To find and replace in Google Sheets on a computer, open Edit > Find and replace, type the word you want to find next to Find and the new word next to Replace with, then click Find to highlight a match. Click Replace to change the highlighted match, or Replace all to change it every time it is used. You can also open it with Ctrl + H on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + H on a Mac. Choose the cells or sheets to search before applying a replacement.
The Android, iPhone, and iPad apps have their own Find and replace option under More. For a typical text change, start with the built-in replacement tool; use a formula when you want the changed text in a separate cell.
The short version
- On a computer: Open Edit > Find and replace to enter the old and new text.
- Control the scope: Under Search, choose This sheet, All sheets, or Specific range.
- Review before replacing: Click Find and use Replace for individual matches before choosing Replace all.
- On a phone: Tap More > Find and replace, search for your text, then enter its replacement.
| Method or option | When to use it | Result or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Find and replace | Change individual matches or every match | Edits original content in the chosen scope |
| Desktop replacement shortcut | Open the replacement dialog directly | Ctrl + H on Windows or ChromeOS; Command + Shift + H on Mac |
| Quick Find | Locate content without changing it | Replacement requires Find and replace |
| This sheet | Keep the change on the current sheet | Searches that sheet |
| All sheets | Make the same change throughout the spreadsheet | Searches across sheets |
| Specific range | Change only particular cells | Searches the range you enter |
| Match case | Distinguish uppercase and lowercase letters | Requires matching capitalization |
| Match entire cell contents | Replace complete cell values | Excludes partial matches within longer text |
| Also search within formulas | Change formula text | Includes matches inside formulas |
| Android Find and replace | Edit on an Android phone or tablet | Offers Replace and Replace all |
| iPhone or iPad Find and replace | Edit on an Apple phone or tablet | Offers Replace and All |
SUBSTITUTE | Replace matching text in a separate cell | Changes every occurrence or a numbered occurrence |
ARRAYFORMULA with SUBSTITUTE | Produce replacement results for a range | Needs an available output column |
| Paste values | Write formula results over original data | Pastes calculated text into the destination cells |
| Search using regular expressions | Find and replace a text pattern | Edits matching text in the chosen scope |
REGEXREPLACE | Replace a pattern in a separate output cell | Requires text input |
REPLACE | Change characters at a known position | Uses a starting position and character count |
Open Find and replace on a computer
Open your spreadsheet, click Edit, then choose Find and replace. In Find, enter the text or number you want to change. Enter the new value in Replace with, then choose the search scope under Search.
Click Find to locate a match, then click Replace to change that occurrence. Continue finding and replacing individual matches when you want to review each change. Use Replace all when every match in the selected scope should receive the same replacement.
For keyboard access, focus the spreadsheet and press Ctrl + H on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + H on macOS. Google says shortcuts can vary with keyboard language and layout. Use the Edit menu if the shortcut does not open the tool.
To locate content without changing it, press Ctrl + F on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + F on a Mac, then enter your search text. To replace that content, open Edit > Find and replace.
Choose the sheet or range to change
Before replacing anything, open the Search control and choose This sheet, All sheets, or Specific range. Choose This sheet for the current sheet, or All sheets when the same change belongs throughout the spreadsheet.
Select Specific range to limit the operation to particular cells. Enter a range such as Sheet1!A2:A100, then use Find to review a match before replacing it. That example targets column A from row 2 through row 100 on Sheet1.
If your task is to rename columns in Google Sheets by changing header text, target the relevant header cells. The scope you choose also determines which matches Replace all changes.
Match the right text and include formulas
Check Match case when capitalization should determine which text matches. For example, a case-sensitive search for Apple distinguishes it from apple. Leave this option unchecked when capitalization should not limit your search.
Check Match entire cell contents when the whole cell must match your search value. You can then replace a cell containing Cat without changing the same letters inside longer text. Combine it with Match case when both capitalization and the complete cell value matter.
To change text inside formulas, check Also search within formulas. Enter the formula text you want to replace and its replacement, then use Find and Replace to review individual matches. This option lets you search the formula text itself.
Replace text on Android or iPhone
On Android, open your spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app and tap More > Find and replace. Enter the text to locate, tap Search, and use the arrows to move through matches. Tap Replace with and enter the new text.
