Excel REGEXEXTRACT Function Tutorial

Version: Microsoft 365

Last update: 2025-02-20

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1. Introduction to the REGEXEXTRACT Function

The REGEXEXTRACT function in Excel is a powerful tool for extracting specific information from text strings using regular expressions (regex).

This function is particularly useful for parsing structured data, such as phone numbers, emails, and dates, allowing you to automate data processing tasks and enhance data analysis capabilities.

2. Parameters of the REGEXEXTRACT Function

Here is the syntax for using the REGEXEXTRACT function.

=REGEXEXTRACT(text, pattern, [return_mode], [case_sensitivity])

text: required The text or the reference to a cell containing the text you want to extract strings from.

pattern: required The regular expression ("regex") that describes the pattern of text you want to extract.

return_mode: optional A number that specifies what strings you want to extract. By default, return mode is 0. The possible values are:

0: Return the first string that matches the pattern

1: Return all strings that match the pattern as an array

2: Return capturing groups from the first match as an array

Note: Capturing groups are parts of a regex pattern surrounded by parentheses "(...)". They allow you to return separate parts of a single match individually.

case_sensitivity: optional Determines whether the match is case-sensitive. By default, the match is case-sensitive. Enter one of the following:

0: Case sensitive

1: Case insensitive

3. Example Scenario: Extracting Phone Numbers

In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to use the REGEXEXTRACT function to extract phone numbers from a list.

4. Getting Started with the REGEXEXTRACT Function

Type on your keyboard: =REGEXEXTRACT(, then select A5 as the text to be processed.

5. Input the Regular Expression

To extract phone numbers, we input: \(\d{3}\)\s?\d{3}[-\s]?\d{4} as the regular expression.

Explanation of phone number regex: Common Regular Expressions for Excel Users