Notepad++ 7.0 is out

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 22, 2016
Software
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42

Notepad++ 7.0 is the latest version of the popular plain text and source code editor for devices running the Microsoft Windows operating system.

The new version of the popular program ships with a long list of new features and improvements over previous versions of Notepad++.

Notepad++ 7.0 is available as a 64-bit build which you can download as a portable version or installer from project website.

While that improves the program in several ways on 64-bit systems, it needs to be noted that plugins may not be available when a 64-bit version of Notepad++ is run.

The author has made some plugins 64-bit ready though, and it seems likely that popular plugins will be updated so that they are compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the application.

Notepad++ 7.0

The new program version features several under the hood improvements. The DLL hijacking vulnerability of previous program versions has been fixed for one in the new version.

The Notepad++ installer checks for running program instances and prompts you to close them before continuing. This is a welcome addition as it may resolve updating issues that were caused by program instances being open during setup.

Last but not least, the auto-updater features a new option that allows you to disable it via the prompt that it displays.

As far as new features are concerned, there are quite a few as well. You may configure Notepad++ 7.0 to terminate itself if you close the last tab for instance.

You find it under Settings > Preferences > General > Exit on close the last tab.

There is also a new option under Editing in the preference that enables scrolling past the last line of a document (enable scrolling beyond last line).

Other features that are new include support for Ruby in the functions list, an option to run Internet searches on selected words in text content, and new change case variants (title case, sentence case, invert case and random case).

The new version of Notepad++ ships with a handful of fixes that resolve crash issues mostly. One fix resolves HDPI issues for some components, and another fixes auto-completion on XML comments.

You can check out the full change log on this page on the official Notepad++ website.

Closing Words

There is no telling before you update whether all plugins that you use are compatible with the 64-bit version if you plan to switch to it. It is likely that some are not, and one way to test whether this is the case is to download the portable version of Notepad++ 7.0 and copy all plugins that you use to the program's plugin folder to find out if that is the case.

The release of a 64-bit version is a good thing however. Plugins will become compatible, at least popular ones will, and a 64-bit version should improve stability and security of the program.

Now You: Which plain text editor is your favorite, and why?

Summary
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5 based on 16 votes
Software Name
Notepad++ 7.0
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Office
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Comments

  1. ed helldane said on September 27, 2016 at 12:12 am
    Reply

    Can we get this article rewritten in English?

    1. A different Martin said on September 27, 2016 at 1:33 am
      Reply

      Martin’s written English is better than half of the native-English-speaking commenters’ at this site. I’ve never had any trouble understanding what he writes, even when the odd mistake or instance of non-colloquial usage crops up. Besides, this is a tech blog, not the New Yorker. Tell you what, schnuckiputz: why don’t you impress us all by writing up an overview of Notepad++ 7.0 in German, all by yourself, and getting it published on a German tech site? Then we can compare how well you did with how well Martin does, day in and day out, several times a day.

      1. Aakash Verma said on September 30, 2016 at 6:25 pm
        Reply

        easy bro. you seem to be a die hard fan; not a bad thing!

  2. Dan82 said on September 24, 2016 at 7:31 pm
    Reply

    Still using Notepad++ on occasion, because it IS my default plain-text-editor, but for certain languages I have long started using editor software or IDE with extended functionality (one such example is PhpStorm). Frankly, I don’t much care about the political views and expression of someone whose product I use, even less so when that product happens to be free of charge and free of ads or any other non-monetary form of payment. Maybe I would think differently if the ‘Charlie Hebdo’ update some people in the comments referenced to had happened to me.

    But here’s the thing. Notepad++ is a text editor that’s being used by me to write and edit my own plain-text files. I only update the application occasionally anyway and then it’s more about adding a new feature or fixing an existing and annoying bug.

