Unlocking the Power of XLOOKUP in Excel: Why It’s a Game-Changer for Everyone
XLOOKUP function in #Excel https://t.co/ygWJa9gIyX
— Excel Easy (@ExcelEasy) February 5, 2025
If you've been working with Excel for a while, chances are you’ve struggled with VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, or the often clumsy combination of INDEX and MATCH.
While they served us well, Excel’s XLOOKUP function arrived like a breath of fresh air — solving so many old pains elegantly.
In this article, we’ll dive into what XLOOKUP is, why it’s better, how to use it, and some real-world tricks you should know to level up your spreadsheets.
What is XLOOKUP?
In simple terms, XLOOKUP is the modern way to search for something in Excel.
Instead of looking only from left to right (like VLOOKUP) or getting tangled with column numbers, XLOOKUP lets you find a value anywhere and return a matching value cleanly.
The basic structure is extremely readable:
XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])
That's it. No messy column numbers. No hidden approximate matches. No fear of breaking your formulas when inserting new columns.
Why XLOOKUP is Better Than VLOOKUP
Here’s a quick side-by-side you need to remember:
| Feature | VLOOKUP / HLOOKUP | XLOOKUP |
|---|---|---|
| Search Direction | Only left-to-right (VLOOKUP), top-to-bottom (HLOOKUP) | Any direction |
| Need Column Index Number? | Yes, prone to break | No, just reference the return array |
| Safe From Inserted Columns? | No, breaks easily | Yes, survives insertions |
| Default Match Type | Approximate (dangerous) | Exact (safer) |
| Handle Not Found? | Needs IFERROR wrapping | Built-in with [if_not_found] |
| Search Backward? | Impossible | Native support |
In short: XLOOKUP is what VLOOKUP always wanted to be but never was.
A Simple Example
Imagine you have the following table:
| ID | Name | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Emily | 64,901 |
| 66 | James | 70,855 |
| 14 | Mia | 188,657 |
| 30 | John | 97,566 |
| 53 | Jessica | 58,339 |
You want to find Jessica’s salary by entering her ID.
With XLOOKUP, the formula is incredibly intuitive:
=XLOOKUP(53, B2:B6, D2:D6)
No more worrying whether you should put “column 3” or “column 4” — you directly tell Excel where to search and where to fetch.
Handling Errors Gracefully
One brilliant feature: built-in error handling.
If a value is missing, you can instruct XLOOKUP to return a custom message:
=XLOOKUP(999, B2:B6, D2:D6, "Not Found")
Instead of throwing ugly #N/A errors at your user, you can now design a much more user-friendly spreadsheet.
Beyond Basics: Powerful Options
XLOOKUP also allows wildcard matching — handy for fuzzy searches:
=XLOOKUP("*mia*", C2:C6, D2:D6, "Not Found", 2)
And if you want to search from the bottom up (not just top to bottom), you can set search_mode to -1.
This is extremely useful if your data contains multiple entries and you want the latest one.
Example:
=XLOOKUP(30, B2:B6, D2:D6, "Not Found", 0, -1)
Important Considerations Before You Switch
- Version Compatibility:
XLOOKUP is only available in Excel 365, Excel 2019, and later versions.
If you’re sharing files with people using Excel 2016 or older, they won’t see XLOOKUP — they'll see broken formulas. - Performance on Massive Datasets:
XLOOKUP is efficient, but if you are handling hundreds of thousands of rows, it still pays to be careful with how you structure lookups (e.g., avoid recalculating unnecessarily). - Array Returns:
One little-known but powerful feature: XLOOKUP can return multiple columns at once.
You are not limited to returning just one field!
Example:
=XLOOKUP(53, B2:B6, C2:D6)
returns both Name and Salary at once!
Finally
If you are still building everything with VLOOKUP, it is time to modernize your Excel skills.
XLOOKUP is simpler, stronger, and smarter — it embodies what good software evolution looks like: fewer rules, fewer mistakes, better results.
It is not an exaggeration to say:
Once you start using XLOOKUP, you will never want to go back.
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