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Replace Shortcut Key (Ctrl + H) for Find and Replace

EditingWord and ExcelFind and replaceChecked 2 Nov 2026

Word, Excel, Notepad

CtrlH

Find only

CtrlF

Replace all in the box

AltA

Word for Mac

ControlH

The replace shortcut key is Ctrl + H. In Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Notepad it opens the Find and Replace box with the Replace tab ready: type the word to find, type its replacement, and press Replace All.

Find on its own is Ctrl + F. Together they are the quickest way to fix a misspelt name across a 30 page report or change a code in hundreds of Excel cells.

Quick facts

  • Find and replace

    Ctrl + H

  • Find only

    Ctrl + F

  • Replace all

    Alt + A in the box

  • Next match

    Alt + F

  • Undo replace all

    Ctrl + Z

  • Word for Mac

    Control + H

Find and replace shortcut key by program

Where Ctrl + H works
ProgramReplace keysFind keys
WordCtrl + HCtrl + F (side pane)
ExcelCtrl + HCtrl + F
PowerPointCtrl + HCtrl + F
NotepadCtrl + HCtrl + F
BrowsersNo replace on web pagesCtrl + F
Word for MacControl + HCommand + F

How to use the replace shortcut in Word

  1. Press Ctrl + H. The cursor is in the Find what box.
  2. Type the word to change, press Tab, and type the new word in Replace with.
  3. Press Alt + F to see the next match, or Alt + R to replace just that one.
  4. Press Alt + A to replace every match. Word tells you how many were changed.

If Replace All changed too much, one press of Ctrl + Z undoes the whole batch. It is a good habit to press Find Next a couple of times first, to see what kind of text will be changed, before replacing everything in a long contract or report.

Match case and whole words

Click More in the Word box to see options. Wildcards and special characters such as paragraph marks are also there, for advanced clean up of documents pasted from email. Match case stops Ram from also changing ram, and Find whole words only stops cat from changing inside category. These two ticks prevent most find and replace mistakes.

Word can also replace formatting. With the cursor in Replace with, click Format, then Font, to turn every match bold or a new colour.

Replace in Excel

In Excel, Ctrl + H searches the selected cells or, with one cell selected, the whole sheet. Choose Within: Workbook under Options to change every sheet at once. Look in: Formulas lets you change part of a formula, such as a sheet name, everywhere it appears. Excel also has a Replace format option, so you can turn every cell with a red fill into green in one go. Our Excel shortcut keys list has the related keys.

When the replace shortcut does not work

Problems and fixes
ProblemFix
Ctrl + H opens historyYou are in a browser; web pages have find only
No matches foundCheck spaces and Match case; clear old formatting in the box
Replaced inside other wordsTick Find whole words only
Excel says cannot find dataSelect one cell so the whole sheet is searched
A school office has a circular with the wrong exam date in twelve places. The clerk presses Ctrl + H, types the old date and the new one, presses Alt + A, and all twelve are fixed before printing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut key for replace?
Ctrl + H.
What is the find and replace shortcut key in Word?
Ctrl + H opens Find and Replace; Ctrl + F opens find only.
How do I replace all at once?

In the Replace box, press Alt + A or click Replace All.

Can I undo replace all?

Yes, press Ctrl + Z once.

Does Ctrl + H work in Excel?

Yes, it opens Find and Replace with the Replace tab.

What is the replace shortcut in Word for Mac?
Control + H.