How to Install Notepad++ on Linux

Notepad++ does not run on Linux natively. But that has never stopped people from using it.

If you want to know how to install Notepad++ on Linux, there are 3 working methods: via Snap, manually through the Wine compatibility layer, or as a portable AppImage. Each one works differently across Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Linux Mint.

This guide covers every method with exact terminal commands, system requirements, and post-install setup, including desktop shortcuts, default editor configuration, and how to update or uninstall cleanly.

It also covers the best native Linux alternatives for when Wine overhead is not worth the trade-off.

What Is Notepad++ and Does It Run on Linux?

Notepad++ is a free, open-source source code editor and Notepad replacement built exclusively for Microsoft Windows. It was created in 2003 by Don Ho, a computer science student at Paris Diderot University, and is written in C++ using the Win32 API and the Scintilla editor component.

No official Linux version exists. The developer explicitly rejected porting it to Unix platforms, which means running Notepad++ on Linux always requires a compatibility layer or container.

Notepad++ reported 27.4% usage among all developers in 2025, making it the third most-used editor globally (Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025). That popularity is why so many Linux users want it specifically, even when native alternatives are available.

There are 3 practical ways to run Notepad++ on Linux:

• Snap package: community-maintained, bundles Wine internally, single install command
• Wine directly: manual installation using the official .exe from notepad-plus-plus.org
• AppImage: portable, unofficial build from GitHub, no root required

All 3 methods rely on Wine underneath. The difference is how much of the setup you handle yourself.

If you just want the editor running with minimal effort, Snap is the right starting point. If you want the latest official release or more control over your Wine prefix configuration, the manual Wine method gives you that.

Linux desktop adoption reached 4.7% globally in 2025, up from 2.76% in July 2022 (StatCounter). As more developers switch to Linux full-time, the demand for familiar Windows tools like Notepad++ on Linux keeps growing.

What Are the System Requirements for Installing Notepad++ on Linux?

Before picking an installation method, check that your system actually meets the minimum requirements. The specific needs vary by method, but there are 3 baseline checks that apply to all of them.

Linux Distribution Compatibility

Notepad++ runs on most mainstream Linux distributions. Tested and confirmed working environments include:

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS
• Debian 11 (Bullseye) and Debian 12
• Linux Mint 21 and later
• Fedora 38 and later
• Arch Linux (rolling release)

Rocky Linux 9.x is a known exception. The Snap-based installation fails on Rocky Linux 9.x due to Wine errors. Manual Wine installation works instead.

Ubuntu leads Linux distribution adoption with 27.7% professional use among developers in 2025 (Stack Overflow), making it the most common target environment for this installation.

Hardware and Architecture Requirements

Architecture: 64-bit x86 (x8664) is recommended. Some older 32-bit Notepad++ plugins only work on 32-bit Wine builds, but this edge case affects almost nobody in 2025.

RAM: 512 MB minimum. Wine adds overhead that the Windows version never has, so 1 GB or more is more realistic for smooth performance.

Disk space: Approximately 200 MB for Notepad++ plus Wine dependencies. The Snap package is larger because it bundles its own Wine runtime.

Software Prerequisites by Method

Root or sudo access is required for Snap and Wine installations. The AppImage method is the only one that runs without it.

How to Install Notepad++ on Linux Using Snap

Snap is the fastest installation path. One command handles everything, including Wine dependencies, without any manual setup.

How to Enable Snapd Before Installing

Ubuntu 16.04 and later ships with snapd enabled by default. If you are on Debian, Fedora, or Linux Mint, you may need to install snapd first.

Debian / Ubuntu (if snapd is missing):

sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd

Fedora:

sudo dnf install snapd sudo ln -s /var/lib/snapd/snap /snap

After installing snapd, reboot your system. The official Snap documentation recommends a reboot to make sure Snap’s paths update correctly.

Linux Mint 21 disables snapd by default as a policy decision. To re-enable it, remove the snap block file first:

sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd

How to Install Notepad++ via Snap

With snapd running, install Notepad++ using a single terminal command line instruction:

sudo snap install notepad-plus-plus

Snap downloads the package and its bundled Wine runtime automatically. The install typically takes 2 to 5 minutes depending on connection speed.

Known limitation: The community-maintained Snap package often lags behind the official Notepad++ release by several weeks. As of 2025, the current Notepad++ version is 8.9.x. Check the installed version with snap info notepad-plus-plus.

How to Verify the Snap Installation Worked

Run Notepad++ from the terminal to confirm the installation succeeded:

notepad-plus-plus

You can also search for “Notepad++” in your desktop environment’s application launcher. The Snap package creates a launcher entry automatically in most GNOME and KDE Plasma environments.

If the application fails to launch, try running sudo snap connect notepad-plus-plus:home to grant file system access, which some Snap confinement policies block by default.

How to Install Notepad++ on Linux Using Wine

The manual Wine method gives you the latest official Notepad++ release from notepad-plus-plus.org and full control over the Wine virtual environment. It takes more steps than Snap but is the right choice when you need a specific Notepad++ version or want the Snap package’s bundled Wine out of the picture.

Wine translates Windows API calls into POSIX calls on the fly. No processor emulation takes place, which is why a lightweight application like Notepad++ runs at near-native speed under Wine 10.x. Wine 10.0 stable was released in January 2025 with significant Arm64EC support improvements (Tom’s Hardware, 2025).

How to Install Wine on Ubuntu and Debian

The version in the default Ubuntu repository is often outdated. WineHQ provides a more current build:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 sudo mkdir -pm755 /etc/apt/keyrings sudo wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/winehq-archive.key https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key sudo wget -NP /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/dists/jammy/winehq-jammy.sources sudo apt update sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable

Verify the installation with wine –version. You should see Wine 9.x or 10.x.

How to Install Wine on Fedora and Arch Linux

Fedora:

sudo dnf install wine

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S wine wine-mono

Arch Linux users should also install wine-gecko and wine-mono to avoid missing component warnings during Wine initialization.

How to Run the Notepad++ Installer Through Wine

Download the official installer from notepad-plus-plus.org. Choose the 64-bit installer unless you specifically need 32-bit plugin compatibility.

Run the installer through Wine:

wine npp.8.9.x.Installer.x64.exe

A standard Windows-style install wizard opens. Accept the defaults. Notepad++ installs into the Wine virtual environment at ~/.wine/drivec/Program Files/Notepad++/.

After installation, launch Notepad++ with:

wine ~/.wine/drivec/Program Files/Notepad++/notepad++.exe

Performance note: Wine’s AppDB rates Notepad++ as Platinum, meaning it works flawlessly out of the box with no special configuration required.

How to Install Notepad++ on Linux Using AppImage

AppImage is the right choice when you need portability. No root access, no package manager, no Wine installation required on your end. The entire runtime is bundled inside a single file.

Source: Unofficial AppImage builds for Notepad++ are maintained by the mmtrt project on GitHub at the mmtrt/notepad-plus-plus repository. These are not official Notepad++ releases.

The AppImage format packages an application and all its dependencies, including a Wine runtime, into one self-contained executable. It works on any Linux distribution that supports FUSE, which covers Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, and Linux Mint.

3-step installation process:

• Download the latest .AppImage file from the GitHub releases page

• Make it executable: chmod +x Notepad++.AppImage

• Run it: ./Notepad++.AppImage

That is the full process. No installer, no root password, no package manager involvement.

Security consideration: Unofficial builds carry more risk than Snap or Wine installations using the official .exe. Before running any AppImage, verify the SHA-256 checksum listed on the GitHub releases page against your downloaded file:

sha256sum Notepad++.AppImage

Compare the output against the checksum posted in the release notes. If they do not match, do not run the file.

The main downside of AppImage compared to Snap is update handling. There is no snap refresh equivalent. You download a new AppImage file each time a new Notepad++ version releases.

How to Create a Desktop Shortcut for Notepad++ on Linux

Snap installations create an application menu entry automatically. Wine and AppImage installations usually do not, which means launching from the terminal every time unless you create a .desktop file manually.

Creating a .desktop File for Wine Installations

Create a new file at ~/.local/share/applications/notepadplusplus.desktop:

[Desktop Entry] Name=Notepad++ Comment=Source code editor Exec=wine "/home/YOURUSERNAME/.wine/drivec/Program Files/Notepad++/notepad++.exe" Icon=/home/YOURUSERNAME/.wine/drivec/Program Files/Notepad++/notepad++.png Type=Application Categories=TextEditor;Development;

Replace YOURUSERNAME with your actual Linux username. Save the file, then run:

chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/notepadplusplus.desktop

Icon note: Notepad++ does not always extract an icon file to disk during Wine installation. If the icon path above returns a blank icon, download the Notepad++ icon PNG separately from the official GitHub repository assets and point the Icon= path to wherever you save it.

Creating a .desktop File for AppImage Installations

The structure is nearly the same, with the Exec line pointing to the AppImage file instead:

[Desktop Entry] Name=Notepad++ Exec=/home/YOURUSERNAME/Applications/Notepad++.AppImage Icon=/home/YOURUSERNAME/Applications/notepadplusplus.png Type=Application Categories=TextEditor;Development;

After saving either .desktop file, refresh the application database:

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications

Notepad++ will now appear in your GNOME, KDE Plasma, or Xfce application launcher alongside native Linux applications.

