Filter a List
Apply a filter on all list items. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Filter a List
- 1. Paste your list. Enter your items into the input pane, one per line. Any list you need to reduce down to items matching a specific pattern works here.
- 2. Enter a pattern to match. Type the value in Pattern. Turn on Use a regular expression for pattern-based matching, and Case sensitive if letter case should distinguish matches.
- 3. Decide whether to invert the filter. Turn on Invert (keep items that don't match) to flip the result, keeping every item that does not match your pattern instead of the ones that do.
- 4. Copy the filtered list. The output pane shows only the items that passed the filter. Copy the reduced list wherever the filtered set is needed.
When to use Filter a List
Filter a List keeps only the items in a list matching a pattern you provide, with the option to invert the match. Reach for Filter a List whenever you need to narrow a list down based on a condition rather than a single search.
- Isolating rows from a specific category. A list of product names includes several categories mixed together, and filtering for a shared keyword like 'berry' isolates just that category before further work.
- Excluding unwanted entries with the invert option. A list of files includes some you never want to process, identifiable by a shared pattern, so filtering with invert on keeps everything except those matching entries.
- Narrowing down log lines to a specific error type. A pasted block of log lines has many types of messages, and filtering with a regular expression matching a specific error code keeps only the relevant lines.
- Filtering a list case-sensitively for exact matches. A list of identifiers uses meaningful capitalization, and turning on case sensitivity ensures the filter matches 'ERROR' but not 'error' when only the uppercase form is relevant.
Examples
Keep items mentioning berry
Input
apple blueberry strawberry
Output
blueberry strawberry
About the Filter a List tool
Filter a List runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Apply a filter on all list items. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's List Tools section, 114 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with 4 settings, including Pattern, Use a regular expression, Case sensitive and Invert (keep items that don't match), and the result refreshes the moment you change one. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Does Filter a List cost anything?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
No data leaves your device. The whole tool is JavaScript that runs inside your browser tab, so there is no upload, no server-side processing and no log of what you did. If you disconnect from the internet after the page loads, it keeps working.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
Nothing to install and no account needed. Open the page in any up-to-date browser, including on a phone or tablet, and the tool is ready.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.