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TEXTJOIN Function in Excel

Joins text from multiple ranges with a delimiter, with option to ignore empty cells.

Syntax

  • =TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)

Arguments

  • delimiter (required): Text to insert between values
  • ignore_empty (required): TRUE to skip empty cells
  • text1 (required): First text or range
  • text2 (optional): Additional text or ranges

Examples

  • =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A1:A10) - Join range with commas - Result: a, b, c, d
  • =TEXTJOIN("-", FALSE, "A", "B", "", "C") - Join with empty included - Result: A-B--C

TEXTJOIN best practices

  • Use TEXTJOIN when combining many cells with a delimiter such as comma, space, or line break.
  • Set ignore_empty to TRUE when blank cells should not create repeated delimiters.

Excel TEXTJOIN function documentation

  • TEXTJOIN concatenates text from a range using a delimiter and optional blank skipping.
  • Syntax: =TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], …). Excel 2016+ and M365.
  • Ideal for mailing lists, tag fields, and multi-select summary cells.
  • Related: [CONCAT](/functions/concat/), [CONCATENATE](/functions/concatenate/), [TRIM](/functions/trim/).

TEXTJOIN syntax explained

  • delimiter: string between items — ", ", " | ", line break CHAR(10), or "" for none.
  • ignore_empty TRUE — skips blank cells (recommended for address lines).
  • ignore_empty FALSE — includes blanks as consecutive delimiters.
  • Can reference entire row: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A2:E2).

Step-by-step: combine address lines

  • Step 1 — Street, City, State, Zip in B2:E2.
  • Step 2 — =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, B2:E2).
  • Step 3 — Multi-line label: =TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10), TRUE, B2:E2) with Wrap Text enabled.
  • Step 4 — Skip empty middle lines with ignore_empty TRUE.
  • Step 5 — Compare [CONCAT vs TEXTJOIN](/compare/concat-vs-textjoin/) when no delimiter needed.

TEXTJOIN vs CONCAT vs Flash Fill

  • TEXTJOIN — delimiter + blank control in one formula.
  • CONCAT — raw join without separators.
  • Flash Fill — pattern guess; not live when source changes.
  • TEXTJOIN in conditional labels: =TEXTJOIN(" | ", TRUE, IF(range>0, labels, "")) advanced pattern.

Worked examples to copy

  • Comma list: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A2:A20).
  • Tags: =TEXTJOIN(" #", TRUE, hashtags_range) with leading # on delimiter.
  • Skip blanks in row: =TEXTJOIN(" - ", TRUE, B2:F2).
  • With UNIQUE: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, UNIQUE(A:A)) for distinct list string.

People also ask

  • TEXTJOIN ignore empty cells? — Set ignore_empty to TRUE.
  • TEXTJOIN character limit? — Excel cell limit ~32,767 characters total.
  • TEXTJOIN vs CONCATENATE? — TEXTJOIN adds delimiter and range join in one call.
  • TEXTJOIN in Excel 2019? — Yes if TEXTJOIN function is available in your build.

Common errors

  • Result limited to 32,767 characters
  • Available in Excel 2019/365 only

Use cases

  • Creating lists
  • Building sentences
  • Data export

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the difference between TEXTJOIN and CONCAT? TEXTJOIN has a delimiter parameter and can ignore empty cells. CONCAT just joins without delimiter. =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A1:A3) vs =CONCAT(A1, ", ", A2, ", ", A3). TEXTJOIN is much more flexible.
  • How do I join with line breaks? Use CHAR(10) as delimiter: =TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10), TRUE, A1:A10). Enable 'Wrap Text' on the cell to see line breaks. CHAR(13)&CHAR(10) for Windows-style line breaks.
  • Can TEXTJOIN work with conditions? Use with IF array: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, IF(B1:B10="Yes", A1:A10, "")) joins A values only where B is "Yes". In older Excel, enter with Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
  • What happens with very long results? TEXTJOIN is limited to 32,767 characters (cell limit). Longer results return #VALUE! error. Split into multiple cells if needed.
  • Is TEXTJOIN available in all Excel versions? TEXTJOIN is available in Excel 2019 and Excel 365. For older versions, use CONCATENATE with manual delimiters or a VBA function.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use TEXTJOIN

  • Creating lists — common Text scenario for TEXTJOIN.
  • Building sentences — common Text scenario for TEXTJOIN.
  • Data export — common Text scenario for TEXTJOIN.

TEXTJOIN in the Text category

  • Browse all Text functions at /categories/text/ for related formulas.
  • TEXTJOIN syntax: =TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)
  • delimiter (required): Text to insert between values
  • ignore_empty (required): TRUE to skip empty cells
  • text1 (required): First text or range
  • text2 (optional): Additional text or ranges
  • Confirm TEXTJOIN arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.

Formula checklist before you copy down

  • Confirm TEXTJOIN arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
  • If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
  • Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.

Related Excel functions

  • CONCAT (/functions/concat/): Joins two or more text strings into one string.
  • CONCATENATE (/functions/concatenate/): Joins several text strings into one string.
  • JOIN: see the functions directory for syntax and examples.

Comparisons involving this function

  • CONCAT vs TEXTJOIN (/compare/concat-vs-textjoin/): Use CONCAT for simple joining without a delimiter. Use TEXTJOIN when you need separators, optional blank skipping, and cleaner multi-cell joins.

Errors to watch for

  • Result limited to 32,767 characters — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.
  • Available in Excel 2019/365 only — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter TEXTJOIN on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
  • Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
  • Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
  • Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.

TEXTJOIN worked examples to copy

  • =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A1:A10) — Join range with commas. Expected result: a, b, c, d.
  • =TEXTJOIN("-", FALSE, "A", "B", "", "C") — Join with empty included. Expected result: A-B--C.

TEXTJOIN reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • TEXTJOIN belongs to the Text category in Excel. Joins text from multiple ranges with a delimiter, with option to ignore empty cells.
  • Full syntax: =TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...). Open /functions/textjoin/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Result limited to 32,767 characters; Available in Excel 2019/365 only
  • Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
  • Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.