How to use the FIND function
Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on April 14, 2018
The FIND function returns the position of a specific string in another string, reading left to right. Note, the FIND function is case-sensitive.
Formula in cell C3:
=FIND(C3,B3)
The formula returns 7 , "friend" is found at character number 7 in text string "Hello friend".
Excel Function Syntax
FIND(find_text,within_text, [start_num])
Arguments
| find_text | Required. Is the text you want to find. ? and * wildcard characters are allowed. |
| within_text | Required. This argument is the text in which you want to search for. |
| [start_num] | Optional. The character number in within_text, counting from the left at which you want to start searching. If omitted 1 is used. |
Comments
If the text string is not found the FIND function returns a #VALUE! error.
To avoid the error use the ISNUMBER function to make the function return TRUE or FALSE, like this:
=ISNUMBER(FIND(C3,B3))
'FIND' function examples
The following 7 articles contain the FIND function.
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Working with classic ciphers in Excel
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Functions in this article
Functions in 'Text' category
The FIND function function is one of many functions in the 'Text' category.
Converts full-width (double-byte) characters to half-width (single-byte) characters.
Converts a number to the corresponding ANSI character determined by your computers character set.
Deletes the first 32 nonprinting characters in 7-bit ASCII code in your argument.
Returns the corresponding number for the first character based on your computers character set. (PC- ANSI)
Concatenates values from multiple cells.
Joins text strings.
Checks if two values are precisely the same, it returns TRUE or FALSE. The EXACT function also considers upper case and lower case letters.
Returns the position of a specific string in another string, reading left to right. Note, the FIND function is case-sensitive.
Extracts a specific number of characters always starting from the left.
Returns the number of characters in a cell value.
Converts a value to lower case letters.
Returns a substring from a string based on the starting position and the number of characters you want to extract.
Repeats a specific text a chosen number of times.
Extracts a specific number of characters always starting from the right.
Returns the number of the character at which a specific character or text string is found reading left to right (not case-sensitive)
Replaces a specific text string in a value. Case sensitive.
Returns a text value if the argument is a text value.
Converts a value to text in a specific number format.
Extracts a string after a specific substring in a given value.
Extracts a string before a specific substring from a given value.
Combine text strings from multiple cell ranges.
Splits a string into an array based on delimiting values.
Deletes all blanks or space characters except single blanks between words in a cell value.
Calculates a character based on a Unicode number.
Returns a Unicode number based on a character.
Converts a value to upper case letters.
Converts a text string that represents a number to a number.
Excel function categories
Excel functions that let you resize, combine, and shape arrays.
Functions for backward compatibility with earlier Excel versions. Compatibility functions are replaced with newer functions with improved accuracy. Use the new functions if compatibility isn't required.
Perform basic operations to a database-like structure.
Functions that let you perform calculations to Excel date and time values.
Let's you manipulate binary numbers, convert values between different numeral systems, and calculate imaginary numbers.
Calculate present value, interest, accumulated interest, principal, accumulated principal, depreciation, payment, price, growth, yield for securities, and other financial calculations.
Functions that let you get information from a cell, formatting, formula, worksheet, workbook, filepath, and other entitites.
Functions that let you return and manipulate logical values, and also control formula calculations based on logical expressions.
These functions let you sort, lookup, get external data like stock quotes, filter values based a condition or criteria, and get the relative position of a given value in a specific cell range. They also let you calculate row, column, and other properties of cell references.
You will find functions in this category that calculates random values, round numerical values, create sequential numbers, trigonometry, and more.
Calculate distributions, binomial distributions, exponential distribution, probabilities, variance, covariance, confidence interval, frequency, geometric mean, standard deviation, average, median, and other statistical metrics.
Functions that let you manipulate text values, substitute strings, find string in value, extract a substring in a string, convert characters to ANSI code among other functions.
Get data from the internet, extract data from an XML string and more.
Excel categories
Latest updated articles.
More than 300 Excel functions with detailed information including syntax, arguments, return values, and examples for most of the functions used in Excel formulas.
More than 600 formulas organized in subcategories.
Excel Tables simplifies your work with data, adding or removing data, filtering, totals, sorting, enhance readability using cell formatting, cell references, formulas, and more.
Allows you to filter data based on selected value , a given text, or other criteria. It also lets you filter existing data or move filtered values to a new location.
Lets you control what a user can type into a cell. It allows you to specifiy conditions and show a custom message if entered data is not valid.
Lets the user work more efficiently by showing a list that the user can select a value from. This lets you control what is shown in the list and is faster than typing into a cell.
Lets you name one or more cells, this makes it easier to find cells using the Name box, read and understand formulas containing names instead of cell references.
The Excel Solver is a free add-in that uses objective cells, constraints based on formulas on a worksheet to perform what-if analysis and other decision problems like permutations and combinations.
An Excel feature that lets you visualize data in a graph.
Format cells or cell values based a condition or criteria, there a multiple built-in Conditional Formatting tools you can use or use a custom-made conditional formatting formula.
Lets you quickly summarize vast amounts of data in a very user-friendly way. This powerful Excel feature lets you then analyze, organize and categorize important data efficiently.
VBA stands for Visual Basic for Applications and is a computer programming language developed by Microsoft, it allows you to automate time-consuming tasks and create custom functions.
A program or subroutine built in VBA that anyone can create. Use the macro-recorder to quickly create your own VBA macros.
UDF stands for User Defined Functions and is custom built functions anyone can create.
A list of all published articles.
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