LEFT Function in Excel: Syntax, Examples and Free Practice

By Rinkesh Shah, founder of Cellgrids.

LEFT is an Excel Text function. Pulls a set number of characters from the start of a text string.

LEFT syntax

=LEFT(text, [num_chars])

LEFT is used to clean up and reshape text data pulled from other systems before reporting on it.

Open the live Excel-style spreadsheet and try LEFT yourself. No Excel install or sign-up needed to start.

Read the tutorial: LEFT, RIGHT and MID.

What does the LEFT function do in Excel?

Pulls a set number of characters from the start of a text string.

What is the syntax of LEFT in Excel?

The syntax is =LEFT(text, [num_chars]). text: The text to work with; num_chars: How many characters to return (optional).

Where can I practice LEFT online for free?

Open the free live spreadsheet on Cellgrids and try LEFT yourself. No Excel install is needed and you can start without signing up.