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CONCATENATE in Excel: Combine Text with &, CONCAT and TEXTJOIN

CONCATENATE joins text from several cells into one. Today there are three better ways to do the same thing: the & operator, CONCAT and TEXTJOIN. This guide shows all four and when to use which.

Excel CSE · 3 min read
In this guide
  1. CONCATENATE syntax
  2. Basic example
  3. The & operator
  4. CONCAT and TEXTJOIN
  5. Numbers and dates
  6. Line breaks
  7. Which one to use
  8. FAQ

CONCATENATE syntax

=CONCATENATE(text1, [text2], …)

Each argument is a piece of text, a cell, or a number. CONCATENATE still works in every version of Excel, but Microsoft now recommends CONCAT instead.

Basic example: full names

ABC
1First nameLast nameFull name
2AnnaJansenAnna Jansen
3BenSmithBen Smith
=CONCATENATE(A2, " ", B2)

The " " in the middle adds the space. Without it, you'd get "AnnaJansen".

The & operator: shortest and most used

=A2 & " " & B2

This does exactly the same as CONCATENATE and works in every version. Most Excel users prefer it because it's shorter and easy to read. You can mix in any text: ="Dear " & A2 & "," returns Dear Anna,.

CONCAT and TEXTJOIN: join whole ranges

CONCATENATE needs every cell listed separately. The newer functions (Excel 2019, 2021, 2024 and Microsoft 365) accept ranges.

  • =CONCAT(A2:C2) joins A2, B2 and C2 without any separator.
  • =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A2:A6) joins a whole column with a comma and space between each value: Apple, Banana, Cherry, Mango, Pear.
=TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], …)

Set ignore_empty to TRUE to skip empty cells, so you don't get double commas.

Keep number and date formatting

When you join a number or date, Excel uses the raw value and drops the formatting. A date becomes a serial number like 46338, and $1.20 becomes 1.2. Use TEXT to control how it looks:

  • ="Price: " & TEXT(D2, "$0.00") returns Price: $1.20
  • ="Due " & TEXT(E2, "mmm d, yyyy") returns something like Due Nov 12, 2026
  • =TEXT(F2, "0%") turns 0.25 into 25%

Add a line break

=A2 & CHAR(10) & B2

CHAR(10) is a line break on Windows and Mac. Turn on Wrap Text for the cell, otherwise the break won't show.

Which one should you use?

SituationUse
Joining a few cells, any Excel versionThe & operator
Joining a whole range without a separatorCONCAT
Joining a list with a separator, skipping blanksTEXTJOIN
Existing spreadsheetsCONCATENATE still works; no need to rewrite it

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between CONCATENATE and CONCAT?

CONCAT is the newer version. It does the same thing but also accepts ranges like A2:C2. CONCATENATE only accepts individual cells and values.

How do I combine text with a space?

Add a space in quotes between the cells: =A2 & " " & B2.

Why does my date turn into a number when I combine it?

Dates are stored as numbers. Wrap the date in TEXT to choose the format, for example TEXT(A2, "mm/dd/yyyy").

How do I combine a whole column into one cell?

Use TEXTJOIN: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A2:A100) joins every non-empty cell with a comma and space.