How to Merge Cells in Excel
Excel is one of the most popular office software tools in the world. It is widely used for data analysis, budgeting, accounting, and much more. One of the basic tasks that you need to learn when using Excel is how to merge cells. This is especially useful when you want to create a table with a header or a footer.
What is Merging Cells?
Merging cells is a process of combining two or more cells into a single cell. The content of the cells is also combined, and the resulting cell is larger than the original cells. This can be useful when you want to create a table with a header or a footer.
How to Merge Cells Using the Ribbon
You can merge cells in Excel using the Ribbon. Here are the steps:
- Select the cells you want to merge
- Click on the “Home” tab in the Ribbon
- Click on the “Merge & Center” button in the Alignment group
The selected cells will be merged, and the content will be centered in the new, merged cell.
How to Merge Cells Using the Shortcut Key
You can also merge cells in Excel using a shortcut key. Here are the steps:
- Select the cells you want to merge
- Press the “Alt” key and the “H” key at the same time
- Press the “M” key
The selected cells will be merged, and the content will be centered in the new, merged cell.
How to Merge Cells Without Losing Data
When you merge cells, Excel automatically deletes the contents of all but the upper-left cell. If you want to keep the data in the other cells, you need to use a different method:
- Select the cells you want to merge
- Right-click on the selected cells
- Click on “Format Cells”
- Click on the “Alignment” tab
- Check the “Merge Cells” checkbox
- Click on “OK”
The selected cells will be merged, and the data will be retained in the merged cell.
How to Unmerge Cells
If you want to unmerge cells in Excel, you can use the following method:
- Select the merged cell
- Click on the “Merge & Center” button in the Alignment group in the Ribbon
The merged cell will be unmerged, and the data will be restored to the original cells.
Conclusion
Merging cells in Excel is a simple process that can be done using the Ribbon or a shortcut key. If you want to merge cells without losing data, you need to use a different method. Unmerging cells is also easy, and can be done with a few clicks. With these tips, you can create tables with headers and footers that are easy to read and understand.
