XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (2024)

Table of Contents
Syntax Examples See also FAQs

Use the XLOOKUP function to find things in a table orrange by row. For example, look up theprice of an automotive part by the part number, or find an employee name based on their employee ID. With XLOOKUP, you can look in one column for a search term and return a result from the same row in another column, regardless of which side the return column is on.

Note:XLOOKUP is not available in Excel 2016 and Excel 2019, however, you may come across a situation of using a workbook in Excel 2016 or Excel 2019 with the XLOOKUP function in it created by someone else using a newer version of Excel.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (1)

Syntax

TheXLOOKUPfunction searches a range or an array, and then returns the itemcorrespondingto thefirst match it finds. If no match exists,then XLOOKUP can return theclosest (approximate) match.

=XLOOKUP(lookup_value,lookup_array,return_array,[if_not_found], [match_mode],[search_mode])

Argument

Description

lookup_value

Required*

The value to search for

*If omitted, XLOOKUP returns blank cells it finds in lookup_array.

lookup_array

Required

The array or range to search

return_array

Required

The array or range to return

[if_not_found]

Optional

Where a valid match is not found, return the [if_not_found] text you supply.

If a valid match is not found, and [if_not_found] is missing, #N/A is returned.

[match_mode]

Optional

Specify the match type:

0 - Exact match. If none found, return #N/A. This is the default.

-1 - Exact match. If none found, return the next smaller item.

1 - Exact match. If none found, return the next larger item.

2 - A wildcard match where *, ?, and ~ have special meaning.

[search_mode]

Optional

Specify the search mode to use:

1 - Perform a search starting at the first item. This is the default.

-1 - Perform a reverse search starting at the last item.

2 - Perform a binary search that relies on lookup_array being sorted in ascending order. If not sorted, invalid results will be returned.

-2 - Perform a binary search that relies on lookup_array being sorted in descending order. If not sorted, invalid results will be returned.

Examples

Example 1uses XLOOKUP to look up a country name in a range, and then return its telephone country code. It includes the lookup_value (cell F2), lookup_array (range B2:B11), and return_array (range D2:D11) arguments. It doesn't include the match_mode argument, as XLOOKUP produces an exact match by default.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (2)

Note:XLOOKUP uses a lookup arrayand a return array, whereas VLOOKUP uses a single table array followed by a column index number. The equivalent VLOOKUP formula in this case would be: =VLOOKUP(F2,B2:D11,3,FALSE)

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Example 2looks up employee information based on an employee ID number. Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP can return an array with multiple items, soa single formula can return both employee name and department from cells C5:D14.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (3)

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Example 3adds anif_not_found argument to the preceding example.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (4)

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Example 4looks in column C for the personal income entered in cell E2, and finds a matching tax rate in column B. It sets the if_not_found argument to return0 (zero) if nothing is found. The match_mode argument is set to 1, which means the function will look for an exact match, and if it can't find one, it returns the next larger item. Finally, the search_mode argument is set to 1, which means the function will search from the first item to the last.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (5)

Note:XARRAY's lookup_array column is to the right of the return_array column, whereas VLOOKUP can only look from left-to-right.

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Example 5uses a nested XLOOKUP function to perform both a vertical and horizontal match. It first looks for Gross Profit in column B, then looks for Qtr1 in the top row of the table (range C5:F5), and finally returns the value at the intersection of the two. This is similar to using the INDEX and MATCH functions together.

Tip:You can also use XLOOKUP to replace the HLOOKUP function.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (6)

Note:The formula in cells D3:F3 is: =XLOOKUP(D2,$B6:$B17,XLOOKUP($C3,$C5:$G5,$C6:$G17)).

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Example 6uses the SUM function, and two nested XLOOKUP functions, to sum all the values between two ranges. In this case, we want to sum the values for grapes, bananas, and include pears, which are between the two.

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (7)

The formula in cell E3 is:=SUM(XLOOKUP(B3,B6:B10,E6:E10):XLOOKUP(C3,B6:B10,E6:E10))

How does it work? XLOOKUP returns a range, so when it calculates, the formula ends up looking like this: =SUM($E$7:$E$9). You can see how this works on your own by selecting a cell with an XLOOKUP formula similar to this one, then selectFormulas > Formula Auditing > Evaluate Formula, and then select Evaluateto step through the calculation.

Note:Thanks to Microsoft Excel MVP, Bill Jelen, for suggesting this example.

