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How to Fix Strange Characters Appearing in Excel Find Box

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 15, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users see unusual encoded or strange characters when typing in the Ctrl+F Find box within Microsoft 365.

How to Fix Strange Characters in the Excel Find Box

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Searching for data using the Ctrl+F shortcut in a shared Excel file on the web.
Observed behavior: The text entered in the search box is replaced by strange, unusual, or encoded characters, making it impossible to read or execute the search correctly.

Before you start

Ensure you have a stable internet connection and verify whether this issue happens across multiple web browsers (like Chrome, Edge, or Safari) or if it is isolated to just one.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Browser Cache and Restart

Since the issue is often isolated to Excel for the web, clearing your browser's cached data can resolve temporary rendering and text-encoding glitches.

Web applications like Microsoft 365 rely heavily on cached data to load quickly. When this cache becomes corrupted or outdated, it can cause user interface elements, such as the Find box, to display incorrect character encoding.

Access browser settings

Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of your browser (e.g., Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) and select 'Settings'.

Navigate to clearing data

Go to the 'Privacy and security' section and click on 'Clear browsing data'.

Clear cache and restart

Check the box for 'Cached images and files', click 'Clear data', and then completely close and reopen your browser before accessing Excel for the web again.

Test Other Workbooks: After clearing the cache, open a different shared workbook to see if the Find box works normally. This helps confirm if the issue was browser-wide.

Solution 2

Copy Content to a New Workbook

Use this method if the strange characters only appear in one specific shared file, which indicates potential file corruption.

Solution 3

Switch to the Desktop Application

If the web version continues to malfunction across all files, switching to the desktop app bypasses web-specific encoding errors.

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Switch to WPS Office for a Bug-Free Spreadsheet Experience

If Excel for the web keeps showing strange characters and disrupting your workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a robust, lightweight desktop spreadsheet tool that avoids common browser-based rendering bugs, ensuring your search and data entry work flawlessly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formats.Lightweight desktop application unaffected by browser cache or web glitches.Familiar user interface makes switching and finding features effortless.Completely free to download and use for essential spreadsheet tasks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do strange characters appear when I press Ctrl+F in Excel for the web?

This is typically caused by a browser rendering glitch, outdated cache, or a localized bug within Microsoft 365's web interface failing to handle text encoding properly.

Will this encoding issue affect my actual spreadsheet data?

Usually, no. The strange characters are confined to the Find box (Ctrl+F) interface and do not alter the underlying data or formulas in your cells.

How can I tell if the Excel file itself is corrupted?

If the Find box issue only happens in one specific shared workbook but other files work perfectly in the web browser, the file itself may be corrupted. Copying the data to a new workbook can confirm and resolve this.

Does this search box bug happen on the Excel desktop app?

Based on user reports, this specific issue is largely limited to Microsoft 365's Excel for the web and does not typically occur in the standalone desktop application.

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