To unmerge cells in Excel, you can either quickly undo the action if it was recent or use the dedicated unmerge options available on the Home tab of the Excel ribbon.
Methods to Unmerge Cells in Excel
Unmerging cells allows you to split a combined cell range back into its individual cells. The data that was in the merged cell will move to the far-left cell of the newly unmerged range.
1. Unmerge Immediately Using Undo (Ctrl + Z)
If you've just merged cells and need to revert the action, the quickest method is to use the undo command.
- Action: Simply press Ctrl + Z on your keyboard.
- Result: This will instantly undo the last action, including cell merging, restoring the cells to their previous unmerged state.
2. Unmerge Using the Home Tab (Standard Method)
For cells that were merged at an earlier time, or if the undo command is not an option, you can use the Excel ribbon to unmerge them.
- Step-by-Step Guide:
- Select the Merged Cell(s): Click on any single cell within the merged range you wish to unmerge. You do not need to select the entire original merged area.
- Navigate to the Home Tab: Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon, located at the top of your Excel window.
- Locate Merge & Center: In the "Alignment" group, you will find the Merge & Center button.
- Execute Unmerge:
- Option A (Click the Button): If you click the Merge & Center button directly while a merged cell is selected, Excel will typically unmerge the cells. This button often acts as a toggle.
- Option B (Use Dropdown Menu): For a more explicit command, click the small down arrow next to the "Merge & Center" button. From the options that appear, select Unmerge Cells. This ensures the cells are split.
Important Note on Data After Unmerging
When you unmerge cells, the data originally contained within the merged cell is not lost. It will automatically be placed into the left-most cell of the range that was just unmerged. The remaining cells in the unmerged range will become empty.
- Example: If cells B2 and C2 were merged and contained "Monthly Sales," unmerging them would result in "Monthly Sales" being in cell B2, while cell C2 would be empty.
