Applicable to: Office 2019, 2016, 2013; 365 or standard

Windows macOS iOS and iPadOS You can't split an individual cell, but you can make it appear as if a cell has been split by merging the cells above it. Select the cell you want to split. You can select multiple cells at the same time if you wish. Select the Data tab and choose the “Text to Columns” option. Choose “Delimited” if prompted. Select the type of delimiter (s) your cell uses. Use the preview pane to see if your cell’s data is splitting correctly. How to split string by line break in Excel. To split text by space, use formulas similar to the ones demonstrated in the previous example. The only difference is that you will need the CHAR function to supply the line break character since you cannot type it directly in the formula. You can use the LEFT, MID, RIGHT, SEARCH, and LEN text functions to manipulate strings of text in your data. For example, you can distribute the first, middle, and last names from a single cell into three separate columns. The key to distributing name components with text functions is the position of each character within a text string.

Here’s a question that we have received from a reader who wanted to divide an Excel column vertically:

I am working on a statistical report in Microsoft Excel, using version 365. I just imported a comma separated value file into the A column and now need to split a column cell vertically into two “halves”. Any simple way to get that accomplished? If it helps i am using Windows 10.

Excel Split Cells In Row

Thanks for the good question. For these scenarios i typically use the Text to Column feature, which serves my purpose pretty well.

Sometimes we import significant amount of data directly into a worksheet or into the data Model (Using Power Query and Power Pivot in Excel). Typically, we import so called comma separated value files files (*.csv). When working with csv files, we typically find ourselves in need of vertically dividing or splitting text between different column cells. In today’s post we’ll cover three useful techniques that you will be able to use:

• Text to Columns for delimited files
• Text to Columns with Fixed Width
• Un merging cells

Read further for the full procedure – which applies with minor variations to Microsoft Office versions starting 2010.

Using the Excel delimiter for splitting text

This technique is specially useful when you are working with a worksheet that contains data which is delimited by commas , semi colons, tabs, spaces and so forth.

• Open your Excel and open the database in which the Columns has to be separated.
• If you have data in the next cell, select the cell and right click on it.

• Click on Insert and then go ahead and select Shift Cells Right.

• Now, select the entire column which will need to be separated.
• Click on Data in the ribbon and then go ahead and select Text to Columns.

• Select Delimited and click Next.

• Click on any one of the option in the Delimiters and select Next.
• Say for Example I have selected Space for separation.

• In the Column Data format Select your option if needed. It will be General as Default.
• To select in which cell the separation has to be done, Click on Destination and select the cells.

• After you have done with the selection, click Finish.

Dividing to Columns using Fixed width

• Open your spreadsheet and select the column cell which has to be divided.
• Again make sure no data is available next to the dividing cell.
• In your Excel header menu, click on Data and select Text to Columns.
• Select Fixed width and Click on Next.

• For creating a break line, click on desired position
• For deleting, double click on the break line.
• For moving, click and drag the break line.

• In the Column Data format Select your option if needed. It will be General as Default.
• To select in which cell the separation has to be done, Click on Destination and select the cells.
• Click Finish after selecting your format.

Split Excel Cell In Half

Un merging cells

• To split merged cells, click on Merge & center and select Unmerge cells.

Excel Split Cells Function

Horizontal split cells in Excel rows

Unlike when working with tables in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook; there is no straightforward Split command for achieving horizontal splits in Excel row cells. Readers wanting to horizontal split cells could use specific formulas to divide their table data across two or more table cells in their worksheet.

Excel For Mac Split Cells Free

Hope it helps 🙂