How to Search for a Word in Google Docs on Desktop and Mobile

Quick Tips

• Use the shortcut Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) to quickly open the Google Docs search bar.
• Access additional search options by clicking the three vertical dots in the search bar, allowing case-sensitive searches or matching whole words only.
• On mobile, tap the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner, select Find and replace, and enter your search term.

How to Search for Specific Words in Google Docs on Desktop

Google Docs offers multiple ways to search for a specific word. We will explain all the methods in a step-by-step format. Let’s start with the easiest method. 

Method 1: Using the Shortcut Command

Step 1: Go to Google Docs on your computer. Navigate to the document in which you want to do a word search. 

Step 2: Once the document opens, press Ctrl + F on your Windows keyboard or Command + F on your Mac keyboard.

A search box will appear in the top-right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Type the word or phrase you want to search for in the box. Ex: guidingtech

Note: The search isn’t case-sensitive, meaning the uppercase and lowercase letters are treated as the same. For example, if you search for guidingtech, you will get the same results as if you search for GuidingTech or GUIDINGTECH.

That’s it. You have successfully searched for specific words in Google Docs. It is important to note that Google Docs will highlight which instance of that word you are currently on in the document if there are multiple instances. The current instance of the word you are reading is highlighted in dark green, while the others are highlighted in light green.

Additionally, you can navigate between the instances of the word or phase in the document using the up or down arrows in the top right corner of the search box.

Method 2: Using Regular Expressions (RegEx)

Unlike simple text searches, with RegEx, you can search for words or patterns within your document using sequences of characters that define a search pattern.

Look at the syntax for regular expression before we begin with the steps. 

Step 1: Go to Google Docs on your computer. Navigate to the document in which you want to do a word search.

Step 2: Once the document opens, press Ctrl + F on your Windows keyboard or Command + F on your Mac keyboard.

A search box will appear in the top-right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Click on the three-dots icon for more options.

Step 4: Check the box next to Use regular expressions.

Step 5: Now, enter the regular expressions in the text box adjacent to Find and hit the Enter/Return key on your keyboard. Ex: wo\w

Note: By clicking Previous and Next, you can navigate through all results.

Now you know how to do an advanced search in Google Docs using regular expressions.

Some examples of regular expressions include:

• \s – To replace any whitespace character with a comma. It will replace Hello World with Hello, World, 1 2 3 with 1,2,3, etc.
• favou?r – To search both favor and favour.
• cat\w* – To find any word that starts with cat. For example, this will match cat, catch, caterpillar, etc.
• \w+@\w+\.com – To find any email address that ends with .com. For example, this will match ‘example@gmail.com,’ etc.
• \d{2}/\d{2}/\d{4} – To find any date in the dd/mm/yyyy format. For example, this will match ’14/11/2023,’ ’01/01/2021,’ etc.

If you can’t access your desktop and want to find certain words in Google Docs, continue reading.

How to Search for Words in Google Docs on Mobile

Step 1: Launch the Google Docs app on your Android or iOS device. Then, navigate to the document where you want to search for a word or phrase.

Step 2: In the document, tap the three-dot icon. From the menu, choose Find and replace.

Step 3: Now, type the word you wish to search for and tap the search or enter button. Ex: Google

There you go. The result will appear immediately, and you can use the arrows to navigate between the instances of the word. 

Continue reading if you can’t search in a Google Docs document.

Why Can’t I Search in Google Docs

• The search functionality might sometimes be temporarily disabled due to updates or maintenance.
• Browser-related issues, such as outdated versions or cache problems, can affect search functionality.
• Complex formatting or embedded elements might hinder search performance.
• Poor or unstable internet connection can hinder the search feature.
• Very large documents may slow down or disrupt search capabilities.

This may resolve any temporary glitches affecting Google Docs search functionality. If nothing works, reach out to Google Docs support.

FAQs on Finding Certain Words in Google Docs

Now that you know how to search in Google Docs, efficiently navigate documents, edit content, collaborate with others, correct errors, and so on.