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See also

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Communityor get support inCommunities.

XMATCH function

Excel functions (alphabetical)

Excel functions (by category)

XLOOKUP function - Microsoft Support (2024)

FAQs

Does Office 365 support xlookup? ›

This function doesn't return a cell reference as a value but as a result. You'll get a #NAME error if looking for XLOOKUP in an Excel version that doesn't support it (It's only available on Microsoft 365 Excel, Excel 2021 and later).

Is XLOOKUP obsolete? ›

If you are using Excel for Microsoft 365, XLOOKUP is the recommended function for most lookup scenarios, as it overcomes many of VLOOKUP's limitations. However, if you are working with older Excel versions or need to share files with users who do not have access to XLOOKUP, VLOOKUP remains a viable option.

What happened to Xlookup in Excel? ›

Note: XLOOKUP is not available in Excel 2016 and Excel 2019, however, you may come across a situation of using a workbook in Excel 2016 or Excel 2019 with the XLOOKUP function in it created by someone else using a newer version of Excel.

Why does the Xlookup function not work? ›

XLOOKUP returns #VALUE error

A #VALUE! error occurs if the lookup and return arrays have incompatible dimensions. For instance, it is not possible to search in a horizontal array and return values from a vertical array.

Is xlookup better than VLOOKUP? ›

Making the Choice between VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP

XLOOKUP is more flexible and powerful, but it's only available in Excel 2021 (and above) and Microsoft 365. While it has its limitations, VLOOKUP is still useful, especially if you're working with older Excel versions (Excel 2019 and below) or need something simpler.

What is the downside to Xlookup? ›

Some of the drawbacks of XLOOKUP are:
  1. It is not compatible with older versions of Excel 2019 and lower.
  2. It may not be as flexible as INDEX MATCH for some scenarios, such as returning values from non-contiguous columns.
  3. It may not work well with large data sets or volatile formulas.
Jan 24, 2024

What can I replace Xlookup with? ›

The return_array is the range that contains the value you would like to return, C5:C15.
  1. XLOOKUP in Excel.
  2. Use INDEX/MATCH in place of XLOOKUP in Google Sheets.
  3. Use VLOOKUP in place of XLOOKUP in Google Sheets.
  4. Use QUERY in place of XLOOKUP in Google Sheets.
  5. Use FILTER in place of XLOOKUP in Google Sheets.

Is VLOOKUP going away? ›

XLOOKUP just killed VLOOKUP: everything to know about this major new Excel function. Microsoft recently announced the upcoming release of a new function called XLOOKUP. This function will be replacing the widely used VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH functions to run searches in a table of Excel data.

Is Xlookup available in all versions of Excel? ›

They are only available in Excel in Microsoft 365 and Office 201 (and in the online version of Excel). You can find custom XLOOKUP-like functions on the internet, but they cannot emulate XLOOKUP 100%, since the latest versions of Excel support dynamic arrays; older versions don't.

What is faster than Xlookup in Excel? ›

XLOOKUP has many amazing capabilities but is slower than VLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH on huge data sets. Hopefully, Microsoft will improve its performance in the future versions. OFFSET MATCH is the fastest in Excel 32-bit. But because of its complex syntax, there a big chance to make a mistake.

Is Xlookup available in Excel Online? ›

They are only available in Excel in Microsoft 365 and Office 201 (and in the online version of Excel). You can find custom XLOOKUP-like functions on the internet, but they cannot emulate XLOOKUP 100%, since the latest versions of Excel support dynamic arrays; older versions don't.

What is unsupported features in Office 365 Excel? ›

Follow the recommendations from the message:
  • Open the workbook for viewing.
  • Select "Save a copy" from the File tab.
  • Save the file locally.
  • Open the file in a local installation of MS Office.
  • Edit the file.
  • Upload the new version of the file.
Jan 11, 2024

What is the alternative to VLOOKUP in Office 365? ›

INDEX MATCH MATCH to search in rows and columns

In the above examples, we used INDEX MATCH as the replacement for classic VLOOKUP to return a value from a predefined one-column range.

Which charts are not supported in Office 365 Excel Online? ›

Chart types to avoid
Chart typeDifference in a browser
3-D chartsLimited interactive experiences; limited formatting capabilities
Exploded Pie, Pie of Pie, and Bar of Pie chartsLimited interactive experiences; limited formatting capabilities
Stock chartsLimited interactive experiences; limited formatting capabilities
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