How do I use SEARCH in Excel?
Use SEARCH when you want to find character positions without case sensitivity. Enter Find text, Within text, Start position in that order, then add optional arguments when needed.
Excel Function
SEARCH
Finds text position (case-insensitive).
SEARCH(find_text, within_text, [start_num])Arguments
find_text
RequiredEnter a text value (wrap with quotes when needed).
within_text
RequiredEnter a text value (wrap with quotes when needed).
start_num
OptionalEnter a numeric value.
Practice Preview
Use SEARCH to return the result with these settings (Find text: "@", Within text: C2 (cell C2 (Email in column C)), Start position: 1).
Example Table
| # | AEmployee ID | BName | CEmail | DPayment Amount | EAmount Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | E001 | Taro Tanaka | t.tanaka@example.com | 1200 | 1200 |
| 3 | E002 | Hanako Suzuki | h.suzuki@example.com | 980 | 980 |
| 4 | E003 | Ken Sato | k.sato@example.com | 2450 | 2450 |
| 5 | E004 | Aya Takahashi | a.takahashi@example.com | 3000 | 3000 |
| 6 | |||||
| 7 | |||||
| 8 |
How to Use (Formula)
=SEARCH("@", C2, 1)Result
9
Practice This Function
SEARCH FAQ
Where can I practice SEARCH?
Use the "Start Function Practice" button to jump straight into SEARCH drills.
What arguments does SEARCH use?
The main arguments are Find text, Within text, Start position. Start with the required ones, then add optional arguments if needed.