Find and replace in the Google Docs app on Android, iPhone and iPad

The Google Docs app does have Find and replace, including a replace-everything button. Google's help page for it (checked 2 November 2026) lists the steps below. It also lists no "Match case" or "Match using regular expressions" option for the phone apps, so anything beyond plain word swaps is easier on a computer.

Android phone or tablet

Open the document in the Google Docs app.
Tap More (the three dots), then Find and replace.
Type the word you want to find and tap Search. Use the arrows at the top right to step through every match.
To replace one match: tap More, then Replace, type the replacement and tap Replace.
To replace every match: tap More, then Replace all, type the replacement and tap Replace all.
Tap Done to go back to the document.

iPhone or iPad

Open the document in the Google Docs app.
Tap More, then Find and replace.
Type the word you want to find and tap Search. Use the arrows at the top of the screen to scroll through the matches.
Tap Replace with and type the replacement.
Tap Replace for the current match, or All to replace every match.
Tap Close to go back to the document.

The button is called Replace all on Android and All on iPhone and iPad. Both replace every match in the document, so search first and look at the match count before you confirm.

Replacing several words on a phone

The phone dialog takes one find word and one replacement at a time. For five words you run the steps five times. Two ways to cut that down:

Do the list on a computer in our free bulk find and replace tool (paste the text, type your find -> replace pairs, see the matches per pair, copy the result back). Plain text only, so formatting is lost.
Open the same document in a desktop browser and use Edit > Find and replace (Ctrl+H, or ⌘+Shift+H on a Mac), which adds Match case and regular expressions. See regex find and replace in Google Docs.

What the phone version does not do

You want	On the phone app	What to do
Match case or whole-word replace	Not in Google's mobile steps	Desktop: tick Match case, or use a regex with `\b` (guide).
Replace only inside a selection	Not offered (the desktop dialog has none either)	Five ways to replace in a selection.
Insert a line or paragraph break	Not in Google's mobile steps	Find and replace with a line break.
Fix a bad replace	Undo from the toolbar right after Replace all	If you have closed the app, use File > Version history on a computer.
Change bold or colour	Not a find-and-replace feature	Find and replace formatting.

Where ReplaceKit fits

ReplaceKit is a find and replace sidebar for Google Docs in a desktop browser. It is not a phone tool: we have not tested it in the mobile app, and it is not listed yet. On a computer it shows every match in a list before you replace, can search only your selection, headers and footnotes, takes line breaks in the Replace box, and in Pro runs a whole list of pairs at once. Use the phone steps above for a quick word swap, and a computer for anything bigger.

ReplaceKit is built and in testing. It is not in the Google Workspace Marketplace yet. Leave your email and we send one message when you can install it.

You're on the list. We'll email you when ReplaceKit is ready.

The free version will have no click limit or trial clock. Line, paragraph and tab breaks work in both boxes for free. Only bulk lists, formatting replace and saved sets will be Pro ($6/month or $48/year). It works in the document you have open.

More ReplaceKit guides

Sources

Google Docs Editors Help: Search and use find and replace, Android phone & tablet tab (checked 2 Nov 2026: More > Find and replace, Search, More > Replace or Replace all, Done)
Same page, iPhone & iPad tab (checked 2 Nov 2026: More > Find and replace, Search, Replace with, Replace or All, Close)