How to Search in Google Sheets
Learn how to find data in Google Sheets using keyboard shortcuts, Find and Replace, SEARCH and FIND functions, and filters. Quickly locate any value in your spreadsheet.
Quick Answer
To search in Google Sheets: Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac). Type your search term and press Enter to find matching cells.
Find and Replace:
Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + H (Mac) to find and replace text.
Method 1: Find Using Keyboard Shortcut (Ctrl+F)
The fastest way to search in Google Sheets is using the keyboard shortcut. This opens a simple Find bar at the top of your spreadsheet.
Open the Find bar
Press Ctrl + F (Windows/Chromebook) or Cmd + F (Mac). A search box will appear at the top right of your spreadsheet.
Type your search term
Enter the text, number, or value you want to find. The search is case-insensitive by default.
Navigate through results
Press Enter to move to the next match. Use the up and down arrows in the Find bar to navigate between all matching cells.
Close the Find bar
Press Esc or click the X button to close the Find bar when you are done.
Tip: Menu access
You can also access Find via the menu: Edit > Find and replace.
Method 2: Find and Replace
Find and Replace offers more options including replacing text, searching across all sheets, matching case, and using regular expressions.
Open Find and Replace
Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + H (Mac). Or go to Edit > Find and replace.
Enter search and replace text
Type the text you want to find in the Find field. If you want to replace it, enter the new text in the Replace with field.
Configure search options
Check the options you need: Match case, Match entire cell contents, Search using regular expressions, or Search all sheets.
Find or Replace
Click Find to locate matches one by one. Click Replace to replace the current match, or Replace all to replace every occurrence at once.
| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Match case | Only finds text with exact uppercase/lowercase match |
| Match entire cell contents | Only matches cells where the entire content equals your search term |
| Search using regular expressions | Use regex patterns for advanced searches (e.g., wildcards) |
| Also search within formulas | Search inside formula text, not just displayed values |
| Search all sheets | Search across all sheets in the spreadsheet, not just the current one |
Method 3: SEARCH and FIND Functions
Use the SEARCH or FIND functions when you need to locate text within cells as part of a formula. These return the position of the text within a string.
SEARCH Function (Case-Insensitive)
Returns the position of a text string within another string. Not case-sensitive.
Example: =SEARCH("apple", A1) returns the position where "apple" starts in cell A1.
FIND Function (Case-Sensitive)
Same as SEARCH, but case-sensitive. "Apple" and "apple" are treated differently.
Example: =FIND("Apple", A1) only matches "Apple" with capital A.
Check if Text Exists (ISNUMBER + SEARCH)
Combine ISNUMBER with SEARCH to return TRUE/FALSE if text is found.
Returns TRUE if "apple" is found anywhere in A1, FALSE if not.
REGEXMATCH for Advanced Patterns
Use regular expressions for complex pattern matching.
Example: =REGEXMATCH(A1, "^[0-9]+") returns TRUE if A1 starts with numbers.
Method 4: Using Filters to Search Data
Filters let you narrow down visible data to only show rows matching your criteria. Great for searching large datasets.
Create a filter
Select your data range, then go to Data > Create a filter. Filter icons will appear in the header row.
Click the filter icon
Click the filter icon in the column header you want to search.
Use Filter by condition
Select Filter by condition and choose options like "Text contains", "Text starts with", or "Text is exactly".
Enter your search term
Type the value you are looking for and click OK. Only matching rows will be displayed.
FILTER Function Alternative
Use =FILTER(range, ISNUMBER(SEARCH("term", range))) to create a filtered list of matching values in a separate location.
How to Search in Google Sheets on Mobile
The Google Sheets mobile app supports Find and Replace functionality.
iPhone / iPad
- Open your spreadsheet in the Sheets app
- Tap the three dots menu (top right)
- Select Find and replace
- Type your search term
- Use arrows to navigate matches
Android
- Open your spreadsheet in the Sheets app
- Tap the three dots menu (top right)
- Select Find and replace
- Enter your search term
- Tap arrows to move between results
Pro Tips for Searching in Google Sheets
Use wildcards with regular expressions
In Find and Replace, enable "Search using regular expressions" to use wildcards. Use . for any single character, .* for any sequence.
Search all sheets at once
In Find and Replace (Ctrl+H), check Search all sheets to search your entire workbook instead of just the current sheet.
Search within formulas
Check Also search within formulas to find cells containing specific functions or references, not just displayed values.
Use VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH for data retrieval
If you need to find a value and return related data from another column, use =VLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, FALSE) or INDEX/MATCH.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search in Google Sheets?
Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) to open the Find bar. Type your search term and press Enter to find matching cells. Use Ctrl + H for Find and Replace with more options.
What is the SEARCH function in Google Sheets?
The SEARCH function returns the position of a text string within another string. Syntax: =SEARCH(search_for, text_to_search, [starting_at]). It is case-insensitive and supports wildcards.
How do I search and replace in Google Sheets?
Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + H (Mac) to open Find and Replace. Enter the text to find, the replacement text, then click Replace or Replace all.
Can I search across all sheets in Google Sheets?
Yes. In the Find and Replace dialog (Ctrl + H), check the Search all sheets option to search across every sheet in your spreadsheet.
What is the difference between SEARCH and FIND?
SEARCH is case-insensitive ("apple" matches "Apple"). FIND is case-sensitive ("apple" does not match "Apple"). SEARCH also supports wildcards (? and *).
How do I search for a specific value and return another column?
Use VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH. Example: =VLOOKUP("search term", A:B, 2, FALSE) finds your term in column A and returns the corresponding value from column B.
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