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How to Use Find and Replace in Google Docs

Fix a mistake in seconds with this handy feature

By Marziah Karch Marziah Karch Writer Michigan State University Emporia State University Marziah Karch is a former writer for Lifewire who also excels at Serious Game Design and develops online help systems, manuals, and interactive training modules. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 24, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Google Apps Docs Sheets Slides

What to Know

Press Ctrl+H (Windows), Command+Shift+H (macOS), or select Edit to open Find and Replace tool.Type text into Find field > type new text into Replace with field. This article explains how to use the Find and Replace tool in Google Docs, as well as how to search a document for specific text. The tool also works with Google Sheets and Google Slides. However, it works only on the desktop version of these applications, which are accessed through a web browser.

How to Use Find and Replace

You can open the Find and Replace tool in Google Docs with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Shift+H (macOS). You can also access it via the Edit menu. Open the Find and Replace dialog box and type the word or phrase you want to locate in the Find field. Enter the new word(s) in the Replace with field. Select the Replace all button to swap all of the text in the Find field with the text you entered in the Replace with field. The errors in your document are now fixed. If you want to replace only some of the instances and not every single one in the document, use the Prev and Next buttons to find each instance of the word and then click Replace if needed.

Other Uses for Find and Replace

Find and Replace in Google Docs has additional functionality. Here's what else it can do.

Numbers and Characters

Search for numbers and other characters, and even use regular expressions to search for text. For instance, find every sentence that ends with "option;" then replace it with "option!", or whatever else you want.

Delete Words in Bulk

Find and Replace is helpful for deleting words in bulk. With Google Docs, enter the word or words to be removed in the Find field and put either a space or nothing at all in the Replace with field, essentially deleting the words.

Match Case

The Match case option lets you search for words with specific letters in upper case or lower case. For example, maybe you want to replace the word "mom," but only if it's capitalized in your document as "Mom." Type Mom in the Find field and enable the Match case option. No other variations on the word will be affected.

Finding Text Within a Document

If you're in a Google Doc and want to search for specific text, access Find through the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (macOS). The Find tool works well to quickly locate text, numbers, and other characters within the document. With the Find tool open, access Find and Replace by selecting the three-dotted button next to the Find box. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Search in Google Sheets The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts in 2022 How to Control F on iPad How to Control F on Android How to Remove a Page Break in Word How to Open Google Docs How to Unshare a Google Doc How to Use APA Format in Google Docs How to Check Word Count on Google Docs How to Change a Google Docs Background to a Picture How to Use Find and Replace in Word How to Check for Plagiarism in Google Docs How to Strikethrough on Google Docs How to Allow Access to Google Docs How to Access Google Docs Trash How to Alphabetize in Google Docs Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies