FIND Formula Generator (2026) — Case-Sensitive Text Search | Free Excel & Sheets

Returns the starting position of one text string within another (case-sensitive).

Generated Formula
=FIND(find_text, within_text)

Learning Resources

Want to master Excel? Check out this Top-Rated Course.

Common Errors & Fixes

  • #VALUE! error

    Causes:
    • The search text does not exist in the source text.
    • Case mismatch (FIND is case-sensitive).
    • The source cell is empty.
    Fixes:
    • Double-check the search text exists.
    • Use SEARCH instead for case-insensitive search.
    • Check that the source cell is not blank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FIND case-sensitive?

Yes, FIND is case-sensitive. "Apple" and "apple" are different. For case-insensitive search, use SEARCH instead.

What does FIND return if the text is not found?

FIND returns a #VALUE! error if the search text is not found. Use IFERROR to handle this: =IFERROR(FIND("x", A1), 0).

How do I find the second occurrence of a character?

Use the start_num argument: =FIND("@", A1, FIND("@", A1)+1) finds the second @ symbol.

Related Formulas

CONCATENATETRIMUPPERLOWERPROPER

Want to become an Excel Pro?

Stop searching for formulas. Master Excel in 30 days with this top-rated course.

Learn More