Find and replace text or numbers in Excel for Mac

Excel has a powerful search feature. You can search for text and, optionally, replace text. In your search terms, you can include special characters such as question marks, tildes, and asterisks, or numbers. You can search by rows and columns, search within comments or values, and search within worksheets or entire workbooks.

Note: Some of the content in this topic may not be applicable to some languages.

Find text or numbers

Follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells that you want to search.

   Click any cell to search the entire sheet.

2. In the search field , type the text or number that you want to find.

   Tip: 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?".

3. Press the Return key.

4. To specify additional search options, do any of the following:

   To	Do this
   Search a sheet or a whole workbook	In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Search in Sheet or Search in Workbook.
   Search by rows or by columns	In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Advanced Search, and then on the Search pop-up menu, click By Rows or By Columns.
   Search only for specific types of information	In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Advanced Search, and then on the Look in pop-up menu, click Formulas, Values, or Comments.
   Search for case-sensitive content	In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Advanced Search, and then select the Match case check box.
   Search for exact matches only	In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Advanced Search, and then select the Find entire cells only check box.

5. To find the next instance of the item that you're searching for, click in the search field and press RETURN , or in the Find dialog box, click Find Next.

   Tip: You can cancel a search in progress by pressing ESC .

Replace text or numbers

Follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells that you want to search.

   Click any cell to search the entire sheet.

2. In the search field , type the text or number that you want to find.

   Tip: 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?".

3. In the search field, click the magnifying glass, and then click Replace.

   To specify additional search options, do any of the following:

   To	Do this
   Search a sheet or a whole workbook	On the Within pop-up menu, click Sheet or Workbook.
   Search by rows or by columns	On the Search pop-up menu, click By Rows or By Columns.
   Search for case-sensitive content	Select the Match case check box.
   Search for exact matches only	Select the Find entire cells only check box.

4. In the Replace with box, type the replacement characters.

   To replace the characters in the Find what field with nothing, leave the Replace with field empty.

5. Click Find Next.

6. To replace the highlighted occurrence, click Replace.

   To replace all occurrences of the characters in the sheet without reviewing them first, click Replace All.

   Tip: Cancel a search that is in progress simply by pressing ESC.