How to search for a value in all open Excel workbooks?
In Microsoft Excel, you can easily search for a value or text in the active worksheet or current workbook with the Find feature. But what if you need to search all open workbooks? This article shows you how to search the current workbook with Excel's built-in Find feature and how to search all open workbooks at once with Kutools for Excel.
In this tutorial:
Excel Find or Kutools: which method should you use?
Both methods can find text, numbers, and exact cell matches. The main difference is how many workbooks you can search at one time.
| Method | Best for | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Find | Searching a selected range, the active worksheet, or the current workbook | Built in and quick, but you must search each open workbook separately. |
| Kutools for Excel | Searching selected worksheets, specific open workbooks, or all open workbooks | Searches the chosen workbooks in one operation and lists the combined results in the Navigation pane. |
Search for a value or text in the current workbook with Excel Find
You can search for a value or text in the current workbook with Excel's Find feature. Please follow these steps:
1. Click Find & Select > Find to open the Find and Replace dialog box. See screenshot:
Note: You can also press Ctrl + F to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
2. In the Find and Replace dialog box, enter the value or text you want to find in the Find what box on the Find tab. Click Options to expand the dialog box, select Workbook from the Within drop-down list, and then click Find All. See screenshot:
3. All matching results in the current workbook are listed at the bottom of the dialog box.
Note: To search all open workbooks with Excel's built-in feature, repeat these steps in each workbook.
Search for a value or text in all open workbooks with Kutools for Excel
The Find & Replace in Multiple Workbooks utility in Kutools for Excel lets you search all open workbooks in one operation. Please follow these steps:
1. Click Kutools > Find > Find & Replace in Multiple Workbooks.
2. In the Find and Replace pane, make the following settings:
A. Stay on the Find tab.
B. Enter the value or text you want to search for in the Find what box.
C. Select All Workbooks from the Within drop-down list. All open workbooks will be selected in the Workbooks list.
D. Click Find All. The matching results from all open workbooks are immediately listed at the bottom of the pane.
📝 Notes:
- For a case-sensitive search, select Match Case.
- To find cells whose entire contents match the search value, select Match entire Cell.
- Click a result to jump directly to the corresponding cell.
- Click the
button to clear all results from the list.
button to clear all results from the list.If you want to have a free trial (30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Excel search all open workbooks at once without an add-in?
No. Excel's built-in Find feature can search the current worksheet or workbook, so you need to repeat the search in each open workbook.
Do the workbooks need to be open before I search with Kutools?
Yes. The All Workbooks scope searches the workbooks that are currently open in Excel.
Can I search only certain worksheets or workbooks with Kutools?
Yes. Choose the appropriate scope and use the Workbooks list to select the worksheets or open workbooks you want to include.
How can I find only exact cell matches?
In Excel, select Match entire cell contents. In the Kutools pane, select Match entire Cell. This prevents results where the search text appears as only part of a cell's contents.
How can I make the search case-sensitive?
Select Match case in Excel or Match Case in Kutools before running the search.
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