How to Split Text into Rows in Excel
Explode a cell holding several values — "a; b; c" — into separate rows, repeating everything else on the row.
Last updated: August 2026
| Tags | Owner | Tags | Owner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a, b, c | Amina | → | a | Amina |
| b | Amina | |||
| c | Amina |
Method 1 — Power Query (Split by Delimiter → Rows)
- Select the table and go to Data → From Table/Range.
- Right-click the multi-value column → Split Column → By Delimiter.
- Expand Advanced options and choose Rows (not Columns), pick your delimiter, and OK.
- Close & Load to get one row per value.
Method 2 — TEXTSPLIT (Excel 365)
=TEXTSPLIT(A2, ",") spills the pieces into columns; wrap it in TOCOL — =TOCOL(TEXTSPLIT(A2,",")) — to get a single column. It handles one cell at a time and doesn't carry the other columns along.
The 1-click way — Tellsheet's Split to Rows
Click Split to Rows, pick the column and the delimiter (comma, semicolon, new line, and more), and Tellsheet explodes each cell into its own row on a new sheet — repeating every other column — with a preview. No query steps to build or refresh.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split one cell into multiple rows?
Use Power Query's Split Column → By Delimiter → Rows, or Tellsheet's Split to Rows, which explodes a delimited cell into rows and repeats the other columns.
Rows vs. columns — what's the difference?
Into columns keeps one row and spreads pieces across new columns (Text to Columns). Into rows makes a new row per piece. Tellsheet has Split Text for columns and Split to Rows for rows.
Can I split on new lines inside a cell?
Yes — Split to Rows supports a New line delimiter, so a cell with values on separate lines becomes one row each.
Related Excel guides
Split cells into rows in one click
Get Tellsheet and explode, reshape, and split data — with a preview before every change and nothing leaving your PC.
Get Tellsheet free See pricing