Resources

Authorization to Use Notepad++

This is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive via email. I hope the following statement will address this query:
ANY INDIVIDUAL, COMPANY, OR GOVERNMENT DOES NOT NEED ANY AUTHORIZATION TO INSTALL NOTEPAD++ ON ANY NUMBER OF PCs THEY DESIRE. THIS SOFTWARE CAN BE USED FREE OF CHARGE IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL ONES.

Source Code Repository Access

Notepad++ is Free Software. This means that not only is it an open-source project, but you also have the right and the freedom to access the source code, modify it, and distribute the compiled binary along with the modified source code. These rights (the freedom) are protected by the GNU General Public License.

Notepad++ source code can be access via its repository on GitHub: https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus

Your pull requests will be welcome. However, they are not always accepted for diverse reasons. Here are the guidelines for your pull requests: https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md

Notepad++ X.509 Root Certificate

Starting from version 8.8.2, Notepad++ no longer uses code signing certificate issued by conventional Certificate Authorities. Beginning with version 8.8.3, releases are signed using a self-signed certificate.
Here’s the information of root certificate:

Name: Notepad++ Root Certificate
Serial Number: 63A633D265F1FFED66C5C67CBD9B7189
Thumbprint: C80539FF7076D22E73A01F164108DAFBF06E45E4
Created: 2025-07-09
Expires: 2055-07-09

You can find Notepad++ Self-Signed Root Certificate on Notepad++ website, on Notepad++ GitHub repository or on Notepad++ User Manual.

To learn how to install Notepad++ Root Certificate on your machine, please check Notepad++ User Manual.

Notepad++ X.509 Code Signing Certificate

The current Notepad++ code signing certificate is issued by the Notepad++ Root Certificate mentionned above:

Name: Notepad++
Emitted by: Notepad++ Root Certificate
Serial Number: 38D07732D5E4A2628A303D479035C1D1
Thumbprint: 7F517E235584AFC146F6D3B44CD34C6CC36A3AB2
Created: 2025-07-09
Expires: 2028-07-09

GPG Release Key

In addition to X.509 code signing, Notepad++ packages are also signed using a GPG Release Key, which has the following characteristics:

Signer: Notepad++
E-mail: don.h@free.fr
Key ID: 0x8D84F46E
Key fingerprint: 14BC E436 2749 B2B5 1F8C 7122 6C42 9F1D 8D84 F46E
Key type: RSA 4096 / 4096
Created: 2019-03-11
Expiries: 2027-03-13

Obtaining and validating Release Key

To make signature verification possible, you need to obtain a copy of our Release Key, or you can get it from Notepad++’s GitHub page.

Notepad++ ECCN

Notepad++ is “Made in Worldwide” and distributed outside of USA territory (both source code and binary) so there shouldn’t be an ECCN issue. However you may need Notepad++ ECCN number to conform to US law, here it is: EAR99

VPAT for Notepad++

According to US law, you may need Voluntary Product Accessibility Template file for Notepad++ if you are in a USA territory.

Binary Translations

From Binary Translations page you could get the language you need.

Plugins

From the v3.1, Notepad++ has the extension capacity - the plugin system. Please see Plugins HOWTO to learn how to install a plugin or/and how to develop a plugin.

A list of plugins is maintained by Notepad++ community, used by Plugin Admin.

If you can not find the plugin you need, just make your own.

User Defined Language files

For some reasons that some languages are not supported by Notepad++, User Language Define System can help you out in this case. This system allows user to define his own language : not only the syntax highlighting keywords definition, but also the syntax folding keywords definition, comment keywords definition and the operators definition.

You can define your language via User Language Define Dialog. However, the language you need may be already defined by someone-else in this User Defined Languages Collection.

From the version 8.4.2, Notepad++ allows users to customize the toolbar icons (ie. overriding the default toolbar icons by using the set of icons provided by user). So for people who stick on the old big legacy icons, here is the solution:
Download the nppLegacyIconSet.zip and unzip it into %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ folder if you installed Notepad++ with the installer (or if you used the zipped package, unzip the content into the Notepad++ installation folder). Relaunch Notepad++ then you will see the old legacy icons appear.

To disable customizing toolbar icons feature, just rename “toolbarIcons.xml” to “toolbarIcons.xml.OFF” (or whatever you want), and relaunch Notepad++.

Just replace the old legacy icons by you icons, if you want to build your own icon set.

Notepad Replacement

This is one of the most asked question in the forums. Check here to have the solution.

Notepad++ stores

You can find Notepad++ thong in the following online shops, as well mugs and apparels.