Struggling to find that one piece of data in your massive spreadsheet? I’ve been there, and XLOOKUP is about to become your new best friend. For years, many of us relied on trusty but often frustrating functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP to pull information from our data. But those days are largely behind us! XLOOKUP, a newer, smarter function available in Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, Excel for the web, and Google Sheets, completely revolutionizes how we search for data. It’s designed to fix pretty much every headache its predecessors caused, making complex lookups simpler, faster, and much more intuitive. Think of it as the ultimate upgrade, consolidating the power of several older functions into one incredibly versatile tool. By the end of this guide, you won’t just know how XLOOKUP works. you’ll be using it like a seasoned pro, transforming the way you interact with your data and saving yourself a ton of time and frustration. Let’s get to it!

Table of Contents

What Exactly is XLOOKUP, and Why Should You Care?

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. XLOOKUP is a supercharged lookup function that Microsoft introduced to make data retrieval significantly easier. Before XLOOKUP, if you wanted to find information in your spreadsheets, you probably used VLOOKUP for vertical searches column-based or HLOOKUP for horizontal searches row-based. These functions worked, but they had some annoying limitations:

VLOOKUP could only look to the right. If your lookup value was in column B and the data you wanted to retrieve was in column A, VLOOKUP was useless.
You had to count columns. Remember having to figure out the “column index number”? That was a pain, especially if your data layout changed.
Exact match wasn’t the default. You often had to add FALSE or 0 at the end of a VLOOKUP formula to ensure an exact match, otherwise, you might get an approximate match you didn’t want.
Error handling was clunky. Getting #N/A errors for missing data was common, and you usually had to wrap your VLOOKUP in an IFERROR function to make it look cleaner.

XLOOKUP sweeps all these problems away! It’s a single function that handles both vertical and horizontal lookups, can search in any direction left, right, up, or down, defaults to an exact match, and even has built-in error handling. This means less formula writing, fewer errors, and a much more flexible way to get the data you need. It’s available for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, and Excel for the web users, and it’s also widely supported in Google Sheets.

The Core of XLOOKUP: Understanding Its Syntax

At first glance, XLOOKUP might look a bit intimidating because it has six arguments. But don’t worry, only the first three are required for most basic tasks. The optional ones are where the real power and flexibility come in!

Here’s the full syntax: How Much Is an Xbox Series X at Walmart Right Now?

=XLOOKUPlookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, , ,

Let’s break down what each part means in plain English:

lookup_value Required: This is the item you’re trying to find. Think of it as the keyword you’re searching for. It could be a product ID, an employee name, a date, or anything else. You’ll usually reference a cell containing this value.
lookup_array Required: This is the single column or row where XLOOKUP will search for your lookup_value. It’s crucial that your lookup_value is actually in this range.
return_array Required: This is the single column or row from which you want to retrieve a result. Once XLOOKUP finds your lookup_value in the lookup_array, it will grab the corresponding value from the same position in this return_array.

And now for the optional arguments, which unlock XLOOKUP’s true potential:

Optional: This is a super handy feature! If XLOOKUP can’t find your lookup_value, instead of showing a scary #N/A error, it will display whatever you put here. You can make it a custom message like “Not Found”, a blank cell "", or even another formula.
Optional: This argument tells XLOOKUP what kind of match to perform. It’s incredibly powerful and has four options:
- 0 Exact match – Default: This is what you’ll use most often. XLOOKUP will only return a result if it finds an exact match for your lookup_value. If it doesn’t, it’ll return the value or #N/A.
- -1 Exact match or next smaller item: If an exact match isn’t found, XLOOKUP will find the next smaller item. This is great for things like finding tax brackets or discount tiers.
- 1 Exact match or next larger item: Similar to -1, but if an exact match isn’t found, it returns the next larger item. Handy for different types of tier systems.
- 2 Wildcard character match: This lets you use special characters like * for any sequence of characters or ? for any single character to perform partial matches. Super useful when you don’t know the exact text.
Optional: This argument controls the direction and method of the search.
- 1 Search from first to last – Default: XLOOKUP starts at the beginning of your lookup_array and searches downwards or rightwards.
- -1 Search from last to first: XLOOKUP starts at the end of your lookup_array and searches upwards or leftwards. Perfect for finding the last occurrence of an item.
- 2 Binary search, ascending sort: This is a faster search method for large, sorted datasets. Your lookup_array must be sorted in ascending order for this to work correctly.
- -2 Binary search, descending sort: Another fast binary search, but your lookup_array must be sorted in descending order.

See? It’s not so bad when you break it down! Let’s jump into some real-world examples to really solidify these concepts.

