This tutorial shows two ways to find and replace text in Word for Mac. First, we will look at the basic method. Then, we will look at the advanced method with additional customization options.
Table of Contents:
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 Word for Mac.”
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The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps will be similar in Word 2021 for Mac, Word 2019 for Mac, and Word 2016 for Mac.
Are you on a PC? Please see “How to Find and Replace Text in Microsoft Word.”
Basic Method to Find and Replace Text in Word for Mac
- Select the Edit menu.
- Select Find from the drop-down menu.
- Select Replace from the submenu.
- Type the text you want to find in the top text box in the Find and Replace sidebar that will appear on the left side of your screen.
- (Optional) Select the Options button and then select refinements from the drop-down menu: Whole Word Only, Ignore Case, Sounds Like, or All Word Forms.
The search results will be highlighted in the sidebar and in the document.
- Type the replacement text in the second text box.
- Select the Replace button to make one replacement at a time.
- (Alternative) Select the Replace All button to replace all the text at once.
- If you selected Replace All, select OK in the dialog box stating how many replacements were made.
- Select the X to close the sidebar.
Advanced Method to Find and Replace Text in Word for Mac
- Select the Edit menu (see figure 1).
- Select Find from the drop-down menu (see figure 2).
- Select Advanced Find and Replace from the submenu.
- Select the Replace tab in the Find and Replace dialog box.
- Type the text you want to find in the Find what text box.
- Type the replacement text in the Replace with text box.
- Select the More button to expand the dialog box.
- Select a direction option in the Search menu.
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- All searches the entire document.
- Down searches below your current cursor placement.
- Up searches above your current cursor placement.
- (Optional) Refine your search with additional options:
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- Match case
- Find whole words only
- Use wildcards
- Sounds like
- Find all word forms
- Match prefix
- Match suffix
- Ignore punctuation characters
- Ignore white-space characters
- Select Find Next to find the next occurrence of the text. Once found, select Replace to make the replacement. (See step 12 for the Replace All option.)
- Select the OK button in the dialog box that appears when the search is finished.
- (Alternative) Select Replace All to make all the replacements at once.
- Select OK in the dialog box reporting how many replacements were made.
- Select the Close button.
