How to use the TEXTAFTER function

The TEXTAFTER function extracts a string after a specific substring in a given value.

Formula in cell E3:

The TEXTAFTER function is available to Excel 365 users.

1. TEXTAFTER Function Syntax

TEXTAFTER(input_text,text_after, [n], [ignore_case])

Back to top

2. TEXTAFTER Function Arguments

Back to top

3. TEXTAFTER Function example

The formula in cell E4 extracts text from cell B4 after given string in cell C3.

Formula in cell E4:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - TEXTAFTER function

TEXTAFTER(input_text,text_after, [n], [ignore_case])

Step 2 - Populate arguments

input_text - B4
text_after - C4
[n] - Optional, default is 1.
[ignore_case] - Optional, default is TRUE meaning not case sensitive

Step 3 - Evaluate function

TEXTAFTER(B4, C4)

becomes

TEXTAFTER("A dolphin is also breathing air.", "is")

and returns " also breathing air.".

Back to top

4. TEXTAFTER Function - case sensitive example

This example shows how to use the TEXTAFTER function also considering upper and lower letters.

Formula in cell E4:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - TEXTAFTER function

TEXTAFTER(input_text,text_after, [n], [ignore_case])

Step 2 - Populate arguments

input_text - B4
text_after - C4
[n] - Optional, default is 1.
[ignore_case] - FALSE meaning case sensitive.

Step 3 - Evaluate function

TEXTAFTER(B4, C4,,FALSE)

becomes

TEXTAFTER("A blue whale breathes Blue air.", "Blue", , FALSE)

and returns " air." in cell E3.

Back to top

5. TEXTAFTER Function alternative (earlier Excel versions)

The TEXTAFTER function lets you perform both a regular and a case-sensitive search based on the fourth argument [ignore_case]. The SEARCH and FIND  functions are used in the alternative formulas below.

5.1 TEXTAFTER Function alternative

This formula performs the same thing as the TEXTAFTER function, it works in all Excel versions. The formula extracts text after a given substring.

Formula in cell E4:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - Find character position of substring

The SEARCH function returns a number representing the position of character at which a specific text string is found reading left to right. It is NOT a case-sensitive search.

SEARCH(find_text,within_text, [start_num])

SEARCH(C3, B3)+1

becomes

SEARCH("breathes", "A blue whale breathes air.")+1

becomes

14+1 equals 15.

Step 2 - Count characters in cell B3

The LEN function returns a number representing the number of characters for a given string.

LEN(text)

LEN(B3)

becomes

LEN("A blue whale breathes air.")

and returns 26.

Step 3 - Count characters in cell C3

LEN(C3)

becomes

LEN("breathes")

and returns 8.

Step 4 - Extract text after based on position

The RIGHT function extracts a specific number of characters always starting from the right of the text string.

RIGHT(text, [num_chars])

RIGHT(B3, LEN(B3)-SEARCH(C3, B3)-LEN(C3))

becomes

RIGHT("A blue whale breathes air.", 26-14-8+1)

becomes

RIGHT("A blue whale breathes air.", 5)

and returns " air.".

Back to top

5.2 TEXTAFTER Function alternative - case sensitive

This formula performs a case-sensitive search in order to extract text after the given substring.

Formula in cell E3:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - Find character position of substring

The FIND function returns a number representing the position of character at which a specific text string is found reading left to right. This function performs a case-sensitive search.

FIND(find_text,within_text, [start_num])

FIND(C3, B3)+1

becomes

FIND("a", "A blue whale breathes air.")+1

becomes

10+1 equals 11.

Step 2 - Count characters in cell B3

The LEN function returns a number representing the number of characters for a given string.

LEN(text)

LEN(B3)

becomes

LEN("A blue whale breathes air.")

and returns 26.

Step 3 - Count characters in cell C3

LEN(C3)

becomes

LEN("a")

and returns 1.

Step 4 - Extract text after based on character position

The RIGHT function extracts a specific number of characters always starting from the right of the text string.

RIGHT(text, [num_chars])

RIGHT(B3,LEN(B3)-FIND(C3,B3)-LEN(C3)+1)

becomes

RIGHT("A blue whale breathes air.",26-11-8+1)

becomes

RIGHT("A blue whale breathes air.",16)

and returns "le breathes air.".

Back to top

6 Extract string between two substrings

The formula in cell F3 extracts a string between two given substrings, they are in cells D3 and D6. The original string is in cell B3.

Formula in cell F3:

Explaining formula

Step 1 - Extract text after given string

TEXTAFTER(B3, D3)

becomes

TEXTAFTER("A blue whale breathes air.", "blue")

and returns " whale breathes air.".

Step 2 - Extract text before given string

The TEXTBEFORE function extracts a string before a specific substring from a given value.

TEXTBEFORE(input_text,text_after, [n], [ignore_case])

TEXTBEFORE(TEXTAFTER(B3, D3), D6)

becomes

TEXTBEFORE(" whale breathes air.", D6)

becomes

TEXTBEFORE(" whale breathes air.", "breathes")

and returns " whale ".

Use the TRIM function to remove leading and trailing spaces.

Back to top