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XLOOKUP in Action: Simple Examples You’ll Use Every Day

Let’s imagine you have a list of products with their IDs, names, and prices.

Product ID	Product Name	Price
P001	Laptop Pro	1200
P002	Monitor X	350
P003	Keyboard Pro	90
P004	Mouse Wireless	25
P005	Webcam HD	70

Basic Exact Match

Most of the time, you’re looking for an exact match. With XLOOKUP, this is the default, so you don’t even need to specify the match_mode argument.

Scenario: You want to find the price of “Monitor X”.

Let’s say your data is in cells A1:C6. Your lookup_value is “Monitor X” maybe in cell E2.

=XLOOKUPE2, B2:B6, C2:C6

E2: The cell containing “Monitor X” your lookup_value.
B2:B6: The column where “Monitor X” will be searched your lookup_array.
C2:C6: The column from which you want to return the price your return_array.

Result: 350 What is SEO Expense?

It’s that simple! No need to count columns or specify FALSE.

Handling “Not Found” Errors Gracefully

What if you search for something that isn’t in your list? XLOOKUP, by default, will give you an #N/A error. But you can make it much more user-friendly with the argument.

Scenario: You want to find the price of “Webcam 4K”, which isn’t in your list.

Let’s say “Webcam 4K” is in cell E2.

=XLOOKUPE2, B2:B6, C2:C6, “Product Not Found” How to Master SEO on Your Wix Website: A Complete Guide

"Product Not Found": This is your custom message that will appear if “Webcam 4K” isn’t found in the B2:B6 range.

Result: Product Not Found

This is a must for building robust spreadsheets, as it eliminates those unsightly default error messages. You could also use "" to return a blank cell if you prefer.

Beyond the Basics: XLOOKUP’s Superpowers

Now let’s dive into some of the more advanced features that truly set XLOOKUP apart.

Replacing VLOOKUP & HLOOKUP: Vertical and Horizontal Lookups

One of XLOOKUP’s biggest advantages is that it can do both vertical column-based and horizontal row-based lookups, completely replacing the need for separate VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions. What is SEO and How Do You Use It to Get Noticed Online?

Example: Left Lookup Vertical

Remember how VLOOKUP couldn’t look to its left? XLOOKUP laughs in the face of that limitation.

Scenario: You want to find the Product Name given a Product ID. Notice Product Name is to the right of Product ID.

Product Name	Product ID	Price
Laptop Pro	P001	1200
Monitor X	P002	350
Keyboard Pro	P003	90

If P002 is in cell E2:

=XLOOKUPE2, B2:B4, A2:A4 What is SEO Marketing and How It Works

B2:B4: lookup_array where P002 is.
A2:A4: return_array the Product Name column, which is to the left.

Result: Monitor X

It’s that easy to look left!

Example: Horizontal Lookup

What if your data is organized with headers in a column and data spreading across rows? This is where HLOOKUP used to come in, but XLOOKUP handles it just as well.

	P001	P002	P003
Product	Laptop Pro	Monitor X	Keyboard Pro
Price	1200	350	90
Availability	In Stock	Low Stock	In Stock

Scenario: You want to find the Availability for P002. How to Check Your Site’s SEO: A Complete, Actionable Guide

Let’s say P002 is in cell A6 and you want the result in B6.

=XLOOKUPA6, B1:D1, D3:D3

Wait, that’s not quite right. A horizontal lookup means the lookup_array and return_array are rows, not columns. Let’s fix that for horizontal data structure:

=XLOOKUPA6, B1:D1, B3:D3

A6: lookup_value e.g., “P002”.
B1:D1: lookup_array the row containing product IDs.
B3:D3: return_array the row containing availability.

Result: Low Stock What is SEO and How Much Does It Cost?

It’s beautiful how it just adapts!

Approximate Match: Tiers and Thresholds

When you’re not looking for an exact match, but rather something within a range, XLOOKUP’s match_mode argument set to -1 or 1 is incredibly powerful. This is super useful for grading systems, commission tiers, or discounts.

Scenario: Discounts based on Quantity Exact match or next smaller item

You have a discount structure:

Quantity	Discount %
1	0%
10	5%
50	10%
100	15%

If a customer buys 30 items, they should get the discount for 10 items 5%. If they buy 100, they get 15%. If they buy 105, they still get 15%. This is a “next smaller item” scenario. The Ultimate Guide to SEO on Wix: Rank Higher & Get More Traffic!

Let’s say the quantity ordered is in E2.

=XLOOKUPE2, A2:A5, B2:B5, “No Discount”, -1

E2: Quantity ordered e.g., 30.
A2:A5: lookup_array Quantity tiers.
B2:B5: return_array Discount percentages.
"No Discount": If the quantity is less than 1.
-1: Tells XLOOKUP to find an exact match or the next smaller item.

