How to Connect Text Value (concatenate,concat and &) in Excel

Hello everyone! In today's video tutorial, you will learn how to connect and combine text values from multiple cells into a single cell using Microsoft Excel.

Joining text is very useful for combining first and last names, creating full addresses, or formatting custom report labels.

📚 Related Tutorial: Learn more foundational formulas in our guide on Top 15 Basic Excel Formulas for Beginners ↗!

🛠️ Method 1: Using Ampersand (&) Operator (Fastest)

The ampersand symbol (&) is the easiest way to join text strings and cell references together in Excel.

Formula Syntax:

=Cell1 & Cell2 & ...

Examples:

1. Direct Joining: If cell A1 contains "John" and cell B1 contains "Doe":

   =A1 & B1
   

   • Result: JohnDoe

2. Joining with Spaces or Delimiters: Add " " (quotation marks with a space inside) between cell references:

   =A1 & " " & B1
   

   • Result: John Doe

🛠️ Method 2: Using CONCATENATE or CONCAT Function

The CONCATENATE function (or CONCAT in Excel 2019+) achieves the exact same result using a standard function syntax.

Formula Syntax:

=CONCATENATE(text1, [text2], ...)
=CONCAT(text1, [text2], ...)

Example:

To combine First Name (A1) and Last Name (B1) with a space:

=CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1)

• Result: John Doe

💡 Another Example Video Concatenate and Concat in Excel

📚 Related Tutorial: Want to master Excel keyboard shortcuts? Check out Learn All Excel Keyboard Shortcuts ↗!

💡 Another Example Video Using & (ampersand) to connect values

💡 Pro Tips for Combining Text in Excel

1. Format Numbers & Dates Before Joining: When combining text with numbers or dates, wrap them with the TEXT() function to preserve formatting:

   ="Total Amount: " & TEXT(B1, "$#,##0.00")
   

2. Remove Unwanted Extra Spaces: Wrap cell references with TRIM() to prevent double spaces between joined words:

   =TRIM(A1) & " " & TRIM(B1)
   

3. Use Flash Fill (Ctrl + E): If you don't want to type formulas, type the first full name manually in the adjacent column and press Ctrl + E to auto-fill the rest instantly!