User Guides & Tutorials

Master Notepad++ with these easy-to-follow guides and tips.

Plugins

How to install the Plugin Manager

Learn how to access the "Plugins Admin" to browse, install, and update community-created plugins easily.

Read Guide
Customization

Setting up Dark Mode / Themes

Switch to Dark Mode or install custom themes like Dracula or Zenburn to reduce eye strain during late-night coding sessions.

Read Guide
Editing

How to use Column Mode editing

Edit multiple lines at once using the powerful Column Mode (Alt + Mouse Drag). Perfect for bulk data manipulation.

Read Guide
Advanced

Comparing two files

Use the Compare Plugin to view differences between two files side-by-side with color-coded additions and deletions.

Read Guide
Troubleshooting

Recovering lost files

Did Notepad++ crash? Learn where the backup configuration files are stored and how to recover unsaved sessions.

Read Guide
Setup

Set as Default Editor

Replace standard Windows Notepad completely. Configure Windows to open .txt, .html, .css, and other files with Notepad++ automatically.

Read Guide

Technical Documentation: Command Line Arguments

Notepad++ supports various command line arguments for advanced configuration and automation.

CMD / PowerShell 
# Start Notepad++ without plugins
notepad++.exe -noPlugin

# Open a specific file at line 100
notepad++.exe -n100 "C:\path\to\file.txt"

# Open file in read-only mode
notepad++.exe -ro "C:\path\to\file.txt"

# Use a specific localization (e.g., French)
notepad++.exe -Lfrench

# Set specific title bar text
notepad++.exe -titleAdd="My Title"