Result for 30: 5%
Result for 5: 0%
Result for 120: 15%

Wildcard Characters: Partial Matches

Sometimes you only know part of what you’re looking for. That’s where match_mode 2, combined with wildcard characters, comes in.

*: Represents any sequence of zero or more characters.
?: Represents any single character.
~: An escape character to search for an actual *, ?, or ~.

Scenario: You want to find a product name that contains “pro”. Is SEO a Good Career in India? Your Ultimate 2025 Guide!

Let’s say your partial search term is “pro” in cell E2.

=XLOOKUP”“&E2&”“, B2:B5, A2:A5, “No partial match”, 2

"*"&E2&"*": This creates a search string like *pro*, meaning “anything, then ‘pro’, then anything”.
B2:B5: lookup_array Product Names.
A2:A5: return_array Product IDs.
"No partial match": Custom message if nothing is found.
2: Enables wildcard character matching.

Result: P001 it finds the first one, “Laptop Pro”

Reverse Search: Finding the Last Occurrence

By default, XLOOKUP searches from top to bottom or left to right search_mode 1. But what if your data has duplicates and you need the last instance of something? That’s where search_mode -1 comes in.

Scenario: An employee has multiple sales records. You want their most recent sale amount. How to SEO Video on YouTube: Your Ultimate Guide to Getting More Views & Subscribers

Employee	Sale Amount	Date
Ali	150	2024-01-15
Ben	200	2024-01-20
Ali	180	2024-02-01
Ben	220	2024-02-10
Ali	160	2024-03-05

If you want Ali’s latest sale, and “Ali” is in cell E2.

=XLOOKUPE2, A2:A6, B2:B6, “No Sales Found”, 0, -1

0: Ensures an exact match.
-1: Tells XLOOKUP to search from the last item to the first bottom-up.

Result: 160 Ali’s last sale

Returning Multiple Columns

This is a fantastic feature that VLOOKUP struggled with, often requiring complex array formulas or multiple VLOOKUPs. XLOOKUP makes it incredibly simple to pull back several pieces of information at once.

Scenario: You want to retrieve both the Product Name and Price for a given Product ID. What is SEO of YouTube? Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Seen

If P001 is in cell E2.

=XLOOKUPE2, A2:A4, B2:C4

B2:C4: Notice the return_array now spans two columns Product Name and Price.

Result spills into two adjacent cells:
Laptop Pro | 1200

Excel will automatically “spill” the results into the adjacent cells. How cool is that?

Nested XLOOKUP for Two-Way Lookups / Multiple Criteria

Sometimes you need to look up data based on two criteria – for example, a product and a region, or a student and a subject. This used to be a job for INDEX MATCH MATCH, but XLOOKUP can handle it beautifully by nesting one inside another. What episode did jang han seo die in vincenzo

Scenario: You want to find a student’s score for a specific subject.

Student	Math	Science	History
Omar	85	92	78
Fatima	90	88	95
Khalid	75	80	82

Let’s say Fatima is in F2 and Science is in G2.

=XLOOKUPG2, B1:D1, XLOOKUPF2, A2:A4, B2:D4

Let’s break this down from the inside out:

XLOOKUPF2, A2:A4, B2:D4: This inner XLOOKUP searches for Fatima F2 in the Student column A2:A4. When it finds her, it returns the entire row of her scores B2:D4. This effectively gives us an array of {90, 88, 95}.
=XLOOKUPG2, B1:D1, {90, 88, 95}: Now, the outer XLOOKUP takes Science G2, searches for it in the subject headers B1:D1, and then uses the array {90, 88, 95} as its return_array. It finds “Science” in the second position of B1:D1, so it returns the second value from {90, 88, 95}.

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This is an incredibly powerful way to perform two-dimensional lookups with a much cleaner formula than older methods.

XLOOKUP in Google Sheets: Almost Identical!

Good news for Google Sheets users: XLOOKUP works virtually the same way in Google Sheets as it does in Excel! Google Sheets implemented XLOOKUP in August 2022, bringing all the powerful features we’ve discussed.

The syntax is identical, and all the arguments lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, if_not_found, match_mode, search_mode behave just as they do in Excel. So, all the examples and explanations above apply directly to your Google Sheets workbooks as well. This cross-platform consistency makes it a fantastic tool to learn, no matter which spreadsheet application you prefer.

