Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 9, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Sheila has many files of French names. Since use of accents varies on the names, she would like to be able to search for names without having to include the accents. Sue is wondering if Word can perform "accent insensitive" searches.
The short answer is no, it cannot. The reason is simple: Word searches for characters, and all the accented characters are individual and distinct characters.
The workaround, of course, is to use ^? (any character) or ^$ (any letter) in the place where the various accented characters may appear in your names. If you choose to do wildcard searches, you can get even more specific in the accented characters you want to include or not include in your searching.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (500) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Ignoring Accented Characters in Searches.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
Having problems when it comes to replacing information in URLs? You're not the only one; it can be confusing making mass ...
Discover MoreOne of the special characters you can add in a document is the no-width optional break. Although originally designed for ...
Discover MoreWant to repeat the same Find and Replace operation over and over again? Here are a couple of ways you can improve your ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2014-07-12 04:43:32
Ada Bondy
I a little confused after windows xp passed away, and now I have to get used to Windows7 I learn everyday something new and I hope that one day I shall master this new Windows as I did the previous one.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments