EmEditor Professional18.6.4

Created as an intricate word processing application for truly experienced PC users, EmEditor Professional seems to have everything it needs to compete with other tools in its category.It feels light, it's very fast, and it has minimal impact on computer performance. However, the true attraction lies in its comprehensive set of features and customization preferences dedicated to text editing.

Customizable setup and interface

Setting up EmEditor takes little time, and you are given the possibility to customize components from the get-go. For example, you can exclude languages and plugins.The program's wrapped in a clean and intuitive interface, which consists of a large window that has all options neatly arranged in different menus, for text editing, search and replace functions, the viewing mode, document comparison, macro recording, tools, and window options.

Encoding support and fullscreen mode

EmEditor allows you to open very large files which are usually unsupported by common word processors. Moreover, it features full Unicode support and lets you switch to full screen mode. All clips are automatically recorded to history, so you can later examine and reuse them.It's possible to search and replace keywords within the same document or across multiple files in a specified directory, and the application lets you apply a wide range of advanced filters in this regard. Furthermore, you can compare two documents by placing them next to each other, as well as enable synchronized scrolling. A spellchecker can be enabled and personalized.

Syntax highlights and code snippets

EmEditor also reserves some special options for programmers and web designers. Apart from the fact that it enables them to open coding scripts, it features syntax highlighting and predefined snippets for popular languages, such as C#, C++, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, Perl or PHP.You can record macros with mouse movements and key presses and play them for repetitive tasks that don't require your intervention, load plugins, create shortcuts to launch external programs without leaving EmEditor's interface, as well as activate word completion mode. These are just part of the features provided by this utility.

How to switch to FREE mode

EmEditor used to have a freeware edition that is now integrated into the professional version. If you're not ready to purchase the full version yet, you can easily make the switch to continue using EmEditor in free mode for unlimited use. To do so, go to "Tools" menu -> "All Commands" -> "Help" -> "Downgrade".However, you should keep in mind that some professional features will no longer be available, like support for plugins, macros and very large files. On the bright side, you will not be asked by the application to upgrade (you have to reinstall the professional edition) and you will not receive marketing messages.

Evaluation and conclusion

CPU and RAM consumption was minimal in our tests, and the program didn't hang, crash or prompt error messages. Although it may prove troublesome at first due to its elaborate set of options and configuration settings, EmEditor Professional definitely deserves your attention.NOTE: For more information, make sure to check out our in-depth review for EmEditor Professional 15.