#  Other Applications & Softwares  > Word Formatting & General >  > [SOLVED] Find and Replace in Selection

## zanshin777

Is it possible to make "Find and Replace" only in "Selection"?

When I select some text in whole text and make find and replace all the text get subjected to changes.

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## Kevin#

I am puzzled. What you seem to be asking for is what Excel does by default.

If I
- select cells and 
- click on *Replace* and 
- enter values to replace _"x_" with_ "y"_ and
- click on *Repalce All*
Excel only replaces within the selected cells

Can you please explain exactly what you are doing that is not working
thanks

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## adhawan06

Hi zanshin777,

While selecting, it will only "Find or Replace" within the selection only. 

What you have to take care of is that when you click on "Replace All" within the selection, a dialog box will pop up saying..





> "We made X replacements in your selection.
> 
> Do you want to search the rest of the document"



Make sure you click on "No" and your changes will take in place only in the selection.

Please let me know if this answer solve your purpose.

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## macropod

> I am puzzled. What you seem to be asking for is what Excel does by default.



Maybe you're puzzled because the post is about Word, not Excel.

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## macropod

As Anil Dhawan says, you can simply select the range and choose 'Replace All', then answer 'No' when prompted to continue. Do note:
1. If nothing is selected, 'Replace All' applies to the whole document; and
2. If something is selected and you choose 'Replace' instead of 'Replace All', the selection is collapsed to the first  found expression, if any, when found and is collapsed entirely after the first item is replaced. Consequently, if you want to do anything more with the original selection, you'd need to re-select it. This is different to 'Replace All', which leaves the original selection selected.

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## Kevin#

@macropod  Paul - What stroke of wizardry is this? Where in post#1 is the clue that this is about Word? Does _MS MVP_ status come with an extra superpower?

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## macropod

> @macropod  Paul - What stroke of wizardry is this? Where in post#1 is the clue that this is about Word? Does _MS MVP_ status come with an extra superpower?



Well, gee, umm, let me see....

As I browse this august site I see we have a group of forums under the heading 'Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum'. I see there we have forums with names like 'Excel General', 'Excel Programming / VBA / Macros', 'Excel Formulas & Functions', 'Excel Charting & Pivots', 'Non English Excel' and 'For Other Platforms(Mac, Google Docs, Mobile OS etc)'. For whatever reason, the OP chose not to post in any of them. Instead he found another one under the heading 'Other Applications & Softwares', named 'Word Formatting & General' and posted there. Do you suppose the fact it it's posted in that particular forum instead of any of those Excel forums _doesn't_ count for anything?

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## Kevin#

@macropod - that makes a lot of sense - wandered aimlessly into the wrong forum. Oops!

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## zanshin777

*1)* I select whilst pressing CTRL bunch of cells in tables.

Then I make replace and say "no" to the question 

however only 4 cells change rest of the selection remains the same.

Why?

*2)* I can't attach a file to the website. Why?

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## adhawan06

> *1)* I select whilst pressing CTRL bunch of cells in tables.
> 
> Then I make replace and say "no" to the question 
> 
> however only 4 cells change rest of the selection remains the same.
> 
> Why?




Hi Zanshin777,

Your original question was only to replace text within the selections based on that the solution was provided to you. 





> Is it possible to make "Find and Replace" only in "Selection"?
> 
> When I select some text in whole text and make find and replace all the text get subjected to changes.



In case you want all text that matches criteria should replace with new content, You can click on "Yes" instead of clicking on "No".






> *2)* I can't attach a file to the website. Why?



Currently the paper clip option is not working so you can try attaching your file by by going on "Go Advanced-->Additional Options-->Attachments-->Manage Attachments".

Hope this answer your query.

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## macropod

> *1)* I select whilst pressing CTRL bunch of cells in tables.



That only selects the actual characters selected while holding down the Ctrl key - it does not select entire cells unless you triple-click on each selected cell. Even then, the Find/Replace will only apply to the last-selected range.

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## zanshin777

> That only selects the actual characters selected while holding down the Ctrl key - it does not select entire cells unless you triple-click on each selected cell. Even then, the Find/Replace will only apply to the last-selected range.



The characters in the cells I select are the same.

Is there a method to replace all the selection?

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## macropod

Select the range by dragging the mouse over it or by just clicking on the start then on the end while holding down the Shift key.

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## zanshin777

Then? 

Where to write what is replaced and what is written?

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## macropod

Then use Find/Replace like you normally would - what else would you expect?

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## zanshin777

Like I said find and replace don't replace all the selected cells.

It changes only the last selected.

How to change all the selected cells in a single move?

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## macropod

Sorry, but that's just nonsense; Word does not work like that. Clearly you haven't followed the advice I gave.

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