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Excel

FIND function in Excel

Finds one text value within another (case-sensitive)

=FIND(find_text, within_text, [start_num])

FIND syntax and parameters

Three arguments, two required.

  • find_textstringRequired
  • within_textstringRequired
  • start_numnumberOptional

FIND examples

Formulas you'll actually reuse.

  1. Where the @ sits in an email address (FIND is case-sensitive):

    =FIND("@", A2)

    Result12

  2. Extract the username — everything before the @:

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

    Result"maria.lopez"

FIND in Google Sheets

Same name — your formula ports as-is.

Try FIND in the playground

Edit the example — nothing to install.

Preloaded with the FIND formula from Example 1 — change anything and watch it respond.

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FIND errors

What they mean — and the fixes.

  • #VALUE!

    The text wasn't found — FIND is case-sensitive and takes no wildcards; use SEARCH for a forgiving match.

Related functions

More ways Excel gets this done.