Notepad++ is a free Windows editor from Don Ho and contributors. This page is an independent install walkthrough. It does not host the installer.
Before you install
Use a Windows PC. The project’s supported-system document, reviewed on 9 October 2026, lists Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 as supported. It says the current build can run on Windows 7 and Windows 8, but those systems are not supported. There is no official macOS or Linux build.
Close other copies of Notepad++ if you are upgrading, so the installer can replace the program files.
Get the installer
The buttons on this guide download the 8.9.8.1 64-bit installer that Notepad++ published on GitHub. For a 32-bit, ARM64, or portable package, open the downloads page at notepad-plus-plus.org. Do not take an installer from a software bundle, a forum attachment, or a renamed archive.
On 10 October 2026 the first download section on that page was version 8.9.8.1. The page is the list to trust if that note is old.
Choose the installer
On a typical Windows 10 or 11 PC, choose the 64-bit installer. The same official page also lists 32-bit, ARM64, and portable packages. Pick the one that matches the computer. A plugin you add later has to match that architecture.
A portable package does not need the same setup steps. This walkthrough follows the installer.
Run the installer
Start the file you just downloaded. If Windows asks for administrator permission, continue only when it is that installer.
The installer can add optional parts. For the other tutorials on this site, include:
- Localization, if you want menus in a language other than the default.
- Themes, auto-completion, and the function list.
- The auto-updater and Plugins Admin. Plugins Admin needs the auto-updater component.
An Explorer command such as Edit with Notepad++ is optional. Leave it off if you do not want a new right-click entry.
Open Notepad++
Finish the wizard and open Notepad++ from the Start menu. You should see an editing window with a menu bar and a tab. The program is an editor. It does not install a compiler for C++, Python, or any other language.
If the install stops
If Windows reports that the file did not come from a known publisher path, go back to the official downloads page and download it again. Do not switch to a third-party “repack” to get past the warning.
If an older Notepad++ is still running, close it and run the installer again. The download page on this site explains the same official source without storing the file.