The Ultimate Guide To Compare Files In Notepad++

It often happens, when you have to work with a lot of data, to need to know differences between two sets of text data.


Compare two files with NotePad++ explained

It often happens, when you have to work with a lot of data, to need to know differences between two sets of text data.

A simple solution to know quickly if data set look alike or not, or to have an overview of different lines, is to use  Notepad++ text editor   as a text file compare tool with an extra plugin, that can be easily installed from the Plugin Manager. It even works to compare two XML files!

You will also have to install Compare plugin. To do so, go on SourceForge, and download the latest plugin version. You then just have to extract downloaded archive in your Notepad++ installation folder.

Then, open your 1st file, and the second one, using Notepad++ text editor, and when the two files you want to compare will be the two last files open in the software, start comparison with Plugin => Compare => Compare, or keyboard shortcut Alt+D.

Your two files will then be, after processing, displayed with their differences : lines deleted (-) and lines added (+). Lines found in both files will remain displayed with a white background.

Notepad++ compare two xml files free

It is also possible with Notepad++ tool to compare two xml files. Simply follow previous steps, which are Notepad++ compare plugin install, open xml file in Notepad plus plus, and comparing them using the menu Notepad++ Plugins Compare.

XML comparison in Notepad++ will be done instantly for free, showing the lines removed, the lines added, the text modified in same line. Notepad plus plus probably is the best XML editor as it works also as an XML formatter, and is a great XML editor for windows 10.

This is how to edit  XML files   in notepad, but also how to save xml file in notepad.

Sample XML file used to compare two xml notepad++

notepad++ compare two files

Acting as a great file compare tool, you can also compare text files with this text compare notepad++ trick. Even compare two word documents by copy pasting the text in Notepad++.

Compare two text files with the notepad plugin compare, which is used to compare 2 files in notepad++ and compare text files notepad++.

How to compare two files?

Download the notepad++ file compare plugin and install it, in order to use the notepad plus plus compare plugin to do a notepad++ compare two text files.

Compare two files in notepad++:

It is that way possible to compare the content of any type of file.

The main usage is to compare two text files notepad++.

But the notepad compare plugin can also be used by pasting data from any files in the application, and using the notepad++ diff to show all differences between the files content.

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That way, notepad ++ compare tool can help checking differences between any type of file.

How to compare XML in Notepad++?

Compare two text files in Notepad++ to compare XML files, by having both tabs open, and using the menu Plugins > Compare > Compare.

This will result in both files being shown one next to the other, will all differences found in the XML comparison highlighted.

How to check difference between two files in notepad++?

In order to compare files in NotePad++, use the plugin compare to check the differences between two files, which have to be opened as text files, such as XML files, HTML files, CSV files, or other text files to compare.

How to install compare plugin for Notepad++?

Download the latest compare plugin from SourceForge, and extract it in the  Notepad++ plugin   installation folder, usually located at “C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\plugins”, and restart Notepad++ program to compare two files using the menu Plugins > Compare > Compare.

NPP plugin manager plugin

How to compare two Word documents in notepad++?

Comparing two text files on Windows 10 is pretty easy with Notepad++.

To compare Word documents text, copy the text of both documents in different tabs of Notepad++ text editor, and use the Notepad Plus Plus compare plugin to compare the texts.

The differences found in the text from the Word documents will be easy to spot on the interface of Notepad++ showing differences between files.

Compare Two Files Using Notepad++

Install Compare plugin with Plugin Manager

The compare plugin is also available in Plugin Manager.

How to install compare plugin Notepad++ with plugin manager? Simply open menu plugins > plugin manager > show plugin manager > available > select Compare plugin > install.

After plugin has been download and installed, restart Notepad++, and it will be available in menu plugins > compare.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to compare multiple files Notepad++ ?
The best way is to use the Notepad++ text editor as a text file comparison tool with an additional plugin that can be easily installed from the plugin manager.
How to compare two XML files in notepad++?
To compare two XML files in Notepad++, you can use the Compare plugin. First, install the plugin via Notepad++'s Plugin Manager. Then, open both XML files in Notepad++, go to the 'Plugins' menu, select 'Compare', and then 'Compare' again. This will display the two files side by side with differences highlighted.
What is the most efficient method for comparing differences between two files using Notepad++?
The most efficient method involves using the Compare plugin in Notepad++. After installing the plugin, open both files in Notepad++, go to the Plugins menu, select Compare, and then Compare, to view the differences highlighted side by side.

How to compare two files in Notepad++?

How to compare two files using note...
How to compare two files using notepad++

Yoann Bierling
About the author - Yoann Bierling
Yoann Bierling is a Web Publishing & Digital Consulting professional, making a global impact through expertise and innovation in technologies. Passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital age, he is driven to deliver exceptional results and drive growth through educational content creation.

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Comments (8)

 2018-08-19 -  Moses Allen
Increíble, ¡ahora es mi turno de probar!
 2018-08-19 -  Jeannie Austin
Ecco come lo facciamo, bello saperlo
 2018-08-19 -  Woodrow Warren
A avut o mare ocazie de a citi aceste informații, să păstreze lucrarea bună
 2018-08-19 -  Katherine Hughes
ว้าวมันง่ายจริงๆที่จะลองตอนนี้
 2018-08-19 -  Jacqueline Richardson
Nie mogę uwierzyć, że w końcu znalazłem rozwiązanie, to był koszmar od dawna, teraz rozwiązany
 2018-08-19 -  Freezinger
それは私のためにうまくいったので、これ以上見る必要はありません
 2018-08-19 -  cargaderad
Geweldige site, ga alsjeblieft door
 2018-11-05 -  Jacu79
Dzięki przydało się :) Notepad ++ faktycznie jest super, ale tej funkcji nie znałem.

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