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TEXTBEFORE Function
Summary
The TEXTBEFORE function extracts all text that appears before a specified delimiter within a text string. Perfect for parsing filenames, URLs, email addresses, or any structured text data where you need everything before a consistent separator.
Syntax
=TEXTBEFORE(text, delimiter, [instance_num], [match_mode], [match_end], [if_not_found])Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| text | Text |
Yes | The full text string to search within (no wildcards) |
| delimiter | Text |
Yes | Character or string marking where to split (required) |
| instance_num | Number |
No | Which occurrence of delimiter to use (default=1, negative=from end) |
| match_mode | Number |
No | 0=case sensitive (default), 1=case insensitive |
| match_end | Number |
No | 0=don't match end (default), 1=treat end as delimiter |
| if_not_found | Any |
No | Value to return if no match (default=#N/A) |
Using the TEXTBEFORE Function
TEXTBEFORE revolutionizes text parsing in Excel by letting you extract everything before a delimiter with precision control. Ideal for cleaning data from imports, extracting usernames from emails, getting folder paths from filenames, or processing structured text from web scraping.
Common TEXTBEFORE Examples
Basic Delimiter Extraction
=TEXTBEFORE("Little Red Riding Hood's red hood", "Red")Returns "Little" - everything before first "Red"
Multiple Instances (Forward)
=TEXTBEFORE("Little red Riding Hood's red hood", "red", 2)Returns "Little red Riding Hood's" - before 2nd "red"
Multiple Instances (Backward)
=TEXTBEFORE("Little red Riding Hood's red hood", "red", -2)Returns "Little" - before 2nd "red" counting from end
Case Insensitive
=TEXTBEFORE("Little red Riding Hood's red hood", "Red", 1, 1)Returns "Little red Riding" using case-insensitive match
Extract Username from Email
=TEXTBEFORE("[email protected]", "@")Returns "john.doe" from email address
Filename Without Extension
=TEXTBEFORE("report2024.xlsx", ".")Returns "report2024"
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Errors and Solutions
#VALUE! error
Cause: instance_num = 0 or greater than text length
Solution: Use valid instance_num (1+ for forward, -1+ for backward)
#N/A error
Cause: Delimiter not found in text
Solution: Verify delimiter exists or use if_not_found parameter
#N/A error
Cause: instance_num exceeds delimiter occurrences
Solution: Reduce instance_num or check text content
Notes
- Available only in Excel 365 and Excel 2021+
- Opposite of TEXTAFTER function
- Negative instance_num searches from text end
- Empty text returns empty result
- Perfect companion to TEXTSPLIT for advanced parsing
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+