The Absolute LogViewer

A professional-grade log viewer for Windows — real-time tailing, powerful highlight rules, split-pane comparison and 12-language support. Free, lightweight, always up-to-date.
Available as ClickOnce install or standalone .exe.

v1.5.1.1 .NET 10 · WPF Windows 10/11 12 Languages Auto-update Free

⬇ Install via ClickOnce

★ Recommended Auto-updates · 1-click install

⬇ Standalone .exe

Small file · Requires .NET 10

⬇ also as .zip ⬇ Get .NET 10 Runtime

⬇ Portable .exe

No install · Self-contained

⬇ also as .zip

On first run, Windows may show a SmartScreen warning — click "More info" → "Run anyway".

↓ learn more

application.log — The Absolute LogViewer

12026-04-21 08:00:01 [INFO] Application started successfully

22026-04-21 08:00:03 [INFO] Connecting to database server at 192.168.1.10

32026-04-21 08:00:04 [INFO] Database connection established — 42ms

42026-04-21 08:00:10 [DEBUG] Worker thread pool initialised (8 threads)

52026-04-21 08:01:22 [WARN] Request queue depth exceeding threshold: 850/1000

62026-04-21 08:01:45 [WARN] Retry attempt 2/3 for order #48291

72026-04-21 08:02:11 [ERROR] NullReferenceException in PaymentService.ProcessOrder()

82026-04-21 08:02:11 [ERROR] Stack trace: at PaymentService.cs line 247

92026-04-21 08:02:15 [INFO] Rollback completed for order #48291

102026-04-21 08:03:00 [INFO] Health check passed — all systems nominal

Features

Everything you need to master your logs

Built for developers and sysadmins who spend real time reading log files.

⚡

Real-time Tail

Follows log files as they grow. Automatically pauses when you scroll back to review, and resumes after configurable inactivity timeout.

🎨

Highlight Rules

Create regex-based colour rules with a full HSV colour picker. Highlight the entire line or just the matched word. Live preview as you type.

⬛⬛

Split Pane View

Open two log files side by side for simultaneous monitoring. Each pane has independent tailing, search and highlight state.

🔍

Search & Filter

Full-text search with match-case toggle, filter mode to show only matching lines, and keyboard navigation between occurrences.

🔭

Context Preview

While filtering, hover any matching line to see the surrounding context in a floating window — the configurable number of lines before and after the match, including lines hidden by the filter. Position is remembered between sessions.

📁

Directory Browser

Add entire folders and watch them for new files. Unread badges appear when a file is updated while not currently open.

🗂

Named Separators

Organise your file list with named separators and drag-and-drop reordering. Inline editing with double-click.

📋

Multi-line Copy

Select and copy multiple log lines at once, preserving original formatting. Works seamlessly with keyboard and mouse selection.

🔢

Line Numbers

Toggleable line numbers, configurable font sizes, line height and word wrap. All settings persist across sessions.

🔄

Auto-update

ClickOnce checks for updates on every launch and applies them automatically. The standalone .exe checks online for new versions on startup and offers a one-click in-place update.

Getting started

Up and running in minutes

No configuration files, no complex setup. Just install and open your logs.

Install via ClickOnce or download standalone

ClickOnce (open in Microsoft Edge) keeps the app up to date with one-click updates on every launch and bundles the .NET 10 Runtime if missing. The standalone .exe is a small portable file — copy anywhere and run; it requires the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime to be installed.

Add files or folders

Drag & drop log files directly onto the app, or use the directory browser to watch entire folders and discover logs automatically.

Set up highlight rules

Open the Highlight Rules editor and create regex patterns for ERROR, WARN, INFO and any custom patterns you need. See them applied live immediately.

Stay updated automatically

ClickOnce installations check for updates on every launch. The standalone build checks online on startup; if a newer version is available, you get a one-click in-place upgrade — no installer needed.

Install

Pick your preferred install method

Three delivery options. Choose ClickOnce for zero hassle, the Standalone .exe if you have .NET 10 installed, or the Portable .exe to run from anywhere with no setup.

Recommended · Zero-friction

⬇

ClickOnce install

One-click install. Checks for new versions on every launch and applies them automatically. .NET 10 runtime bundled if not already installed.

⬇ Install via ClickOnce

Windows 10 / 11 Microsoft Edge x64

⚠ Chrome is not supported for ClickOnce installation Please open this page in Microsoft Edge to install.

Checks for updates and applies them on launch.

Standalone

📦

Standalone executable

A small portable .exe — copy anywhere, run from anywhere. Works in any browser. No installer, no admin rights.

⬇ Download .exe ⬇ also as .zip

Windows 10 / 11 Any browser x64 ~10 MB

⚙ Requires .NET 10 Desktop Runtime

The standalone build is framework-dependent. If the runtime is not installed, Windows will show a generic error when you launch the app.

⬇ Download .NET 10 Desktop Runtime →

Checks online for new versions on startup and offers one-click in-place updates.

Portable

🎒

Portable executable

Self-contained .exe with .NET 10 runtime embedded. Drop it on a USB stick and run on any Windows machine — no setup, no admin rights, no runtime needed.