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When you click the View Source command in Internet Explorer 8, it uses the built-in viewer, which is part of the Developer Tools in Internet Explorer 8. The built-in viewer lets you dynamically refresh the view source window, increase or decrease the text size and lists other standard options.
The new viewer does not allow editing the source though. Previous versions of Internet Explorer use Notepad as the default source editor, which lets you modify the source before saving. To set Notepad as the default view source editor in Internet Explorer 8 (and previous versions), use the instructions below.
Changing the View Source Editor in Internet Explorer
Method 1: Using the Built-in Option in IE8
Internet Explorer 8 includes a built-in option to change the default view source editor. The setting is provided in the Developer Tools.
1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Press the F12 button to start the Developer Tools
3. From the File menu, click Customize Internet Explorer View Source
4. Select one of the following options:
- Default Viewer
- Notepad
- Other…
If you choose Other…, you’ll be prompted to select the executable file of your preferred text editor. Use this option to set your third-party text editing program (e.g. Notepad+) to set as the default source editor.
Method 2: Manual Registry Edit
1. Launch Regedit.exe and navigate to:
2. Create a subkey named View Source Editor
3. Under View Source Editor, create a subkey named Editor Name
4. Select the following key:
5. Double-click (default) and set Notepad.exe as its data
Note: If you prefer a third-party text editor (such as Notepad+, Notepad Lite etc), type the full path to the executable.
6. Exit the Registry Editor.
Registry Fix
Download viewsrc_ie8.zip, unzip the file and extract the contents to a folder. Double-click the file viewsrc-notepad.reg to set Notepad as the default View Source editor. To restore the original setting (built-in viewer as the default), run the file viewsrc-default.reg.
Note: The above REG files can be used with previous versions of Internet Explorer as well.
(Last Updated on March 22, 2009. Article modified for IE8 Final.)
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Hi Gilda Marie Granado-Melendrez,
If you are trying to edit HTML pages which you have opened suing Internet, you can’t edit them as those files lie on Server. You can only edit the HTML files which are on your desktop. Means HTML files that you might have created as part of your project or something else.
I followed the above given steps and I was very well able to cgange the default viewer and also able to edit and see the changes.
Man you are awesome. I was bugged up with the view source option of IE8. Before hitting google I tried everything I can i IE8. Then I enable the Menu bar and saw an option “File->Edit with Notepad”. But still it wasn’t so easy . Actually I don’t like the Menu Bar itself. Then googled. The first 2 results didn’t have any answer, I suppose they are still waiting for an answer. Then I tried other search results, and volia your page. Thanks a lot for the help.
The only workaround for Notepad++ is to set the “Default Language” to HTML inside it in:
Settings -> Preferences -> New Document/Default Directory
Using “Other”-> Notepad++ for the registry entry Editor Name how do we pass command line switches?
For example:
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\Notepad++.exe -lhtml
does not work.
I have changed the source/view to notepad but when I copy and paste new info it does not save. Can someone help me please.
Thank You! Thank You! I have been trying to figure-out this one for a month.
Thank YoU!