How to Find and Replace Texts in Multiple Files in Bulk Instantly

Find and replace text in multiple files is what we sometime need. Generally, we find the text or string from a text file or a word document and then manually edit the file, replace the text with new one. This is quite possible to perform the task manually when the number of file is ten to twelve. However, if the number of the files are hundred or thousand then manually replacing the text (or multiple texts from a single file) in thousands of file is days work. It takes few days to complete the whole task. As a freelancer it creates panic unless you take the help of automation. So, the good news is – Windows users can automatically replace multiple texts from a bunch of files at a time with the help of few “Find and Replace tool“. Those tools not only help you replacing words, letters, texts and string from a file or from any kind of text document, but also capable of saving the files automatically. Additionally, such Windows based find and replace tools support files like html, php, word, text and much more. So, if you are a developer, freelancer or programmer, these tools seem very much helpful to you.

Best Tools to Find, Replace Text in Multiple Files on Windows

1. Fnr.exe (Find and Replace): Fnr.exe is a portable Windows app that gives user great opportunity for searching any text or string from a file (or multiple files) and successfully replaces them with the desired alternative texts before save the file. The tool also supports the following features:

• Case sensitive searching and replacement
• Search files in one directory and sub-directories
• Search and replace files using regex search
• Multi line text file replacement
• Supports command line file replacement

At first, download the “Find and Replace” tool from the URL mentioned below and run it. A user does not require any further installation as this is a portable Windows freeware. The interface of the application is very much user-friendly. So, much illustration is useless.

The tool provides two options for replacing texts – 1. replace texts using the tool itself 2. use command line to replace text.

First option is easier one as the software does the entire thing. In the ‘Find’ text box type the word which you want to replace. And, fill the ‘Replace’ box with the word that you need to replace with with in the file(s). Click on the ‘Replace’ button and wait until the process completes. After completion, a result window appears with the detail result in a chart.

However, the second method generates a Windows command on pressing “Gen Replace Command Line” button. The generated command looks similar to below command.

"C:\Users\Jit\Downloads\Programs\fnr.exe" --cl --dir "C:\Users\Jit\Desktop\New folder (2)" --fileMask "*.*" --excludeFileMask "*.dll, *.exe" --includeSubDirectories --find "jit" --replace "Indira"

You need to copy the command and paste it in command prompt window. On successful command completion, the following message will be displayed in the screen.

The tool is also used to search and replace multi line text, recursing directories etc.

Download URL:

https://findandreplace.codeplex.com/

2. FAR.exe: ‘FAR’ is another tool to replace texts in multiple files. By using this Windows application one can find the word at first, then the words can be replaced in bulk from more than one files at a same time. The software is also capable of renaming files in bulk. Before starting, download the application from the URL mentioned below.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/findandreplace/

The interface is very much understandable. Under ‘Find’ window ‘Base Directory’ option lets you choose the folder or directory from where you want to rename files or replace texts from the files inside. The software supports only text replacement from the following file pattern: .txt, .xml, .html and .htm. Enter the text under the ‘Content Pattern’ box that you want to search from the files. Click the ‘Find’ button to search the texts. The search result will be displayed at the right pane of the software window.

Go to ‘Replace’ tab and type the desired word in the “Replace With…” field. Then, tap the ‘Replace’ button to replace the texts from the multiple files instantly.

You do not need to save the files manually after text replacement. The application does the whole thing.

3. Some text editor like Notepad++, Sublime Texts etc. has options to find, replace texts in bulk from all the open files. I personally never suggest this method for replacing text from files as these text editors do not provide any support for saving all the opened files together. One need to save each file manually after text replacement.

Final Words:

This article guides you to choose the best tool while replace texts from a number of files in bulk and helps you about how to find and replace texts from multiple files. You can save your valuable times and less your efforts by using the tools. FNR.exe and FAR.exe are the best two among all the freeware available in the web. Valuable suggestions are appreciated via ‘Contact form’.