How to Find and Replace Text in Microsoft Word

Saves you massive amounts of time

Have you ever written a multi-page document just to realize you need to replace all instances of a word with another? Thinking about having to scroll through and scan for each word manually is agonizing.

Luckily, Microsoft Word has a find and replace function that can do all the work for you. Here’s how you can use it to save time.

What Is the Find and Replace Function?

Find and replace lets you switch out basic text for other text. For example, you can use the function to change a particular word or phrase to another. You can also use it to find and replace grammatical or formatting errors, spelling mistakes, and special characters.

Find and replace is available on MS Word and Excel.

How to Use Find and Replace in Microsoft Word

You canfind and replace text on Wordfor Windows, macOS, and the web version. However, the web version has the most limited functionality, so if you need more varied capabilities, you have to open the document in Word for desktop.

To use find and replace on Windows:

To use find and replace on Mac:

To use find and replace on the web:

Note:You can also access the Find and Replace window with a keyboard shortcut. PressCtrl+Hon Windows andControl+Hon macOS.

Advanced Features of Find and Replace

Beyond replacing simple text, there are also advanced find and replace functionalities. These advanced options let you customize your search to be as specific as you require.

To access the advanced options:

Here you will see the following list of options with checkboxes next to them:

You can also replace formatting on a word or phrase in your document. To do so, selectFormat. The dropdown menu offers several options to replace font, formatting, style, and other characteristics. For example, if you want to highlight all instances of a word, you could selectHighlight.

No More Manual Scanning

Alongside other great features likeDictate, the Microsoft Office find and replace function is a massive timesaver, especially if you’re dealing with a large document like a thesis or manuscript. Use it to search for and fix spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and specific formatting problems in your document to speed up the editing process.

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio

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