Find and Replace Tool
Search for text or RegExp patterns and replace them instantly.
What is the Find and Replace Tool?
The Find and Replace Tool is a versatile text processing utility that allows you to search for specific words, phrases, or patterns within a document and substitute them with new text. Whether you are editing code, updating a template, or correcting a recurring typo, this tool automates the process instantly. If you need to simply delete words without replacing them, try our Remove Words tool instead.
Why do I need this tool?
For Writers & Editors
Quickly fix consistent spelling errors (e.g., change "colour" to "color") or update names across an entire article.
For Developers
Refactor code by bulk-renaming variables. Use Regex mode to match complex patterns like IDs or tags.
For Data Cleaning
Remove unwanted characters, sanitize inputs, or reformat CSV data before importing it into spreadsheets.
How to use the Find and Replace Tool
We've designed this tool to be compact and single-screen optimized, so you can do everything without scrolling.
- Enter Source Text: Paste your document into the left-hand editor ("Source Text").
- Find & Replace:
- Type what you want to find in the Find box.
- Type your substitute text in the Replace with box.
- Navigate Matches:Use the Up/Down arrows in the "Matches Found" section to quickly jump between every instance of found text. The editor will auto-scroll to show you the context.
- Fine-Tune Controls:
- Whole Word (Default On): Replaces "read" but not "b-read-er". Uncheck if you want to replace partial words.
- Match Case: Enable this to distinguish between "Apple" (Capital) and "apple" (lowercase).
- Regex: Enable this for advanced pattern searching (e.g., finding all emails or dates).
- Copy Result: The right-hand editor updates instantly. Click "Copy" to grab your modified text.
Example: Masking Email Addresses
Replace: [REDACTED]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Find and Replace Tool?
The Find and Replace Tool is a free online text processing utility that searches for specific words, phrases, or regular expression patterns in your text and substitutes them with new content. It performs global replacements (all instances at once) and supports advanced features like case sensitivity, whole word matching, and regex patterns. Perfect for editing code, fixing typos, updating templates, or batch text processing.
Does this tool support Regular Expressions (Regex)?
Yes! Enable the 'Regex' toggle to use advanced regex patterns for matching text. We support standard JavaScript regex syntax, allowing you to find complex patterns like email addresses, URLs, phone numbers, dates, or custom formatting. For example, use \b[\w.-]+@[\w.-]+.\w+\b to find all email addresses.
Is my text data secure?
Absolutely. This tool runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your text is never uploaded to our servers or sent over the internet, ensuring 100% privacy. You can even use it offline once the page loads. Perfect for sensitive documents like code, contracts, or personal data.
How do I replace text in a case-insensitive way?
By default, the search is case-insensitive, meaning 'apple' will match 'Apple', 'APPLE', or 'aPpLe'. If you need exact case matching (case-sensitive), check the 'Match Case' option. This is useful when distinguishing between variables like 'userName' vs 'USERNAME' in code.
Can I replace multiple occurrences at once?
Yes, our tool performs a 'Global' replacement by default, finding and replacing every single instance of your search term throughout the entire text. You can use the match counter to see how many replacements were made, and navigate between matches using the up/down arrows to review each change location before copying the result.
What does the 'Whole Word' option do?
When 'Whole Word' is enabled (default), the tool only matches complete words. For example, searching for 'read' will match 'I read books' but NOT 'bread' or 'already'. This prevents partial matches. Disable it if you want to replace text within larger words or handle partial string replacements.
Can I upload files for processing?
Yes! Click the 'Upload' button to load text files from your computer. Supported formats include .txt, .md, .json, .csv, .xml, .js, .html, .css, and other text-based files. Maximum file size is 5MB for optimal performance. After processing, download the result with the 'Download' button.
What are some common regex examples?
Common regex patterns include: (1) Email addresses: \b[\w.-]+@[\w.-]+.\w+\b, (2) URLs: https?://[^\s]+, (3) Phone numbers: \d{3}-\d{3}-\d{4}, (4) Dates (MM/DD/YYYY): \d{2}/\d{2}/\d{4}, (5) Remove multiple spaces: \s{2,} (replace with single space), (6) Extract numbers: \d+. Enable the 'Regex' toggle and paste these patterns in the Find box.
Can I use this offline?
Once the page loads initially (requires internet connection), all processing happens locally in your browser's memory. If you keep the page open, you can continue using it even if your internet connection drops. However, refreshing the page will require reconnecting to the internet.
How is this different from using a text editor's find and replace?
Our tool offers instant visual feedback with: (1) Real-time match highlighting - see all matches highlighted in yellow with the current match in red, (2) Match navigation with counters - jump between matches using up/down arrows, (3) Side-by-side comparison - see before and after simultaneously, (4) Web-based convenience - no software installation needed, (5) Regex support with visual feedback - test regex patterns with immediate results. Perfect for quick edits without opening a full text editor.