Notepad++ — Free Source Code Editor & Notepad Replacement for Windows

What Is Notepad++?

Notepad++ is a free, open-source source code editor and Notepad replacement for Windows, trusted by millions of developers, writers, and IT professionals worldwide. Built under the GNU General Public License (GPL), it gives you full freedom to use, study, modify, and distribute — no cost, no ads, no subscription, ever.

This page hosts the official GPL build for direct download. Current stable release: v8.9.3. Supports Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 (32-bit & 64-bit).

Why Notepad++ Beats Windows Notepad

Windows Notepad is a basic utility frozen in 1985. Notepad++ is what it should have become. Here is what you get the moment you launch it:

• Syntax highlighting for 90+ programming languages — HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, C++, XML, SQL, PHP, JSON, YAML, and more
• Multi-tab interface — open dozens of files side by side without switching windows
• Notepad++ dark mode — built-in themes including Dracula, Zenburn, and Deep Black for comfortable late-night sessions
• Powerful Find & Replace with full regular expression support (regex start of line, end of line, CRLF, lookahead)
• Plugin Manager — extend with 100+ community plugins: NppFTP, Compare, XML Tools, and more
• Code folding & auto-completion — collapse functions, auto-suggest keywords as you type
• Macro recording & playback — automate repetitive editing tasks in seconds
• Portable version — run from USB, no installation, no registry changes
• Full Unicode support — extended ASCII table, UTF-8, UTF-16, non-ASCII characters
• Multi-caret editing — edit multiple lines simultaneously
• Extremely lightweight — under 5 MB, launches in under one second
• File compare & diff — spot differences between versions without a separate tool

How to Download Notepad++

Getting Notepad++ takes under 60 seconds:

• Click the Download button on this page
• Run the installer (standard setup wizard, no bloatware)
• Choose Installer (recommended) or Portable ZIP (no install needed)
• Launch and configure your preferred theme and language

System requirements: Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 • 32-bit or 64-bit • ~5 MB disk space • No internet required after download

Notepad++ vs Other Free Text Editors

Choosing a free text editor for Windows? Here is a straight comparison:

• vs Windows Notepad: Notepad++ adds tabs, syntax highlighting, regex, and plugins. There is no real comparison.
• vs Sublime Text: Notepad++ is 100% free with no nag screen. Sublime Text requires a paid license for continued use.
• vs VS Code: Notepad++ is lighter, faster to launch, and better for quick text and config file edits without a full IDE setup.
• vs TextPad / WordPad: Notepad++ is actively maintained, open source, and has a far larger plugin ecosystem.
• vs Notepad for Mac: Notepad++ is Windows-native and optimized specifically for the Windows environment.

Who Uses Notepad++?

Notepad++ has been downloaded over 500 million times since 2003. Its users include:

• Web developers editing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript daily
• System administrators managing config files and server scripts
• Data analysts cleaning CSV, XML, and JSON files
• Writers using it as a distraction-free plain text editor
• Students and educators learning programming in a lightweight environment
• IT professionals who need a reliable notepad replacement for Windows 10 and 11

Common Use Cases

• Open and edit HTML files — use it as an HTML viewer and HTML to text editor
• Work with XML, JSON, CSV without a heavy IDE
• Replace the default notepad app on Windows 11
• Write and debug scripts in Python, Bash, PowerShell, or Batch
• Handle non-ASCII characters, extended ASCII table, Unicode input
• Use regex for complex find-and-replace operations across large files
• Compare two files for differences using the built-in diff plugin
• Run as a free code editor for quick front-end edits without VS Code overhead

Open Source. Free Forever.

Notepad++ is released under the GNU General Public License — free as in speech, free as in beer. The full source code is publicly available on GitHub with 27,000+ stars and an active community of contributors.

No trial period. No premium tier. No nag screen. Just download and use.

Contact & Support

For questions about this listing or file verification, reach us at: notepad-plus-plus@usa.com

Source repository: github.com/notepad-plus-plus

Official project: notepad-plus-plus.org