Why You Should Stop Using VLOOKUP and Switch to XLOOKUP Today
- Kyle Pew
- 1 hour ago
- 1 min read
If you’ve been using Excel for a while, you’ve probably leaned on VLOOKUP to pull information from a list or table. And while it’s been around forever, VLOOKUP also comes with a handful of limitations that make your spreadsheets more fragile than they need to be.
Enter XLOOKUP—Excel’s modern, flexible, and far more powerful lookup function.
In my newest video, I walk through exactly why XLOOKUP should replace VLOOKUP in your everyday workflow. The upgrade isn’t subtle… once you see how much better XLOOKUP handles real-world data, you’ll never want to go back.
What Makes XLOOKUP So Much Better?
Here are a few reasons Excel users everywhere are making the switch:
1. XLOOKUP Can Look Left or Right
No more rearranging columns or building helper fields just to make VLOOKUP happy. XLOOKUP lets you pull from any direction.
2. It Returns Multiple Columns at Once
Need more than one value? XLOOKUP spills entire rows back automatically—no extra formulas required.
3. It Doesn’t Break When Your Data Changes
Insert a column, sort your table, or move fields around… XLOOKUP keeps working because it references actual ranges, not column numbers.
4. It's Designed for Accuracy
Exact match is the default. No more silent errors or incorrect returns.
If you want to see XLOOKUP in action—along with a real-world example that VLOOKUP simply can’t handle—check out my latest video:
"Stop Using VLOOKUP — Here's the Better Function"
In just a few minutes, you’ll learn how XLOOKUP works, why it’s more reliable, and how to start using it right away.
EXERCISE FILE: