Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 8, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
It is not unusual to use the Replace function multiple times to replace the same information. For instance, you may have a document that contains quite a few tabs. You can use the Replace function to replace two tabs with a single tab. In this way, you can get rid of the extra tabs. However, if your document contains many, many extra tabs, you can replace 8, 20, or 50 tabs with a single tab.
When you are specifying the number of tabs to replace, it is best to use a multiple of two. For instance, in the Find What box you would enter 4, 8, 16, or 32 tabs, and in the Replace With box you would enter a single tab. Continue selecting the Replace All button until you are informed the requested characters could not be found. Then divide the number of characters in the Find What box by two. Thus, if you had searched for 16 tabs, you would now search for 8. You will only have to click on the Replace All button once then. (Word could not find two groups of 8 in a row—if it did, it would have been replaced by the previous search for 16.) On the next iteration, use only 4, and finally 2 tabs. Basically, you have replaced all the extra tabs in around 4 or 5 operations. This is the fastest possible way to do the iterative search and replace.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1140) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!
The wild card searching capabilities of Word are amazing. One thing you can do with wild cards is to specify not only a ...
Discover MoreI do a lot of searching in my documents. Sometimes the searches may not go exactly as I expected. Here are some things I ...
Discover MoreFind and Replace is a great tool, but what are you to do if your find or replace doesn't work as you expect? This tip ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2015-02-14 09:12:17
JMJ
Still faster, in the search and replace window,
- check the "generic characters" box
- in the find box, type ^t{1;}
- in the replace box, type ^t
- hit "replace all" and you're done!
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