How to find a value in Excel

Let’s take a look.

To find a value in Excel, use the Find and Replace dialog box.

Let’s try looking for the nameAnn.

Nothing happens until we poke the Find Next button.

Then, each time we click, Excel finds another match.

Note that Excel finds other names that containAnnas wellAnnie, Ann, Danny, and then Hannah.

If we continue clicking Find Next, Excel will eventually return to the first match.

By default, Excel searches left to right, first through rows, then columns.

you might hold down the shift key when you press “Find Next” to move backwards.

Now let’s review the Find options.

If we select workbook, Excel will now find matches on Sheet 2.

The “search” option determines the order that Excel looks through cells.

The default is “By Rows.”

There is also an option to search Formulas, Values, and Comments.

We’ll look at these in a future lesson.

With the Find dialog closed, you might still find things with the keyboard shortcut Shift F4.

Excel will use the current Find prefs and choose the next match.