VBA INSTR Function (Syntax + Example)

The VBA INSTR function is listed under the text category of VBA functions. When you use it in a VBA code, it returns the starting position number of a sub-string (specified by you) from another string. In simple words, it works like the FIND and SEARCH (worksheet functions).

Syntax

InStr([Start], String1, String2, [Compare])

Arguments

• [Start]: An integer to specify the position from where you want to start the search [This is an optional argument and if omitted VBA takes 1 by default].
• String1: The string in which you want to search.
• String2: The string that you want to search for.
• [Compare]: A string value to define the comparison to make while filtering array [This is an optional argument and if omitted VBA takes vbBinaryCompare by default].
  • vbBinaryCompare: For binary comparison.
  • vbTextCompare: For text comparison.
  • vbDatabaseCompare: For Database Comparison.

Example

To practically understand how to use VBA INSTR function, you need to go through the below example where we have written a vba code by using it:

Sub example_INSTR()
Range("B1").Value = InStr(Range("A1"), " ")
End Sub

In the above code, we have used the INSTR to find the space within the value (Mick Griffin) in cell A1 and it has returned 5 as a result, there’s the first space is between “Mick” and “Griffin” whose position is 5.

Notes

Below are some important points that you need to take care of while using the INSTR function in VBA.

• If “string1” cannot be found in “string2,” then the result will be 0.