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REGEXTEST Function
Summary
The REGEXTEST function performs regular expression matching to determine if any part of a text string matches a specified pattern. It returns TRUE for matches and FALSE otherwise, enabling powerful text pattern validation and data analysis.
Syntax
REGEXTEST(text, pattern, [case_sensitivity])Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| text | Text |
Yes | The text or cell reference containing text to match against |
| pattern | Text |
Yes | Regular expression pattern to test for matches |
| case_sensitivity | Number |
No | Optional: 0=case-sensitive (default), 1=case-insensitive |
Using the REGEXTEST Function
REGEXTEST revolutionizes text analysis in Excel by bringing powerful regex capabilities to spreadsheet users. Use it to validate formats, search for patterns, or filter data based on complex string matching rules far beyond basic wildcard searches.
Common REGEXTEST Examples
Basic Character Matching
=REGEXTEST(A1,"a")Returns TRUE if cell A1 contains letter 'a' anywhere (e.g., 'alfalfa')
Lowercase Letter Detection
=REGEXTEST("alfalfa","[a-z]")TRUE - detects any lowercase letters in the text
US Phone Number Validation
=REGEXTEST(A1,"^\([0-9]{3}\) [0-9]{3}-[0-9]{4}$")TRUE for '(378) 555-4195', FALSE for '+1(878) 555-8622'
Case-Insensitive Email Check
=REGEXTEST(B1,"[a-z]+@[a-z]+\.[a-z]+",1)TRUE for '[email protected]' using case-insensitive mode
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Errors and Solutions
#VALUE! error
Cause: Invalid regex pattern syntax
Solution: Verify pattern uses valid PCRE2 regex syntax
Unexpected FALSE results
Cause: Case sensitivity mismatch or unescaped special characters
Solution: Use case_sensitivity=1 or escape parentheses with \\
Notes
- Escape special characters like ( ) with backslash \\
- [0-9] matches digits, [a-z] matches lowercase letters
- Works with REGEXEXTRACT and REGEXREPLACE functions
- Pattern '^...$' matches entire string only
Compatibility
Available in: Excel 365, Excel 2021
Not available in: Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Excel 2007
Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 365, Excel 2021