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=FIND()

Finds the position of a text inside another text (case-sensitive)

Applies To: Excel for Microsoft 365Excel for Microsoft 365 for MacExcel 2024Excel 2024 for MacExcel 2021Excel 2021 for MacExcel 2019Excel 2016
=FIND(find_text, within_text, [start_num])
Hover argument names in the table for details.
Output typeNumber
Popularity60 / 100
VolatileNo
Dynamic ArrayNo
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◧ Arguments

ArgumentTypeRequiredDescription
find_text Any type Required The text or character to look for
within_text Any type Required The text to search in
start_num Any type Optional Character number where the search starts. Default: 1

▣ Examples

Example 1 =FIND("-", A2)
Example 2 =LEFT(A2, FIND("@", A2) - 1)

✦ Tips

  • If the text is not found, the #VALUE! error is returned.
  • Returns only the position of the first match; for later occurrences use the third argument.

⚠ Common Errors

#VALUE! The text was not found, or the start number is less than 1 or greater than the length of the text
Fix: Check the text and case, or handle the error with IFERROR

⇄ Related Functions

=ISNUMBER() Checks whether a value is numeric or not? =LEFT() LEFT returns the first character or characters in a text string, based on the number of characters you specify. =MID() MID returns a specific number of characters from a text string, starting at the position you specify, based on the number of characters you specify. =SEARCH() The SEARCH function locate one text string within a second text string, and return the number of the starting position of the first text string from the first character of the second text string. For example, to find the position of the letter "n" in the word "printer", you can use the following function: =SEARCH("n","printer") This function returns 4 because "n" is the fourth character in the word "printer." You can also search for words within other words. For example, the function =SEARCH("base","database") returns 5, because the word "base" begins at the fifth character of the word "database". You can use the SEARCH to determine the location of a character or text string within another text string, and then use the MID to return the text, or use the REPLACE to change the text. These functions are demonstrated in Example 1 in this article. =REGEXTEST() REGEXTEST Function

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