Notepad++ is a free, open-source text and source code editor for Windows, currently at v8.9.4, that supports over 90 programming languages with syntax highlighting and code folding. Beyond basic text editing, it provides powerful features like multi-cursor editing, regex-based search/replace, macro recording, plugin extensibility, and split-screen comparison — making it indispensable for developers, sysadmins, and data analysts. The key to mastering Notepad++ is its keyboard-driven workflow: virtually every action has a shortcut, and features like column mode, mark styles, bookmarks, and the document map transform large-file navigation from tedious scrolling into instant jumps.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This topic spans 28 focused tables and 256 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.
Table 1: File Operations
| Command | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl+N | Creates a new untitled document in a new tab | |
Ctrl+O | Opens the file selection dialog to open existing files | |
Ctrl+S | • Saves the current document • prompts for filename if unsaved | |
Ctrl+Alt+S | Saves the current document with a new filename or location | |
File → Save a Copy As | Saves a copy to a new path but keeps the original as the active file | |
Ctrl+Shift+S | Saves all modified documents across all tabs at once | |
Ctrl+W | • Closes the current tab • prompts to save if modified |