HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS IN 7 EASY STEPS is the focus of this blog. Learning how to merge cells in Google Sheets is a necessary skill when you are making a spreadsheet. Spreadsheets can be a hassle when you have to bring about a change that can possibly affect all your compiled data. In this article, we will tell you how to merge cells in google sheets, so that you can get any of your work done quickly.

There also may be times when you realize that your work wouldn’t fit into the default layout of the spreadsheet. In such cases, the action merging cells comes in handy where you combine two or more cells into one. Thankfully Google Sheets makes this function quite easy to use. 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS.

Merging the cells comes in handy when you are making a heading to span multiple columns, particularly when you want to group sub columns. It changes the default flow of rows and columns to combine two or more cells into a single larger cell. 

Using the Merge button given in the app, it’s pretty easy to know how to merge cells in Google Sheets. It has even options which lets you merge cells vertically, horizontally, or in both directions. This can be accomplished in both web browsers as well as in mobile apps. Go ahead and read till end to know “7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS.”

You can read more on combining and merging cells here How to merge cells in Google Sheets on desktop or mobile, to combine multiple cells into one larger cell


Different ways to merge cells in Google Sheets – 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS

Before learning how to merge cells in Google Sheets, let us first take a look at each of the ways by which you can merge cells in Google Sheets:

  1. Merge All
  2. Merge Horizontally
  3. Merge Vertically
7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS
Select Cells and click on Merge button (Source: Fortis)

1. MERGE ALL

The Merge all option allows you to merge a whole bunch of cells regardless of the direction, as long as you highlight them all. The resulting cell will be one big merged entity.

Note that this option only becomes available when the range of cells that you have selected are adjoining to each other. If you select a random bunch of cells which are not next to each other, you would notice that this option will be invalid.

2. MERGE HORIZONTALLY

The Merge horizontally option is useful when you want to select cells in rows from more than one column and have them merge into rows of cells. The result will be long horizontal cells in which the previously selected cells from each column are merged.

In case you have only selected the cells in one row, then Merge all would also do the same thing. It is a useful shortcut to merge cells in Google Sheets.

3. MERGE VERTICALLY

Similar to the previous one, the Merge vertically option lets you select cells in columns from more than one row and merge them into columns of cells. As a result, the cells in the selected columns are merged to form single long vertical columns. 

In case you have only selected one column, then Merge all would also do the same thing. This is a shortcut to merge cells in Google Sheets for vertical merging.


How to merge cells in google sheets in a WEB BROWSER

Now that you are clear on the different types of merging, it will be easy for you to learn how to merge cells in Google sheets. While it is not that different between web browsers and mobiles, going through the processes for the two will still help in a better understanding. 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS

Merge Cells Under Format - 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS
Merge Cells under Format (Source: SheetsForMarketers)

For merging in a web browser, you can:

  1. Go to Google Sheets in a web browser and open your spreadsheet. 
  2. Select the cells that you want to merge. 
  3. Click on Format in the upper left menu bar.
  4. Select Merge on the drop-down menu and then click on the type of merge you want for the selected cells – Merge horizontally, Merge vertically, or Merge all
  5. Note that you may not have all these options if the cells you selected do not allow for certain mergings. 
  6. For a more organized look, you can align the text in the final merged cell since it will be in reference to all the corresponding cells immediately next to it. Click the Align icon in the toolbar and then click Center.
  7. In case you want to undo the merging, you can select the merged cells and click on Unmerge.
Merge Button in Google Sheets
Merge Button in Google Sheets

Alternatively, there’s also a quick access button for Merge in the toolbar at the top between the Borders and the Alignment buttons. When you click on it, a drop down menu appears with all the merging options. This is a shortcut to merge cells in Google Sheets and is relatively faster than the steps mentioned above. 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS.


How to merge cells in google sheet on MOBILE

In case you’re editing a spreadsheet using the mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone, the process for merging cells in Google Sheets is also quite simple. 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS

7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS on Mobile
7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS on Mobile (Source: BusinessInsider)
  1. Open your spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app on your mobile. 
  2. Tap to select the cells that you want to merge. 
  3. At the bottom of the screen, there is a toolbar. Among the options, you will find the Merge button. When you tap it, it will merge all the selected cells. 

POINTS TO REMEMBER when merging cells in Google Sheets

There are a few things you need to know when you are merging cells in Google Sheets:

  1. If the cells you are merging already have some content in them, only the content of the cell that is at the top-left most will take precedence in the final merged cell. The rest of the content will be lost. But you need not worry, since Google Sheets will warn you beforehand with a prompt and only merge the cells when you agree.
  2. In that case, it is better to avoid using merged cells to store data in your datasets. They cause issues because they break the cardinal rule of each piece of data existing in its own cell. They can cause issues with formulas and pivot tables, or when you sort, copy/paste, or move data.
  3. You can not use the Sort function on a column that already has merged cells in it. If you try to do that, it will show you an error.
  4. If you copy and paste the text in a merged cell to somewhere else in the worksheet, you would still get the same text with the same formatting but the merged cell will also be copied along with it. In case, you only want the content of the merged cells and not the merged cells themselves, you need to copy and paste them as values.
  5. Lastly, even if merging cells is an easy process, they must be used with caution. If used incorrectly, they can cause trouble. Therefore, to be on the safe side, you should try to use them only for formatting.
How to Quickly Merge Cells in Google Sheets (Horizontally, Vertically, Unmerge) – (Source : YOUTUBE)

Still need more reading, go to How to Merge Cells in Google Sheets (Easy Step-by-Step)


CONCLUSION – HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS IN 7 EASY STEPS

If you merge cells in Google Sheets, it makes your work easier since you don’t have to repeatedly type in the same text for different columns or rows. They also often make your spreadsheets more organized. They are a useful tool if you want to create your own headings for your spreadsheets, so that they don’t look plain. 7 EASY STEPS HOW TO MERGE CELLS IN GOOGLE SHEETS