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How to search in Microsoft Word documents

Struggling to find the right words? Find and Replace is here to help.
By

Published onJanuary 3, 2023

Microsoft Word documents can get long. If you need to find a specific portion of the document, it can be a huge hassle to read through everything looking for it. Luckily, there is a “Find” function built into Microsoft Word called Navigation. This is how to search in Microsoft Word documents.

Read more: How to check the word count in Microsoft Word

QUICK ANSWER

To search in Microsoft Word documents, click Home > Find. In the Navigation tab, use the search bar to find the text you're looking for. Alternatively, you can use "ctrl+F" on PC or "cmd+F" on Mac.


JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to find text in a Word document

Click the Find button within the Home tab.

click find button word
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This will open the Navigation tab. Use the search bar to find whichever piece of text you are looking for in your document.

searching within a document word
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How to use advanced search in Microsoft Word

Using “advanced search” in a Microsoft Word document is the same as going into Find and Replace. This will allow you to narrow down your search results even further.

Click the Find button within the Home tab.

click find button word
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Within the Navigation tab, click the magnifying glass button in the search bar.

magnifying glass button
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From the subsequent dropdown menu, click Advanced Find….

click advanced find
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This will take you to Find and Replace. Use the various parameters to narrow down your search within your document.

use find and replace word
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Frequently Asked Questions

The universal “search” shortcut, ctrl+F for PC and cmd+F for Mac, also work in the MacOS, Windows, and browser versions of Microsoft Word.

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