yes. You can give CONCAT a range such as A2:A10, and it joins the values in order without separators. If you need commas or spaces between the values, use TEXTJOIN or build the separators into a different formula.

Why does my concatenated date look like a number?
Excel stores dates as numbers and may use that underlying value when converting a date to text. Wrap the date reference in TEXT with a suitable date format pattern before joining it to other text.

Does CONCAT change the original cells?
No. It returns a combined text result in the formula cell and leaves the source cells as they are. If you want to replace formulas with fixed text, copy the results and use Paste Special > Values, taking care not to overwrite data you still need.

Should I use CONCATENATE or CONCAT?
For a new workbook, CONCAT is the more current function name and supports ranges. CONCATENATE remains in Excel for compatibility with existing formulas, but it is usually unnecessary to choose it for new work.

Choosing the right approach

Use CONCAT when you want to combine several cell references or a range and are comfortable specifying any separators yourself. Use TEXTJOIN when a range needs a repeated delimiter or may contain blanks. Use the ampersand for a compact formula joining only a few pieces. When values have meaningful number formats, use TEXT to control how those values appear in the combined text.

Before filling a formula down a column, test it with representative values: a blank, a date, a number, and any punctuation the finished result should contain. That quick check helps catch the most common surprises—missing spaces, unwanted delimiters, or numbers that do not display as expected—before the combined text is used in a report, export, or mailing list.

Try it: the Formula Explainer: paste any formula and see each function and reference in plain English.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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