MID Function (LibreOffice Calc)

• Introduced: Documented by LibreOffice 26.8.1.1; original introduction not established.
• Availability: Supported in LibreOffice 26.8.1.1, verified against its function registry. This identifies a supported release, not a final working version.
• Scope: Desktop Calc, using the English function name. Availability in other spreadsheet applications is separate.
• Checked: 2026-10-14 — function reference; versioned support. Documentation/source check; not a new native test. Existing example-specific test claims below retain their stated scope.

The code INV-2026-0042 contains a four-digit year beginning at character position five.

Enter this formula in cell E5:

=MID(A5;5;4)

Expected result: 2026. MID starts counting at 1; positions 5–8 are 2026. The result is text, not a numeric year.

Real screenshot captured from LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2. The selected E5 cell shows the calculated result and the formula bar displays the entered formula.

Download the editable MID example (.ods) — change the sample input cells and watch the calculation update.

Why it works: MID starts counting at 1; positions 5–8 are 2026. The result is text, not a numeric year. Watch for: MID uses character positions, so codes with inconsistent prefixes need a different parsing strategy.

Verification: Example calculated in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2. Screenshot is a genuine application capture, not a mockup.

• Extracts characters starting at a specific position
• Works with text, numbers (converted to text), and formulas
• Useful for parsing codes, identifiers, and delimited text
• Supports variable‑length extraction

It is designed to be precise, flexible, and widely compatible.

MID(text; start; num_chars)

Arguments

• text:
  The text string to extract from.

• start:
  The position (1‑based) where extraction begins.

• num_chars:
  Number of characters to extract.

Extract characters starting at position 2

=MID("Hello"; 2; 3)

Returns "ell".

Extract from a cell

=MID(A1; 4; 2)

Extract from a number (converted to text)

=MID(2024; 2; 2)

Returns "02".

Extract a single character

=MID("ABC"; 2; 1)

Returns "B".

Extract the middle word from a three‑word string

=MID(A1; FIND(" "; A1) + 1; FIND(" "; A1; FIND(" "; A1) + 1) - FIND(" "; A1) - 1)

Extract text between two delimiters

=MID(A1; FIND("["; A1) + 1; FIND("]"; A1) - FIND("["; A1) - 1)

Extract variable‑length codes

=MID(A1; 3; LEN(A1) - 5)

Extract characters after the first dash

=MID(A1; FIND("-"; A1) + 1; LEN(A1))

Extract characters between the 2nd and 3rd spaces

=MID(A1; FIND("☼"; SUBSTITUTE(A1; " "; "☼"; 2)) + 1; FIND("☼"; SUBSTITUTE(A1; " "; "☼"; 3)) - FIND("☼"; SUBSTITUTE(A1; " "; "☼"; 2)) - 1)

Extract trailing digits from mixed text

=MID(A1; MATCH(TRUE; ISNUMBER(VALUE(MID(A1; ROW(INDIRECT("1:" & LEN(A1))); 1))); 0); LEN(A1))

Extract a substring dynamically

=MID(A1; B1; C1)

Where B1 = start, C1 = length.

start < 1 → Err:502

=MID("ABC"; 0; 2)

num_chars < 0 → Err:502

=MID("ABC"; 2; -1)

start beyond text length → returns ""

=MID("ABC"; 10; 5) → ""

num_chars larger than remaining text → returns remaining text

=MID("ABC"; 2; 10) → "BC"

text is a number → converted to text

=MID(12345; 2; 3) → "234"

text is empty

=MID(""); 1; 5 → ""

text is an error → error propagates

=MID(#N/A; 2; 3) → #N/A

MID respects Unicode character boundaries

But combining marks may behave unexpectedly.

• Use MID for structured text parsing and variable‑length extraction
• Combine with FIND/SEARCH for delimiter‑based extraction
• Use TRIM to clean input before slicing
• Use LEN to validate expected lengths
• Use MID with LEFT/RIGHT for full string decomposition

• Use LEFT to extract from the beginning
• Use RIGHT to extract from the end
• Use FIND or SEARCH to locate delimiters
• Use LEN to measure text length
• Use SUBSTITUTE to target specific occurrences

By mastering MID and its companion functions, you can build powerful, precise, and flexible text‑processing workflows in LibreOffice Calc.

This standalone example was calculated in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2 and matched the expected value. It is a practical cross-check of one usage, not proof that every example elsewhere on this page is correct.

=MID("Spreadsheet";7;5)

Expected result: sheet.

Extract a portion of text beginning at a specific position.

If the result differs, check the referenced cells, argument separators and number formatting. For more information, consult the LibreOffice Calc official help.