You can open the Format Cells dialog box a few different ways. This is the menu which contains all formatting options including merging cells.
Merging cells is also available from the Format Cells dialog box. Merge Cells with the Format Cells Dialog Box Press Alt H M C in sequence on your keyboard to use the Merge & Center command. There is an easy way to access the Home tab Merge and Center command using the Alt key.
There are two reasons why the Merge & Center command can become unavailable. On occasion, you might find the Merge & Center command in Excel is greyed out and not available to use. For example the First and Last name columns are organized with a Name merged cell. The above example shows two merged cells in B2:C2 and D2:F2 which indicates the category of information in the columns below. Any other values or formulas are discarded. When you merge cells, only the value or formula in the top left cell of the range is preserved and displayed in the resulting merged cell. Merging cells is a common technique used when a title or label is needed for a group of cells, rows or columns. The above example shows a single merged cell resulting from merging 6 cells in the range B2:C4. You can only merge contiguous cells that form a rectangular shape. What is a Merged CellĪ merged cell in Excel combines two or more cells into one large cell. I’ll also tell you why you shouldn’t use them and a better alternative that will produce the same visual result. In this post, I’ll show you everything you need to know about merged cells including 8 ways to merge cells. Merged cells are one of the most popular options used by beginner spreadsheet users.īut they have a lot of drawbacks that make them a not so great option.