5 Easy Steps to Find Words or Numbers in Microsoft Excel

A quick guide to find specific words or phrases in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: June 29, 2025 Fact Checked

If you have a lot of data in an Excel spreadsheet, it can be overwhelming to find a specific cell with certain words. Luckily, you can search for words in a few simple steps. You'll be able to narrow down and refine your results with Excel's search filters. This wikiHow will show you how to search for text in Microsoft Excel using your Windows or Mac computer.

Things You Should Know

Press "CTRL" + "F" (Windows) or "CMD" + "F" (Mac) to open the "Find and Replace" menu.
Alternatively, click "Home" → "Find & Select" → "Find".
Enter a word or phrase and click "Find All" or "Find Next". Click "Options" to apply more filters.

Steps

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1
Open a workbook in Microsoft Excel. You can use an existing project or create a new spreadsheet.
- Microsoft Excel is available on Windows and Mac. You can also use the online web version at https://www.office.com/.
- You can use Excel to make tables, type formulas, and more.
2
Press Ctrl+F. On Mac, this will be CMD + F. This is the keyboard shortcut to open the Find and Replace menu."^{[1]
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- You can also navigate there using the menu. To do so:
  - Click the Home tab.
  - Click Find & Select.
  - Click Find.
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Similar to Microsoft Word, you can enter any combination of characters you need.
If you select Find All, you'll see a list of all cells containing the word or phrase. If you select Find Next, the cell will be highlighted on your worksheet.^{[2]
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Refine your search (optional). If you want to add more filters to your search, click the Options button below the Find what: field. Adjust any of the categories to refine your search.
- Click the Format menu to select a specific format.^{[3]
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- Within: Select Sheet or Workbook.
- Search: Select By Rows or By Columns.
- Look in: Select Formulas, Values, Notes, or Comments.
- Check the box for Match case to make the search case-sensitive.
- Check the box for Match entire cell contents
- Click Find All or Find Next to search.