How to Quickly Merge Cells in Google Sheets (Horizontally, Vertically, Unmerge)

How to Quickly Merge Cells in Google Sheets

What the video shows

• A short tutorial on merging and unmerging cells using the Format > Merge cells menu in Google Sheets.
• Demonstrates three merge modes:
  • Merge all
  • Merge horizontally
  • Merge vertically
• Repeated examples: merging header cells (B1–D1 into one “Revenue” cell), merging a 2×2 block, horizontal pair merges, and vertical pair merges.
• How to unmerge: Format > Merge cells > Unmerge.

Key steps

1. Enter the desired text/value in the top-left cell of the range (only the top-left value is preserved).
2. Select the range of cells to combine.
3. Go to Format > Merge cells and choose one of:
   • Merge all — combine everything into one cell.
   • Merge horizontally — merge each row across the selected columns.
   • Merge vertically — merge each column down the selected rows.
4. Confirm the prompt warning that only the top-leftmost value will be kept.
5. To reverse, select the merged cell and use Format > Merge cells > Unmerge.

Warning: Merging discards values in all cells except the top-leftmost. Put the needed value in the top-left cell before merging.

Important notes / tips

• Merging discards values in all cells except the top-leftmost; place the needed value there first.
• Use horizontal or vertical merge when you want separate stacked/side-by-side merged groups rather than one large block.
• Unmerge restores separate cells, but lost cell contents (other than the preserved top-left value) are not recoverable after merging.

Main speaker / source

• Productivity Spot — Sumit Bunel (presenter)