How to Extract Text Between Two Characters in Excel
"Get what's inside the parentheses", "the bit between the colon and the comma", "everything after ID:" — all the same job: pull out the text between two markers. Here's the formula, and a one-click way with no regex.
Last updated: August 2026
| Cell | Extracted | |
|---|---|---|
| Order (SKU-1024) shipped | → | SKU-1024 |
| Ref: 8891, paid | → | 8891 |
Method 1 — MID + FIND
To grab the text between ( and ):
=MID(A2, FIND("(",A2)+1, FIND(")",A2)-FIND("(",A2)-1)- Wrap it in
IFERROR(…,"")so rows without the markers return blank, not#VALUE!. - Fill down, then Paste Special > Values.
It works, but the nested FINDs are easy to get wrong, it only finds the first pair, and swapping the markers means rebuilding the formula each time.
Method 2 — TEXTBEFORE / TEXTAFTER (newer Excel)
On Microsoft 365, =TEXTAFTER(TEXTBEFORE(A2,")"),"(") reads more clearly. Still first-match only, and unavailable on older Excel or many corporate builds.
The 1-click way — Tellsheet
Extract Between pulls the text between two markers into a new column for the whole selection. Type the start and end markers (parentheses by default), and choose the first match or all matches joined. Leave the start blank to capture from the beginning, or the end blank to capture to the end — the no-regex answer to "everything after 'ID:'". Previews first and is revertable. Pairs with Split Text and Regex Extract.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract text between two characters?
The MID/FIND formula above, or Tellsheet's Extract Between — type the markers, no formula.
How do I get the text inside parentheses?
Use ( and ) as the markers. Extract Between uses them by default and handles rows with none.
How do I extract text after a word?
Set the start marker to the word and leave the end blank to capture to the end of the cell.
Can I get every match, not just the first?
Yes — choose "all matches" and Extract Between joins them; the formula only finds the first.
Related Excel guides
Pull out the bit in the middle
Extract Between grabs the text between two markers — first match or all — right inside Excel.
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