XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP: Which Should You Use?
XLOOKUP is Excel's modern replacement for VLOOKUP. Here's why it's better and when to use each.
VLOOKUP Limitations
- ❌ Can only search leftmost column
- ❌ Requires column number (breaks if columns move)
- ❌ Can't search right-to-left
- ❌ Returns #N/A if not found
=VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:D, 3, FALSE)XLOOKUP Advantages
- ✅ Search any column, return any column
- ✅ Reference columns directly (no counting)
- ✅ Built-in "if not found" handling
- ✅ Can search backwards or use wildcards
=XLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:A, Products!C:C, "Not Found")Quick Comparison
| Feature | VLOOKUP | XLOOKUP |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Left to right only | Any direction |
| Column reference | Number (fragile) | Range (robust) |
| Default value | None | Built-in |
When to Use VLOOKUP
Only if you're using Excel 2019 or earlier (XLOOKUP isn't available). Otherwise, always use XLOOKUP.
Pro Tip: If you must use VLOOKUP, combine it with MATCH to avoid hard-coded column numbers: =VLOOKUP(A2, Data, MATCH("Price", Headers, 0), FALSE)