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MID.

Extracts a specific number of characters from text starting at any position.

SyntaxArgumentsExampleInteractive SandboxGeneratorCompatibilityFAQRelatedCheat Sheet
Category: Text & Manipulation
ExcelExcel 365Excel 2021Excel 2019Google Sheets

How it works.

MID returns a specific number of characters from a text string, starting at the position you specify based on character index.

Formula syntax.

Standard Excel Notation
=MID(text, start_num, num_chars)
Tip:Arguments wrapped in square brackets [like_this] are optional; all other arguments are required.

Formula arguments.

Every parameter accepted by the MID function is detailed below.

textRequired

The text string containing the characters you want to extract.

Example value: A2
start_numRequired

The 1-based character position of the first character to extract.

Example value: 5
num_charsRequired

How many characters to return.

Example value: 4

Simple example.

Step-by-Step Scenario

SKU Parsing - Middle Code Extraction

Extract the 4-digit product identifier from SKU "INV-9901-US".

Raw SKUExtracted Code
INV-9901-US—
INV-4422-EU—
Applied Formula
=MID(A2, 5, 4)
Expected Result:9901

Evaluates MID over the sample table cells, placing the verified output in cell B2.

Formula generator.

Full Generator Wizard

Customize the argument fields below to generate a tailored MID formula ready to paste directly into your worksheet.

Generated FormulaReady to copy
=MID()

Expected result behavior.

Returns "9901" based on sample evaluation criteria and active cell references.

Sample Output:9901
Output Type:Text String

Best Practices

  • Combine with FIND or SEARCH to extract text between delimiters: =MID(A2, FIND("-", A2)+1, 4).

Common Mistakes

  • If start_num is greater than the total length of text, MID returns an empty string ("").
Compatibility Database

Platform & version compatibility.

Verified platform compatibility matrix based on actual spreadsheet calculation engine specifications.

Excel✓
Supported
Excel 365✓
Supported
Excel 2021✓
Supported
Excel 2019✓
Supported
Google Sheets✓
Supported
Microsoft Excel History & Version Availability

Core standard function supported across all modern and legacy Microsoft Excel versions (365, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010), as well as Excel for the Web and Mac.

Google Sheets Compatibility Notes

100% compatible with Google Sheets. Uses identical argument order, data types, and standard calculation logic.

Frequently asked questions.

Technical Q&A
Can I use MID across different worksheets in Excel?↓

Yes. You can reference cells located on other sheets by including the sheet name followed by an exclamation mark, for example: =MID(Sheet2!A2:A10). If the sheet name contains spaces, enclose it in single quotes: ='Q1 Report'!A2:A10.

What is the most common reason for errors in MID?↓

If start_num is greater than the total length of text, MID returns an empty string ("").

Does MID work identically in Google Sheets?↓

Yes, MID is supported in both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets with standard evaluation behavior.