The Find and Replace tool replaces one word or phrase with another throughout your document at once
Microsoft Word's Find and Replace feature lets you swap out a word, phrase, or even formatting across your entire document without typing each change by hand. You open it with Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Option+F on Mac, type what you want to find and what you want to replace it with, then Word does the work. This saves hours when you realize you've spelled a client's name wrong throughout a 50-page report, or when you need to change "the company" to "Acme Corp" everywhere it appears.
The tool works in Word on your computer, in Word Online through your browser, and in Word on tablets and phones — though the phone version has fewer options. It's one of Word's most reliable features and rarely causes problems if you follow the steps in order.
Key Takeaways
- Open Find and Replace with Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Option+F (Mac), type the word you want to find and the word you want instead, then click Replace All to change every instance at once.
- Use "Match case" if you only want to replace "The" at the start of sentences, not "the" in the middle of text.
- Use "Find whole words only" to replace "read" without accidentally changing "reading" or "thread".
- Click "Replace" one at a time instead of "Replace All" if you want to check each change before Word makes it.
- Word Online and phone versions of Word have Find and Replace but fewer options than the desktop version.
Opening Find and Replace on Windows
Press Ctrl+H at the same time. A box titled "Find and Replace" will open on the right side of your screen. If nothing happens, make sure your document is open and you are clicked inside it — Word needs to know which document to search.
You can also reach it through the menu: click the Home tab at the top, then look for a button that says Find & Replace or has a magnifying glass icon. Click the small arrow next to it and choose Replace.
Opening Find and Replace on Mac
Press Command+Option+F at the same time. The Find and Replace panel will appear. If it doesn't, make sure your document is open and active.
You can also click Edit in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then scroll down and click Find and Replace.
Typing what to find and what to replace it with
In the box labeled Find, type the word or phrase you want to change. In the box labeled Replace with, type what you want it to become. For example, if you typed "teh" throughout your document by accident, you would type "teh" in Find and "the" in Replace with.
Do not press Enter or click anything yet. Word is ready to search, but it hasn't started looking through your document.
If you leave the Replace with box empty and click Replace All, Word will delete the word you found instead of swapping it for something else. This is useful if you want to remove a word entirely, but be careful — you can undo it with Ctrl+Z if you change your mind.
Replacing every instance at once or one at a time
Once you have typed both words, you have two choices. Click Replace All to change every single instance of that word in your document without stopping. Word will tell you how many replacements it made. This is fast and works well when you are confident the word should be replaced everywhere — like fixing a misspelled name.
Click Replace (not Replace All) if you want Word to find the first instance, highlight it, and wait for you to decide. You can then click Replace to change that one, or click Find Next to skip it and move to the next one. This takes longer but is safer when the word might mean different things in different places. For example, if you search for "read," you might want to replace it in some sentences but not others.
Word will show you a message when it reaches the end of the document and has no more matches to find.
Using Match Case and Find Whole Words Only
Below the Find and Replace boxes, you will see checkboxes for Match case and Find whole words only. These let you be more precise about what Word replaces.
Match case means Word will only find the word if the capital letters match exactly. If you check this box and search for "The," Word will find "The" at the start of sentences but not "the" in the middle of a sentence. This is useful when you want to change a proper noun but leave the regular word alone.
Find whole words only means Word will only find the word if it stands by itself, not as part of a longer word. If you search for "read" without checking this box, Word will also find and change "reading," "reader," and "thread." If you check the box, it will only change "read" when it appears as its own word. This prevents accidents.
Undoing a replacement you didn't mean to make
If you click Replace All and then realize Word changed something you didn't want changed, press Ctrl+Z when ready. This will undo the entire replacement and put your document back the way it was. You can then open Find and Replace again, check the "Match case" or "Find whole words only" boxes, and try again more carefully.
If you have already saved your document after the replacement, Ctrl+Z will not work — you will have to fix the changes by hand or close the document without saving and reopen the last saved version. This is why it is a good idea to save your document before you do a large Replace All, so you have a backup if something goes wrong.
Using Find and Replace in Word Online and on phones
Word Online (the version you use in your web browser) has Find and Replace, but it is simpler than the desktop version. Press Ctrl+H to open it, type what you want to find and replace, and click Replace All. You will not see the "Match case" or "Find whole words only" options.
On phones and tablets, open your document, tap the three dots or lines at the top, look for a magnifying glass icon or the word "Find," and tap it. Most phone versions let you find words but do not have a full Replace feature — you may only be able to see where the word appears, not change it. If you need to replace many words, it is usually faster to do it on a computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace a word with nothing to delete it?
Yes. Leave the "Replace with" box empty and click Replace All. Word will remove every instance of that word from your document. Use Ctrl+Z right away if you change your mind, because once you save, you cannot undo it.
What if I want to replace only some of the words, not all of them?
Click "Replace" instead of "Replace All." Word will find the first instance, highlight it, and wait for you. Click "Replace" to change that one, or click "Find Next" to skip it and move to the next match. This takes longer but gives you control over each change.
Will Find and Replace change words inside tables or text boxes?
Yes, Find and Replace searches your entire document, including tables, text boxes, headers, and footers. If you only want to search part of your document, select that section first before opening Find and Replace.
Can I undo a Replace All if I already saved the document?
No. Once you save, Ctrl+Z will not work. Close the document without saving and reopen the last saved version, or fix the changes by hand. This is why saving before a large replacement is a good idea.
Does Find and Replace work with special characters or line breaks?
Yes, but you need to use special codes. In the Find box, you can type ^p for a paragraph break or ^t for a tab. The desktop version of Word has a "Special" button that shows you all the codes. Word Online and phone versions do not support this feature.