# sed replace 2nd instance

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/sed-replace-2nd-instance/185233>\
**Category:** Shell Programming and Scripting\
**Created:** [February 12, 2008, 11:49am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/sed-replace-2nd-instance/185233 "2008-02-12T11:49:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![katrvu](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/katrvu/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@katrvu](https://community.unix.com/u/katrvu)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 11:49am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/sed-replace-2nd-instance/185233/1 "2008-02-12T11:49:12Z")

</div>

Hello,

I want to replace 2nd instance of "foo" in a file use sed.

Any suggestions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![denn](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/denn/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@denn](https://community.unix.com/u/denn)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/sed-replace-2nd-instance/185233/2 "2008-02-12T12:57:57Z")

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```nohighlight
sed 's/foo/FOBAR/2' 

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![katrvu](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/katrvu/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@katrvu](https://community.unix.com/u/katrvu)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/sed-replace-2nd-instance/185233/3 "2008-02-12T13:17:52Z")

</div>

> [@denn](#):
>
> ```plaintext
> sed 's/foo/FOBAR/2' 
> 
> ```

I believe that only replace 2nd instance in a line, but what if I want to replace 2nd instance in a file?

thank you for the suggestion