Find and replace with text patterns (GREP)

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to use GREP expressions to search for complex text patterns and apply targeted replacements across Adobe InDesign documents.

Use GREP (Global Regular Expression Print) expressions to find and replace alphanumeric strings and patterns across multiple open documents. They help find and modify structured content such as phone numbers, email addresses, and formatted text. GREP works across single or multiple documents and supports bulk updates.

Select Edit > Find/Change, select the GREP tab.

In the Find what field, select an option:

Construct your GREP expression by typing it directly.
Select the Special characters for search icon to set your search criteria.

Type or paste the replacement text in Change to. You can also replace any found text with a specific text case by selecting the Special characters for replace icon and then selecting Case Modifiers.

Select any case modifier to change the text case of the found text.

Select a search scope from the Search drop-down menu.

Select Find Next to locate the first match.

Select Change, Change All, or Change/Find.

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