To search for a word on a web page, press Ctrl + F (or Command + F on a Mac), type the word, and press Enter. Your browser highlights every match and shows how many there are, such as 1/5. Press Enter again to jump to the next one. To search a whole website instead of one page, search Google or Bing for site:example.com your word.
Applies to: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on computers and phones. Checked on September 24, 2026.
Find a word on the page you’re viewing
- Press Ctrl + F on Windows or Command + F on a Mac.
- Type the word or phrase in the box that opens.
- Press Enter, or use the up and down arrows, to move between matches. Shift + Enter goes back to the previous one.
- Press Esc to close the box.
You can also open it from the browser menu: select the three dots and choose Find on page (Edge) or Find and edit > Find (Chrome). In Safari and Firefox on a Mac, use Edit > Find.
If the shortcut does nothing, for example because a web app uses Ctrl + F for its own search, open Find from the browser menu:
- Microsoft Edge: select Settings and more (the three dots) > Find on page.
- Google Chrome: select the three dots > Find and edit > Find.
- Firefox: select the menu button (three lines) > Find in page.
- Safari on a Mac: select Edit > Find > Find.
The same Find bar also works on PDF files you open in the browser.
Match whole words or exact case
By default, searching for art also finds “start” and “Art”. To be more precise:
- Microsoft Edge: in the find bar, select the options button and turn on Match whole word or Match case.
- Firefox: check Whole Words or Match Case in the find bar at the bottom of the window. Highlight All shows every match at once.
- Chrome and Safari: there’s no whole-word option. Add a space before or after the word to narrow the results.
On a phone or tablet
- Chrome (Android or iPhone): tap the three dots, then Find in page.
- Safari (iPhone or iPad): tap the Share button, then Find on Page. Or type the word in the address bar and choose Find “your word” under On This Page.
- Edge: tap the three lines or dots, then Find on page.
- Samsung Internet: tap the three lines, then Find on page.
Search a whole website
Find on page only looks at the page that’s open. To find every page on a site that mentions a word:
- Go to Google or Bing.
- Type
site:followed by the website’s address and your word, with no space after the colon. For example:site:supportyourtech.com recycle bin. - Press Enter. The results only include pages from that website.
To search for an exact phrase, put it in quotes, such as site:example.com "return policy". Search engines only show pages they’ve indexed, so very new or private pages may not appear.
Many websites also have their own search box, often shown as a magnifying glass at the top of the page.
Search tips that narrow the results
When you search a whole site in Google or Bing, a few extra symbols help:
- Put a phrase in quotes, such as site:example.com “return policy”, to find those words together in that order.
- Add a minus sign before a word to leave it out, such as site:example.com laptop -refurbished.
- Add a folder to the site name, such as site:example.com/blog, to search only one section.
Many sites also have their own search box, often shown as a magnifying glass at the top of the page. It can find pages that search engines have not indexed yet.
If the word isn’t found
- Check the spelling, and try a shorter part of the word.
- Load the whole page first. Pages that load more content as you scroll only search what’s loaded. Scroll to the bottom, then search again.
- Expand hidden sections. Content in collapsed menus, tabs, or “Read more” boxes may not be searched until you open it.
- Text in images can’t be searched. Some text is part of a picture. Try a tool that reads text from images, such as the Snipping Tool text actions in Windows 11.
- PDFs open separately. If the page links to a PDF, open it and press Ctrl + F there.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ctrl + F the same in every browser?
Yes. Ctrl + F (or Command + F on a Mac) opens Find in Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and most other browsers. It also works in many other apps, such as Word and File Explorer.
Can I search for a word on several websites at once?
Not with Find on page. Use a normal Google or Bing search, or combine sites: your word site:example.com OR site:example.org.
How do I search for a word in a Word document or Google Doc?
Press Ctrl + F (Command + F on a Mac) there too. In Microsoft Word, this opens the Navigation pane and lists every match. In Google Docs, a small search box opens at the top right. To find and replace words, press Ctrl + H in either app.
Does Ctrl + F work on a Chromebook?
Yes. Press Ctrl + F in Chrome on a Chromebook and the same Find bar opens. You can also open it from the three-dot menu, the same way as Chrome on Windows.
Can Find search words inside pictures or videos?
No. The Find bar only searches text that is part of the page. Words shown inside a picture, a screenshot, or a video are not found. Some pages also load more text as you scroll, so scroll to the bottom first and then search again.
Why does Find show 0 of 0 when I can see the word?
The word may be part of an image, or inside a frame such as an embedded document or ad. Select the text to check it’s real text, or open the embedded content on its own.
Google explains site: and other search operators in Refine Google searches. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.