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FIND function in Google Sheets

Returns the position at which a string is first found within text.

=FIND(search_for, text_to_search, [starting_at])

FIND syntax and parameters

Three arguments, two required.

  • search_forstringRequired

    The string to look for within text_to_search.

  • text_to_searchanyRequired

    The text to search for the first occurrence of search_for. You can also refer to a range such as A:A or A5:A55.

  • starting_atnumberOptional

    [ OPTIONAL - 1 by default ] - The character within text_to_search at which to start the search.

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 Excel

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 Google Sheets gets this done.