CONCAT function
CONCAT joins text from several cells or whole ranges into one string. It replaced CONCATENATE in Excel 2019 and adds one improvement: you can pass a range like A2:C2 instead of listing every cell.
- Available in
- Excel 2019 and later, including Microsoft 365
- Category
- Text functions
- Returns
- One text string. Numbers are joined as stored, without formatting.
- Google Sheets
- Google Sheets has CONCAT, but it joins only two values. Use CONCATENATE or TEXTJOIN there.
Syntax
=CONCAT(text1, [text2], ...)
| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
text1 | Required | The first item to join: text, a cell or a range. |
text2 | Optional | More items to join, up to 253 in total. |
Examples
Each result below is calculated from the sample sheet by our formula engine, the same one that grades the practice.
| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | =CONCAT(A2," ",B2) | Maya Chen | First and last name with a space between |
| D3 | =CONCAT(A3:C3) | RajPatelFargo | A whole range joined with no separator |
| D4 | =CONCAT(B4,", ",A4," (",C4,")") | Wong, Lee (Rochester) | Cells and typed text mixed together |
Try it live
This is the sample sheet. Change any number or text, or edit a formula, and the results update.
Show the sample data as a table
| First | Last | City | Result |
| Maya | Chen | Duluth | Maya Chen |
| Raj | Patel | Fargo | RajPatelFargo |
| Lee | Wong | Rochester | Wong, Lee (Rochester) |
Practice CONCAT
Graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data.
Build SKUs
D2, join the category, color and size with a dash between each, for example WDG-BLU-L. Fill down to D6.Common mistakes
| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| No separator between values | CONCAT(A2:C2) runs the values together. Add separators as their own items, or use TEXTJOIN, which puts a delimiter between every item. |
| Numbers lose their formatting | CONCAT("Total: ",B2) shows 1250, not $1,250.00. Format inside the formula: CONCAT("Total: ",TEXT(B2,"$#,##0.00")). |
| #NAME? in older versions | CONCAT isn't in Excel 2016 or earlier. Use CONCATENATE or the & operator there. |
Tips
- For two or three cells, the & operator is just as good: =A2&" "&B2.
Questions
What is the difference between CONCAT and CONCATENATE?
CONCAT accepts ranges, so =CONCAT(A2:D2) works, while CONCATENATE needs every cell listed separately. CONCATENATE still works for compatibility; CONCAT is its replacement.
How do I concatenate with a space?
Add the space as its own item: =CONCAT(A2," ",B2). To put a space between every value in a range, use =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:D2).
Lessons that use CONCAT
- Lesson 14: Joining text (Pro)
Last reviewed October 2026. Every example result on this page is calculated live by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine.