Notepad2
by Notepad2
What Notepad2 is
Notepad2 is a free, lightweight Windows text editor built on Scintilla. It provides syntax highlighting for formats and languages including HTML, XML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, C/C++, SQL, Perl, Python, PowerShell and batch files. Editing features include drag-and-drop, rectangular selection, brace matching, auto-indent, zoom and basic regular-expression search and replace. The editor supports Unicode, UTF-8, Unix and Mac text files, along with many Windows, DOS, ISO, Mac and EBCDIC encodings. It can run without installation and does not create registry entries; portable use relies on Notepad2.exe and Notepad2.ini. Downloads include x86 and x64 program files, setup packages and source code. External commands and tools can be launched from the editor, and the setup tool can replace Windows Notepad. The current listed release is version 4.2.25, with the project last updated October 28, 2012.
Who it suits
It suits Windows users wanting a small single-document editor with syntax highlighting, portable operation and broad text-encoding support.
What it does well
- Free and open source
- Syntax highlighting for many languages
- Portable operation without registry entries
- x86 and x64 downloads
- Can replace Windows Notepad
What to know first
- Windows only
- Single-document interface
- Regex search is limited to single lines
- Very large files can exhaust memory
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Notepad2 | Free and open source · Windows text editor | Free |
As flos-freeware.ch lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Notepad2 offers a focused Windows editing environment with broad syntax and encoding support, including portable use. Its single-document design, limited regular expressions and memory requirements for very large files define its boundaries.
Facts from Notepad2's own pages
- Column editing
- Yes · flos-freeware.ch, 20 Sept 2026
- Downloads
- The official page lists x86 and x64 program-file downloads, x86 and x64 setup downloads, and a source-code download. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Editing
- Features include drag-and-drop editing, basic regular-expression search and replace, rectangular selection, brace matching, auto-indent and zoom. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2004 · flos-freeware.ch, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · flos-freeware.ch, 20 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Notepad2 can launch external commands and open files with external tools; the FAQ gives HTML Tidy as an example used from its Open with dialog. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Interface scope
- The maker describes Notepad2 as a single-document editor and says a tabbed interface is unlikely to be added. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Languages
- Syntax highlighting covers languages and formats including HTML, XML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, C/C++, SQL, Perl, Python, PowerShell and batch files. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Large-file handling
- Yes · flos-freeware.ch, 20 Sept 2026
- Large files
- The editor keeps the whole file in memory and needs additional memory for undo history and encoding conversion, so very large files can exhaust memory and risk data loss. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Other limits
- The FAQ says Notepad2 does not support bidirectional right-to-left text and is not designed to handle binary files. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Portable use
- The program can run without installation, and the readme says it does not create registry entries; portable installation and removal can be done with Notepad2.exe and Notepad2.ini. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Notepad2 is a lightweight, Notepad-like text editor with syntax highlighting, built on Scintilla. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Regex limits
- Regular-expression search uses a limited Scintilla-provided subset and is limited to single lines. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Release status
- The official page lists version 4.2.25 as the current release and says the project was last updated October 28, 2012. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Security note
- The FAQ says a downloaded ZIP may carry an Internet-origin security label that can cause a Windows security warning when running Notepad2. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker invites comments or questions by note and lists a mailing list for update news. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Windows · flos-freeware.ch, 20 Sept 2026
- Text formats
- It supports Unicode, UTF-8, Unix and Mac text files, and the readme lists support for numerous Windows, DOS, ISO, Mac and EBCDIC encodings. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
- Windows replacement
- The setup tool handles replacing Windows Notepad as of version 4.2.25, according to the maker's replacement guide. · flos-freeware.ch, 11 Oct 2026
Where Notepad2 stands on Freedom251
- Text Editors#50 of 82