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How to mask part of a string in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Text manipulationExcel & Google Sheets
=LEFT(A2,2)&REPT("*",LEN(A2)-4)&RIGHT(A2,2)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Sensitive |
| AB123456 |
| XY789012 |
| PQ456789 |
| LM321654 |
=LEFT(A2,2)&REPT("*",LEN(A2)-4)&RIGHT(A2,2)→AB****56
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Step by step
- 1Decide how many characters to reveal at the start and end — a common pattern is 2 visible on each side.
- 2Use LEFT(A2,2) to get the first two characters.
- 3Use REPT("*",LEN(A2)-4) to generate asterisks for every character between the visible portions.
- 4Use RIGHT(A2,2) for the last two characters.
- 5Concatenate all three parts: =LEFT(A2,2)&REPT("*",LEN(A2)-4)&RIGHT(A2,2).
Tips
- For credit card numbers, keep only the last 4 digits visible: =REPT("*",12)&RIGHT(A2,4) — this works for fixed-length 16-digit card numbers.
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Frequently asked
What if the string is shorter than the combined visible characters?
REPT with a negative number returns an empty string, so the formula degrades gracefully. Add an IF to handle very short strings: =IF(LEN(A2)>4, LEFT(A2,2)&REPT("*",LEN(A2)-4)&RIGHT(A2,2), REPT("*",LEN(A2))).
Can I mask an email address?
Yes — extract the username and domain separately with FIND("@",A2) and mask only the username portion before reassembling.
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