How to Use Text to Columns in Excel: Step-by-Step Guide

In Excel, use the Text to Columns feature to split text in one column into multiple columns based on a delimiter or fixed width. Select the cells, go to the Data tab, click Text to Columns, then follow the wizard to choose how to split your text.

Syntax

The Text to Columns feature in Excel does not use a formula but a wizard accessed from the ribbon. The steps are:

• Data > Text to Columns: Opens the wizard.
• Step 1: Choose Delimited (split by characters like commas) or Fixed width (split by position).
• Step 2: Select delimiters like comma, space, tab, or enter custom ones.
• Step 3: Set data format for each new column (General, Text, Date).
• Finish: Click Finish to split the text into columns.

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No formula code; use Excel ribbon commands as follows:
1. Select cells with text
2. Go to Data tab
3. Click Text to Columns
4. Follow wizard steps
5. Click Finish

Example

This example shows how to split a list of full names into first and last names using a space delimiter.

text

Original data in column A:
A1: John Smith
A2: Mary Johnson

Steps:
1. Select cells A1:A2
2. Click Data > Text to Columns
3. Choose Delimited > Next
4. Check Space as delimiter > Next
5. Choose General format > Finish

Result:
Column A: First names (John, Mary)
Column B: Last names (Smith, Johnson)

Output

A1: John    B1: Smith
A2: Mary    B2: Johnson

Common Pitfalls

• Not selecting the correct delimiter causes wrong splits or no change.
• Overwriting existing data in adjacent columns if they are not empty.
• Choosing Fixed width when data is separated by characters leads to incorrect splits.
• Not formatting columns properly can cause dates or numbers to display incorrectly.

Always check your data and clear adjacent columns before splitting.

text

Wrong way:
- Selecting Fixed width for comma-separated data

Right way:
- Select Delimited and choose comma as delimiter

Quick Reference

Step	Action	Description
1	Select cells	Highlight the column with text to split
2	Data > Text to Columns	Open the Text to Columns wizard
3	Choose Delimited or Fixed width	Pick how to split your text
4	Select delimiter(s)	Choose characters like comma, space, tab
5	Set column data format	Choose General, Text, or Date
6	Finish	Click Finish to split text into columns

Key Takeaways

Use the Data tab's Text to Columns wizard to split text by delimiters or fixed widths.

Always select the correct delimiter to avoid incorrect splitting.

Clear adjacent columns before splitting to prevent overwriting data.

Set the proper data format for new columns to keep data accurate.

Text to Columns works on selected cells and changes them in place.