Find and replace text
-
Go to Home > Replace.
-
Enter the word or phrase you want to replace in Find what.
-
Enter your new text in Replace with.
-
Choose Replace All to change all occurrences of the word or phrase. Or, select Find Next until you find the one you want to update, and then choose Replace.
-
To specify only upper or lowercase in your search, select More > Match case. There are several other ways to search in this menu.
For other options, see Find and replace text
Find and replace basic text
In the upper-right corner of the document, in the search box , type the word or phrase that you want to find, and Word will highlight all instances of the word or phrase throughout the document.
To replace found text:
-
Select the magnifying glass, and then select Replace.
-
In the Replace With box, type the replacement text.
-
Select Replace All or Replace.
Tips:
-
You can also open the basic Find and Replace pane with the keyboard shortcut CONTROL + H.
-
When you replace text, it’s a good idea to select Replace instead of Replace All. That way you can review each item before replacing it.
-
You can find text with special formatting, such as bold or highlight, by using the Format menu.
-
Select View > Navigation Pane.
-
In the Navigation Pane, select the magnifying glass.
-
Select Settings , and then select Advanced Find & Replace.
Notes:
-
Select the arrow at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box to show all options.
-
-
-
On the Format menu, select the option that you want.
If a second dialog box opens, select the options that you want, and then select OK.
-
In the Find and Replace dialog box, select Find Next or Find All.
You can find and replace text with special formatting, such as bold or highlight, by using the Format menu.
-
Select View > Navigation Pane.
-
In the Navigation Pane, select the magnifying glass.
-
Select Settings , and then select Advanced Find & Replace.
-
At the top of the dialog box, select Replace.
Notes:
-
Select the arrow at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box to show all options.
-
-
-
On the Find what box, type the text that you want to find.
-
On the Format menu, select the formatting that you want to find.
If a second dialog box opens, select the options that you want, and then select OK.
-
Select in the box next to Replace with.
-
On the Format menu, select the replacement formatting. If a second dialog box appears, select the formats that you want, and then select OK.
-
Select Replace, Replace All, or Find Next.
-
Select View > Navigation Pane.
-
In the Navigation Pane, select the magnifying glass.
-
Select Settings , and then select Advanced Find & Replace.
Notes:
-
Select the arrow at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box to show all options.
-
-
-
On the Special menu, select the special character that you want to find.
-
Select Find Next.
-
Select View > Navigation Pane.
-
In the Navigation Pane, select the magnifying glass.
-
Select Settings , and then select Advanced Find & Replace.
Notes:
-
Select the arrow at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box to show all options.
-
-
-
At the top of the Find and Replace dialog box, select Replace and then select in the Find What box, but don’t type anything there. Later, when you select a special character, Word will automatically put the character code in the box for you.
Note: Select the arrow at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box to show all options.
-
On the Special menu, select the special character that you want to find.
-
Select in the Replace with box.
-
On the Special menu, select the special character that you want to use as a replacement.
-
Select Replace or Find Next.
-
Select View > Navigation Pane.
-
In the Navigation Pane, select the magnifying glass.
-
Select Settings , and then select Advanced Find & Replace.
-
Select the Use wildcards check box.
If you don’t see the Use wildcards check box, select .
-
Select the Special menu, select a wildcard character, and then type any additional text in the Find what box.
-
Select Find Next.
Tips:
-
To cancel a search in progress, press + PERIOD.
-
You can also enter a wildcard character directly in the Find what box instead of selecting an item from the Special pop-up menu.
-
To search for a character that’s defined as a wildcard character, type a backslash () before the character. For example, type ? to find a question mark.
-
You can use parentheses to group the wildcard characters and text and to indicate the order of evaluation. For example, search for <(pre)*(ed)> to find «presorted» and «prevented.»
-
You can search for an expression and use the n wildcard character to replace the search string with the rearranged expression. For example, type (Newman) (Belinda) in the Find what box and 2 1 in the Replace with box. Word will find «Newman Belinda» and replace it with «Belinda Newman.»
