Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Shortcut to Merge Cells.
Excel allows you to merge cells together in two ways: using the Merge and Center tool on the ribbon or toolbar, or by using the controls in the Alignment tab of the Format Cells dialog box. If you merge cells quite a bit, you might long for a shortcut that will merge whatever cells you've selected.
Unfortunately, Excel doesn't include such a shortcut. You can, however, create one using a macro. The following is a simple macro to merge whatever cells you've selected:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
Sub MergeCells1()
Selection.Merge
End Sub
After you create the macro, you can assign it to a keyboard shortcut and you are set to go. If you instead want a macro that is a shortcut for the Merge and Center tool, then you can use the following:
Sub MergeCells2()
With Selection
.HorizontalAlignment = xlCenter
.Merge
End With
End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3095) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Shortcut to Merge Cells.
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2019-03-15 11:27:42
JIm Murray
I created the macro to merge cells exactly as you said. I created a shortcut just as you said. I selected three cells and hit the shortcut, and got "Run-time error '424': Object required." When I hit Debug, "Selections.Merge" was highlighted. Now what?
2017-04-18 14:16:46
Arslan
Awesome. thanks
2016-11-09 09:24:36
Muhammad Umair Aslam
Every kind of issue in MS-Excel must be explain in simple words
2016-08-04 06:24:51
pavan
if i want to do same operation in more than 02 cells, what is the shortcut in excel
2016-08-02 22:02:29
Edwinesto
alt+Enter may work
2016-06-01 00:59:21
shiv
Alt+h++m+m for merging selected cells but the value will be show of left side cell
2016-03-13 05:48:52
MIHA
in many cases we need to merge in one column pares of cells
is it possible to do this quicker than choose every pare by hand?
2015-10-12 12:23:31
nomi
i am merge cell but iam write name nomi khan but u say name nomi up and khan down to usay how many up/down short key
2015-07-28 14:37:16
Zach
alt+h+m+c in Excel 2013 will do the trick. The buttons can be hit one after the other, they do not have to be held down. They do however need to be in that order
2015-07-12 09:32:59
jayakrishnan
wonderfull short cut kristine..thank you
2015-06-10 07:24:12
Yatin Sharda
There is another Short cut for merge cells in excel. Alt+H,M then Enter.
2015-05-25 09:23:00
Fenix
You can right click the "Merge & Center" button and add it to "Quick Access Toolbar". By default, your hotkeys will be Alt + 4. You can further change the hotkey by selecting "More commands" under the quick access arrow and by moving your option to the top of the list. My preferred option is Alt + 2 as it's faster to access using my left hand.
2015-03-23 03:19:33
REKHA PATHURIA
WHAT IS THE SHORT CUT KEY TO MERGE CELL
2015-01-07 07:02:21
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@To whom it may concern,
You don't need to "waste 2 fingers muscles".
[F4] by itself is the ultimate "REPEAT ACTION" key.
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2015)
ISRAEL
2015-01-06 12:40:09
Andy
Kristine is correct! highlight the cells, then just push Alt+Enter. EZ-PZ
Thanks Kristine!
2014-12-25 09:57:09
Raju cs
Thank u Kristine It is wonderful shortcut key
2014-12-19 02:06:21
Mohan
Alt+Enter will redo the last operation performed, so you Merge few cells the hard way (Select, Right Click, Alt+M) once and then repeat it the easy way by hitting Alt+Enter.
Actually Alt+Enter becomes handy to repeat recently performed task. Hope that helps.
2014-11-17 04:13:55
rossie
woww, it's really helpful. thanks everyone!
2014-11-17 00:09:32
lokesh
is there is no window shortcut for merge cell like alt+f4= close the current workbook
2014-08-26 02:26:02
arindam
CTRL+1,A+ALT+M enter
2014-08-25 02:05:59
RAJESH CR
SIR,VERY GOOD AND USEFUL
GO AHEAD AS TO HELP US
2014-08-22 22:19:02
Anael
Better yet, use the *Format Painter*!
A trick is to start with blank cells and merge more than you then intend. Select the new cell and double-click Format Painter.
Then just select the cells you want to merge.
ESC when you're done.
2014-08-13 02:09:12
Yandi
Great tip Kristine, just used it in excel 2000 for a heap of merging and alignment. It worked a treat.
2014-08-10 09:34:36
esraa
Kristine, thanks for your tip/ it made me a lot of saving :-)
2014-02-01 09:52:19
Kristine
I found a shortcut for this: Alt+Enter I am using version 2013. The only odd thing is that you have to use the Merge button on the toolbar once before you start using the shortcut to define your setting (i.e. Merge and Center/Merge Across, etc.). Because of this the shortcut is only helpful if you're looking to merge a lot of cells without doing anything else in between.
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