How to Search and Replace Words in Google Sheets

Are you struggling to find specific words or replace them with new ones in your Google Sheets? Look no further! In this article, I will guide you through the process of using the “Find” and “Replace” functions in Google Sheets. These functions are incredibly helpful when you need to locate cells containing a specific word or when you want to replace a word or letter with a new one in multiple cells.

Finding Words with the “Find” Function

1. Press “Ctrl” + “F” (for Windows) or “⌘” + “F” (for Mac), and a small pop-up window will appear at the top right corner of your screen.

2. Type the word or series of letters/numbers you want to search for in the text box.

3. Press the “Enter” key, and all cells containing the specific word will be highlighted.

4. Press the “Enter” key multiple times to move to the next cell, or click on the icons next to the text box to go back to the previous cell (“∧”) or move to the next cell (“∨”).

Using the “Find and Replace” Function

1. Press “Ctrl” + “H” (for Windows) or “⌘” + “Shift” + “H” (for Mac), or go to the “Edit” tab → “Find and Replace.” A pop-up window will appear in the center of your screen.

2. Type the word or series of letters/numbers you want to search for and replace in the “Find” text box.

3. Enter the value you want to replace the found words with, if necessary.

4. Select the scope of the function, “All sheets,” “This sheet,” or “Selected range” in the “Search” section.

5. Select any additional options, if needed.

6. Click “Find” to use the “Find” function or “Replace” to use the “Find and Replace” function.

7. Click “Done” to close the window.

Search Section

• “All sheets”: This option allows you to search for a specific value throughout the entire file.
• “This sheet”: Select this option to search for a specific value within the sheet you are currently working on.
• “Selected range”: This option limits the scope of the function to a chosen range within the current worksheet.

Search Method

• “Respect case”: If you check this box, the search will be case-sensitive.
• “Exact match”: The search will only return exact matches.
• “Use regular expressions”: The function will attempt to find words and values that match a regular expression.
• “Search formulas as well”: The search will include formulas in its results.
• “Search links as well”: The search will include links in its results.

Note: An “expression régulière” is a sequence of symbols and characters representing a text string or a pattern to search for within a longer text.

Find, Replace, or Replace All

• “Find”: Select this button if you want to perform a value search.
• “Replace”: You can choose to replace a word while browsing through all the found values.
• “Replace All”: Choose this option if you want to replace all the searched values with alternative values. If you are unsure, we recommend selecting “Replace” and deciding whether to replace the values one by one.

Automatically Replacing Text in Google Sheets

While there isn’t an automatic function to replace existing texts or values with substitutes, you can use the REPLACE function to replace part of the values in cells with other values.

Troubleshooting the “Find and Replace” Function in Sheets

If the “Find and Replace” function is not working in your Google Sheets, please check the following points:

• Range selection: No matches or too many matches? Verify that you have appropriately selected the search range.
• Case-sensitive/Exact match: If you have too many search results, check the “Respect case” or “Exact match” boxes to reduce the number of found words.
• Formulas and links: Make sure you have checked the “Search formulas as well” or “Search links as well” boxes to find keywords within formulas or links.
• Cell protection: You cannot modify cell values or formulas if they are protected. You must unlock the cells first.
• Filtered view/Grouping: The function can find words in hidden or grouped rows and columns but will not display them. You need to stop the filtered view or expand the grouped rows and columns.
• Empty spaces: Even if the values in cells appear correct, they may contain extra spaces at the beginning, end, or middle of texts. Make sure to remove the extra spaces from values and use spaces correctly when entering a search word.

Now that you know how to effectively search and replace words in Google Sheets, you’ll save time and ensure accuracy in your spreadsheet work. Don’t forget to check out Crawlan.com for more helpful tips and tricks to boost your productivity! Happy sheeting!