Are you looking to combine multiple cells into one? Whether it’s merging cells in rows, columns, or both, Google Sheets has got you covered. In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of merging cells in Google Sheets, providing you with a comprehensive step-by-step guide.
Understanding Cell Merge in Google Sheets
Cell merging in Google Sheets involves combining multiple cells into a single cell without affecting the remaining cells. This feature offers three options: merging all cells, merging horizontally, and merging vertically. It’s great for expanding headers or text across multiple cells, creating categories in your data, and building informative dashboards.
It’s important to note that cell merging is different from text merging. When you merge cells, only the value from the top-left cell is retained, while text merging preserves all values and allows you to use functions like JOIN.
How to Merge Cells in Google Sheets
Let’s assume you have a dataset and you want to merge the header row that contains the text “Store #”. Here’s how you can do it:
- Select the cells you want to merge.
- Click on the Format option in the menu.
- Choose Merge cells.
- In the options that appear, click on ‘Merge horizontally’.
Following these steps will merge the selected cells and group them into a single cell.
Alternatively, you can also access the merge options through the toolbar. Clicking on the Merge cells icon in Google Sheets merges all cells. Meanwhile, clicking on the dropdown icon next to the merge button reveals additional options, such as horizontal or vertical merging.
Important note: When merging cells that already contain content, the final merged cell will only retain the content from the top-left cell. The rest of the content will be lost. Luckily, Google Sheets provides a prompt to confirm cell merging before proceeding.
Merging Cells in Google Sheets for iOS and Android
Here are two simple steps to merge cells on your mobile device in Google Sheets:
- Select the cells you want to merge. On some phones, a simple touch and drag will do the trick. On others, you may need to move the small circle in the corner of the blue box to cover all the cells.
- Tap the Merge button at the bottom.
This immediately merges the selected cells on your mobile device.
Another example of merging two cells in Google Sheets on mobile involves the following steps:
- Select the cells.
- Go to the Format menu.
- Tap on the Cell tab.
- Enable the Merge option.
It’s important to note that the Google Sheets mobile app doesn’t offer column or row merging options. It can only merge the selected cells.
Keyboard Shortcut for Merging Cells in Google Sheets
While there might not be a direct keyboard shortcut for merging cells in Google Sheets, there are still shortcuts that can speed up your workflow. Here’s what you can do:
- Select the cell you want to merge.
- Hold down the Alt + O + M keys. This will take you directly to the merge options.
- Select Merge all.
Different Types of Merge Options in Google Sheets
If you’ve followed the steps above, you may have noticed that there are three types of merge options available:
- Merge all: This option combines all the selected cells into a single merged cell. Note that this option is only available when you’ve selected a contiguous range of cells. If you select a non-contiguous range of cells, you’ll notice that this option is grayed out.
- Merge horizontally: When you select multiple rows and use this option, the cells from each row will be merged.
- Merge vertically: This option is used to merge cells vertically in Google Sheets. When you select multiple columns and use this option, the cells from each column will be merged.
Let me quickly explain each of these merge cell options in Google Sheets.
Merge All
Using the “Merge all” option combines all the selected cells, resulting in a large merged cell.
Please note that this option is only available when you’ve selected a contiguous range of cells. If you select a non-contiguous range of cells, you’ll notice that this option is grayed out.
Merge Horizontally
When you select multiple rows and use the “Merge horizontally” option, the cells from each row will be merged.
If you’ve only selected cells from a single row, then “Merge all” and “Merge horizontally” will achieve the same result.
Merge Vertically
This option is used to merge cells vertically in Google Sheets. When you select multiple columns and use this option, the cells from each column will be merged.
If you’ve only selected a single column, then “Merge vertically” and “Merge all” will achieve the same result.
Challenges when Learning Merge Cells in Google Sheets
Using merged cells comes with a few challenges you should be aware of:
Inability to Sort Columns with Merged Cells
One drawback of merged cells is that you can’t sort a column that contains merged cells. If you try to do so, an error will appear.
Copies of Merged Cells Instead of Values
If you merge three cells containing text and then copy-paste it elsewhere in the spreadsheet, the result will be merged cells (with the same text and formatting). If you only want to copy and paste the content of merged cells without retaining the merged cells, you need to copy and paste as values.
These are some of the challenges to consider when working with merged cells in Google Sheets. And if you need to undo the cell merging, it can be easily done. Simply select the merged cells, go to Format -> Merged cells, and click on “Unmerge”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I merge cells into a single row?
Yes, you can merge cells in Google Sheets! Simply use the horizontal merge option in the menu. If you’re unsure about the steps, we’ve already explained them in the main text of this article.
Why can’t I merge cells in Google Sheets?
If you’re unable to use any of the methods mentioned above to merge cells, your spreadsheet might be locked. We have an article on locked cells that will help you understand what it means and how to resolve it.
Is there a way to merge cells in Google Sheets without losing data?
Unfortunately, there is no native way to merge data from multiple cells in Google Sheets. However, you can use an extension like Merge Cells to accomplish this. Here’s how to use it:
- Follow the link provided
- Install the extension
- Select the range of cells you want to merge
- Go to Extensions -> Add-ons -> Merge Cells
- Choose how you want to combine your data from the available options
Conclusion
That’s everything you need to know about merging cells in Google Sheets.
We hope this step-by-step guide has been helpful to you! If you’d like to learn more about Google Sheets, we recommend taking a comprehensive course on the topic. Alternatively, if you’d like to gain direct access to fully completed premium workbooks, check out our template library, where you can use the code “SSP” for a 50% discount.
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Now go impress your besties with your newfound Google Sheets merging skills!
