This article introduces how to find and replace specified keywords in multiple TXT text files at once, suitable for scenarios such as data archiving, copy revision, batch proofreading, and updating code documentation text. Taking the batch replacement of "black" with "red" in multiple text files as an example, combined with the actual interface of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , it explains the complete process from selecting features, importing files, setting find-and-replace rules, to executing the processing and checking the results, helping users reduce the repetitive work of opening and modifying files one by one.
In daily office work, data organization, content maintenance, and batch document proofreading, a common problem often arises: a folder contains many TXT files, and the same keyword appears in each file that needs to be uniformly replaced with a new word. If you open files one by one, manually search, and replace them individually, it is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions. Especially when there are many text files and each file contains numerous occurrences of the keyword, manual processing significantly reduces efficiency.
This article addresses the specific issue of "batch find and replace keywords in many text files." Using multiple TXT files as an example, it demonstrates how to use the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " to perform batch replacement. In the example, we need to batch-replace the keyword black with red in the text files. Through a single setup, the software uniformly executes the find and replace action on multiple imported TXT files, thereby reducing repetitive work and improving file processing efficiency.
Applicable Scenarios: When Is It Suitable to Batch Replace TXT File Content?
Batch find and replace of text content is not limited to simple word replacement. As long as multiple text files contain the same or similar fixed content, this method can be considered for centralized processing.
1. Batch Modifying Old Names in Project Materials
For example, if a company name, product name, or event name changes, old names still remain in historical text materials. If these materials are saved in formats like TXT, log files, or description texts, batch find and replace can help unify them quickly.
2. Batch Correcting Fixed Terminology in Copywriting or Translation Files
Editors, translators, and operations staff often need to unify terminology across large volumes of text drafts. For instance, replacing an English word, phrase, or Chinese expression with a more standardized writing form can be done in batch to avoid repeatedly opening each file.
3. Batch Processing Text Files After Data Export
Records, logs, and lists exported from many systems can be in TXT format. If certain markers, status words, or field descriptions within them need a unified update, batch replacement is more reliable than manual modification.
4. Batch Organizing Teaching, Research, and Material Texts
The text files in the example screenshot include materials like big_bang.txt, black_holes.txt, dark_energy.txt, dark_matter.txt, and galaxies.txt. If such files need a specific keyword uniformly replaced, using a batch tool is very convenient.
Result Preview: What Changes After Processing?
First, look at the file list before processing. The folder contains multiple TXT files, indicating that this is not about modifying a single document but processing a batch of text files simultaneously.
Open one of the files, black_holes.txt, and you can see that black appears multiple times in the text, including Black at the sentence beginning and lowercase black in the middle. The green highlighted positions in the screenshot show the keywords needing replacement, and the red arrows also mark some occurrence locations. If replaced manually one by one, you would not only have to handle many instances but also consider case differences.
After batch processing is complete, open the same text file again, and you can see that the original black or Black has been replaced with red. The green highlighted positions have changed to red, indicating that the find and replace rules have taken effect. For multiple text files, the software executes the process uniformly based on the imported file list, eliminating the need for users to open and modify each file individually.
Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Find and Replace Keywords in Text Files
The complete workflow is described below according to the sequence of screenshots. Since the text content differs for each task, you only need to replace the example keywords black and red with your own find and replace words during actual use.
Step 1: Enter Text Tools, Select Find and Replace Keywords in Text
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can see multiple office processing modules in the left tool category, such as Word Tools, Excel Tools, PDF Tools, and Text Tools. Since we are processing TXT files here, you should enter the "Text Tools" category.
In the Text Tools list, select "Find and Replace Keywords in Text." The feature description states it is for batch find and replace keywords in text file content, perfectly matching this requirement. After clicking this feature, you will enter the subsequent batch processing wizard.
The purpose of this step is to determine the type of the current task. Only after selecting the correct tool will the subsequent interface present options like adding text files and setting find and replace keywords. For batch replacing in TXT files, modifying text content in batch, or updating fixed phrases in files in bulk, you can start from this function entry.
Step 2: Add TXT Files to Be Processed
After entering the function page, the interface top displays the current function name "Find and Replace Keywords in Text." The page uses a step-by-step wizard format, with the first step being "Select records to process." On the upper right, you can see buttons like "Add Files," "Import Files from Folder," "Clear," and "More."
