Split Column in Excel Files Online
Split a column into multiple columns by delimiter in Excel files directly in your browser. Turn "First Last" into separate first and last name columns — no upload required.
How to split Column in Excel files
- Drop your file onto the upload area. The first column is selected as the column to split, and the first 200 rows are shown.
- Pick the column to split and type the delimiter. The default is a single space. Any text works, including multi-character delimiters such as " | ".
- Set the number of parts, from 2 to 10. Each part gets a name box, pre-filled as column_1, column_2 and so on, which you can rename.
- Tick Remove original column if you only want the parts, then click Split Column.
- Check the preview and download the file. The new columns sit directly after the source column, or in its place if you removed it.
Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded. The free limit is 50 MB per file; larger files work if your device has the memory for them.
Worked example
A warehouse stock sheet packs category, colour and size into one SKU code. The buying team wants to filter by colour and size separately.
Input (Excel)
Excel workbook, first sheet (Sheet1)
| sku | stock | warehouse |
|---|---|---|
| SHOE-RED-42 | 14 | WLG |
| SHOE-BLK-39 | 3 | AKL |
| HAT-BLUE | 22 | WLG |
| SOCK-WHT-M-3PK | 40 | CHC |
Settings
- Column to split: sku
- Delimiter: -
- Number of parts: 3, named category, color, size
- Remove original column: ticked
Result
| category | color | size | stock | warehouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHOE | RED | 42 | 14 | WLG |
| SHOE | BLK | 39 | 3 | AKL |
| HAT | BLUE | 22 | WLG | |
| SOCK | WHT | M | 40 | CHC |
Each part is taken by position. HAT-BLUE has only two parts, so its size is an empty string. SOCK-WHT-M-3PK has four, and anything after the third part is dropped, so 3PK is lost. Raise the number of parts to keep it. The size column is text even where it holds numbers like 42.
Working with Excel files
This does the same job as Excel's Text to Columns, without overwriting the cells to the right. The new columns are inserted next to the source and the other columns move over. Only the first sheet is read. Real date cells load as dates and are split as yyyy-mm-dd text, so a cell showing 3/14/26 becomes 2026-03-14. Split it on "-" to get year, month and day, not on "/".
Excel users often split full names on a space. Two parts works for "Jane Smith" but drops the last word of "Mary Ann Lee", because anything past the last part is discarded. Set enough parts for the longest value and merge them back with Combine Columns if needed. The parts are written to Sheet1 of the new workbook as text cells, so a part like 007 keeps its zeros, while Excel may flag numeric-looking text with a green triangle. The source column itself stays in the sheet unless you tick Remove original column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as Text to Columns in Excel?
Similar. It splits one column by a delimiter, but inserts the parts as new columns instead of overwriting neighbouring cells, and lets you name each part before running.
How do I split first and last names in an Excel sheet?
Pick the name column, keep the space delimiter and 2 parts, and name them first_name and last_name. Check for middle names: any words after the second part are dropped.
What happens when a value has more parts than I asked for?
The extra parts are dropped. Splitting "Mary Ann Lee" into 2 parts on a space gives "Mary" and "Ann", and "Lee" is lost. Set the number of parts to the largest count in your data.
What happens when a value has fewer parts?
The missing parts are empty strings, not NULL. A NULL in the source column gives NULL in every part.
Is the delimiter a regular expression?
No. It is matched as literal text and is case-sensitive. Use Regex Extract if you need a pattern.
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