Excel REPLACEB Function
The REPLACEB function replaces part of a text string with a new text string based on the number of bytes you specify. REPLACEB is intended for use with languages that use the double-byte character set (DBCS), such as Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, and Japanese. The function counts each double-byte character as 2.
Syntax
=REPLACEB(old_text, start_num, num_bytes, new_text)
Arguments
- old_text (required): The text string in which you want to replace some characters.
- start_num (required): The position of the first byte of character you want to replace in old_text.
- num_bytes (required): Specifies the number of bytes of characters to replace in old_text starting from start_num.
- new_text (required): The new text to replace characters in old_text.
Return Value
The REPLACEB function returns specified number of characters.
Function Notes
- Spaces count as characters.
- REPLACEB always counts each double-byte character as 2 when you have enabled the editing of a language that supports DBCS and then set it as the default language. Otherwise, REPLACEB counts each character as 1 just like REPLACE.
- If start_num is greater than the length of old_text, REPLACEB returns an empty text ("").
- If start_num is less than the length of old_text but start_num + num_bytes exceeds the length of old_text, REPLACEB replaces the characters from the No. start_num to the end of old_text with new_text.
- REPLACEB returns the #VALUE! error if:
- start_num < 1;
- num_bytes is negative.
- REPLACEB counts actual values instead of the look of your data. For example, A1 is date 9/1/2022, >REPLACEB(A1,1,1,8) returns 84805, as the actual value in A1 is 44805 which was just formatted as a date value. To use REPLACEB with dates, you should take advantage of the TEXT function.
Example
To have REPLACEB replace the specified bytes of characters from the old text strings at the positions specified in the table below with the new text, please copy or enter the formula below in the top cell (G6) of the result list, and press Enter to get the result. Then select the result cell, and drag the fill handle (the small square in the lower-right corner of the selected cell) down to apply the formula to the below cells.
=REPLACEB(B6,C6,D6,E6)
Instead of cell references, you can type the actual old_text, start_num, num_bytes and new_text values in the formula as shown below.
=REPLACEB("你在干什么",7,4,"嘛")
Note: You should enclose the text string in an Excel formula with double quotes (""). Note that cell references, numbers or dates should not be within quotes.
REPLACEB VS. REPLACE
REPLACEB counts each double-byte character as 2 and each single-byte character as 1. While REPLACE counts both double- and single-byte character as 1. You can compare the results returned by REPLACEB and REPLACE as shown below.
Note: You should enclose the text string in an Excel formula with double quotes (""). Note that cell references, numbers or dates should not be within quotes.
Related functions
The REPLACE function in Excel can help you to find and replace characters based on given location from text string with a new text. Take the below screenshot as example, replace 4 characters which start at the fifth character from the text string with another text string.
The Microsoft Excel SUBSTITUTE function replaces text or characters within a text string with another text or characters.
The LENB function returns the length of a string in bytes. LENB is intended for use with languages that use the double-byte character set (DBCS), such as Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, and Japanese. The function counts each double-byte character as 2.
The MIDB function returns a specific number of characters from a text string, starting at the position you specify, based on the number of bytes you specify. MIDB is intended for use with languages that use the double-byte character set (DBCS), such as Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, and Japanese. The function counts each double-byte character as 2.
The LEFTB function returns the specified number of characters from the beginning (left) of a supplied string based on the number of bytes you specify. LEFTB is intended for use with languages that use the double-byte character set (DBCS), such as Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, and Japanese. The function counts each double-byte character as 2.
The RIGHTB function returns the specified number of characters from the end (right) of a supplied string based on the number of bytes you specify. RIGHTB is intended for use with languages that use the double-byte character set (DBCS), such as Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Korean, and Japanese. The function counts each double-byte character as 2.
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