MultiLine Text Selection
Make, copy, and search multiple concurrent text selections.
Make multiple noncontiguous text selections at a time in webpages. Text can be copied to clipboard through ctrl+c or the right-click copy option. You can also search your text on Google, YouTube, and Wikipedia through the right click selection menu.
Usage
Make additional text selections while holding down ctrl. Clear all selections by clicking without holding ctrl. Undo the most recent selection with ctrl+z. On Macs, use cmd instead of ctrl.
Lock selections with ctrl+shift+L. When selections are locked, they will not disappear when left-clicking. This prevents accidentally clicking out and clearing your selections. While locked, ctrl/cmd is not needed to make selections. Leave locked mode and clear all highlighted text by pressing ctrl+shift+L again.
Right click any selection for search options. Select MultiSearch to open a search tab for each selection. Select CombinedSearch to open a single search tab for each selection separated by a space. Right click the extension icon in the Chrome toolbar (top-right of the browser) and select options to enable or disable the context menu search options.
Select the extension icon to toggle copy options. If 'Copy With Newline' is selected, each selection will be separated by a newline when copying. If 'Copy With Spaces' is selected, each selection will be separated by spaces when copying. If 'Copy With Bullets' is selected, each selection will be copied as a bullet point.
Notes
- The extension is automatically disabled by Chrome in the store description. Try it out on other sites.
- Refresh any current tabs when first installing to activate the extension on those pages. This is not necessary for new tabs.
- When selecting separate words throughout a web page, you can double-click while holding ctrl instead of dragging to select.
- When making overlapping selections, ctrl+z will remove the combined selection.
- Selections are sent to the clipboard and searched in the order they are selected.
- Copied selections will be in plain text.
- A single selection containing text on separate lines will be treated as multiple selections when MultiSearching. This keeps you from having to individually select multiple lines that are grouped together.
Updates
- 3/23/21: Removed unused clipboardWrite permission
- 4/15/19: Swapped ctrl with cmd for Mac users
- 5/1/19: Added selection lock with shift+L, see usage for details
- 5/11/19: Replaced shift-L with ctrl+shift+L to prevent accidental activation
- 5/18/19: Added search options for YouTube and Wikipedia
- 6/22/19: Made selections crossing multiple bullets, lines, and hyperlinks possible. Fixed copy options reverting on new pages.
- 7/12/19: Fixed bug where undoing with an active selection would expand the selection instead of removing
- 9/8/19: Users no longer need to hold down ctrl for the first selection. Only additional selections need to be made with ctrl. Fixed bug where search options wouldn't appear the first time in the context menu. Fixed bug when clearing a single selection.
- 9/28/19: Fixed bug where keyboard shortcuts for copying on Google Sheets would fail. Fixed bug when clearing selections in locked mode.
- 10/2/19: Selections are now draggable
Issues
- Selections made on dynamic content sometimes have problems while copying
- Selections crossing multiple elements can rarely include collapsed text.
- Some types of selections cannot be copied or searched. Undo such a selection or refresh to continue.
- Selections are rarely not cleared after clicking. Re-select the text and clear, or refresh the page if this happens.
Privacy
This extension does not collect any information. All data used in this extension is stored locally and temporarily, on the user's computer. The extension's code can be viewed in the linked GitHub repository.
Latest reviews
Works for me
It only works on wikipedia. nowhere else i've tried works... this would be really cool if it worked!
This does not work on Mac.
My God it just works. Does what I wanted it to do (highlight multiple selections of text on different areas of the same page). Thank you.
Do not allow me to use pasting into select boxes, unless I click and start type into it.
Literally the most useful extension, I don't get why this isn't a thing in chrome by default
I love you
Hope they fix it ! it does only work in few sites ....
As another review recently noted, this only works on selected websites. I was able to get it to work on Wikipedia, but I couldn't get it to work elsewhere, including PDFs opened in Chrome, the Chrome Web Store, or Google search results. On Wikipedia, it worked wonderfully, so if you were able to add that functionality across other sites, too, this would be a great extension. As it stands, it's not very useful.
So far as another reviewer points out it only works on Wiki. Does not work on PDF's so far. Does work on Google search landing pages. I wonder why & why they have not noticed/fixed this hole in the extension. . I've been trying extensions for quite a while looking for this functionality. Disappointing. Let me know when you fix it.
just what im looking for
Doesnt work
Just what I needed to select different parts of text. On Mac, restart the browser after installing to make the plugin work, and hold the Command Key while double clicking on the text you want to select.
So far so good
So far so good
Wanted it for Wikipedia and works great for that. Made my job way easier. But doesn't seem to really work well with other websites which is a downside. But helps a lot with Wiki.
Wanted it for Wikipedia and works great for that. Made my job way easier. But doesn't seem to really work well with other websites which is a downside. But helps a lot with Wiki.
Great utility for my particular needs. Request: any chance we can get user-defined line-break characters? I'd give several dollars for a "Copy with ;(space)" option.
Great utility for my particular needs. Request: any chance we can get user-defined line-break characters? I'd give several dollars for a "Copy with ;(space)" option.
Not working in some websites.
Not working in some websites.
it is not working after the recent chrome update
it is not working after the recent chrome update
Works ok but for some reason this extension will make the youtube search bar lose focus(searchbar becomes unwritable for 3 seconds, need to reclick on the searchbar again to begin typing) on reloading the page or entering the site. It took me some time to realize what extension was the culprit and this was it.
Works ok but for some reason this extension will make the youtube search bar lose focus(searchbar becomes unwritable for 3 seconds, need to reclick on the searchbar again to begin typing) on reloading the page or entering the site. It took me some time to realize what extension was the culprit and this was it.
Doesn't work
Doesn't work
It work, thank you. But I have one problem. When I keep to hold down the 'ctrl' key and select multi words, it doesn't work. So I have to keep to release and re-press down the 'ctrl' key while selecting each words. can it be solved? and I also found another bug. when I go to google search website, it make the cursor focus lose from the search box.
It work, thank you. But I have one problem. When I keep to hold down the 'ctrl' key and select multi words, it doesn't work. So I have to keep to release and re-press down the 'ctrl' key while selecting each words. can it be solved? and I also found another bug. when I go to google search website, it make the cursor focus lose from the search box.
Doesn't work.
It's not working, if it worksfor anyone please help me, how can i use it_
It's not working, if it worksfor anyone please help me, how can i use it_
Stopped working
Stopped working
Does not work on mac
Does not work on mac
good extension please keep extension in support It would be great if work on pdf and docs file
good extension please keep extension in support It would be great if work on pdf and docs file
I needed a fix, and this does nothing. Holding control, right clicks my cursor, so I can't highlight anything. Does not work.
I needed a fix, and this does nothing. Holding control, right clicks my cursor, so I can't highlight anything. Does not work.
Good for most webpages but does not work in Google Docs which is specifically where I wanted this functionality. Can't believe it's just build into Docs like any other word processing application.
Good for most webpages but does not work in Google Docs which is specifically where I wanted this functionality. Can't believe it's just build into Docs like any other word processing application.
Works great, it's simple as holding down CTRL key, no need to tinker with settings; just install it and forget it's there.
Works great, it's simple as holding down CTRL key, no need to tinker with settings; just install it and forget it's there.
It's good and apply my need... but can't multi-selec on some website.... hope it could fix... 2nd hope could customize the seperate symbol... thanks !
It's good and apply my need... but can't multi-selec on some website.... hope it could fix... 2nd hope could customize the seperate symbol... thanks !
I'm seeing that it will work the first round, and then my copy function gets impaired. I find my Multiple Selection extension much more reliable.
I'm seeing that it will work the first round, and then my copy function gets impaired. I find my Multiple Selection extension much more reliable.
Doesn't work on Mac. In desperation I tried both holding ctrl and holding cmd. On a web page, I select some text in paragraph 1. I then go down to paragraph 2 and hold cmd while selecting text there. The first selection in paragraph 1 instantly is unselected. The functionality is exactly as if the extension weren't installed at all. Chrome version: 92.0.4515.107 (Official Build) (x86_64) I have my Mac set to use three-finger drag for text selection. I don't see how that could be the problem, but I thought I'd mention it for completeness. I am bitterly disappointed because I REALLY REALLY would love for this extension to work!
Doesn't work on Mac. In desperation I tried both holding ctrl and holding cmd. On a web page, I select some text in paragraph 1. I then go down to paragraph 2 and hold cmd while selecting text there. The first selection in paragraph 1 instantly is unselected. The functionality is exactly as if the extension weren't installed at all. Chrome version: 92.0.4515.107 (Official Build) (x86_64) I have my Mac set to use three-finger drag for text selection. I don't see how that could be the problem, but I thought I'd mention it for completeness. I am bitterly disappointed because I REALLY REALLY would love for this extension to work!
