When Line Numbers Matter
Line numbers serve many purposes—referencing specific lines in documents, creating numbered lists, tracking entries in logs, or preparing text for code review. Sometimes you need to add them; sometimes you need to strip them out.
This tool handles both directions with customizable formatting options. Add numbers with your preferred separator and padding, or remove numbers in various common formats. Process files of any size instantly.
How to Add Line Numbers
- Paste your text or upload files
- Select Add Line Numbers mode
- Choose your separator (period, colon, tab, etc.)
- Set your starting number and padding options
- Click to process and download the result
How to Remove Line Numbers
- Paste your numbered text or upload files
- Select Remove Line Numbers mode
- The tool automatically detects common formats
- Click to process and get clean text
Supported Number Formats
Adding Numbers
- Period: 1. First line, 2. Second line
- Colon: 1: First line, 2: Second line
- Parenthesis: 1) First line, 2) Second line
- Tab: 1\\tFirst line (number followed by tab)
- Custom: Any separator you specify
Removing Numbers
The removal function recognizes multiple formats automatically:
- 1. Line or 001. Line (period with optional padding)
- 1: Line (colon separator)
- 1) Line or (1) Line (parentheses)
- [1] Line (square brackets)
- 1\tLine (tab separator)
- 1 Line (multiple spaces)
Common Use Cases
Code Documentation
Add line numbers to code snippets for documentation or tutorials. Makes it easy to reference specific lines in explanations.
Legal Documents
Legal documents often require numbered lines for citation. Add numbers with consistent formatting across multi-page documents.
Data Import Preparation
Some systems export data with line numbers that need removal before import elsewhere. Strip numbers to get clean data.
Creating Numbered Lists
Turn bullet points or plain text into numbered lists. Useful for agendas, instructions, or any sequential content.
Combining with Other Tools
Line numbering often fits into larger workflows:
- Sort lines before adding numbers to get proper sequence
- Remove duplicates before numbering for clean lists
- Find & Replace to change number formats after processing
Frequently Asked Questions
What separator formats can I use?
Any text can be used as a separator between the number and line content. Common formats include period and space (1. Line), colon (1: Line), tab (1\tLine), or parenthesis (1) Line). Enter any custom separator you need.
How does zero padding work?
Zero padding adds leading zeros to make all line numbers the same length. For a 1000-line file, line 1 becomes 0001, line 42 becomes 0042. This ensures proper sorting and alignment.
Can I start numbering from a specific number?
Yes. Set the Start Number to any value. Useful when combining files or continuing from a previous document. You can start from 0, 1, 100, or any number you need.
How does removing line numbers work?
The tool recognizes common line number formats: period (1. ), colon (1: ), parentheses (1) or (1)), brackets [1], tabs, and multiple spaces. It removes the number and separator, leaving just the content.
What happens with empty lines?
You can choose to skip empty lines when adding numbers. Skipped empty lines remain empty and do not receive a number. The numbering continues correctly for non-empty lines.