How to Remove Text Before or After a Specific Character in Excel

Do you need to clean up your data in Excel by removing text before or after a specific character? This common task can help you organize your information and make your spreadsheets more manageable. In this article, you will learn the simple steps to remove text before or after a specific character in Excel. With these easy methods, you can quickly tidy up your data and make your work more efficient.

Let’s see how to remove the text before and after a specific character or text string in Excel.

For example, if you have the name and age of people in the data field separated by a comma(,), you may want to remove the age after the comma and only keep the name.

After removing texts present after the comma(,),

For this method, we will use the asterisk(*) wild character (It represents any number of characters). Suppose we have the following data in the Excel sheet, and we want to delete the text before the comma(,).

Step 1: Select the Data and Click on Home Tab

Step 2: Select Find and Select Option

Click on the find and select an option or Press the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl +H”.

Step 3: Click on Replace Option

From the dropdown, select the ‘Replace’ option. The find and replace dialog box will appear on the screen.

Step 4: Enter the Details

To find what field, enter the below conditions as per your need:

• ‘*char’ (Represents any character before,) here we have used ‘*,’ to remove the text before the comma and keep the replace field empty.
• Use ‘char*’ (type the character and then put an asterisk) To remove text after a certain character.
• Use (char*char) to type an asterisk with characters on both sides to delete a substring between two characters.

Step 5: Select Replace All option

Step 6: Preview Results

There is one more easy way to remove text that precedes or follows a specific character which is the ‘Flash Fill‘ feature. Follow the steps to use this feature in Excel:

Step 1: Input the Expected Results in the Adjacent Cell

Type the result you want in the cell next to the cell with your data and press Enter.

Step 2: Automatic Pattern Recognition

Type the appropriate value in the next cell. Excel will follow the same pattern after detecting it.

Step 3: Press Enter

Hit the Enter key to accept the suggestions.

In MS Excel, you have the choice of using built-in features and formulas. You can get the desired result with both methods but formulas offer unique advantages. Formulas are not like built-in functions that directly modify your data, Formulas provide a non-destructive approach and do not make any changes to the original data, and provide greater control over the output. Formulas allow you to define specific calculations and transformations which makes your data flexible and precise. By using formulas, you can perform complex calculations while maintaining the integrity of your data.

Step 1: Choose the cell containing the text to be removed

Step 2: Enter the formula in the Formula Bar

Step 3: Include the text to be deleted in the formula, like this: = SUBSTITUTE(A2,”Hello”,””)

This will erase the specified text from the cell.

To remove a portion of a string after a coma in Excel you can use the below formula:

LEFT(cell, SEARCH(“char”, cell)-1)

We have used the SEARCH function to find the position of the Cooma within the text in cell A2. This position is then passed to the LEFT function, which helps us to extract the corresponding number of characters from the beginning of the String. We have subtracted 1 from the position value returned by SEARCH, we ensure that the comma itself is excluded from the final result.

For example: If you enter this formula in cell A2 and drag it to A10, every cell in column A up to 10 will display the part of the string before the first comma in the corresponding cell of column B

In simple language, this formula allows you to remove everything after the first comma in each string, providing you with a more understandable result.

To remove everything before a specific character in Excel you can use the below formula:

=RIGHT(cell,LEN(cell)- SEARCH(“char”, cell))

In the above formula, we have used the SEARCH function to determine the position of the target character within the text in the cell. This position is subtracted from the total length of the string obtained through the LEN Function. The resulting difference is then passed as an argument to the RIGHT Function, which will extract characters from the end of the string.

The SEARCH Function is not case-sensitive which means it does not differentiate between upper-case and lower-case characters. If you want to distinguish between letter cases, you can use the FIND Function instead of SEARCH Function.

For example

=RIGHT(B2, LEN(B2) – SEARCH(” , ” , A2))

In this case, the comma is after a space character. To remove leading spaces in Excel, we can wrap the core formula in the TRIM Function.