-
-
To replace found text:
-
Select the Replace tab, and then select the Replace with box.
-
Select Special, select a wildcard character, and then type any additional text in the Replace with box.
-
Select Replace All, Replace, or Find Next.
Tip: When you replace text, it’s a good idea to select Replace instead of Replace All. That way you can confirm each replacement to make sure that it’s correct.
-
You can refine a search by using any of the following wildcard characters.
To find |
Use this |
For example |
---|---|---|
Any single character |
? |
s?t finds «sat» and «set.» |
Any string of characters |
* |
s*d finds «sad» and «started.» |
One of the specified characters |
[ ] |
w[io]n finds «win» and «won.» |
Any single character in this range |
[-] |
[r-t]ight finds «right» and «sight» and «tight.» Ranges must be in ascending order. |
Any single character except the characters inside the brackets |
[!] |
m[!a]st finds «mist» and «most» but not «mast.» |
Any single character except characters in the range inside the brackets |
[!x-z] |
t[!a-m]ck finds «tock» and «tuck» but not «tack» or «tick.» Ranges must be in ascending order. |
Exactly n occurrences of a character or expression |
{ n} |
fe{2}d finds «feed» but not «fed.» |
At least n occurrences of a character or expression |
{ n,} |
fe{1,}d finds «fed» and «feed.» |
A range of occurrences of a character or expression |
{ n, n} |
10{1,3} finds «10,» «100,» and «1000.» |
One or more occurrences of a character or expression |
@ |
lo@t finds «lot» and «loot.» |
The beginning of a word |
< |
<(inter) finds «interesting» and «intercept» but not «splintered.» |
The end of a word |
> |
(in)> finds «in» and «within,» but not «interesting.» |
Word for the web lets you find and replace basic text. You can match case or fine whole words only. For more varied options, open your document in Word for the desktop.
Need more help?
Looking for text in your document? The Find pane helps you find characters, words, and phrases. If you want, you can also replace it with different text.
If you’re in Reading View, switch to Editing View by clicking Edit Document > Edit in Word Web App.
To open the Find pane from the Edit View, press Ctrl+F, or click Home > Find.
Find text by typing it in the Search the document for… box. Word Web App starts searching as soon as you start typing. To further narrow the search results, click the magnifying glass and select one or both of the search options.
Tip: If you don’t see the magnifying glass, click the X at the end of the Search the document for… box. The magnifying glass reappears.
When you type in your document or make a change, Word Web App pauses the search and clears the Find pane. To see the results again, click the Next Search Result or Previous Search Result arrow.
When you’re done searching, click the X at the end of the Search the document for… box.
Need more help?
Want more options?
Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.
Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.
Use the word processor’s search function to locate text and more
Updated on December 15, 2020
What to Know
- Basic word search: Go to the Home tab. Select Find and enter the text for the search.
- Advanced search: Go to Home > Find. Choose the search drop-down arrow. Select Options and select your criteria.
This article explains how to search for text in Microsoft Word. The information applies to Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, Word Online, and Word for Microsoft 365.
How to Do a Basic Word Search in MS Word
Microsoft Word includes a search function that makes it easy to search for different elements in a document, including text. Use the basic tool to look for instances of a specific word, or the advanced options to perform tasks such as replace all instances of a word with another one or search for equations.
To run a basic search for a specific word or phrase in Word:
-
Go to the Home tab and select Find, or press Ctrl+F.
In older versions of Microsoft Word, select File > File Search.
-
In the Navigation pane, enter the text you want to search for. A list of matching words displays in the Navigation pane and instances of the word are highlighted in the main document.
-
Cycle through the results in the Navigation pane in one of three ways:
- Press Enter to move to the next result.
- Select a result with the mouse.
- Select the Up and Down arrows to move to the previous or next result.
