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Excel

SEARCH function in Excel

Finds one text value within another (not case-sensitive)

=SEARCH(find_text, within_text, [start_num])

SEARCH syntax and parameters

Three arguments, two required.

  • find_textstringRequired

    The text that you want to find.

  • within_textstringRequired

    The text in which you want to search for the value of the find_text argument.

  • start_numnumberOptional

    The character number in the within_text argument at which you want to start searching.

SEARCH examples

Formulas you'll actually reuse.

  1. Where “invoice” appears in a subject line — case-insensitive, unlike FIND:

    =SEARCH("invoice", A2)

    Result12

  2. Tag rows whose text contains a keyword:

    =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("urgent", A2)), "Priority", "Normal")

    Result"Priority"

SEARCH in Google Sheets

Same name — your formula ports as-is.

Try SEARCH in the playground

Edit the example — nothing to install.

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

Loading the editor…

SEARCH errors

What they mean — and the fixes.

  • #VALUE!

    The text wasn't found — wrap SEARCH in ISNUMBER for a TRUE/FALSE test instead of an error.

Related functions

More ways Excel gets this done.