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How to split a cell into multiple rows in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Data cleaning & shapingHeads up: Excel and Google Sheets do this differently.
Excel
=TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE(A2,",",REPT(" ",100)),1*100-99,100))Google Sheets
=TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A2,","))✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Combined | Split |
| Alpha,Beta,Gamma | |
| Delta,Epsilon | |
| Zeta | |
| Eta,Theta,Iota | |
| Kappa |
=TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE(A2,",",REPT(" ",100)),1*100-99,100))→Alpha
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Step by step
- 1Google Sheets: Use =TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A2,",")) — SPLIT divides the cell by the delimiter into a row of values; TRANSPOSE flips that row into a column (rows).
- 2Excel (Power Query): Select your data → Data → From Table/Range → select the column → Home → Split Column → By Delimiter → choose your delimiter → Advanced Options → Split into Rows.
- 3Excel (formula fallback): Extract individual items with MID+SUBSTITUTE+REPT to pull the nth segment, though Power Query is far more practical for multi-row output.
Tips
- In Google Sheets, if the delimiter varies (comma or semicolon), pass multiple delimiters: =TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A2,",;")) — SPLIT treats each character as a separate delimiter.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
What if the cell has line breaks instead of commas?
Use CHAR(10) as the delimiter: =TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A2,CHAR(10))) in Sheets, or split by 'New line' in Excel Power Query.
Can I split into rows and keep data from adjacent columns?
Power Query handles this best — after splitting into rows, Power Query automatically duplicates adjacent column values for each split row.
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