Utilities Windows
SnakeTail for Windows
Follow growing text logs and Windows Event Logs with SnakeTail, a free Windows log viewer with keyword highlighting, tabs and saved sessions.
- Operating system
- Windows; version 1.9.8 release notes explicitly address Windows 11
- Architecture
- x64 (selected installer)
- Download package
- MSI installer
Requires a compatible .NET Framework runtime. Publisher also offers a separate x86 MSI and ZIP archive; this link selects the x64 MSI.
Link checked · Download guidance
What is SnakeTail?
SnakeTail displays growing text log files and Windows Event Logs in a desktop viewer. It suits watching application output while investigating an error: search the log, highlight matching words or regular expressions, and use bookmarks to return to lines that matter. Logs can appear in tabs, docked child windows or separate floating windows.
The viewer can follow a log that is truncated or renamed, or watch a directory for the newest matching file. Saved sessions restore the window arrangement, so a group of logs does not need to be opened individually each time. Windows Event Logs also support regular-expression filtering.
This entry links to the publisher’s 1.9.8 x64 MSI installer; x86 MSI and ZIP packages are separate release assets. SnakeTail depends on a compatible .NET Framework runtime. The older project documentation lists .NET 2.0, while the 1.9.8 release notes describe a configuration change for Windows 11 without .NET Framework 3.5 installed. The screenshot is a historical publisher illustration of the tabbed interface, not a new capture of this release.
What it offers
- Monitor growing text log files and Windows Event Logs.
- Highlight keywords or regular expressions, search logs and navigate bookmarked lines.
- Arrange logs in tabs, docked child windows or floating windows; save and reload sessions.
- Follow logs after truncation or renaming, or display the newest matching log in a directory.
- Filter Windows Event Logs using regular expressions.
Good to know
- A compatible .NET Framework runtime is required. Older documentation lists .NET 2.0; version 1.9.8 adds a Windows 11 runtime-configuration change rather than removing the runtime dependency.
Product images
Sources
References used for this listing. Retrieval dates do not indicate hands-on testing.
- SnakeTail - Download ↗Retrieved
- SnakeTail | SnakeNest ↗Retrieved
- snakefoot/snaketail-net — publisher repository ↗Retrieved
- Release Version 1.9.8 · snakefoot/snaketail-net ↗Retrieved
- SnakeTail 1.9.8 publisher release assets ↗Retrieved
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