How to compare 2 notepad files

Notepad++ is a free text and code editor for Microsoft Windows operating system. Users can compare two files in Notepad++ side by side with a compare plugin. It shows multiple differences with different colors. The compare plugin works better for source code rather than simple text. In this article, we will show you the method through which you can easily compare two files in Notepad++.

Índice Show

Using the Compare Plugin
Compare two files in Notepad++
Compare Plugin Settings

Compare files in Notepad++

Using the Compare Plugin

There is a specific compare plugin in Notepad++ to compare two files. However, it is not available by default and you need to download it manually through the plugin manager. The latest Notepad++ uses Plugin Admin as a plugin manager. If you are using an outdated version of Notepad++, then simply update it or install the Plugin Manager manually. Compare plugin will do a comparison through the lines.

A few of the symbols/signs that you will find for lines after using the compare plugin have different meanings as stated below:

Added (+): This sign will show the lines that only exist in the new file and not in the old file.
Deleted (-): The minus sign will show the lines that do not exist in the new file, but are only present in the old file.
Moved (⇳): The stream that appears once in another file, but in a different location.
Changed (≠): Most of the lines will be similar but with some changes that are highlighted in a different color.

The compare plugin is limited and may not provide the features that you are looking for in Notepad++. Anyway, follow the below steps to check it out:

Open your Notepad++ by double-clicking on the shortcut. You can also search for Notepad++ through the Windows search feature and open it.
Click on the Plugins menu in the menu bar and choose the Plugins Admin option.
Opening plugin manager
Search for the Compare plugin in the list of plugins. Select the plugin and click on the Install button.
Installing plugin manager
It will ask you to restart the Notepad++ to install the Compare plugin. Click on the Yes button to approve the action.
Once the Notepad++ is restarted, the Compare plugin will be installed.
Now open two files that you want to compare. You can do it by clicking on the File menu and choosing the Open option, then selecting the files that you want to open.
Note: You can also simply drag and drop files to the Notepad++ to open them.
After that, click on the Plugins menu, choose the Compare option, and then click on the Compare in the sub-menu.
Using the compare plugin
It will compare the two files and show the differences between them.
You can also click on the Plugins, then Compare, and choose the Settings option to further configure Compare plugin options. The colors for differences can be changed for Compare plugin too.
To close the comparison of files, click on the Plugins menu again, choose the Compare, and then click on the Clear Active Compare or Clear All Compares option.
Clearing the comparison

This post will help you how to compare two files in Notepad++. Whether you want to compare two text files to find the differences between them or you need to compare a programming file with two different versions, you will be able to do it within Notepad++.

If there is any new line added, a line is deleted or removed, a line is moved, and a line is changed (like some word or letter is added or removed in a line) in any of the two files added for comparison, you can see those changes.

The differences are highlighted with different colors for added lines, deleted lines, changed lines, etc. You can also see a plus icon with green color and a minus icon with red color for a line added or removed in any of those two files.

Compare two files in Notepad++

Notepad++ doesn’t come with a built-in feature to compare two files, but you can use a free Notepad++ plugin called Compare to make it possible. It shows the differences between the two files side by side on the interface of Notepad++.

Here are the steps to compare two files in Notepad++:

Open Notepad++
Access Plugins Admin option
Search Compare plugin in Plugins Admin page
Install the plugin
Open two files in Notepad++
Access Compare plugin options under Plugins menu
Use the comparison options of the Compare plugin.

At first, launch Notepad++ using its desktop shortcut, Windows Search box, or Start menu.

Click on the Plugins menu and then select the Plugins Admin option. Plugins Admin (earlier known as Plugin Manager) page will open.

On the Plugins Admin page, search for compare plugin. In the search results, select the Compare plugin, and press the Install button. A confirmation box will open. Press the Yes button in that box.

It will close and restart Notepad++ and the Compare plugin will be installed automatically.

Now open two files in Notepad++ that you want to compare. After doing that, click on the Plugins menu and access the Compare plugin. You will see the following options:

Set as First to Compare: Using this option, you can make the foreground file the first file (or old file) with which you can compare any other background file (or new file) opened in Notepad++
Compare: this option helps to compare the first file with the second file. You have to go to the second file and then use this option for comparison. Any difference such as line added or removed, the line changed, etc., between two files, are highlighted and visible in Notepad++
Clear Active Compare
Clear All Compares: to close the comparison of all files
SVN Diff and Git Diff: to compare the current version of a file with the local Git/SVN database. Helpful for coding files.
Ignore Spaces for comparison. For better output, you should uncheck this option
Detect Moves option to show/hide icons for added or removed lines
Navigation Bar: this option provides a navigation bar on the top right part during the comparison. It is helpful when you are comparing large files. Instead of scrolling manually, you can use a navigation bar to quickly go to a particular part of files that you’re comparing.

For each option available for comparison, there is also a hotkey to quickly use a particular option. Use comparison options as per your needs.

Compare Plugin Settings

If you want to adjust color settings for comparison and main settings, then you can access Settings of this Compare plugin and customize them as per your convenience. Use the Settings option available under Compare plugin options. A separate box will open.

Using that box, you can change the default color for an added line, change highlight, moved line, changed line, etc., with any color of your choice. You can also set a highlight transparency level between 0 to 100.

Apart from that, the settings box also lets you show/hide the compact navigation bar, set the position of the first file (left or right), wrap-around diffs, automatically go to first difference after full comparison is done, etc.

When Settings are adjusted, press OK to save the changes. That’s all.

This way you can compare two text files, programming files, etc., in Notepad++. Hope this post is helpful.