Filter Text Lines

Keeping only lines that match a pattern (or removing them) usually means grep or a script. The Filter Text Lines tool does it in the browser: paste your text, enter a pattern (plain or regex), choose include or exclude, and get only the lines you want—no sign-up and no data sent to a server.

What does Filter Text Lines do?

Filter Text Lines is a free online tool that keeps only lines that match a pattern (include) or removes lines that match (exclude). You can use plain text or regex. It is used to keep only lines containing a keyword, remove noise lines, or extract lines that match a format (e.g. emails, URLs). All processing runs in your browser; there is no upload, no storage, and no account required.

Key Features

• Include or exclude — Keep only matching lines (include) or remove matching lines (exclude). Plain text or regex. Case sensitivity may be optional.
• Regex support — Enable regex for pattern matching (e.g. error|fail, ^\d+, @\w+\.com).
• Any input — Paste or type text with one or more lines. Enter the pattern; choose include or exclude. No size limit for in-browser processing.
• Instant result — Paste, set pattern and mode, and see the filtered lines. Copy when ready.
• Privacy-first — All processing happens in your browser. Your text is never sent to any server.
• No account — Use as often as you need without sign-up.

How to Use Filter Text Lines

1. Open the Filter Text Lines tool.
2. Paste or type your text (multi-line).
3. Enter the pattern (plain text or regex). Choose include (keep matching) or exclude (remove matching). Set case sensitive if needed. View the result. Copy the result.
4. Paste into your doc, log viewer, or next tool. Use the "Use tool" button on the docs page if you are reading this from the documentation.

Real Use Cases

• Keep only lines with a keyword — Include only lines containing "error", "warning", or a project name. Great for logs or exports.
• Remove noise lines — Exclude lines with timestamps, debug output, or boilerplate so you see only content.
• Extract by format — Use regex to keep lines that look like emails, URLs, or IDs. Then process or dedupe.
• Log analysis — Filter log output by level, component, or message pattern.
• CSV and data — Keep or remove rows that contain a value or match a pattern.
• Code and config — Filter lines by comment, section, or key.

Why Use Filter Text Lines Instead of Alternatives?

• vs. Grep Text — Grep shows matching lines (like include). Filter can also exclude. Use whichever fits your workflow.
• vs. Find-and-replace — Replace changes content. Filter keeps or removes whole lines. Use filter when you want to keep or drop lines.
• vs. Manual scan — No need to scroll and delete. One paste, set pattern, copy.
• vs. Scripts — No coding. Works in any browser.

Check regex is off if you want literal text, or escape special regex characters. Ensure line endings and case match your expectation.

Benefits for Developers, Data Users, and Support

• Developers — Filter logs or output by pattern. No one-off script.
• Data users — Keep or remove rows by keyword or pattern. Prepare data for analysis.
• Support — Extract only relevant lines from logs or config for tickets.

Common Mistakes

• No lines matching — Check regex is off if you want literal text, or escape special regex characters. Ensure line endings and case match your expectation.
• Wrong include/exclude — Include keeps matches; exclude removes matches. Flip if you get the opposite of what you want.
• Expecting to change line content — The tool only keeps or removes lines. For changing content use Replace Text.
• Forgetting to copy — The result is not saved. Copy before closing the tab or refreshing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does filter text lines do?

It keeps only lines that match a pattern (include) or removes lines that match (exclude). You can use plain text or regex.

Does it support regex?

Yes. You can match by plain text or enable regex for pattern matching.

What input does it accept?

Paste or type text with one or more lines. Enter the pattern to match; choose include or exclude. Case sensitivity may be optional.

Is my text stored?

No. All processing happens in your browser. Your text is never sent to any server.

When should I use filter lines?

Use it to keep only lines containing a keyword, remove noise lines, or extract lines that match a format (e.g. emails, URLs).

Why are no lines matching?

Check regex is off if you want literal text, or escape special regex characters. Ensure line endings and case match your expectation.

Conclusion and Try the Tool

Filter Text Lines gives you include/exclude by pattern in seconds: paste, set pattern and mode, copy. No account, no server round-trip. For search-style output use Grep Text, for replace use Replace Text, and for sort use Sort Text.

Use the Filter Text Lines tool to filter lines by pattern.