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Merge and Center Headings In Excel

People often wish to add a centered heading to their spreadsheets. Microsoft included a button on the toolbar that helps to do just that. The examples below show the same spreadsheet with the header in red at the top. In the first example, the title is in cell A1. In the second example, the cells in the first row (A1:F1) have been merged and the text has been centered in that one large cell.

To Merge and Center a Heading

• Type the heading into the first cell. (Note that you may need to insert a new row to do it.)
• Select the cells you wish to center across.
• Click the Merge and center button on the toolbar.
• All of the selected cells are merged into one cell and the text is centered in that cell.

To Remove a Merge

• Select the merged cell.
• In the Format Menu, choose Cells. Click the Alignment tab.
• Remove the checkmark in the box labeled "Merge Cells".
• OK to close the dialog box.

NOTE: The text may now be centered in the first cell. If it is too large to fit into the cell, the text will be cut off. (Change the alignment back to Left Aligned.) 

Center Across Selection

At times, merging cells makes it more difficult to work on your spreadsheet. There is another, less common method to center your heading that does not involve using the merge. It simply centers your information across a selection. The end result looks identical, but is functionally different. Where the merge actually turns the selection into one large cell, this centering technique does not.

• Type the heading into the first cell. (Note that you may need to insert a new row to do it.)
• Select the cells you wish to center across.
• Click the Format menu and choose Cells. Click the Alignment tab.
• In the box labeled "Horizontal", choose "Center Across Selection."
• Click OK to close the dialog box.

Headers

Headers are a very effective way to add headings to printed copies of your spreadsheet. Headers do not appear on your screen. They appear only on the printout. Read the tip about Headers and Footers to learn more.

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