Revolutionize Your Spreadsheet Game with This Surprising Microsoft Excel Hack: Learn How to Merge and Unmerge Cells in Just Minutes!

If you are a frequent user of Microsoft Excel, you probably know how frustrating it can be to have a spreadsheet that looks disorganized and cluttered. Fortunately, there is an easy way to solve this problem: learn how to merge and unmerge cells in just minutes!

Merging cells is the process of combining two or more cells into one, which can be useful when you want to create a label or a title that spans multiple columns or rows. Unmerging cells is the reverse process, which separates a merged cell into individual cells.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to merge and unmerge cells in Microsoft Excel.

Merging Cells

To merge cells in Excel, follow these simple steps:

  1. Open the Excel sheet that you want to work on.
  2. Select the cells you want to merge. You can select non-adjacent cells by holding down the Ctrl key while making a selection.
  3. Click the “Merge & Center” button in the “Alignment” group on the “Home” tab. This will merge your selected cells and center the contents of the top-left cell.

Merge Across

If you want to merge cells horizontally instead of vertically, you can use the “Merge Across” command instead. Here’s how:

  1. Select the cells you want to merge, as before.
  2. Click the small arrow next to the “Merge & Center” button, and select “Merge Across”. This will merge your selected cells and center the contents of the first cell.

Unmerging Cells

To unmerge cells in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Select the merged cell that you want to unmerge.
  2. Click the “Merge & Center” button to toggle it off. This will unmerge your cells and restore their individual contents.
  3. Adjust your column and row widths as needed to display the unmerged contents correctly.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips and tricks on merging and unmerging cells in Excel:

  • If you merge cells by mistake, use the “Undo” button or Ctrl+Z to reverse the action.
  • When you merge cells, the formatting of the top-left cell is applied to the merged cell. Make sure this formatting matches what you want.
  • Be careful when merging cells with data, as some information may be lost or hidden. Always double-check your results.
  • If you want to merge cells with data without losing any information, select the cells to be merged, right-click on them, and select “Format Cells”. In the Format Cells dialog box, select the “Alignment” tab, and check the “Wrap text” checkbox. This will display all the data in the merged cell without losing any information.

In conclusion, merging and unmerging cells in Excel is a powerful tool that can help you create a cleaner, more organized spreadsheet in just a few clicks. Use this hack to streamline your data and make your work much easier!

This article explains how to merge and unmerge cells in Excel, as well as how to find a group of merged cells in a spreadsheet. The instructions in this article apply to Microsoft Excel 2019, 2016, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

What to Know

  • Select cells. Go to Home > select Merge and Center down-arrow > select a merge option or Unmerge Cells.Or, right-click selected cells > Format Cells > Alignment > select or deselect Merge Cells.

How to Merge and Unmerge Cells in Excel

Merging cells in Excel allows you to create a larger cell that can be seen across multiple rows and columns. This function is useful when you need to create a text box or a larger area for presenting your data. However, you may also need to unmerge your cells to change the design of your spreadsheet or perform certain data functions.

There are three separate methods for unmerging cells in Microsoft Excel. These methods are using the Excel Ribbon, using the Merge Cells menu, and making use of keyboard shortcuts. Each method is simple to use and makes formatting cells easy to do.

How to Use the Excel Ribbon to Merge and Unmerge Cells

In Microsoft Excel, the Ribbon is where you’ll find most of the commands that you use. Using the commands on this ribbon, you can easily merge and unmerge cells anywhere in an Excel spreadsheet.

When you merge cells, only the upper-left cell of your select range of cells will have its content placed in the new cell. All other data in additional cells that are merged will be deleted after the merge. So, if there is data in those cells you want to keep, you should copy it to a new location before creating the cell merge.

  • Select the cells you want to merge or unmerge.
  • Select Home.
  • Go to the Alignment section and select the Merge and Center down arrow.
  • Select one of the merge options or Unmerge Cells.
  • A fast way to merge or unmerge cells using the Merge & Center option is to select the cells you want to merge, or that are already merged, and select Merge & Center. If the highlighted cells are not merged, they will be. If they are merged, the cells will be unmerged.

How to Use ‘Format Cells’ to Merge and Unmerge Cells

The format menu in Excel controls many options for the way numbers and text appear in your spreadsheet. You can use this menu to control how you merge and unmerge cells, too.

Select the cells you want to merge or unmerge.

Select Home.

Go to the Alignment section and select the Merge and Center down arrow.

Select one of the merge options or Unmerge Cells.

A fast way to merge or unmerge cells using the Merge & Center option is to select the cells you want to merge, or that are already merged, and select Merge & Center. If the highlighted cells are not merged, they will be. If they are merged, the cells will be unmerged.

  • Highlight the cells you want to merge or unmerge.
  • Right-click the selected cells and select Format Cells.
  • Select Alignment.
  • Select or deselect the Merge Cells option.

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Merge and Unmerge Cells

If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts in Excel, you’re in luck, because you can merge and unmerge cells using a combination of keyboard shortcuts.

Highlight the cells you want to merge or unmerge.

Right-click the selected cells and select Format Cells.

Select Alignment.

Select or deselect the Merge Cells option.

  • Select the cells you want to merge.
  • Press the Alt key on the keyboard to reveal shortcuts.
  • Tap the H key to access the Home ribbon.
  • Tap the M key to open the Merge Cells menu.
  • Press the U key to Unmerge the cells.

How to Find Merged Cells in Excel

Depending on the size of your spreadsheet, you may have difficulty locating merged cells when you need to unmerge them. For example, any column or row with a merged cell will make it difficult for you to select a range of cells or filter and sort the data they contain. In order to find merged cells with ease, follow these simple steps.

Select the cells you want to merge.

Press the Alt key on the keyboard to reveal shortcuts.

Tap the H key to access the Home ribbon.

Tap the M key to open the Merge Cells menu.

Press the U key to Unmerge the cells.

  • From the Home tab, select Find & Select > Find.
  • In the Find and Replace dialog box that opens, select Options.
  • The Find and Replace dialog box expands. Select the Format drop-down menu, then select Format.
  • Select Alignment > Merge Cells > OK.
  • Select Find All to view all of the merged cells in your spreadsheet.
  • You can select each item in the list in order to select each merged cell. Once selected, you can unmerge each cell as needed.

From the Home tab, select Find & Select > Find.

In the Find and Replace dialog box that opens, select Options.

The Find and Replace dialog box expands. Select the Format drop-down menu, then select Format.

Select Alignment > Merge Cells > OK.

Select Find All to view all of the merged cells in your spreadsheet.

You can select each item in the list in order to select each merged cell. Once selected, you can unmerge each cell as needed.

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