How do I add a line break inside a joined cell?

Use CHAR(10) as the separator — =A2&CHAR(10)&B2 — then turn on Home → Wrap Text for that cell. Without Wrap Text enabled the break exists but stays invisible on a single line.

Why does my date turn into a number like 46028 when I join it?

Excel stores dates as serial numbers and concatenation reads the stored value, not the display. Wrap the date in TEXT() — =TEXT(A2,"m/d/yyyy") — to force it back into readable form inside the joined string.

How do I convert the combined result to plain text?

Select the formula cells, press Ctrl+C, then Ctrl+Alt+V and choose Values. This pastes the text the formulas produced and removes the formulas, so the result no longer depends on the source cells.

How do I split a combined cell back into separate columns?

Select the column and use Data → Text to Columns, picking the delimiter you joined with. The full walkthrough is in how to split text into columns, including handling multiple separators.

Should I ever use CONCATENATE in a new workbook?

No. CONCATENATE only survives for backward compatibility and Microsoft now points users to CONCAT and TEXTJOIN instead. The & operator does the same job with less typing, so reserve CONCATENATE for opening old files.

CONCATENATE vs TEXTJOIN: Combining Text in Excel

Last updated June 2026

Quick answer

To combine text in Excel, use TEXTJOIN when you need a delimiter or are joining three or more cells — =TEXTJOIN(", ",TRUE,A2:C2) takes one separator, ignores blanks, and accepts whole ranges. Use the & operator for quick two-cell joins like =A2&" "&B2. CONCATENATE still works but is legacy; you never need it in Microsoft 365.

The decision is mechanical. Joining two cells with a space or a dash? Reach for & — it is the fastest thing to type. Stitching a list together with the same separator between every item, or pulling in a range where some cells are empty? That is exactly what TEXTJOIN was built for. Everything below shows both, plus how to keep dates and numbers from turning into junk.

Method	Delimiter support	Accepts ranges	Blank handling	Availability
`&` operator	Manual — type it between each piece	No — one cell at a time	Keeps blanks (extra delimiters)	Every version of Excel
`CONCAT`	Manual — type it between each piece	Yes	Keeps blanks	Excel 2019 / Microsoft 365
`CONCATENATE`	Manual — type it between each piece	No — one cell at a time	Keeps blanks	All versions (legacy)
`TEXTJOIN`	One delimiter argument, reused everywhere	Yes	Can skip blanks with `TRUE`	Excel 2019 / Microsoft 365

The four ways to combine text in Excel, and when each is the right call.

How do you combine two columns into one cell?

Find the From and To columns
Open the mileage log. The entry rows start at row 6, with From in column B and To in column C. The first trip — Office to Client site — sits in B6 and C6.
Join them with the & operator
In a free cell such as G6, type the formula below. The & glues B6, the arrow separator, and C6 into one string: Office → Client site.
=B6&" → "&C6
Add the date with TEXT()
To prefix the trip date from column A, wrap it in TEXT() so it stays a readable date instead of collapsing to a serial number. This reads 1/6/2026 - Office → Client site.
=TEXT(A6,"m/d/yyyy")&" - "&B6&" → "&C6
Or join a whole range with TEXTJOIN
To combine From, To, and Purpose (column D) with the same separator and skip any blank cell, use TEXTJOIN. The second argument TRUE ignores empties so you never get a stray separator.
=TEXTJOIN(" / ",TRUE,B6:D6)
Copy the formula down the column
Select the cell, then double-click the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right of the selection) to copy the formula to every trip row in one move.

=A2&" - "&TEXT(B2,"mm/dd/yyyy")

The rule for joins: any date or formatted number must pass through TEXT() first. Concatenation reads the cell's stored value, not what you see on screen — so 1/6/2026 becomes 46028 unless TEXT() converts it. The format string in quotes ("mm/dd/yyyy", "$#,##0.00", "0.0%") controls exactly how it renders.

TEXTJOIN shines on uneven data. =TEXTJOIN(", ",TRUE,A2:F2) builds a clean comma-separated list from six cells and silently drops the empty ones — no trailing commas, no IF gymnastics. Doing that with & would mean manually testing every cell for blanks.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add a line break inside a joined cell?: Use CHAR(10) as the separator — =A2&CHAR(10)&B2 — then turn on Home → Wrap Text for that cell. Without Wrap Text enabled the break exists but stays invisible on a single line.
Why does my date turn into a number like 46028 when I join it?: Excel stores dates as serial numbers and concatenation reads the stored value, not the display. Wrap the date in TEXT() — =TEXT(A2,"m/d/yyyy") — to force it back into readable form inside the joined string.
How do I convert the combined result to plain text?: Select the formula cells, press Ctrl+C, then Ctrl+Alt+V and choose Values. This pastes the text the formulas produced and removes the formulas, so the result no longer depends on the source cells.
How do I split a combined cell back into separate columns?: Select the column and use Data → Text to Columns, picking the delimiter you joined with. The full walkthrough is in how to split text into columns, including handling multiple separators.
Should I ever use CONCATENATE in a new workbook?: No. CONCATENATE only survives for backward compatibility and Microsoft now points users to CONCAT and TEXTJOIN instead. The & operator does the same job with less typing, so reserve CONCATENATE for opening old files.

CONCATENATE vs TEXTJOIN: Combining Text in Excel

How do you combine two columns into one cell?

Frequently asked questions

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