If you only need to process a few specific files, you can click "Add Files"; if a folder contains many text files that need to be imported at once, you can use "Import Files from Folder." In the example, 5 TXT files have been imported, including big_bang.txt, black_holes.txt, dark_energy.txt, dark_matter.txt, and galaxies.txt. The table also displays information like path, extension, creation time, and modification time.
The expected result of this step is that all text files requiring batch content replacement appear in the list. Users can check the file names and paths from the list to avoid adding files that shouldn't be processed. If a file shouldn't be processed, you can use the delete icon in the action column to remove it; if the file list is incorrect, you can also use "Clear" and re-add them.
Step 3: Set Find Mode and Replacement Keywords
After confirming the file list is correct, click "Next" at the bottom of the page to enter "Set Processing Options." On this page, you need to configure the core rules for this batch find and replace operation.
As seen in the screenshot, "Find Mode" has "Exact Text Find" selected. This means the software will search based on the text content entered by the user. Beside it, there is also the option "Fuzzy Find Text Using Formulas," but since this example is a clear replacement of black with red, using exact find is more straightforward.
In "Additional Options," the example has checked "Ignore Case of Letters." This setting is very important. Because the text contains both the sentence-initial uppercase Black and lowercase black, without ignoring case, you might only replace instances with the exact same casing. Once checked, both Black and black will be identified as content needing replacement.
Below, the left side shows the "List of Keywords to Find," where the example inputs black; the right side shows the "List of Keywords After Replacement," where the example inputs red. The content on both sides forms a corresponding pair, meaning replace black with red.
The expected result of this step is that the software clearly knows what to find and what to replace it with in all imported TXT files. For tasks involving multiple keyword replacements, you can also maintain the correspondence list; however, this example only demonstrates the replacement of a single keyword black with red.
Step 4: Continue Setting Save Location and Start Processing
After setting the find and replace rules, click "Next." From the interface flow, you can see subsequent steps include "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing." The save location determines where the processed files are output to, and start processing executes the actual batch replacement task.
When handling important materials, it is recommended to prioritize choosing a distinct save location to avoid overwriting or confusing the original files. After setup, proceed to the start processing step, confirm everything is correct, and execute the task. The software will perform the batch find and replace on multiple text files based on the previously imported file list and the set keyword rules.
After processing finishes, you can open one of the files for a spot check. In the example, black_holes.txt has had its instances changed from black to red, showing that the processing result meets expectations.
Common Questions and Notes
1. Why check Ignore Case of Letters?
In English text, the same word might appear with different cases due to sentence start, title, or specific formatting. For example, Black and black. If you want them both replaced, it is recommended to check "Ignore Case of Letters." If you only want to replace the exact lowercase black while preserving the uppercase Black, then do not check this option.
2. Should I check Match Whole Words?
You can see the option "Match whole words instead of parts of a word" in the screenshot. Whether to check it depends on your specific needs. If you only want to replace standalone words, consider using whole word matching; if you want any part of the text containing that sequence to be replaced, leave it unchecked. It's best to test with a few files first before processing.
3. Is a backup needed before batch replacement?
A backup is recommended. The advantage of batch processing is handling multiple files at once, but it also means incorrect settings can affect many files. Especially when the replacement scope is broad, keywords are short, or file counts are high, backing up first or outputting to a new location is safer.
4. Can files like doc, docx, or PDF be processed?
This article demonstrates the batch find and replace feature for TXT text files within Text Tools. If you need to process Word documents, such as doc or docx, you should typically look for suitable functions in the corresponding Word Tools; formats like PDF and Excel should also use their respective modules. Different file formats have different structures, so mixing text processing methods directly is not recommended.
Summary: Use Batch Processing to Reduce Repeated Opening and Manual Replacement
Batch find and replace keywords in many text files is essentially about solving the problem of repetitive labor. With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , users can import multiple TXT files, uniformly set the find and replace words, and then complete the process in one go. Compared to opening files one by one, manually searching, and saving, batch tools are more suitable for office scenarios with a high number of files, frequent keyword occurrences, and clearly defined replacement rules.
If you currently have a batch of TXT files that need unified content modification, you can follow the steps in this article: enter Text Tools, select "Find and Replace Keywords in Text," add files or import from a folder, set the find and replace keywords, confirm the save location, and then start processing. This transforms originally repetitive, error-prone manual modifications into a controllable, clear, and efficient batch office workflow.