    Someone also mentioned Atom in the comments, but I have to say that the comparison fails, because it isn’t a text editor at all. Something like Github’s Atom is more like a web developer’s version of an IDE, since it is built upon the Chromium browsing engine (I think it is or was called Electrum?). The one huge advantage of that design decision is the ease of extensions/plugins because they can be written in JavaScript, but the downside is the proportionality of resources used for a TEXT editor. There is no reason to use Atom for anything but HTML/JS/CSS development in my opinion.

  3. A different Martin said on September 24, 2016 at 8:09 am
    Reply

    I’ve been using Notepad++ since before the Charlie Hebdo firebombing and well before the Charlie Hebdo shooting massacre, I update it every time an update is available, and I never ran into any political messages. Maybe I just missed that particular update for some reason. As for me, je suis sandales avec chaussettes. (I like me some clean toes and some non-grungy insoles, but I’m not going to organize a rally over it, either. I’m perfectly capable of washing my feet at the end of the day, under duress.)

  4. Daffy Jones said on September 24, 2016 at 4:36 am
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    Don’t like the way this developer forces his politics on people. On one occasion he made the app open up a “Je Suis Charlie” message with a diatribe on his political beliefs. I don’t need that from a notepad app.

    Another vote here for Notepad2 or any one of its numerous mods. Lightweight and sticks to the core functionality.

    1. George said on September 24, 2016 at 8:36 am
      Reply

      “On one occasion, opened up a message…” – hardly a forced, political act of someone trying to shove his politics down someone’s throat (which is known to happen, but is rather more violent). This way (which is what you complained about) is hardly any different than the myriad ads and messages found on the web, film/tv, recently OS’s, too.

  5. Tony said on September 23, 2016 at 5:35 am
    Reply

    Unless you are editing text files over 4GB, why do you need a 64-bit text editor?

    1. anon said on September 23, 2016 at 3:37 pm
      Reply

      Having 64-bit software on a 64-bit OS reduces the need for 32-bit dependencies and compatibility layers that are required to run 32-bit software on a 64-bit OS. And 64-bit software can access 64-bit OS functionality that is not available to 32-bit software.

  6. Tarason said on September 22, 2016 at 5:42 pm
    Reply

    It’s the small things that keep me away from Notepad++. Too many half-baked features, confusing and poorly laid out menus, dialogues, amateur looking interface. Despite its seemingly simple premise a text editor needs to be extremely well engineered. A simpler, better developed editor is always better.

    http://www.sublimetext.com/
    https://www.atom.io/
    https://www.editplus.com/

    1. Tige Gibson said on September 22, 2016 at 7:40 pm
      Reply

      Simpler is not always better. I use Notepad++ for a number of strong reasons and I don’t run into any half-baked or disfunctional features. If you want fancy buttons:

      It keeps all files of each of my projects in a workspace pane so I can navigate around the project much easier than using file explorer, keep it organized in virtual sub-folders that are not the same as what is required by the build.

      It has a function list pane so I can quickly find a function in a large code file.

      The compare plugin let me see the differences/changes between two versions of a file side-by-side. Very helpful when the latest version release breaks something.

      The find/search/replace features are very helpful. It allows you to find an expression across all files in your workspace and replace across all files, matches by case for case-sensitive languages, and finds by word making it very easy to find those single letter i vars. It highlights all matching selected words without even having to open the find dialog, and highlights closing tags especially.

      Case fixing is another feature I find useful because of mixed languages where some of them are case sensitive and some are not. Select a word and Ctrl-U to change the case. Often I find myself trying to use that feature in other programs like MS Word.

      You can split view the same file so you can edit similar functions side by side or keep the properties/parameters on screen while implementing them in another part of the same file, or a different file.

      I work in a language which does not have block comments, Notepad++ has a feature which allows me to block comment in that language.

  7. Tige Gibson said on September 22, 2016 at 5:08 pm
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    I use Notepad++ all the time for various programming languages.

    I have it open right now but it doesn’t show any update from 6.9.2.

    The project workspace pane, support for custom programming languages, powerful case-based and word-based find, and plugins like file compare are just incredible time savers.

    1. RG said on September 22, 2016 at 7:22 pm
      Reply

      “The updater will be triggered in 2 weeks, if there’s no critical issue found.”

