To replace every occurrence of a word in desktop Word 2013 for Windows, open Home > Editing > Replace, enter the old word in Find what and the new word in Replace with, then choose Replace All. Select More > Find whole words only first if you want to avoid changing matching letters inside longer words.
This is a legacy Word 2013 guide. The original images show the classic Word interface; their appearance differs from current Word. For Microsoft 365, newer desktop editions, Mac, or browser Word, use our current Find and Replace guide. The instructions here concern one open document.
Before Making a Bulk Replacement
Save an original copy before changing a long document. Check that you have editing access and decide whether all matches should change. If some quotations, names, or historical references should stay as written, use Find Next and Replace individually instead.
A match is a piece of text, not an understanding of your sentence. Replacing art with design should not accidentally turn party into another word. Whole-word matching addresses that kind of partial match; it cannot decide whether a complete word is appropriate in context.
Replace All in the Classic Windows Interface
Step 1: Open the Document and Home Tab
Open the file you want to edit in Word 2013. Choose Home at the top of the window so its editing commands are visible.
Step 2: Open Replace
Choose Replace in the Editing group on the right side of the ribbon. The Find and Replace dialog opens. Ctrl + H is the shortcut to its replacement controls; Ctrl + F starts a search instead.
Step 3: Enter the Old and New Words
Enter the existing word or phrase in Find what, then the new wording in Replace with. Check spaces and punctuation in both fields. Leave Replace with empty only if you intend to remove the matched text.
Step 4: Set Whole-Word Matching Before Replace All
Choose More to reveal search settings, then select Find whole words only if you need complete words. This is especially useful for short words that also occur inside longer ones.
Select Match case when capitalization matters. For example, searching for John with that setting selected distinguishes it from JOHN. For a straightforward text substitution, leave wildcards off and review any other options left from an earlier search.
Step 5: Preview a Match and Replace
Choose Find Next and read the highlighted word in its sentence. Use Replace for a single approved change. When every matching occurrence should receive the same wording, choose Replace All.
Read the completion message, then check several changed passages. Search again for the old word and inspect any remaining occurrences. Save the result only after checking headings, quotations, and other places where the wording matters.
Fix Missing Matches or Unwanted Changes
No matches: confirm the old wording appears in this document. Copy a short example into Find what, check capitalization, and inspect the settings under More. Different spelling needs a separate search; replacing one exact spelling does not also fix every typo.
Only some words changed: check whether Match case or whole-word matching intentionally excluded them. Review the remaining text before broadening the search. Do not turn off all restrictions and repeat Replace All without checking what the broader search finds.
Too much changed: stop and press Ctrl + Z to undo the previous action. Inspect the result. If you have made further edits, one undo may not restore the starting document; compare your saved original before continuing.
Advanced Options and Common Questions
The classic dialog also offers Format and Special. Format searches for formatting conditions, while Special handles items such as tabs or breaks. They are separate from an ordinary word replacement. Current Microsoft replacement search-options documentation explains their purpose, including No Formatting for clearing a formatting condition.
Should I Use Wildcards?
Use them only when you deliberately want a pattern rather than the literal word you entered. Preview the matches one at a time before applying a pattern to the whole document. A wildcard search can include more text than a beginner expects.
Does Replace All Change Every File?
No. This procedure applies to the document you have open. Repeat the checked process separately for other files, keeping their originals.
Do These Images Show Current Word?
No. They are the original classic-interface images retained for this legacy article. Microsoft’s current Word instructions cover newer editions and platform differences. Check the version-specific guide when the controls on your screen differ.
Finish with a check of the revised wording in context. A successful bulk edit should preserve the exceptions you intended to keep.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.