How To Merge Cells In Google Sheets : Everything You Need 2022

Written by Amy Brink Technically reviewed by Channa S Bandara.
Publish Date : April 14, 2021 | Review Date : April 16, 2021
Google Sheet, Spread Sheet
how to merge cells in google sheet - featured images

In some case, you have to merge multiple cells & represent as one cell.  The standard cell layout in the spreadsheet contains a series of rows and columns, each column, have multiple rows. These merge cells in google sheets feature helps to present clear in detailed output to your stakeholders.


Column index called as Letter and Row index called as Number

Type of merge cells in google sheets

  • Merge All: merge all rows in the cell which you select as on row. It doesn’t worry about horizontally and vertically behavior.Merge All merge cells in google sheets
  • Merge Horizontal: merge all cell which you select with their column. This only merge cells and the number of rows will be the same which before merge.Merge Horizontal Merge-Horizontal - merge cells in google sheets
  • Merge Vertical: merge all row which you select with their cell. it will represent as on row in the cell. This will be important when grouping the same item as one.Merge-Vertical-- merge cells in google sheets
Table of article :

When creating merge cells in google sheets, follow these rules,

  • Merging cells will only preserve the top-left most value: when you merge the cell with values. Always give primary for top-left cell and replace left row value into other cells.
  • can’t sort a range containing vertical merges: you can sort column if already exit vertical merge you try to sort column.
  • You have to copy-paste the merged cell with merge formatting: you cannot ignore your exiting merge cell format when you copy and paste cell data in another sheet or cell.

About Example

Let's take a student exam mark spreadsheet. our customer need to make the following improvement in that spreadsheet,

  1. Add `Student mark` as title in top of the row headers.
  2. Combine First name and Last name as one row and rename as `Student Name`
  3. Identify duplicate student name and merge as one

Download Example Sheet

# Step 01

Add `Student mark` as a title at top of the row headers.

  1. Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Move cursor & Select row header in the spreadsheet.Select row header in spread sheet - merge cells in google sheets
  3. Then right-click > insert 1 above.
  4. Press shift key  + Select 1st row in the column which already data exist in the spreadsheet. - merge cells in google sheets

  5. Move your mouse pointer to the top of navigation and click Format > Merge cells > Merge all

    Quick Tips: click the merge symbol icon and select Merge all.

  6. Your selected cell merged as one cell, then add title as `Student mark detail`Your selected cell merge and one , then add title `Student mark`
# Step 02

Combine First name and Last name as one row and rename `Student Name`

  1. Press shift key  +  Select Row header in column A & B ( First name and Last name ).Press shift key + Select Row header in column A & B ( First name and Last name )

  2. Move your mouse pointer to the top of navigation and click Format > Merge cells > Merge    horizontally

    Quick Tips: click the merge symbol icon and select Merge horizontally.
  3. You selected a cell merged as one cell, then rename it as `Student Name`.You selected cell merged as one cell , then rename as `Student Name`
When you merge the cell with value, that merge formula will automatically give primary for top-left value.
# Step 03

Identify duplicate student name and merge as one.

  1. Identify duplicate record in Student name. You can easily make an alphabetic sort of feature for the group spreadsheet database on student name. Then press the shift key  +  Select the duplicate student name. Identify duplicate record in Student name

  2. Move your mouse pointer to the top of navigation and click Format > Merge cells > Merge    vertically

    Quick Tips: click the merge symbol icon and select Merge vertically

  3. selected rows merged as one.

Conclusion

This is a complete guideline to merge cell in the spreadsheet. still, a spreadsheet doesn’t have to way that merge without data lost when you merge with multiple cells. So I recommended always keep backup before merging the datasheet. Otherwise, you can use advanced data merge add-on which available on the add-on store in google docs.