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How to search for text across multiple Excel and PDF files at once
Use Agent Ransack, a free Windows app, to find which Excel or PDF file in a folder contains a piece of text, such as an ID number, without opening the files one by one.
By Nur Islam- 3:35 video
- 5 steps
- 13K views
Jump to a step (5)
When you have dozens or thousands of spreadsheets or PDFs and need the one that holds a certain ID or name, Excel and Windows will not search inside all of them at once. Opening each file and pressing Ctrl+F is not realistic.
In the video I have a folder of 75 property data spreadsheets and need to find which one holds a given APN (assessor's parcel number). Agent Ransack searches inside every file in a folder and lists the matches in seconds. It works for PDF files too, and for folders that mix both.
The free Lite mode is enough for this.
What you need
- A Windows computer
- The free Agent Ransack app (Lite mode)
- A folder with the Excel or PDF files you want to search
Step by step
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01
Download and install Agent Ransack
Download Agent Ransack from the Mythicsoft website and install it like any other app. When it asks for a license type, choose Lite. Lite mode is free to use.
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02
Choose the folder to search
The app has three main boxes: file name, containing text and look in. Hover over Look in, use the folder option and select the folder with your Excel files.
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03
Search for the text
Paste the text you are looking for, such as an ID number, into Containing text and click Start. The files that contain it are listed. If the text is in several files, all of them appear. Open the file from the results or note its name and location.
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04
Include subfolders
If your files are spread across subfolders, tick the Subfolders option before you start the search.
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05
Search inside PDF files
Change Look in to a folder of PDF files, type your text in Containing text and click Start. Open the PDF from the results and use its own search to jump to the exact page. You can also pick a folder that holds both Excel and PDF files.
Tips and common problems
- Search speed depends on how many files you have and on your computer. 75 files take moments. Thousands take longer.
- Tick Subfolders if the files are not all in one folder.
- Agent Ransack tells you which file holds the text. Use the search inside Excel or your PDF reader to find the exact cell or page.
Quick version
The short version shows the same thing in under a minute: install Agent Ransack, enter the text you want to find, select the folder with your Excel or PDF files and click Start. It can search subfolders as well. Watch the short.
Questions
Can Excel search multiple files at once?
Not across closed workbooks in a folder. A free app like Agent Ransack searches inside all the files in a folder and shows which ones contain your text.
How do I search inside many PDF files without opening them?
Point Agent Ransack's Look in box at the PDF folder, type the text in Containing text and click Start. It lists every PDF that contains the text.
Is Agent Ransack free?
Yes. The Lite mode is free and is all you need for searching text inside files.
