# TEXTSPLIT function in Excel

> TEXTSPLIT splits text into separate cells at a delimiter: across columns, down rows, or both.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/textsplit · Updated October 28, 2026 · Formulas and results on this page were run by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on October 30, 2026

## Quick answer

- **What it does:** TEXTSPLIT splits text into separate cells at a delimiter: across columns, down rows, or both.
- **Syntax:** `=TEXTSPLIT(text, col_delimiter, [row_delimiter], [ignore_empty], [match_mode], [pad_with])`
- **Most common use:** `=TEXTSPLIT(A2,", ")` returns Okafor (Splits at comma-space into two columns)
- **Available in:** Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365
- **Category:** [Text functions](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/category/text)
- **Returns:** An array of text pieces that spills across, and down when there is a row delimiter.
- **Google Sheets:** In Google Sheets, SPLIT does this job.

## What it does

TEXTSPLIT splits text into separate cells at a delimiter: across columns, down rows, or both. Use it to break "Okafor, Ada" into last and first name, split a list of tags, or turn pasted comma-separated text into a table. It spills the pieces, so one formula fills as many cells as needed.

## Syntax

`=TEXTSPLIT(text, col_delimiter, [row_delimiter], [ignore_empty], [match_mode], [pad_with])`

| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| `text` | Required | The text to split. |
| `col_delimiter` | Required | The text that separates columns, such as ","; or several in braces, like {",",";"}. |
| `row_delimiter` | Optional | Optional: the text that separates rows. |
| `ignore_empty` | Optional | Optional: TRUE to skip empty pieces between two delimiters. FALSE if omitted. |
| `match_mode` | Optional | Optional: 1 to match the delimiters without regard to case. 0 if omitted. |
| `pad_with` | Optional | Optional: what fills short rows when splitting into a table; #N/A if omitted. |

## Examples

Each result was calculated by running the formula on the sample sheet.

| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2 | `=TEXTSPLIT(A2,", ")` | Okafor (spills 1 × 2) | Splits at comma-space into two columns |
| B3 | `=TEXTSPLIT(A3,", ")` | Lindqvist (spills 1 × 2) | Same split for the next name |
| E3 | `=TEXTSPLIT(E2,";",,TRUE)` | red (spills 1 × 3) | The empty piece between ;; is skipped |

### The sample sheet

Every formula above runs on this data:

|  | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name | Last | First |  | Tags |  |  |
| 2 | Okafor, Ada | Okafor | Ada |  | red;blue;;green |  |  |
| 3 | Lindqvist, Erik | Lindqvist | Erik |  | red | blue | green |

## Common mistakes

| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| #SPILL! | Cells to the right (or below) aren't empty, so the pieces have nowhere to go. |
| Extra spaces in the pieces | Split on ", " (comma and space) rather than ",", or wrap the result in TRIM. |
| #N/A in some cells | When splitting into rows and columns, short rows are padded with #N/A. Give pad_with a value, such as "". |

## Tips

- Split on several delimiters at once with an array: =TEXTSPLIT(A2,{",",";"}).

## Related functions

- [TEXTBEFORE](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/textbefore): TEXTBEFORE returns everything before a delimiter you name, such as the username before the @ in an email or the first name before a space.
- [TEXTAFTER](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/textafter): TEXTAFTER returns everything after a delimiter, such as the domain after the @ or the last part of a file path.
- [MID](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/mid): MID returns characters from the middle of a text string, starting at a position you choose.

## Questions

### How do I split text by a comma in Excel?

=TEXTSPLIT(A2,",") spills each piece into its own column. Without Microsoft 365 or Excel 2024, use Data > Text to Columns.

### How do I split text into rows instead of columns?

Leave col_delimiter empty and give row_delimiter: =TEXTSPLIT(A2,,",").

## Practice

A graded TEXTSPLIT exercise ("Split SKUs") is on [the TEXTSPLIT page](https://spreadsheetpractice.com/functions/textsplit). It is checked instantly, then re-checked on changed data.

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