• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

  • Microsoft Word
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • PowerPoint
  • Writing
  • Editing

How to Find and Replace Text in Microsoft Word

By Erin Wright

This tutorial shows how to find and replace text in Microsoft Word.

If you want to find and replace text with specific font formatting (e.g., boldness, italics), please see my previous tutorial “How to Find and Replace Font Formatting in Microsoft Word.”

Watch all the steps shown here in real time!

Explore more than 200 writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013.

Are you on a Mac? Please see “How to Find and Replace Text in Word for Mac.”

How to Find and Replace Text

  1. Select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Home tab in Word 365
Figure 1. Home tab
  1. Select Replace in the Editing group.
Replace button in the Home tab in Word 365
Figure 2. Replace button
  1. Type the text you want to find in the Find what text box in the Find and Replace dialog box.
Find what text box in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 3. Find what text box
  1. Type the replacement text into the Replace with text box.
Replace with text box in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 4. Replace with text box
  1. Select the More button to expand the dialog box.
More button in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 5. More button
  1. Select a direction option in the Search menu.
    • All searches the entire document.
    • Down searches below your current cursor placement.
    • Up searches above your current cursor placement.
Search menu in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 6. Search menu
  1. (Optional) Refine your search with additional options such as Match Case (i.e., lowercase and uppercase letters) and Find whole words only, which will prevent Word from finding words that are part of compounds, such as “sun” in “sunshine.”
Search options in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 7. Search options
  1. Select Find Next to find the next occurrence of the text. Once found, select Replace to make the replacement. (See step 10 for the Replace All option.)
Replace and Find Next buttons in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 8. Find Next and Replace buttons
  1. Select the OK button in the dialog box that appears at the end of the search.
Finished searching dialog box in Word 365
Figure 9. OK button
  1. (Alternative to Find Next and Replace) Select Replace All to make all the replacements at once.
Replace All button in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 10. Replace All button
  1. Select OK in the dialog box reporting how many replacements were made.
Number of Replacements dialog box in Word 365
Figure 11. OK button
  1. Select the Close button.
Close button in the Find and Replace dialog box in Word 365
Figure 12. Close button

Pro Tip: Find and Replace Keyboard Shortcut

Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace dialog box directly in the Replace tab.

Related Resources

How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color in Microsoft Word

Updated December 16, 2022

Filed Under: Microsoft Word Tagged With: Word 2013, Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, Word 365

Home » How to Find and Replace Text in Microsoft Word

Primary Sidebar

Meet the Author

Technical Writer and Editor Erin Wright

Hello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube.

Recent Tutorials

How to Create Run-In Headings in Microsoft Word (Indented & Left-Aligned)

How to Insert Text into Shapes in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Export PDF Tables from Adobe Acrobat to Excel (PC & Mac)

How to Insert Images into Shapes in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Align the Periods in Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

Explore More Tutorials

  • Microsoft Word
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • PowerPoint
  • Writing
  • Editing

Footer

  • Microsoft Word Tutorials
  • Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
  • PowerPoint Tutorials
  • Writing Tips
  • Editing Tips
  • Writing-Related Resources
  • About Me
  • Contact
Email: erinwrightwriting@gmail.com
Phone: 708-669-9503

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

© Erin Wright, 2012–2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this website’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.