How do I set Notepad++ as the default editor?

Question

I want set Notepad++ as the default editor. I tried to set it by right-clicking on a file, then Open With. But I did not see Notepad++ in the resulting list (even after clicking on Choose Other Programs).

When I try to redirect to Notepad++ through the Browse option to notepad++.exe file it is doing nothing. (Its not recognizing somehow)

Oliver Salzburg · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-14T11:39:56.953

106

Start Notepad++ with elevated privileges.
In Notepad++, go to Settings, Preferences...
Go to the File Association tab.
Select fortran,TeX,SQL and then .sql and add it to the registered extensions:
Click Close.

edited Sep 14 '12 at 11:39

answered Sep 14 '12 at 11:31

Oliver Salzburg

89,072
65
269
311

m4573r · Answer 2 · 2012-09-14T11:43:35.957

9

Start notepad++ as administrator, by right-clicking it's icon and selecting the relevant action:

enter image description here

In Settings > Preferences..., you can associate the extensions you want with Notepad++, using this dialog:

notepad++ association dialog

In this case, clicking on the red-outlined arrow would assicoate all .txt with Notepad++.

edited Sep 14 '12 at 11:43

answered Sep 14 '12 at 11:33

m4573r

5,701

Neithan Max · Answer 3 · 2016-07-06T21:22:40.407

You can modify the registry. From this website, I found a pretty thorough regedit modification that works fine for me and really changes the default right click "Edit" program.

The hex portions are just the same path string to Notepad++, I don't know why those were put in hex, but it is harmless. Again, I didn't create this code.

Copy the following text and paste it in a new .txt and save it
Rename it to filename.reg.
And then just double-click it and accept the pop ups that warn you about modifying the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\inffile\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\inffile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\inifile\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\inifile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSEFile\Shell\Edit\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSEFile\Shell\Print\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” /p “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSFile\Shell\Edit\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSFile\Shell\Print\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” /p “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.PowerShellScript.1\Shell\Open\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.PowerShellData.1\Shell\Open\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.PowerShellModule.1\Shell\Open\Command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\scriptletfile\Shell\Open\command]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “%1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\printto\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,74,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,32,00,22,\
00,20,00,22,00,25,00,33,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,34,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBEFile\Shell\Edit\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBEFile\Shell\Print\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBSFile\Shell\Edit\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBSFile\Shell\Print\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Windows.XamlDocument\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Windows.Xbap\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Windows.CompositeFont\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WSFFile\Shell\Edit\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WSFFile\Shell\Print\Command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zapfile\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zapfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zapfile\shell\printto\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,43,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,20,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,20,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,5c,00,\
4e,00,6f,00,74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,74,\
00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2b,00,2b,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,\
2f,00,70,00,74,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,32,00,22,\
00,20,00,22,00,25,00,33,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,34,00,22,00,00,00

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered May 31 '13 at 16:04

5

As an alternative, you can also replace notepad.exe with notepad++.exe (or notepad2.exe or another editor).

Take a look at this gist to get an idea on how to do it: https://gist.github.com/amarraja/3938304

answered May 31 '13 at 16:04

Ehtesh Choudhury

1,498

score 3 · Answer 5 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:41

The most direct route I've found is tell Windows to use Notepad++ (or Notepad2 or...) instead of the system default Notepad.exe by leveraging Image File Execution. It's safer (and easier!) than replacing system files or messing about with multiple registry entries.

set "Image File Execution Options" will always open the named exe file as default

Other Sources:

How do I set Notepad++ as the default editor?

5 Answers5

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