Plugins add commands to Notepad++. This independent guide does not host plugin DLLs. Use Plugins Admin so the file comes from the project’s plugin list.
What Plugins Admin needs
Install Notepad++ from the official downloads page. In the installer, keep Plugins Admin and the auto-updater. The installer description says Plugins Admin needs the auto-updater component.
The installer can also include NppExport, Mime Tools, and NppConverter. Those are optional bundled plugins, not the whole catalog.
Install from Plugins Admin
- Open Notepad++.
- Choose Plugins, then Plugins Admin.
- Open the Available tab and read the plugin’s description in that window. The list changes, so the text there beats an old article.
- Tick the checkbox. Clicking only the name shows details and does not select Install.
- Choose Install. Notepad++ copies the plugin and restarts.
- Open the Plugins menu and use the command the plugin added.
Update or remove a plugin
Use the Updates view in Plugins Admin when a newer copy is on the list. Use Remove for a plugin you no longer want. You can also omit a bundled plugin the next time you run the official installer.
When install does not work
If Windows cannot copy the plugin, the account may not be allowed to write the Notepad++ program folder. Close the program, start the official Notepad++ with Run as administrator, and install again.
If Plugins Admin is missing, run the official installer again and include Plugins Admin and the auto-updater. A portable folder may be arranged differently.
If the plugin does not load, its build must match Notepad++, such as 64-bit with 64-bit. Plugins Admin can mark a plugin as incompatible. Do not replace notepad++.exe with a download from another site.
Comparing two files is not built in. The compare tutorial uses the ComparePlus plugin when it is on the Available tab.