      1. Mikhoul said on September 22, 2016 at 8:06 pm
        Reply

        Yep better be safe than sorry especially when their is substantial changes like this update. :)

  8. Rotten Scoundrel said on September 22, 2016 at 5:07 pm
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    I’ll be more impressed if they have fixed the myriad of bugs before any updates. Because it is programmer-friendly I still use it as my default text editor, but live around the bugs, or have written macros to do what the bugs were messing up. Programmer’s Notepad is a good start, but not there yet, so stuck with np++ I be. :)

    But, as with most programmers these days, they are more interested in the gee-whiz stuff than fixing bugs. Fixing bugs is a **real** pain in the butt, but they forget that the bugs are a greater pain to a lot more people.

  9. Luc said on September 22, 2016 at 4:40 pm
    Reply

    I prefer UltraEdit. As far as I know, it’s the only editor which supports disk based editing, which means that even GB files are easily opened. Unfortunately, it’s not free.

  10. Sais said on September 22, 2016 at 2:54 pm
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    Notepad++ is excellent code editor; but now in 2016, I would like some UI themes option or a skinnable UI.

  11. George said on September 22, 2016 at 2:10 pm
    Reply

    Excellent news for a wonderful editor. Seems a bit strange that the Plugin Manager is yet not available for x64 when there’s a need for new x64 plugins, but I guess that will change soon.

    I actually like his/her strong political stance, it’s nice change from the usual “cold”, sometimes almost robotic software developers/companies (meant as a figurative comparison, not a negative comment). Everything is political, we can’t live in a technological bubble.

  12. clas said on September 22, 2016 at 1:44 pm
    Reply

    I also gave up notepad ++….. i have used Jarte for years for all my writing, notes, and journal. i must have thousands of instances of jarte on this computer. all work easily and quickly. win7

    1. Klaas Vaak said on May 10, 2018 at 9:43 am
      Reply

      Thanks for sharing, it sure looks like an interesting program.

  13. Terrine said on September 22, 2016 at 1:27 pm
    Reply

    And I don’t think that you should think, Yuliya :-)

    Recommended: “Keeping things simple is difficult.”

    https://twitter.com/Notepad_plus

  14. Yuliya said on September 22, 2016 at 12:36 pm
    Reply

    There are good developers. There are bad developers. And then there’s this one: twitter com/Notepad_plus

    Not that I have anything against his (hers?) views or against the ones of the people he’s (she’s) opposing to, but I don’t think the development of a program should be in any way involved with politics and other of that nonsense.

    1. vosie said on September 27, 2016 at 8:37 am
      Reply

      I didn’t know that Notepad++’s developer is a retarded, brainwashed Clinton supporter idiot.

      1. Tige Gibson said on September 28, 2016 at 2:20 am
        Reply

        I don’t want this in my inbox.

    2. A different Martin said on September 22, 2016 at 8:40 pm
      Reply

      It’s a Twitter account, not the program site, and besides, the real outrage is his apparent opposition to wearing socks with sandals. ;-)

      1. Yuliya said on September 23, 2016 at 12:53 pm
        Reply

        Weirdly I agree, socks should be banned ;)

    3. Nebulus said on September 22, 2016 at 8:17 pm
      Reply

      Why not?

  15. Jojo said on September 22, 2016 at 10:00 am
    Reply

    I gave up on Notepad++ long ago. They seem to come out with updates on a bi-weekly basis, which is annoying. Also, not being a current programmer, I really don’t need all the functionality they offer in a notepad product.

    Instead, I use the AkelPad notepad, which is simple. I haven’t updated it in a couple of years so should probably look into that.

    1. alessandro said on September 26, 2016 at 3:47 pm
      Reply

      My kind of guy! :) I think Google with Chrome set up the frenzy quick and continuous updates. As if you need to get new version as soon as it gets out like the world’s gonna end without that!

    2. anonatnight said on September 22, 2016 at 8:18 pm
      Reply

      I wish akelpad could use hunspell.

