How to Compare Two Files in Notepad++ (Windows 11)

Last updated on March 10th, 2024 at 06:41 pm

Whenever I work on different projects or articles for websites, comparing two of the same documents is really difficult. However, for people like me who have to deal with text documents, the Notepad++ compare files feature will help. Yes, I also came across this new feature of Notepad++ of Windows, even though it’s not a new feature and has been available for a long time.

You can benefit from having the ability to compare files side by side using the Notepad Plus compare files feature. Nevertheless, talking about Notepad++, then as you may already know it’s a text editor using which you can easily make or edit your documents.

So, if you have two different files and want to know how to compare two files in Notepad++ on your Windows 11 PC, then you must read this article to learn about the steps.

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Why Should I Compare My Files?

Do you want to know why you should compare your files? What’s the need for this? How this can help you? Well, if you want to understand why and when you need to use this feature, let’s begin with this and check the details:

Identify Differences: As a user, I like this feature personally. Yes, you can easily see the difference between your documents, codes, or .txt-based files.
Merge Changes: You can use this to merge two files in which you have made changes recently. This also helps you to manage storage by merging two similar files into one.
Accuracy: This is the third most needed thing for users like me, as it gives you perfect and accurate changes to the files.
Debugging: If you are a coder, then you will like this as it helps you check if you have made any changes to codes by comparing them. Also, it will allow you to check if there is a defect exists.
Track Changes: If you want to keep your eyes on your project over time, this thing will help you track the changes as many times as you can.

What Is the Notepad Compare Plugin?

If you are a Windows user, then most probably know about Notepad. However, Notepad++ is an upgraded version of this, and it can now compare two files using the Compare Plugin. However, talking about accuracy, let me tell you that I allow you to compare not only in paragraphs but also line by line.

Well, if you have ever used Notepad++, then you are sure you noticed some symbols or icons that have different work and meanings. So, let’s check out what each icon does:

Added (+): This is a plus icon that has a Green color, which tells you about the line in a newly added file that isn’t available in the older version of the file.
Deleted (-): The delete button is of Red color that displays when there are number of lines that is not present in the new file, but are present in the old one.
Changed (≠): Whenever there are similar lines available in the files, it will show you the line by highlighting it in different colors. However, talking about the color, then this has two colors i.e., Red and Yellow.
Moved: It displays the stream that appears in a different file.

How to Compare Two Files in Notepad++

If you are curious about how you can easily compare two different files in Notepad++, then there’s a free plugin that you can use with your Notepad++ app called Compare. This will help you with what you are looking to do. Moreover, it will show you the difference between two files side by side of the document. So, let’s check out the needy steps that you need to take to compare two files in Notepad++:

Open Notepad++ on your computer.
Then, select Plugins Admin. If you don’t find Plugins Admin…, go to ?
Click About Notepad++ and confirm you’re running the current version.
Now, in the Plugins Admin modal, find and select the Compare plugin.
Afterward, in the top-right corner of the screen, click Install.
Now, follow the on-screen instructions to install the plugin to complete the plugin setup.
In your Notepad++ editor, simply tap on the Files> Open and browse the file.
Click on Plugins and then select Compare.
To compare the two files, select Compare. You can also press Ctrl + Alt + C.
If your file is large, use the Compare Navigation icon instead of manually scrolling through it to identify the highlighted differences.

Steps to Compare Two Files in Notepad++ Without a Plugin

Suppose you don’t want to use any plugin and quickly want to compare the two files in Notepad++, and then luckily, there is a method that you can use. So, let’s check out the needy steps for that:

Launch Notepad++.
In the editor, drag and drop the two files you wish to compare.
Afterward, right-click on the file tab and choose Move to Other View.
Now, you just have to place the file next to the file that you want to compare.

Although I find this method quite hard, but still manage to compare my big files. But, it take more time when you do not use this feature before. Therefore, if it is first time you are using this feature and doesn’t want to use any third-party plugin, you have to do it with more precious to avoid some critical mistakes.

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So, that’s all we have for you on how to compare two files in Notepad++. It’s my hope that the steps I’ve mentioned above have helped you. Meanwhile, feel free to leave a comment below if you need further assistance.