Blank cells after exporting a sheet with merged cells (only the first row has the value)
Last reviewed 2026-09-19
When a spreadsheet with merged cells is exported to CSV, only the top-left cell of each merged block keeps its value and the rest export as empty. Databases, pivot tables and imports then see blank fields.
Messages you might see
- “Only the first row of each merged group has a value”
- “Import shows empty cells where a merged cell was”
Why it happens
- A merged cell holds one value that visually spans several rows.
- CSV has no concept of merging, so the extra cells become empty.
Try this first (free, no tool needed)
- Unmerge the cells first (Home > Merge & Center > Unmerge).
- Select the column, press Ctrl+G > Special > Blanks, type = then the Up arrow and press Ctrl+Enter to fill each blank from the cell above.
- Copy and paste the result as values to lock the numbers in.
If that didn't work
These tools run in your browser. Your file is read and repaired on your own device and is never uploaded.
Merged-Cell Export Fixer
Detects the columns where a merged cell exported as blanks and fills the blanks downward, or fills only the columns you name, with an optional column marking which rows were filled.
Open Merged-Cell Export FixerCommon questions
Will it fill blanks that were meant to be empty?
That is why you can limit it to the columns you name and mark the filled rows, so you can check.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. The tool runs as a program inside your own browser, so the file is read and repaired on your device and never sent to a server.