Tap Replace to change an individual match, or Replace all to change every occurrence. When you finish, tap Done to return to your spreadsheet.
On an iPhone or iPad, open your spreadsheet and tap More > Find and replace, enter your search text, and tap Search. Move between matches with the arrows, then tap Replace with and enter the replacement. Choose Replace for one match or All for every occurrence, then tap Close to return.
Keep original text by using a formula
A replacement formula creates a separate result, so the source cell keeps its original content. Choose an empty output cell, or add columns in Google Sheets when you need room beside your existing data. Use SUBSTITUTE to replace matching text within a cell.
To replace every occurrence of old with new in cell A2, enter this formula in the output cell. Adjust the cell reference and the two text values to fit your data.
=SUBSTITUTE(A2,"old","new")Add a fourth argument to replace only a numbered occurrence. This example changes the second occurrence of old in A2 and leaves the other occurrences alone.
=SUBSTITUTE(A2,"old","new",2)For multiple rows, use ARRAYFORMULA in an empty output column with enough available cells. This example returns replacement results for A2 through A100.
=ARRAYFORMULA(SUBSTITUTE(A2:A100,"old","new"))To overwrite the original data with those results on a computer, copy the output cells and select the original destination cells. Press Ctrl + Shift + V on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + V on a Mac to paste the calculated text as values.
Replace text patterns or character positions
Regular expressions let you search for a pattern rather than one fixed word. In the desktop replacement dialog, enter your pattern in Find, enter the replacement in Replace with, and check Search using regular expressions. Click Find to review a match before using Replace or Replace all.
For a pattern-based result in a separate cell, use REGEXREPLACE. The following example replaces each run of digits in A2 with NUMBER; numeric input must first be converted to text.
=REGEXREPLACE(A2,"[0-9]+","NUMBER")When the characters always occupy the same position, use REPLACE instead. This example replaces the first three characters in A2 with new, with character positions starting at 1.
=REPLACE(A2,1,3,"new")Fix missing matches and blocked replacements
First, review Search to make sure the target cells fall inside the selected sheet or range. Next, uncheck Match case if capitalization should not matter, and uncheck Match entire cell contents if the search text is only part of a cell. Turn off Search using regular expressions when you intend to search for literal text.
For text inside a formula, check Also search within formulas and search again. You also need editing permission to replace original content; viewers and commenters cannot make those changes. If a protected range blocks replacement, ask an owner or authorized editor to update its permissions.
To allow an editor to change a protected range, open Data > Protect sheets and ranges, select the existing protection, and click Change permissions. Select Restrict who can edit this range, choose Custom, specify the permitted editors, and click Save or Done.
If your next task is to adjust how the replacement text displays, you can wrap text in Google Sheets. Treat that as a separate formatting step after you finish replacing content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Find and replace with an external keyboard on a phone or tablet?
Yes, you can use an external keyboard with the mobile apps. In the Android app, press Ctrl + H for Find and replace or Ctrl + F for Find. On an iPhone or iPad, press Command + F to open Find and replace.
Can you open Find and replace through the toolbar search?
Yes, click Search in the toolbar or open Help > Search the menus, then search for Find and replace and select the matching tool. You can also open Tool finder with Alt + / on Windows or ChromeOS, or Option + / on macOS.
Can a regular expression reuse parts of the matched text?
Yes, your replacement text can reference capture groups using $1, $2, and subsequent numbers. Google Sheets also supports \n for newlines in regular-expression replacement text.
Can you replace several different words with different replacements at once?
You can use the optional Ablebits Advanced Find and Replace add-on with paired ranges of search terms and replacement values. Enter the search range in Find what and the corresponding replacement range in Replace with, set the search scope, click Find, then click Replace all. The add-on also supports searching notes and hyperlinks, plus fuzzy matching and wildcard masks. Ablebits says its changes cannot be undone through normal Sheets Undo.
Why does a REGEXREPLACE pattern fail even when the input is text?
Check whether your pattern uses syntax supported by RE2, the regular-expression engine Google Sheets uses for REGEXREPLACE. Google excludes Unicode character-class matching from this function, so you need a supported pattern if yours depends on that feature.
