Formula guide · Google Sheets · Updated May 13, 2026
Google Sheets QUERY Contains
Filter rows in Google Sheets QUERY when a text column contains a word or phrase.
Quick Answer
Use contains inside the where clause when a cell only needs to include the target text.
Copyable Formula
=QUERY(A1:D100,"select A, D where B contains 'west'",1)Syntax
=QUERY(A1:D100,"select A, D where B contains 'west'",1)Google Sheets
Worked Example
| B | Result |
|---|---|
| west region | match |
| north region | ignore |
| west priority | match |
Result: Returns rows where the selected text column contains west.
Steps
- Choose the text column to search.
- Add where and the contains operator.
- Put the search text inside single quotes.
- Use lower or upper cleanup if casing varies heavily.
Common Mistakes
- Using equals when the cell contains extra words.
- Forgetting single quotes around the search text.
- Expecting contains to behave like a full regular expression.
Excel vs Google Sheets Notes
This page is focused on Google Sheets. Excel may require a different function, pivot table, or Power Query workflow.
Editorial check: This guide was last updated May 13, 2026. Formula behavior can vary by Excel version, Google Sheets rollout, and spreadsheet locale.