Information

ISTEXT Function in Excel

Returns TRUE if the value is text.

Syntax

  • =ISTEXT(value)

Arguments

  • value (required): The value to check

Examples

  • =ISTEXT("Hello") - Check text - Result: TRUE
  • =ISTEXT(123) - Check number - Result: FALSE

Defensive formulas with ISTEXT

  • Use IS* functions inside IF to branch on blank, error, text, or number cells.
  • Prefer [IFERROR](/functions/iferror/) when you only need a fallback display value.
  • Error hub: [Fix formula errors](/guides/fix-excel-formula-errors/).

Common errors

  • Empty cells return FALSE

Use cases

  • Data validation
  • Type checking
  • Conditional formatting

Frequently asked questions

  • How do I find cells with numbers stored as text? Use conditional formatting with =ISTEXT(A1) to highlight text cells. Then filter for highlighted cells. Numbers stored as text will be highlighted, real numbers won't.
  • What's the difference between ISTEXT and ISNONTEXT? ISTEXT returns TRUE only for text. ISNONTEXT returns TRUE for numbers, errors, blanks, and logical values - everything that's NOT text. They're exact opposites for non-empty cells.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use ISTEXT

  • Data validation — common Information scenario for ISTEXT.
  • Type checking — common Information scenario for ISTEXT.
  • Conditional formatting — common Information scenario for ISTEXT.

ISTEXT in the Information category

  • Browse all Information functions at /categories/information/ for related formulas.
  • ISTEXT syntax: =ISTEXT(value)
  • value (required): The value to check
  • Confirm ISTEXT arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.

Formula checklist before you copy down

  • Confirm ISTEXT arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
  • If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
  • Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.

Related Excel functions

  • ISNUMBER (/functions/isnumber/): Returns TRUE if the value is a number.
  • ISBLANK (/functions/isblank/): Returns TRUE if the cell is empty.
  • TEXT (/functions/text-function/): Converts a value to text in a specified number format.

Errors to watch for

  • Empty cells return FALSE — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter ISTEXT on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
  • Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
  • Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
  • Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.

ISTEXT worked examples to copy

  • =ISTEXT("Hello") — Check text. Expected result: TRUE.
  • =ISTEXT(123) — Check number. Expected result: FALSE.

ISTEXT reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • ISTEXT belongs to the Information category in Excel. Returns TRUE if the value is text.
  • Full syntax: =ISTEXT(value). Open /functions/istext/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Empty cells return FALSE
  • Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
  • Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.