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Use the Find and Replace features in Excel to search for something in your workbook, such as a particular number or text string. You can either locate the search item for reference, or you can replace it with something else. You can include wildcard characters such as question marks, tildes, and asterisks, or numbers in your search terms. You can search by rows and columns, search within comments or values, and search within worksheets or entire workbooks.

Tip: You can also use formulas to replace text. To learn more, check out the SUBSTITUTE function or REPLACE, REPLACEB functions.

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Find

To find something, press Ctrl+F, or go to Home > Editing > Find & Select > Find.

Note: In the following example, we've selected Options >> to show the entire Find dialog box. By default, it displays with Options hidden.

Press Ctrl+F to launch the Find dialog

  1. In the Find what box, type the text or numbers you want to find, or select the arrow in the Find what box, and then select a recent search item from the list.

    Tips: 

    • You can use wildcard characters — question mark (?), asterisk (*), tilde (~) — in your search criteria.

    • Use the question mark (?) to find any single character — for example, s?t finds "sat" and "set".

    • Use the asterisk (*) to find any number of characters — for example, s*d finds "sad" and "started".

    • Use the tilde (~) followed by ?, *, or ~ to find question marks, asterisks, or other tilde characters  — for example, fy91~? finds "fy91?".

  2. Select Find All or Find Next to run your search.

    Tip: When you Select Find All, every occurrence of the criteria you're searching for is listed, and selecting a specific occurrence in the list selects its cell. You can sort the results of a Find All search by selecting a column heading.

  3. Select Options>> to further define your search if needed:

    • Within: To search for data in a worksheet or in an entire workbook, select Sheet or Workbook.

    • Search: You can choose to search either By Rows (default), or By Columns.

    • Look in: To search for data with specific details, in the box, select Formulas, Values, Notes, or Comments.

      Note:   Formulas, Values, Notes and Comments are available only on the Find tab; only Formulas are available on the Replace tab.

    • Match case - Check this if you want to search for case-sensitive data.

    • Match entire cell contents - Check this if you want to search for cells that contain only the characters that you typed in the Find what box.

  4. If you want to search for text or numbers with specific formatting, select Format, and then make your selections in the Find Format dialog box.

    Tip: If you want to find cells that just match a specific format, you can delete any criteria in the Find what box, and then select a specific cell format as an example. Select the arrow next to Format, select Choose Format From Cell, and then select the cell that has the formatting that you want to search for.

Replace

To replace text or numbers, press Ctrl+H, or go to Home > Editing > Find & Select > Replace.

Note: In the following example, we've selected Options >> to show the entire Find dialog box. By default, it displays with Options hidden.

Press Ctrl+H to launch the Replace dialog.

  1. In the Find what box, type the text or numbers you want to find, or select the arrow in the Find what box, and then select a recent search item from the list.

    Tips: 

    • You can use wildcard characters — question mark (?), asterisk (*), tilde (~) — in your search criteria.

    • Use the question mark (?) to find any single character — for example, s?t finds "sat" and "set".

    • Use the asterisk (*) to find any number of characters — for example, s*d finds "sad" and "started".

    • Use the tilde (~) followed by ?, *, or ~ to find question marks, asterisks, or other tilde characters — for example, fy91~? finds "fy91?".

  2. In the Replace with box, enter the text or numbers you want to use to replace the search text.

  3. Select Replace All or Replace.

    Tip: When you select Replace All, every occurrence of the criteria that you're searching for is replaced, while Replace updates one occurrence at a time.

  4. Select Options>> to further define your search if needed:

    • Within: To search for data in a worksheet or in an entire workbook, select Sheet or Workbook.

    • Search: You can choose to search either By Rows (default), or By Columns.

    • Look in: To search for data with specific details, in the box, select Formulas, Values, Notes, or Comments.

      Note:   Formulas, Values, Notes and Comments are available only on the Find tab; only Formulas are available on the Replace tab.

    • Match case - Check this if you want to search for case-sensitive data.

    • Match entire cell contents - Check this if you want to search for cells that contain only the characters that you typed in the Find what box.

  5. If you want to search for text or numbers with specific formatting, select Format, and then make your selections in the Find Format dialog box.

    Tip: If you want to find cells that just match a specific format, you can delete any criteria in the Find what box, and then select a specific cell format as an example. Select the arrow next to Format, select Choose Format From Cell, and then select the cell that has the formatting that you want to search for.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in Communities.

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