Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
How to check if a cell contains specific text in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc", A2))✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Text |
| abcdef |
=ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc", A2))→TRUE
Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1Pick the cell where you want the TRUE/FALSE result.
- 2Enter =ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)), replacing "abc" with the substring to find and A2 with the cell to check.
- 3SEARCH("abc",A2) returns the position number if found, or a #VALUE! error if not.
- 4ISNUMBER converts that to TRUE (found) or FALSE (not found).
- 5Copy down the column to test every row, or wrap in IF to return your own label.
Tips
- SEARCH is case-insensitive ("ABC" matches "abc"). For a case-sensitive match, swap to FIND: =ISNUMBER(FIND("abc",A2)).
- For a yes/no label instead of TRUE/FALSE: =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)),"Yes","No").
- To check for any of several substrings (OR logic): =IF(SUMPRODUCT(--ISNUMBER(SEARCH({"abc","xyz"},A2)))>0,"Match","").
- To check that ALL substrings appear (AND logic): =AND(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH("xyz",A2))).
- To return another column's value when found: =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)),B2,"").
- COUNTIF with wildcards is shorter for a single substring: =COUNTIF(A2,"*abc*")>0 returns TRUE if A2 contains "abc".
Working on a sheet you inherited? Run the Auditor on the whole file first — it flags every #REF!, #N/A, broken column pattern, and inconsistent formula in seconds, free, no signup.
Frequently asked
Why not just use SEARCH on its own?
SEARCH returns a position number when found and a #VALUE! error when not. ISNUMBER converts both outcomes to a clean TRUE/FALSE that's safe to use in IF, COUNTIF, and conditional formatting without error handling.
How do I make it case-sensitive?
Swap SEARCH for FIND: =ISNUMBER(FIND("abc",A2)). FIND distinguishes "ABC" from "abc"; SEARCH does not.
How do I check if a cell contains text and return another value?
Wrap the check in IF: =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)),"Yes","No") returns Yes when found, otherwise No. Replace "Yes"/"No" with any values, including references like B2.
How do I check for multiple substrings at once?
For OR logic (any match): =IF(SUMPRODUCT(--ISNUMBER(SEARCH({"abc","xyz"},A2)))>0,"Match",""). For AND logic (all must appear): =AND(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH("xyz",A2))).
How do I check if a cell starts with or ends with specific text?
Starts with: =LEFT(A2,3)="abc". Ends with: =RIGHT(A2,3)="abc". Use FIND/SEARCH only when the substring can appear anywhere in the cell.
Can I use COUNTIF with wildcards instead?
Yes — =COUNTIF(A2,"*abc*")>0 is shorter for a single substring. ISNUMBER+SEARCH wins when you need to combine multiple conditions or use the position number itself elsewhere.
Why does my formula return #VALUE! instead of FALSE?
You probably used SEARCH or FIND alone without ISNUMBER. Both return an error when the substring isn't found — ISNUMBER converts that error to a clean FALSE.