    3. Johnny said on September 22, 2016 at 6:00 pm
      Reply

      I always used the portable version, not the installed. Doesn’t pull down updates unless you go and manually do it.

    4. A different Martin said on September 22, 2016 at 5:36 pm
      Reply

      I run SUMo once in the morning and once in the evening, so I have a pretty good handle on how often each of my programs gets updated. Updates to Notepad++ used to be moderately frequent — maybe once or twice a month — but haven’t been coming nearly as often in the past several months (maybe because the developer has been busy developing this new version in both x86 and x64). I appreciate active developers who keep on top of bugs, security problems, and useful features, and I never found updating Notepad++ to be all that onerous. Updating it doesn’t take very long and reboots aren’t required. The annoyance for me is that the updater/installer doesn’t allow the user to choose where program shortcuts are placed. I organize my Start Menu program shortcuts by category, so after updating I have to manually clean up my Start Menu. I much prefer installers that allow you to choose where you put shortcuts and that remember your custom location on subsequent runs.

      If you want annoying, try anything from Apple, or SoftPerfect’s Networx bandwidth monitor. I groan whenever I see an iTunes or iCloud update on a computer that I administer, because I know it’s going to take forever to run and that a reboot may be necessary. As for Networx, I like it well enough, and its installer “remembers” custom shortcut locations, but it requires a reboot every time. Speaking of which, Networx was updated for the second time in, like, two days yesterday evening, and because I was running tasks I didn’t want to interrupt, I put off the reboot until … now, I guess. Groan.

      PS: My morning SUMo run just completed and I see that Networx has been updated three times in three days. And I can’t install this morning’s version until I finish installing yesterday’s version … by rebooting. Groan. I guess this is one of those programs where I’m going to have to rely on the program’s own updater to tell me if available updates are too minor to be worth bothering with. I used to do that, but I got out of the habit because, like Notepad++, for several months Networx stopped being updated as frequently as it had before.

    5. anon said on September 22, 2016 at 10:46 am
      Reply

      There’s Notepad2 as well.

      1. Corky said on September 23, 2016 at 12:49 pm
        Reply

        @A different Martin, to be fair that vulnerability is in the installer used for Notepad++, not in Notepad++ itself.

      2. Josh Gunderson said on September 22, 2016 at 9:08 pm
        Reply

        and Notepad3. :)

      3. A different Martin said on September 22, 2016 at 8:28 pm
        Reply

        @Corky:

        As it happens, there is a security fix in this particular Notepad++ update:

        * * *

        2. Fix the DLL Hijacking Vulnerability of previous versions (by updating NSIS to v3.0).

        * * * *

      4. Corky said on September 22, 2016 at 6:40 pm
        Reply

        I’ve never understood the need some people have to constantly update programs, just because a programs not been updated in years doesn’t mean it should be abandoned, especially when it comes to simple programs like text editors where the risk of a security related bug would have minimal impact.

        If the programs ideal for your needs why not keep using it? To not do so is like saying the Mona Lisa should be thrown in the bin because Leonardo isn’t updating it anymore, or that all the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa’s should be scraped because they’ve stopped making them.

      5. [a] said on September 22, 2016 at 5:27 pm
        Reply

        Check out Notepad2-mod, being regularly maintained (GitHub project) – https://xhmikosr.io/notepad2-mod/

      6. anonymoose said on September 22, 2016 at 5:26 pm
        Reply

        “Notepad2: Project last updated: October 28, 2012”

        Well, he did complain about too frequent updates, so a dead project should fit him perfectly.

      7. Klaas Vaak said on September 22, 2016 at 2:29 pm
        Reply

        Notepad2: Project last updated: October 28, 2012

      8. Anonymous said on September 22, 2016 at 2:00 pm
        Reply

        Notepad2 is excellent.

      9. asdf said on September 22, 2016 at 1:42 pm
        Reply

        Actually, Notepad2 is dead. Notepad2-mod is the way to go.

        https://xhmikosr.io/notepad2-mod/

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