Syntax
SEARCH(find_text, within_text, [start_num])
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| find_text | Parameter of the SEARCH function. |
| within_text | Parameter of the SEARCH function. |
| [start_num] | (Optional.) Parameter of the SEARCH function. |
Examples
Case-insensitive text search
Formula
=SEARCH("apple", A2)
Returns: 1 — finds "apple" in "Apple Pie" regardless of case
Check if cell contains a word
Formula
=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("error", A2)), "Has Error", "OK")
Returns: "Has Error" if the cell contains "error" anywhere (case-insensitive)
Wildcard search
Formula
=SEARCH("p*e", A2)
Returns: the position where a pattern starting with p and ending with e begins
Common Errors
#VALUE!
The search text was not found. Wrap with ISNUMBER(SEARCH(...)) to safely test for containment.
#VALUE!
The start_num argument is out of range. It must be between 1 and the length of the text.
Tips
Contains check pattern
=ISNUMBER(SEARCH("keyword", A1)) is the standard way to check if a cell contains specific text. Returns TRUE or FALSE.
Wildcards
Use * for any number of characters and ? for exactly one character. To search for a literal * or ?, precede with ~.
SEARCH vs FIND
Use SEARCH for case-insensitive matching and wildcard support. Use FIND when you need case-sensitive matching.
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