{"id":8738,"date":"2019-04-19T13:16:22","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T07:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.58.113.91\/blog\/?p=8738"},"modified":"2023-08-02T20:36:39","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T15:06:39","slug":"open-with-notepad-plus-right-click-menu-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/open-with-notepad-plus-right-click-menu-windows\/","title":{"rendered":"Add “Open with Notepad++” to the Right-Click Menu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many users have replaced Notepad with Notepad++<\/a> as the default text editor on their computers. Others use Notepad++ only when needed, and launch it via the Open with<\/strong> menu and choose Notepad++ from the list of options.<\/p>\n

This post tells you how to add the Open with Notepad++<\/strong> command to the right-click menu for text files in Windows. This tip is especially helpful for those who use the Notepad++ portable copy.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Add “Open with Notepad” to the Right-click Menu for all file types<\/a><\/div>\n

Add “Open with Notepad++” to the right-click menu<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Download open-with-notepad-plus-menu.zip<\/a> to a folder, and unzip it.<\/li>\n
  2. Run the appropriate .reg file (Windows 32-bit vs. 64-bit) by double-clicking on it.<\/li>\n
  3. Click Yes<\/strong> when asked for confirmation.\n
    This adds the Open with Notepad++<\/strong> context menu option for all file types.<\/div>\n

    \"Notepad++<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \n

    Path to Notepad++.exe<\/h4>\n

    Note that the .reg file above assumes the following default paths for Notepad++.<\/p>\n

    Notepad 32-bit on Windows 32-bit:<\/strong>\r\nC:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\r\n\r\nNotepad 32-bit on Windows 64-bit:<\/strong>\r\nC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\r\n\r\nNotepad 64-bit on Windows 64-bit:<\/strong>\r\nC:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe<\/pre>\n
    If you have Notepad++ located in another directory, you need to edit the .reg file and update the correct path to notepad++.exe. Alternatively, you can apply the original .reg file and then edit the registry to update the path for notepad++.exe. The registry edit method is provided below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
    Using the Registry Editor (Option 2)<\/h4>\n
    To manually add the Notepad++ to the right-click menu using the Registry Editor, follow these steps:<\/p>\n
      \n
    1. Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe<\/code>).<\/li>\n
    2. Go to the following key:\n
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell<\/pre>\n<\/li>\n
    3. Create a subkey underneath, and name it as Open with Notepad++<\/code>\n
      The key name you type here will show up in the right-click menu. You may also use Edit with Notepad++<\/strong> if you so prefer.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
    4. Under Open with Notepad++<\/strong>, create a subkey named command<\/code><\/li>\n
    5. With the command<\/strong> key selected, double-click the (default)<\/code> value in the right pane.<\/li>\n
    6. Type the full path to Notepad++.exe, followed by a %1<\/code> with double-quotes.
      \n\"Notepad++<\/p>\n
      Examples:\r\n\r\n\"C:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\" \"%1\"\r\n\"D:\\Portables\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe\" \"%1\"\r\n<\/pre>\n<\/li>\n
    7. Optionally, you can assign an icon for the context menu item<\/a>. To do so, select this parent key:\n
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell\\Open with Notepad++<\/pre>\n<\/li>\n
    8. In the right pane, create a String value (REG_SZ) named Icon<\/code><\/li>\n
    9. Double-click Icon<\/code> and assign a .ico file or point it to a resource that contains a valid icon.<\/li>\n
    10. To use Notepad++ ‘s official icon, assign this value data:\n
      C:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe,0\r\nor\r\nC:\\Program Files\\Notepad++\\notepad++.exe,1<\/pre>\n
      \"Notepad++<\/p>\n
      Of course, you’ll need to type the actual path to notepad++.exe<\/strong> on your computer.<\/em><\/p>\n
      Tip:<\/strong> You can use any other valid icon index inside you’d like. To view the list of icons in a .exe file and know the icon index # of your preferred icon, see section Icons From DLL\/EXE Files<\/strong> in the article How to Change the Default Icon for a File Type in Windows?<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
      Is Notepad++ missing in Open with dialog?<\/h3>\n
      After installing the Notepad++ 64-bit version, the program’s icon may not show up in the “Open with” context menu or Open with dialog.<\/p>\n
      When you right-click on any file and go to Open With \u2192 Choose default program<\/p>\n
      In the resulting dialog with suggested applications, Notepad++ may not be listed. Even though you browse for Notepad++, locate, and select notepad++.exe, the dialog still may not show Notepad++, and you can’t open a file with Notepad++.<\/p>\n
      To resolve the issue, you have two options:<\/p>\n