How to find a formatted value in Excel

Let’s take a look.

Here’s the table of names we looked at previously.

Let’s add some formatting, then look at how to find this formatting.

Let’s fill several cells that contain the nameAnnwith yellow.

Let’s also bold two of these cells.

Now let’s add the yellow fill to our search criteria.

The Format button brings up the Format Cells dialog box, where we can select a yellow fill.

When we click OK, the formatting is added to our search criteria.

Now when we click Find Next, Excel only finds cells that containAnn, and have a yellow fill.

Note that Excel also finds the bolded version of the cells.

If we like, we can add bold formatting to our search criteria.

This time, let’s take a different approach.

When we click a cell, the Find window returns with the format set.

Now Excel will only find cells that containAnn, and have a yellow fill, and are bolded.

To remove formatting from the search criteria, select “Clear Find Format” from the Format button menu.

Now, Find Next works like it did before we added the formatting.