How to Compare Documents, Compare Files, Compare Folders with WinMerge

This guide explains how to compare Documents, Compare Files, Compare Folders with WinMerge, with clear steps, practical tips, and important checks before you begin.

1. Compare documents, compare files with WinMerge

Data file comparison feature helps you check the similarity and difference of each word and word between two data files.

Step 1: On the card File -> Open or press Ctrl + O:

Step 2: The Select file or Folder window appears in the section:

- Left: Click Browse -> Select the path to the first file to be compared

- Right: Click Browse -> Select the path to the second file to be compared

Step 3: Click OK, the content of the 2 files will be displayed visually for you to directly compare. The text in yellow in the two data files indicates the difference between the two files:

Also you can see the Location Pane section is a general picture of the differences between the 2 files in which parts. The example where is different at the beginning and the end of the 2 files:

Depending on the data comparison you choose which files should be saved and which files are deleted.

2. Compare directories with WinMerge

In addition to direct comparison, you can use the 2 directory comparison

Doing the same thing as comparing 2 data files, click Browse and select the folder to compare:

For example, here choose 2 folders with the same name but located in 2 different drives, where the folder containing the sub-folder ticks the Include Sub Folders section:

Click OK, the software will automatically compare two folders:

After the comparison, the differences between the 2 directories are displayed:

- In the comparison results section: Comparision result displays the comparison results of each file in the directory:

+ Comparision result = Binary files are identical -> the content of 2 files is exactly the same

+ Comparision result = Binary files are different -> content of 2 files completely different

+ Comparision result = Text files are identical -> the same text content

+ Comparision result = Left only. -> the data file is only in the directory in the Left path

+ Comparision result = Right Only -> the data file is only in the directory in the Right path .

In addition, if the individual display of each file like this you will be difficult to control -> click the View tab -> Tree Mode to display according to the type of folder you can easily compare and observe:

The results of all files being compared are displayed as a directory tree:

To compare the differences between the out-of-results files, compare the file editing times:

For the most accurate comparison results, you can compare the sizes of the two files by clicking the Tools -> Customize Columns tab :

The Display Columns dialog box appears and select the Left Size and Right Size items

The comparison results show the additional size of the file to compare. You notice Left and Right correspond to the folder located in the path you selected in step 1:

Based on the comparison results, the time to edit the file, the size of the file you decide to keep or remove that directory.

Above is a detailed guide How to compare documents, compare files, compare folders with WinMerge. Good luck!