How to Compare Two Files in Notepad++

Notepad++ is a powerful text editor that is widely used by developers, technical writers, and coders alike.

It has a number of features that make it a great choice for text editing, including the ability to compare two files.

This feature can be particularly useful when you need to compare two versions of the same file to see what changes have been made.

In this article, we’ll show you how to compare two files in Notepad++, step by step.


Step 1: Launch Notepad++

To get started, launch Notepad++ on your computer.

If you don’t already have Notepad++ installed, you can download it for free from the official website.

Step 2: Open the Files

Next, open the two files that you want to compare. You can do this by clicking on “File” in the main menu and then selecting “Open.”

In the Open dialog box, select the two files that you want to compare and then click “Open.”

Step 3: Activate the Compare Plugin

Notepad++ has a built-in plugin for comparing files.

To activate it, click on “Plugins” in the main menu, and then select “Compare.”

You should now see a new panel open up at the bottom of the Notepad++ window.

Step 4: Compare the Files

To compare the two files, simply click on the “Compare” button in the new panel. Notepad++ will now highlight any differences between the two files.

In the example below, the left file is the original file, and the right file is the new version with the changes.

Step 5: Navigate Through the Differences

You can navigate through the differences between the two files by clicking on the arrows in the new panel.

This will take you to the next or previous difference between the two files.

Step 6: Save the Changes

If you want to save the changes made to one of the files, simply click on “File” in the main menu, and then select “Save.”


Conclusion

Comparing two files in Notepad++ is a simple and straightforward process.

With its built-in plugin for comparing files, you can easily see what changes have been made between two versions of the same file.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly and easily compare two files in Notepad++.