Notepad++ is a free text editor that provides additional features not found in the standard Windows text editor. It is specially designed for editing source code.

Based on the powerful editing component Scintilla, Notepad++ is written in C++ and uses pure Win32 API and STL, which ensures a higher execution speed and smaller program size. By optimizing as many routines as possible without losing user friendliness, Notepad++ is trying to reduce the world's carbon dioxide emissions. When using less CPU power, the PC can throttle down and reduce power consumption, resulting in a greener environment.

What is the difference between Notepad and Notepad++?

Notepad++ is an advanced version of Notepad, aimed at programmers, web designers, and IT professionals. It has basic IDE features but retains the familiarity of Notepad which is Windows' built-in text editor and very simple word processor.

What programming languages does Notepad++ support?

Notepad++ supports programming languages such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, XML, Python, CSS, HTML, Ruby, Pascal, Visual Basic, and more.

Is Notepad++ better than Sublime Text?

Both applications are powerful text editors, but the main difference is that Notepad++ is open source and free. Sublime Text offers a trial version but it costs $99 per license. Another important difference is that Notepad++ is only available on Windows, while Sublime Text is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is worth mentioning that Sublime Text offers an evaluation version that you can use for free, but it will constantly ask you to purchase the license.

Features

Notepad++ is a free (as in "free speech" and also as in "free beer") source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages. Running in the MS Windows environment, its use is governed by GPL License.

This project is mature. However, there may be still some bugs and missing features that are being worked on. If you have any questions or suggestions about this project, please post them in the forums. Also, if you wish to make a feature request, you can post it there as well. But there's no guarantee that I'll implement your request.

You're encouraged to translate Notepad++ into your native tongue if there's not already a translation present in the Binary Translations page. And if you want, help translating Notepad++ official site into your native tongue would be greatly appreciated.

  • Syntax Highlighting and Syntax Folding
  • WYSIWYG
  • User Defined Syntax Highlighting
  • Auto-completion
  • Multi-Document
  • Multi-View
  • Regular Expression Search/Replace supported
  • Full Drag 'N' Drop supported
  • Dynamic position of Views
  • File Status Auto-detection
  • Zoom in and zoom out
  • Multi-Language environment supported
  • Bookmark
  • Brace and Indent guideline Highlighting
  • Macro recording and playback

What's New

  • Fix regression that the view cannot be activated by mouse clicking. (Fix regression)
  • Restore multi-editing option & add "Column To Multi-editing" option on GUI. (Fix #14645)
  • Make "copy/cut line while no selection" optional. (Fix #14638)
  • Fix all open files lost after restarting as Admin to save a file. (Fix #14694)
  • Fix "Replace All" crash & performance issue. (Fix #14630)
  • Fix calltip crash due to the division by zero. (Fix #14664)
  • Enhance Function List for Python to support "async def" & colons in argument list. (Fix #13908)
  • Fix Copy/Cut/Paste issue in Vertical Edge text field in preferences dialog. (Fix #13874)
  • Fix macro recording twice for some commands. (Fix #5217, #14634)
  • Fix "Open File" command not working with TAB preceded. (Fix #14543)
  • Add auto-completion keywords for PHP, JavaScript and CSS. (Fix #14635, #14705)

8.6.2 change log

  • Fix Shift-DEL, Ctrl-INS and Shift-INS not working regression. (Fix #14470, #14571)
  • Fix Ctrl+V cannot paste into the text fields of certain plugins regression. (Fix #14568)
  • Remove option "disableLineCopyCutDelete.xml" (the empty file takes no effect).
  • Fix a regression: the position in the previous session is now restored correctly in cloned document. (Fix #14164)

Previous release notes

  • Updated to Scintilla 5.4.1 & Lexilla 5.3.0. (Implement #14375)
  • Fix a regression: the position in the previous session is now restored correctly in cloned document. (Fix #14164)
  • Fix a regression: customized extension in Style Configurator is now saved correctly. (Fix #14437)
  • Add an ability (disableLineCopyCutDelete.xml) to disable line copy/cut/delete when no selection is made. (Fix #14470, ref, ref))
  • Add an ability (noColumnToMultiSelect.xml) to disable column mode to multi-select mode. (Fix #14464, ref)
  • Fix deleting in column mode also delete an unexpected EOL. (Fix #14426)
  • Fix hidden results of long lines for Search results with "Find in…" commands. (Fix #12023)
  • Enhance Search-results by showing search options for "Find in…" commands. (Fix #14306)
  • Fix an issue: replacements are no longer duplicated (the 2nd time in cloned document) for "Replace in Opened Docs". (Fix #14505)
  • Fix a regression to make F3 & Shift-F3 work again in Incremental Search. (Fix #14503)
  • Add document tab navigation commands: "First tab" & "Last tab". (Fix #14416)
  • Add document tab commands: "Move to Start" & "Move to End" commands. (Fix #9525, #13982)
  • 3 RTL new abilities: RTL per document, RTL per document remembered across the sessions & new attribute editZoneRTL="no" in RTL localization files. (Fix #9665, #9950, #14385)
  • Enhance the "-loadingTime" command line parameter. (Fix #14472)
  • Enhance the performance: disable undo collection while loading a file. (Fix #14455)
  • Sort language list in the Preferences dialog. (Fix #14245)
  • Fix a visual glitch that occurred during multi-paste. (Fix #14410)
  • Fix confusing memory allocation error message. (Fix #14418)
  • Fix python wrong decorator attribute color. (Fix #5894)
  • Fix file status in "other view" is not detected. (Fix #14225)
  • Fix dropped file being opened in the wrong view. (Fix #14354)

Notepad++ 8.6 Release notes

  • Multi-edit is fully supported in Notepad++. (Fix #14266, #8203)
  • Make multi-select background & caret colours customizable. (Fix #14302)
  • Make session inaccessible files remembered (empty & read-only document as placeholder). (Fix #12079, #12744, #13696)
  • Fix missing session invalid error for user session & enhance API NPPM_GETNBSESSIONFILES. (Fix #14228)
  • Fix network shared files saving regression. (Fix #14300)
  • Update Scintilla to v5.3.8 & Lexilla to v5.2.8. (Fix #13442, #14188, #14288)
  • Fix docking panel crash due to messing up config.xml. (Fix bug report
  • Fix invalid styler.xml making Notepad++ crash issue. (Fix #12101)
  • Fix tab-closing crash by middle mouse button (unexpected mouse position). (Fix #14328)
  • Fix 2 performance issues in Style Configurator. (Fix #14321)
  • Add 3 line operation (delete, copy & cut) shortcuts. (Fix #14296)
  • Display extra info in the status bar of Find/Replace dialog to avoid PEBKAC. (Fix #14307)
  • Fix "Hide lines" command hiding unselected lines issue. (Fix #14166)
  • Fix silent installer mode when Notepad++ is running issue. (Fix #10189, #10277, #22514, #14236, fix partially #8514)
  • Fix Updater's vulnerability (update cURL in WinGUp for fixing CVE-2023-38545). (Fix WinGUp issue #50)
  • Fix incoherent behaviour of "Duplicate Current Line" menu command. (Fix #5298)
  • Fix JSON5 not using JSON keywords. (Fix #14205)
  • Fix empty message showing while cancelling session file saving dialog. (Fix #14235)