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XLOOKUP vs. VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP: Why XLOOKUP Wins, Hands Down

By now, you’ve probably gathered that XLOOKUP is a massive improvement over its predecessors. But let’s recap exactly why it’s the undisputed champion of lookup functions:

No More Left-to-Right Restriction: XLOOKUP can look up data in any direction, whether the return_array is to the left or right of your lookup_array. VLOOKUP was stuck searching only to the right.
Say Goodbye to Column Indexes: You don’t need to count columns anymore! You specify the lookup_array and the return_array directly, making formulas much easier to write and maintain. If you add or delete columns, XLOOKUP automatically adjusts, unlike VLOOKUP which would break unless you manually updated the column index.
Exact Match by Default: This is a big one. XLOOKUP automatically performs an exact match, which is what you usually want. VLOOKUP defaulted to an approximate match TRUE, which could lead to incorrect results if you weren’t careful to specify FALSE.
Built-in Error Handling: The argument lets you display a custom message or a blank cell instead of unsightly #N/A errors, making your spreadsheets much cleaner without needing extra IFERROR functions.
Searches in Any Direction: With search_mode -1, you can easily find the last occurrence of a value, something VLOOKUP couldn’t do directly.
Handles Both Vertical and Horizontal Lookups: One function for all your lookup needs, replacing both VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.
Returns Multiple Columns or Rows: Just specify a multi-column or multi-row range for your return_array, and XLOOKUP spills the results into adjacent cells, a huge time-saver.
Faster Performance: For large datasets, XLOOKUP can often be faster than VLOOKUP because it only works with the specified lookup_array and return_array, not an entire table array.

In essence, XLOOKUP is a more robust, flexible, and user-friendly function that addresses nearly all the limitations of its predecessors. If you have access to XLOOKUP, there’s rarely a good reason to use VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP anymore.

Tips for Using XLOOKUP Like a Pro

Now that you know the ins and outs, here are a few extra tips to make your XLOOKUP game even stronger:

Use Tables or Named Ranges: Instead of selecting cell ranges like A2:A100, consider converting your data into an Excel Table Insert > Table or using Named Ranges Formulas > Define Name. This makes your formulas much more readable e.g., Sales instead of A2:A100 and dynamically adjusts if you add or remove data.
Combine with Other Functions: XLOOKUP is powerful on its own, but it becomes a beast when combined with other functions. For example, you can use IF functions to add more complex conditions or SUM to sum values found by XLOOKUP though SUMIFS might be better for multiple criteria summing.
Understand match_mode and search_mode Defaults: Remember that exact match 0 and first-to-last search 1 are the defaults. If your formula works without specifying these, you’re getting those defaults. Only add them when you need different behavior.
Test Your Formulas: Especially with match_mode -1 or 1, always test with edge cases values just above, just below, or exactly on the thresholds to make sure you’re getting the results you expect.

Mastering XLOOKUP means you’re not just looking up data. you’re truly connecting and understanding your spreadsheets in a whole new way. It simplifies common tasks, opens doors to more complex analysis, and ultimately makes you much more efficient. So go ahead, give it a try in your next spreadsheet project – you’ll be glad you did!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between XLOOKUP and VLOOKUP?

The main differences are that XLOOKUP can search in any direction left or right, doesn’t require a column index number, defaults to an exact match, and has built-in if_not_found error handling. VLOOKUP is limited to searching rightwards, needs a column index, defaults to approximate match, and requires IFERROR for cleaner error handling.

Can XLOOKUP replace HLOOKUP as well?

Yes, absolutely! XLOOKUP is designed to perform both vertical and horizontal lookups. Instead of specifying column ranges, you simply specify row ranges for your lookup_array and return_array to perform a horizontal lookup, effectively replacing HLOOKUP.

Is XLOOKUP available in all versions of Excel?

No, XLOOKUP is a relatively new function. It’s available in Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, and Excel for the web. It is not available in older versions like Excel 2019, 2016, or earlier.

How do I handle multiple criteria with XLOOKUP?

You can handle multiple criteria in XLOOKUP by nesting one XLOOKUP inside another a two-way lookup. For example, the inner XLOOKUP can find a row based on one criterion, and the outer XLOOKUP can then search within that returned row or array of rows for the second criterion.

What happens if XLOOKUP doesn’t find a match and I haven’t specified the argument?

If XLOOKUP doesn’t find a match for your lookup_value and you leave the argument empty, it will return the standard Excel #N/A error. This is why using the argument is highly recommended for cleaner spreadsheet presentation.

Can XLOOKUP return multiple columns of data at once?

Yes, one of XLOOKUP’s fantastic features is its ability to return multiple adjacent columns or rows. You just need to specify a return_array that spans multiple columns e.g., C2:E10, and Excel will automatically “spill” the results into the corresponding adjacent cells on your spreadsheet.

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Your Ultimate Guide to How XLOOKUP Works: Master Data Lookup Like a Pro!