Quick Answer

TEXTJOIN Function

Joins text with a delimiter, optionally skipping blanks.

Syntax

TEXTJOIN

(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)

Parameters

Parameter	Description	Required
delimiter	A text string inserted between each item, e.g. ", " or "-". Can be empty.	Required
ignore_empty	TRUE to skip empty cells/strings; FALSE to include them as gaps.	Required
text1	The first text item, range, or array to join.	Required
text2	Additional text items, ranges, or arrays to join (optional).	Optional

Basic Example

Join a short list with a comma

=TEXTJOIN(", ",TRUE,"Apple","Banana","")

ResultApple, Banana

The trailing empty string is ignored because ignore_empty is TRUE, so no extra comma appears.

Advanced Examples

Example 1: Join a whole range

Cells A1:A5 contain names with some blanks

Combine them with a separator

=TEXTJOIN(" | ",TRUE,A1:A5)

Result: Names joined by a pipe, blanks skipped

A range is accepted directly and empty cells are omitted.

Example 2: Build a multi-line address

Join street, city, and zip from separate cells

Use a line break as delimiter

=TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10),TRUE,B1,C1,D1)

Result: Street City Zip on separate lines

CHAR(10) is a line break; with wrap-text enabled this renders as multiple lines.

How TEXTJOIN Works

TEXTJOIN iterates through each supplied text value or cell in the ranges, places the delimiter between consecutive non-skipped items, and (when ignore_empty is TRUE) drops empty strings so no stray delimiters appear.

1

Pick a delimiter

Choose the separator, e.g. ", " or CHAR(10).

2

Decide on empties

Set ignore_empty to TRUE to skip blanks.

3

Supply the texts

List ranges or strings, then press Enter.

Important Notes & Limitations

Not available in Excel 2013 and earlier; use CONCATENATE or a helper column there.
Total result is capped at 32,767 characters; exceeding it returns #VALUE!.
Delimiter is added between items only, never before the first or after the last.

Common Errors & Fixes

#NAME? errorUsing TEXTJOIN in an Excel version older than 2016.

Fix: Upgrade, use the free Microsoft add-in, or fall back to CONCATENATE with a helper column.

#VALUE! errorResult longer than 32,767 characters.

Fix: Reduce the number or length of joined items.

Download Practice File

Practice TEXTJOIN with Real Data

Download a sample CSV file with pre-populated data and practice exercises for the TEXTJOIN function. Works in both Excel and Google Sheets.

Works in Google SheetsCompatible with ExcelIncludes exercises

File format: CSV (comma-separated values) - opens in Excel, Google Sheets, and all spreadsheet apps

Related Functions

CLEAN

Strips non-printable control characters from text.

CONCAT

CONCAT combines multiple text strings into a single string.

CONCATENATE

Joins text values together (legacy function).

FIND

Finds the position of text within another text string, case-sensitive.

LEFT

LEFT extracts a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string.

LEN

LEN counts the number of characters in a text string.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Excel versions have TEXTJOIN?

Excel 2016 and later, plus Microsoft 365; it is unavailable in Excel 2013 and earlier.

How do I skip blank cells?

Set the second argument, ignore_empty, to TRUE.

Can the delimiter be empty?

Yes, use "" as the delimiter to concatenate without separators.