=TRIM(RIGHT(cell, LEN(cell)- SEARCH(” , ” , cell)))

Sometimes you may face a situation where a source string contains multiple occurrences of a delimiter, you may need to remove text after a specific instance.

Use the following formula:

=LEFT(cell,FIND(“#”,SUBSTITUTE(cell,”char”,”#”,n))-1)

In the above formula,”n” represents the occurrence of the character after which you want to remove text. To enhance the formula, we utilize a unique character, such as the hash symbol(#), that does not exist in the source data. If the chosen character appears in your data set, you can select a different unique character.

For example, If you want to remove everything after the second comma in cell B2, including the comma itself. You can use the below formula:

=LEFT(B2,FIND(“#”,SUBSTITUTE(B2,”,”,”#”,2))-1)

Description of the above formula:

FIND is an important part of the formula which is used to calculate the position of the nth delimiter (comma in our case). Replace the 2nd comma in B2 with a hash symbol (or any other character that does not exist in your data) using the SUBSTITUTE:

SUBSTITUTE(B2, “,” “#”, 2)

The resulting string goes to the 2nd argument of FIND, so it finds the position of “#” in that string.

To remove a substring before a specific character in Excel, you can use the formula given below:

=RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(cell, “char”, “#”, n), LEN(cell) – FIND(“#”, SUBSTITUTE(cell,”char’, “#”,n))-1)

For example: If you want to remove the text before the second comma in cell B2. Use the below formula:

=RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(A2, “,”,”#”,2), LEN(B2)- FIND(“#”,SUBSTITUTE(A2,”,”,”#”,2))-1)

To remove any leading space, you can wrap the formula in the TRIM Function:

=TRIM(RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(B2,”,”,”#”,2), LEN(B2)- FIND(“#”,SUBSTITUTE(A2,”,”,”#”,2))))

In the enchanting realm of Excel, we’ve unraveled the secrets of text manipulation, delving into the magical world of data transformation. Through the wizardry of functions like Left, Right, and Mid, we’ve harnessed the power to extract and remove text. As our journey concludes, remember that with these newfound skills, you hold the key to transforming raw data into a masterpiece. Whether you’re a seasoned sorcerer or a beginner on the path to Excel mastery, the ability to remove text before or after a specific character adds a touch of finesse to your spreadsheet sorcery. So go ahead, weave your Excel spells, and let your data dance to the rhythm of your newfound knowledge!

How we can remove the text before a specific character in Excel?

You have to combine LEFT, SEARCH, and SUBSTITUTE Functions to remove text before a specific character.

For example: =RIGHT(B1, LEN(B1)-SEARCH(” Character,”B1))” to delete everything before a specific character in cell B1.

How can we remove the text after a specific character in Excel?

To remove text after a specific character in Excel, you can use functions like LEFT, SEARCH, and SUBSTITUTE. For example, you can use the formula ” =LEFT(B1,SEARCH(“specific character”,B1)-1)” to remove everything after a specific character in cell B1.

How can we remove text between two specific characters in Excel?

You can remove text between two specific characters in Excel by using functions like LEFT, RIGHT, SEARCH, and SUBSTITUTE. For example, you can use the formula

“=LEFT(B1, SEARCH(“first character,”B1)-1) & RIGHT(B1, LEN(B1)-SEARCH(“second character”,B1)-1)” to remove text between two specific characters in cell B1.

What is the way to remove leading or trailing spaces when removing text before or after a specific character in Excel?

You can remove leading and trailing spaces when removing text before or after a specific character in Excel. You can also use TRIM Function in combination with the above formulas.

For Example: You can the formula to

=TRIM(RIGHT(B1,LEN(B1)-SEARCH(“character,B1)))” to remove text after a specific character and delete leading spaces.

Don’t forget to adjust the cell reference and specific characters according to your data when using these formulas.