Finding one word in a long Google Doc shouldn't mean scrolling through every page. A keyboard shortcut on your computer or the search menu on your phone takes you straight to the text. Here's how to find a word or phrase, move between matches, and narrow down your results.
Find a word quickly on your computer
Open your document in Google Docs. Press Ctrl+F on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+F on Mac.
Enter the word or phrase you want to find. That's your starting point, whether you're searching for a name or a full sentence.
To jump to the next occurrence, press Ctrl+G on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+G on Mac. To move backward, press Ctrl+Shift+G or Command+Shift+G, respectively.
These shortcuts work in the Google Docs web app with both personal Google Accounts and Google Workspace accounts.
Use the Edit menu to move between matches
Select Edit > Find and replace in your open document.
Enter your word or phrase in Find.
Click Next to move forward through occurrences.
Click Prev to return to an earlier occurrence.
For keyboard access to Find and replace, press Ctrl+H on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+Shift+H on Mac.
Tip: Replacement is optional, so leave your text as it is and use this window just to search.
Search in the Android app
On an Android phone or tablet, search inside the Google Docs app:
- 1.Open the document in Google Docs.
- 2.Tap More > Find and replace.
- 3.Enter your word or phrase, then tap Search.
- 4.Use the arrows at the top right to move between occurrences.
- 5.Tap Done to return to the document.
Jump between matches on iPhone or iPad
On an iPhone or iPad, use Find and replace in the Google Docs app. The main difference from Android is the button you tap when you're finished.
Open your document in the Google Docs app.
Tap More > Find and replace.
Enter the word or phrase you need.
Tap Search.
Use the arrows at the top of the screen to move between occurrences.
Tap Close when you're finished.
Narrow your search on desktop
Need a particular capitalization or a whole word? Open Edit > Find and replace for these searches.
For exact capitalization, enter your text in Find. Check Match case. Use Next or Prev to move between matches.
For a whole-word search, enter \bcat\b in Find, replacing cat with your word. Check Match using regular expressions. Use Next or Prev to inspect matches; these ASCII word boundaries suit simple English words such as cat.
For a word-pattern search, enter d[ou]g in Find to match dog and dug. Check Match using regular expressions. Use Next or Prev to inspect each match.
Locate the document containing your words
Forgot which document contains the text? Start in Google Drive. Drive search locates files containing your words; Google Docs search locates occurrences inside an opened document.
On a computer, open Google Drive.
Enter a word or phrase in the search box. To restrict results to documents and match an exact phrase, use type:document "annual budget", substituting your own phrase.
Press Enter to search.
Open a matching document.
Press Ctrl+F on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+F on Mac.
Enter your search text to locate it inside the document.
For Drive's advanced-search option, click the icon at the right of its search box.
Enter your text under Has the words.
Click Search.
If the regular Drive search doesn't find the document you need, try that Has the words search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search Google Docs comments for a word?
Yes, on a computer. Click Show all comments at the top right. In the Comments panel, click Search all comments. Enter your keywords, then click a matching comment to locate it. This searches comment text and usernames. Use All types to filter for open or resolved comments.
Can I find text inside a scanned image or PDF?
Convert the file to text first. On a computer, right-click the PDF or image in Google Drive. Select Open with > Google Docs. Search the converted text with Ctrl+F on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+F on Mac. Google recommends files of 2 MB or smaller with clear, upright text. Conversion is subject to recognition errors and formatting loss.
Does Find work with a keyboard connected to an Android tablet?
Yes. With the document open in the Google Docs Android app, press Ctrl+F for Find or Ctrl+H for Find and replace. Enter your search text. Shortcut support varies by language and keyboard.
Do I need Gemini to find words in Google Docs?
No. Ordinary Find does not require a Gemini subscription.