Notepad++ has no business being this useful with these 6 plugins

Years of using Notepad++ have made me appreciate the text editor even more. It’s lightweight, easily extensible, offers advanced text-editing features, and has stuck around even as heavier, more robust editors have come and gone.

However, what puzzles me is how people still use it like a basic editor when it’s capable of doing far more. With the right set of plugins, Notepad++ has become the most useful text editor in my repertoire.

ComparePlus

Because “I think I changed that line” isn’t good enough

If something has changed between files, ComparePlus is the Notepad++ plugin that shows exactly what changed between files. This plugin presents the files side by side and makes all changes easily visible with color codes that highlight additions, deletions, and moved lines.

If you have ever received two long snapshots taken at different times, or config files that seem similar, you’d understand how useful this plugin is. In the past, I used to open separate files and manually scan the documents. But ComparePlus ensures I have all the answers without leaving the editor. This one feature has made Notepad++ far more valuable for my daily tasks than many other tools.

ComparePlus also integrates with Git and SVN, ensuring I don’t have to touch the command line to diff my current work against a previous commit​​​​​​.

DSpellCheck

The tiny mistakes that cost more time than they should

DSpellCheck plugin uses the Hunspell library (the same engine powering LibreOffice’s spell checker) and accurately underlines misspelled words. It integrates perfectly into code comments, Markdown, and mixed-content files.

It’s been very accurate at catching typos in my code comments or within config files. But it’s its custom dictionary that makes it more valuable for me. It helps me avoid false positives by allowing me to add specific terms for my project. Since I started using this Notepad++ plugin, spell-checking technical documents has stopped being noise.

NppExec

Run your code the moment you write it

Notepad++ is one of my most useful tools for writing scripts. However, the absence of a console means I constantly have to open a separate terminal to execute scripts, run commands, and see output. NppExec adds a console within Notepad++.

It may seem like a small difference, but for someone who writes Python scripts or batch files, it makes a world of difference. You can bind execution to a shortcut. In my case, I use F5, and I can write, run, make changes, and do it all over again without losing focus.

Surprisingly, this all happens in a 6MB editor that many people use only to open text files.

Turn unreadable XML into something you can actually work with

One of the biggest problems with XML is how quickly it can become unreadable, and this is the problem Notepad++’s XML Tools plugin solves. After pasting an XML blob, you only have to hit pretty-print to get an instant, navigable, and structured output.

In addition, it validates against DTD and XSD schemas and auto-closes tags in real time. The plugin also supports XPath queries, ensuring that you don’t have to scroll through several lines just to locate a specific node.

This plugin has made Notepad++ extremely valuable to me because I encounter XML in my daily routines, and for files that contain sensitive data, it’s more reassuring to have a validator and formatter right within the editor. In the past, I’d rely on online validators, which typically necessitated copying the data into my browser. This is a risk I prefer not to take with sensitive configuration files or internal API responses.

However, if you use XML Tools, you should be aware that it becomes a bit slower on large files (several megabytes or larger).

JSON Viewer

Stop scrolling through JSON and start navigating it

I have never enjoyed reading JSON as a flat wall of text. Notepad++’s JSON Viewer allows me to collapse, expand, or search JSON.

When I have an API payload, I can collapse the whole thing or expand only the bits that I need. It helps me find objects I need within seconds. In the past, I used the old JSTool, but JSON Viewer is a huge upgrade.

There is a related plugin that I also like and use called JSONTools. It’s the better option for working with deeply nested JSON—filtering and extracting values based on specified conditions. However, JSON Viewer is perfect for every other kind of user.

The plugin that makes every other plugin easier to use

NppMenuSearch adds a command palette—one of the most-needed features to Notepad++. It removes the need to dive through the menu. When you press Ctrl + F1 and start typing, it reveals the plugin command, menu items, or preference option.

The more I have used this plugin, the more I have seen its value compound, because adding several plugins to Notepad++ only adds extra menus to an already dense set. I have several plugins, which makes searching through the menu very tedious. This plugin is a bit similar to Visual Studio Code’s command palette (Ctrl + Shift + P). It’s made daily tasks much easier.

Other plugins worth knowing about

Useful — but more niche depending on your workflow

AutoSave ensures that whenever your window loses focus, the files are automatically saved on a timer. It’s a reliable safety net running in the background and not interfering with your workflow.

NppFTP allows you to interact with files on a remote server from Notepad++. I personally use it to browse, download, edit, and upload files via SFTP and FTP. This is not a daily need, but for this specific workflow, it makes the process seamless.

HexEditor is a very powerful plugin for opening and editing binary files at the byte level.

Where you go from here

Notepad++ may have started as a very simple text and source code editor, and I’ve seen many experts switch to seemingly more comprehensive tools. However, once I started adding these plugins, it’s been shocking how useful the application has become for me. From syntax highlighting to system administration, it’s become the most comprehensive utility suite for my daily routines.

OS

Windows

Developer

Don Ho

Notepad++ is an open-source text and source code editor that serves as a powerful, feature-rich alternative to the default Windows Notepad.