How to merge and split cells in Excel and Calc?

Question

How to merge and split cells in Excel and Calc?

Answer

Merging and splitting cells in Microsoft Excel and Sun OpenOffice Calc are very similar. Below are the steps required for merging and splitting cells in each of these programs.

Merge cells

  1. Open Calc or Excel.
  2. Highlight two or more adjacent cells you wish to merge. For example, highlight cells A1 and B1 or C1 and C2.
  3. Click the Merge cells button in the formatting bar. Below is an example of what this button looks like in each of the versions of Excel and Calc that support this option.

Merge / Split icons in Calc and Excel

In Microsoft Excel 2010 and above the Merged cell feature can be found under the Home tab and is shown in the below picture.

Office 2010 merged cell button

Note: When cells with multiple values are merged the upper-left most cell will be the data of the merged cell.

Split cells

  1. Open Calc or Excel.
  2. Highlight the merged cell you wish to split. A merged cell will expand into multiple columns or rows.
  3. Click the Merge cells button in the formatting bar. Below is an example of what this button looks like in each of the versions of Excel and Calc that support this option.

Merge / Split icons in Calc and Excel

Microsoft Excel 2000 users

Unfortunately splitting a cell in Excel 2000 is not as easy as clicking the merge button as explained above (this was introduced in later versions of Excel). To split a cell in Excel 2000 follow the below steps.

  1. Highlight the merged cell you wish to split. A merged cell will expand into multiple columns or rows.
  2. Click the Format drop-down-menu.
  3. Click the Alignment tab.
  4. Within the Alignment tab uncheck the Merge cells check box.

Additional information

  • See the cell, merge, and split definitions for further information and related links.