-
Make any changes or edits to the document as needed.
-
Select the Down arrow to move to the next instance of the word.
Match Case, Whole Words Only, and More
Beyond searching for every instance of a word, you can get more specific about what you want to find. For example, to find whole instances of a word and not every word that contains the letter combination or to find instances of a word that aren’t capitalized.
Here’s how to do an advanced search:
-
Select Home > Find.
-
In the Navigation pane, select the Search drop-down arrow.
-
Choose Options.
-
In the Find Options dialog box, choose the description that best fits what you’re trying to find. For example, to find instances of a word with the same capitalization, select Match case.
-
Select OK.
Use Advanced Find
Many of the choices available in the Find Options dialog box are also available in Advanced Find. Advanced Find includes the option to replace the text with something new. Based on your selection, Word replaces one instance or all instances at once. You can also replace the formatting, or change the language, paragraph, and tab settings.
Find Instances of Other Elements
Other options in the Navigation pane include searching for equations, tables, graphics, footnotes, endnotes, and comments.
Thanks for letting us know!
Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day
Subscribe
Microsoft Word provides a feature that allows you to search for text within a document. You can also use advanced settings to make your search more specific, such as case matching or ignoring punctuation. Here’s how to use it.
Finding Text in a Word Doc
To search for text in Word, you’ll need to access the “Navigation” pane. You can do so by selecting “Find” in the “Editing” group of the “Home” tab.
An alternative method to accessing this pane is by using the Ctrl + F shortcut key on Windows or Command + F on Mac.
RELATED: How to Search for Text Inside of Any File Using Windows Search
With the “Navigation” pane open, enter the text you want to find. The number of instances that text appears throughout the document will be displayed.
You can navigate through the search results by selecting the up and down arrows located beneath the search box or by clicking directly on the result snippet in the navigation pane.
Setting Advanced Search Features
The caveat with the basic search function is that it doesn’t take into account many things such, as the case of the letters in the text. This is a problem if you’re searching a document that contains a lot of content, such as a book or thesis.
You can fine-tune these details by going to the “Editing” group of the “Home” tab, selecting the arrow next to “Find,” and selecting “Advanced Find” from the drop-down list.
The “Find and Replace” window will appear. Select “More.”
In the “Search Options” group, check the box next to the options you want to enable.
Now, the next time you search for text in Word, the search will work with the selected advanced options.
RELATED: Microsoft Word: Document Formatting Essentials
READ NEXT
- › How to Highlight Text in Microsoft Word
- › How to Search in Google Docs
- › Why One Ultrawide Is Better Than Two Monitors
- › The Best DNS Servers for Secure Browsing
- › Google+ Will Come to a Final End on July 5, 2023
- › Universal Audio Volt 2 Review: A Workhorse Audio Interface With Vintage Charm
- › Get to Your Windows 11 Desktop: 7 Fastest Methods
- › Why the Right-Click Menu in Windows 11 Is Actually Good
How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read billions of times. Want to know more?
Often when working in Microsoft Word we only need to change one or two words in the file to make it relevant to another client or project. For Example, updating a client’s name in a 30-page contract or updating the address of a company or speakers name in a briefing document.
Because scrolling through your document changing each word individually would be a tedious and time-consuming task Microsoft has built-in a hand tool called ‘Find and Replace’.
Find and Replace allows you to replace one word with another, across the entirety of your Microsoft Word Document at the click of a button.
There is no limit to how many times you can use this tool, but it does need to be done word by word, we can’t yet find and replace multiple words at once. But still, it’s a huge time saver and will guarantee you don’t miss a word that needs replacing.
In this post we will show you how to use the Find and Replace tool in Microsoft Word and leave you updating your document in seconds.
Using Microsoft Word’s Find and Replace
- Open Word
- Find and click Edit in the Home bar
- Under Edit click Find
- In the Find tab press Replace….
