PhpStorm 2018.3 Help

Finding and replacing text in a file

You can search for a text string in a currently opened file in the editor. Using different options, you can narrow your search process, use regular expressions in your search, and manage your search results.

  1. Open your file in the editor.

  2. From the main menu, select Edit | Find | Find (Ctrl+F).

  3. In the search field that opens, enter your search string.

    search string
    PhpStorm highlights the results of your search in the file.

Manage your search

PhpStorm lets you adjust your search process and perform various actions with the displayed search results.

  • If you want to see the list of previous searches, press Alt+Down in the search field.

    search history

  • If you want to enter a multi-line string, click the Enter a new line icon in the search field for a new line.

  • Use the Previous occurence and Next occurence arrows to navigate to the previous or the next occurrence.

  • Work with the list of occurrences (Alt+F7) in the Find tool window, where you have other options, for example, to group your results or to open them in a separate window.

    Found Occurrences in the Find tool window

  • Click the Add selection for the next occurence or deselect the previous occurrence icon to add a selection of the next occurrence or deselect the previous occurrence (Alt+J or Shift+Alt+J).

  • If you want to quickly replace the target of your search in the whole file, press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+J and type a new string.

  • You can narrow your search when you select the Words, Match case checkboxes on the search pane, or click the filter filter icon to select a scope for your search.

  • You can press Alt+X (previously known as Alt+G) to quickly select or clear the Regex checkbox. You can use regular expressions to opt for more challenging searches.

Last modified: 18 March 2019

See Also