var str = '\n\n\n Multiline text\n with indentation\n damn.\n\n\n'; // remove first and last empty lines str = str.replace(/^[\r\n]+|[\n\r]+$/gi, ''); var indentTab = str.match(/\t*/) != '', indentSize = indentTab ? 1 : str.match(/\s*/)[0].length, regex = new RegExp('^(?:' + (indentTab ? '\\t' : ' {' + indentSize + '}') + ')', 'mg'); // Remove indent if (indentSize) str = str.replace(regex, '');