The fastest way to replace a word
Open your document and press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+H (Mac). This opens the Find & Replace dialog. Type the word you want to remove in the "Find" field, type the word you want instead in the "Replace" field, then click "Replace All" to change every instance at once. If you want to check each change before it happens, click "Replace" one at a time instead.
This works in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages, and most other word processors. The keyboard shortcut is the same across all of them. If the shortcut does not work, go to the Edit menu at the top and look for "Find and Replace"—it will be listed there.
The Find & Replace tool is much faster than manually hunting through your document and retyping. It also catches words you might miss, especially in long documents.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+H (Mac) to open Find & Replace in any word processor.
- Type the word to remove in "Find" and the replacement word in "Replace", then click "Replace All" to change every instance at once.
- Use "Replace" one at a time if you want to review each change before it happens, which is useful when the word has multiple meanings in your document.
- The Find & Replace feature works the same way in Word, Google Docs, Pages, and most other document software.
When to use Replace All versus Replace one at a time
"Replace All" is safe when you are certain the word means the same thing everywhere it appears. For example, if you misspelled someone's name as "Jonathon" throughout a 20-page report, "Replace All" will fix every instance in seconds.
"Replace" one at a time is better when the word has different meanings depending on context. If you want to change "bank" to "financial institution" but your document also mentions "river bank", you need to review each one. Click "Replace" to change it, or click "Find Next" to skip it and move to the next match.
Using Find & Replace with capital letters and whole words
Most Find & Replace dialogs have checkboxes for "Match case" and "Whole words only". Use "Match case" if you want to replace only lowercase "cat" but leave "Cat" and "CAT" unchanged. Use "Whole words only" if you want to replace "cat" but not the "cat" inside "catalog".
These options are usually found below the search fields. They are turned off by default, so you have to check them yourself. If you do not see them, look for a button that says "More options" or a small arrow next to the search fields.
How to undo a Replace All if you made a mistake
If you click "Replace All" and realize you made the wrong choice, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready to undo. This reverses the entire replacement and puts your document back the way it was. You can undo multiple times if you need to go back several steps.
This is why it is a good idea to save your document before doing a large replacement, especially if you are not sure about it. If you have already closed the document and reopened it, undo will not work—the changes are permanent. In that case, you can use "Replace All" again with the fields reversed (put the new word in "Find" and the old word in "Replace") to swap them back.
Find & Replace in Google Docs
Google Docs works the same way: press Ctrl+H or go to Edit > Find and Replace. Type your search word and replacement word, then click "Replace all". Google Docs will tell you how many replacements it made at the bottom of the dialog.
One difference: Google Docs saves automatically, so you cannot undo a replacement by closing without saving. Use Ctrl+Z right away if you need to reverse it. You can also look at the version history (File > Version history > See version history) to go back to an earlier version of the document if you need to.
Find & Replace in Microsoft Word
In Word, the Find & Replace dialog has more options than most other programs. You can search for formatting (like bold or italic text), special characters, and even paragraph breaks. To search for a paragraph break, type ^p in the Find field. To search for a tab, type ^t.
These special codes are useful if you want to remove extra line breaks or replace tabs with spaces. Word also lets you use wildcards (a feature for pattern matching) if you turn on "Use wildcards" in the dialog. This is an advanced feature and not needed for most replacements.
What to do if Find & Replace is not finding your word
The most common reason Find & Replace does not find a word is a typo in the search field. Double-check that you spelled the word correctly and that there are no extra spaces before or after it. If you are searching for a phrase with multiple words, make sure the spacing is exactly right.
Another reason is that the word might be split across a page break or formatted differently than you think. Try searching for just part of the word—for example, search for "ing" instead of "running" to see if the word is there but formatted in a way that breaks the search. If you still cannot find it, try closing and reopening the document, or restarting the word processor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace a word with nothing to delete it?
Yes. Leave the "Replace" field empty and click "Replace All". This removes every instance of the word from your document. Make sure you use "Whole words only" so you do not accidentally delete that word when it is part of a longer word.
What if I want to replace a word only in a certain part of my document?
Select the text you want to search in before opening Find & Replace. Most word processors will then search only within your selection. If you do not see this option, you can manually search through the document using "Find Next" and click "Replace" only when you reach the section you want to change.
Can I replace text with a line break or special character?
In Microsoft Word, yes—type ^p in the Replace field to insert a paragraph break, or ^t for a tab. In Google Docs and Pages, this is not possible through the standard Find & Replace dialog. You would need to do these replacements manually or use a different method.
Does Find & Replace work the same way on my phone or tablet?
Most phone and tablet apps have a Find feature but not a full Find & Replace. Google Docs on mobile has a limited version—tap the three-line menu, then search, but you cannot replace automatically. For full Find & Replace, use the desktop version of your word processor.