- This will open a navigation box on the left-hand side of your Word Document
- Type the word you wish to replace in the Find box
- Type the word you wish to replace this word with, in the second text box
- Choose Replace. To replace all instances at the same time, select Replace All.
- Press OK.
You have no successfully used Words Find and Replace feature to update your Microsoft Word Document.
Advanced Word Replacement
If your word search shows multiple options, as shown below.
You can scroll through the highlighted words until you find the word you would like to replace. This will narrow down the word search and ensure you only replace the exact word you are looking for.
Looking for an easier solution to your collaboration frustrations?
When collaborating in Microsoft Word, your email inbox can quickly become filled with updated versions of a document being sent back and forward between colleagues.
John made an edit, sent an email ‘see updated attached’.
Then Lucy made an edit, sent an email 30minutes later ‘updated version attached’, and it goes on for days.
Sending updated versions via email is one way to know a new version is available and required your attention. But it can also clutter your inbox with internal emails, with a single line or sometimes nobody of text in the email.
The alternative is to send them via a group chat channel such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, but you should make a new channel for the document updates so that you don’t miss one, or lose it in an open channel as other conversations start happening around the document being sent.
With overflowing inboxes and your slack channel constantly telling you there are un-read messages there needs to be a solution for collaborating alone. Somewhere your updated versions can live in peace, with no other noise around them to allow you to easily review and check them at any time.
The solution is here and it comes in the form of a great new purpose-built tool called Simul Docs.
Simul was built just for Microsoft Word and for you, to help you collaborate with ease.
First and foremost, Simul will store and manage every version of your document in an easy to navigate toolbar that you can access from anywhere you have an internet connection (or offline if you do a quick download before losing your connection).
As a new version of your document is created, Simul will automatically save the file under a numerical version number that makes sense. The first version is named 0.0.1, the second 0.0.2, the third 0.0.3 and so on. Making it easy for you to keep track of how many versions have been made and which one is the most recent.
But what about any extra notes or comments the author wanted to make, ones they would usually put in the email such as ‘Tim, this is my final round of edits before we send onto client’? No worries, Simul allows you to add comments and notes to any version as well, so your team can see what is going on at all times.
Speaking of comments and notes, Simul will also track every comment, change or edit made to a version for you, without you having to remember to turn tracked changes on. That’s pretty cool, right?
So a tool that manages your version control, saves your files and stores them and tracks all of your edits and changes without you thinking about any of it, it sounds too good to be true or as though it would be difficult to use or implement. Well, don’t worry it’s not, it’s here and it is called Simul Docs and it’s so easy to use, after walking through the in-app tutorial we had it down within 3 minutes.
It’s a bit like an apple product, it just makes sense. It’s clean and simple, nothing too complicated, but with everything you need all in the one spot.
If you’re not convinced already, head over to Simul now and give their free trial a go.
Collaboration just got a whole lot easier with Simul Docs.
While editing large documents in Microsoft Word, you want tools that will help you find and replace certain text. Here are a couple of keyboard shortcuts that will allow just that.
When you are editing a large document in Microsoft Word, you want simple and easy ways to help your editing process. One such tip is to use keyboard shortcuts to find and replace text in the document. That’s right; Keyboard Shortcuts aren’t just for Windows 10.
Here is a look at the keyboard shortcuts you need to know to do just that.
While you’re in a large Word document, you can easily find text by hitting Ctrl + F. Then, type the word or phrase you’re looking for in the navigation pane. When the word or phrase you are looking for is found, each instance will be highlighted in the document. Just this step alone makes it much easier to manage the specific text you’re looking for.
If you want to find and replace text in a Word document, use the key combo Ctrl + H. That will bring up the “Find and Replace” dialog box. Then type in the word or words you’re looking for and what to replace them with. Then click the “Replace All” button.
Word will go through and replace the text. When complete, it will display the following message letting you know the task is complete. Click OK.
Use the Ctrl + F keyboard shortcut to find the text that was replaced. Looks good!