Find and Replace Feature - Undo

Copper Contributor

Can you please advise if Excel can "undo" if using the Find and Replace Feature?

 

E.g. Use the Find and Replace Feature to search for X within a worksheet that contains say ten results for X, then review the results by electing "Find Next", though after moving between results, subsequently desire to review a previous result using "undo".

 

Thanks and regards.

 

I believe I posted earlier, though the post has not appeared, so I tried again. I did not intentionally disregard any rules - apologies if I have unintentionally etc.

3 Replies

@2023July2023 

 

Can you please advise if Excel can "undo" if using the Find and Replace Feature?

 

E.g. Use the Find and Replace Feature to search for X within a worksheet that contains say ten results for X, then review the results by electing "Find Next", though after moving between results, subsequently desire to review a previous result using "undo".

 

I didn't know the answer, so I did what I would encourage you to do: go experiment. You're not going to break anything. 

 

The process I used:

  • opened a spreadsheet that had a recurring set of letters (among many others)
  • selected FIND and REPLACE, changing ARK to AKR

mathetes_0-1690816499939.png

 

  • Went one at a time clicking on the "Next" button
  • clicked on "Replace" for the first, third and fifth
  • then clicked (three times) the "Undo" icon at the top of the screen

And in doing this I learned the answer to your question: "Yes"

That is to say, "Yes, you can undo changes made through Find and Replace"

 

To go back to my first point, though, one of the best ways to learn Excel is to "play" with it, take chances, try things out, experiment. Obviously, don't play with a spreadsheet that contains vital information that, changed, could cost you or your company millions. I "played" with a spreadsheet that gets totally refreshed every day and, once used, is not needed at all...... But give yourself permission to try things out. 

 

That doesn't mean you shouldn't come and ask questions here, but the reality is that those of us who presume to answer questions sometimes find the answers ourselves--as I did in this instance--by experimenting. Sometimes we know the answer in advance because we'd discovered it by experimenting in the past.... That's why I encourage you to give yourself permission to do that, whenever possible.

@mathetes 

Thank you for the information.

 

Can you please provide any more information regarding “undo”, considering the following?

  1. If I elect undo from the top, this undoes the last data modification to the worksheet, and does not elect the previous “found” data, as I desire,
    1. My previous explanation may have been misleading etc - apologies.
  2. The illustration of “find and replace” in your information includes a “previous” option that may provide the desired functionality, however I cannot find “previous” on the couple of versions of Excel that I have, and apparently “previous” is a “limited release” feature according to the following:

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/find-and-replace-dialog-box-in-excel/e769740c...

 

I unsuccessfully attempted Googling/trialling etc.

 

Thanks and regards.

@2023July2023 

If I elect undo from the top, this undoes the last data modification to the worksheet, and does not elect the previous “found” data, as I desire,

My previous explanation may have been misleading etc - apologies.

 

"Undo" does go back through recent changes beginning with the most recent. So if you had waited and done other things after your Find/Replace routine, then, yes, it would undo those things before getting to the Find/Replace changes.

 

The illustration of “find and replace” in your information includes a “previous” option that may provide the desired functionality, however I cannot find “previous” on the couple of versions of Excel that I have, and apparently “previous” is a “limited release” feature according to the following:

I do have a Microsoft 365 subscription, and it's possible--as alluded to in the link you provided--that this is a feature being subject to "beta" testing.