Syntax
ISTEXT(value)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| value | Parameter of the ISTEXT function. |
Examples
Check data type
Formula
=ISTEXT(A1)
Returns TRUE if A1 contains text like "Hello" or "123" (number stored as text). Returns FALSE for numeric 123, TRUE/FALSE, or blanks.
Find text-formatted numbers
Formula
=AND(ISTEXT(A1), ISNUMBER(VALUE(A1)))
Returns TRUE when A1 looks like a number but is stored as text (e.g., "500"). Useful for finding data import errors.
Type-specific processing
Formula
=IF(ISTEXT(B2), UPPER(B2), B2)
Converts text values to uppercase but leaves numbers unchanged. Prevents the #VALUE! error from applying text functions to numbers.
Common Errors
#VALUE!
ISTEXT never errors — it always returns TRUE or FALSE.
Tips
Empty string is text
A cell containing ="" returns TRUE for ISTEXT, even though it appears blank. A truly empty cell returns FALSE.
Opposite of ISNUMBER (mostly)
ISTEXT and ISNUMBER are not exact opposites. Booleans, blanks, and errors return FALSE for both. Use TYPE() for complete type detection.
Spot text-formatted numbers
If a SUM formula returns 0 but cells look filled with numbers, check with ISTEXT. Numbers stored as text won't be included in SUM, AVERAGE, etc.
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