How to count if cell does not contain text in Excel?
For example, you have a long list of data in Excel, do you know how to count the number of cells which don't contain a specific text string? In this article, I will introduce a formula to count if cells does not contain specific text string in Excel.
- Count if cell does not contain certain text string with formula
- Count if cells don't contain certain text with Kutools for Excel
Count if cell does not contain certain text string with formula
We can apply the COUNTIF function to figure out the number of cells which don't contain a specific text string in a specific range in Excel.
The basic form of the formula is shown as: =COUNTIF(Range,"<>*txt*")
For example, we want to count cells not containing the text of "count" in the Range A1:A40. In a blank cell enter the formula =COUNTIF(A1:A40,"<>*count*") and then press the Enter key.
Then you will get the number of cells which don't contain the specific text of "count" in the specific Range A1:A40.
Count and select/highlight if cells don't contain text of another column in Excel
Kutools for Excel’s Select Same & Different Cells utility can help you quickly compare two columns, and then select or highlight the same/different cells between two columns, or select/highlight the entire rows based on the same/different cells between two columns.

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Count if cells don't contain certain text with Kutools for Excel
If you have Kutools for Excel installed, its Select Specific Cells utility can help you select all kinds of cells/rows/columns easily, such as cells containing certain text string, cells greater/less than a certain value, etc. Here I will guide you to count cells if not containing certain text string with this utility.
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1. Click the Kutools > Select > Select Special Cells.
2. In the opening Select Specific Cells dialog box, please configure the setting as follows:
(1) Specify the range you will count cells without certain text string into the Select Cells in this range box;
(2) Specify one selection type based on your needs, such as Cell or Entire row.
(3) Click the Specific type box, and select Does not contain from the drop down list;
(4) Type the text string you will count by into besides box.
3. Click the Ok button. Then another dialog box comes out and shows you how many cells have been selected.
In our case, the “19” indicates the cells which don’t contain the certain text string of “Count”. See below screenshot:
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Demo: count if cell does not contain specific text in Excel
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