Compare two cells
If your original text is in A2 and the second version is in B2, enter =A2=B2 in C2. The result is TRUE when the values match and FALSE when they differ. For text, this comparison does not distinguish uppercase and lowercase.
Make the comparison case-sensitive
Use =EXACT(A2,B2) when capitalization matters. EXACT treats “Word” and “word” as different. Spaces also matter: “w ord” and “word” do not match. Cell formatting such as font or color is not compared.
| A2 | B2 | =A2=B2 | =EXACT(A2,B2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word | word | TRUE | FALSE |
| hello | hello | TRUE | TRUE |
| a b | ab | FALSE | FALSE |
Label rows as Match or Different
For easier scanning, use =IF(EXACT(A2,B2),"Match","Different") and fill the formula down the comparison column. Formula separators and function names can vary with your Excel language settings.
These formulas compare the two cells on the same row. If records have moved, align them by a reliable identifier first; otherwise a row-by-row comparison may flag unrelated records.
Find the words that changed
Excel’s equality and EXACT formulas tell you whether cells match; they do not highlight individual edited words. To review the wording in a long cell, copy both values into the text compare tool. To compare whole workbooks, formulas, or cell formatting, use spreadsheet-specific comparison tools.
Official references
Microsoft: EXACT function · Microsoft: IF function · Microsoft: conditional formulas