How to Set Notepad++ as the Default Text Editor on Linux

Setting Notepad++ as the default editor for text files means your file manager opens .txt, .csv, and similar files directly in Notepad++ on double-click. The exact steps differ between desktop environments.

Setting the Default Editor in GNOME

GNOME’s method is straightforward:

• Right-click any text file in Nautilus (Files)
• Select “Open With Other Application”
• Find Notepad++ in the list (appears after .desktop file creation)
• Click “Set as Default”

This sets the default for that specific MIME type only, such as text/plain. Repeat for other file types if needed, like text/csv or text/html.

Setting the Default Editor in KDE Plasma

KDE Plasma handles default applications through System Settings:

System Settings > Applications > Default Applications > Text Editor

Select Notepad++ from the dropdown if it appears. If it does not appear, the .desktop file may be missing the correct Categories=TextEditor entry.

Setting the Default Editor via Command Line

The xdg-mime command works across all desktop environments and is the most reliable method for Wine-based installs:

xdg-mime default notepadplusplus.desktop text/plain

Verify it took effect:

xdg-mime query default text/plain

The output should return notepadplusplus.desktop.

Important: This setting applies per user, not system-wide. Other user accounts on the same machine keep their own default editor settings. System-wide MIME defaults live in /etc/ paths and require root access to change.

How to Update Notepad++ on Linux

The built-in update checker inside Notepad++ does not work on Linux. It tries to reach Windows Update servers through Wine, fails silently, and does nothing.

Each installation method has its own update process. None of them are automatic.

Updating the Snap Installation

Snap packages update through a single terminal command:

sudo snap refresh notepad-plus-plus

Snap checks the store for a newer version and downloads it if one exists.

Known gap: the Snap package typically trails the official Notepad++ release by several weeks. If you need the latest version immediately after a release, the Wine method is more reliable.

Updating the Wine Installation

Download the new installer from notepad-plus-plus.org, then run it through Wine the same way you installed the original:

wine npp.NEWVERSION.Installer.x64.exe

The installer overwrites the existing Wine prefix installation at ~/.wine/drivec/Program Files/Notepad++/.

No need to uninstall first. Running the new installer over the existing one upgrades in place and keeps your settings and plugins intact.

Updating the AppImage Installation

AppImage has no update command. The process is manual every time:

• Go to the mmtrt GitHub releases page
• Download the latest .AppImage file

• Verify the SHA-256 checksum
• Replace the old file with the new one

Your old .desktop shortcut still works as long as the new AppImage file sits in the same path with the same filename.

How to Uninstall Notepad++ from Linux

Uninstalling Notepad++ on Linux leaves orphaned files if you only remove the application itself. Each method has different cleanup steps.

Removing the Snap Installation

One command removes everything:

sudo snap remove notepad-plus-plus

Snap automatically removes the application, its bundled Wine runtime, and the application menu entry.

User data stored by the Snap may survive in ~/snap/notepad-plus-plus/. Delete that directory manually if you want a full clean removal:

rm -rf ~/snap/notepad-plus-plus

Removing the Wine Installation

Two cleanup steps are needed here, not one.

Step 1: Uninstall Notepad++ through Wine’s uninstaller:

wine uninstaller

A Windows-style “Add or Remove Programs” dialog opens. Select Notepad++ and click Remove.

Step 2: If you want to remove the entire Wine virtual environment (including all other Windows applications installed in the same prefix), delete the Wine prefix directory:

rm -rf ~/.wine

Only do this if Notepad++ is the only Windows application you installed through Wine. Deleting ~/.wine removes everything in that prefix.

Remove Wine itself through the package manager when it is no longer needed:

sudo apt remove --purge wine winehq-stable sudo apt autoremove

Removing the AppImage Installation

AppImage removal is the simplest of the 3 methods:

• Delete the .AppImage file

• Delete the .desktop shortcut from ~/.local/share/applications/

• Delete the icon file if you saved one separately

Run update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications afterward to remove the entry from your application launcher.

No package manager cleanup is needed. AppImage leaves nothing in system directories.

What Are the Best Native Linux Alternatives to Notepad++?

Wine adds overhead. For a multi-tab source code editor with syntax highlighting on Linux, native alternatives perform better and integrate cleanly with the desktop.

VS Code holds 75.9% developer adoption in 2025, making it the most-used editor across all platforms (Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025). But it is not always the right fit when you just want a lightweight text editor without the full IDE machinery.

The comparison below covers the 4 native Linux editors that most closely replace specific Notepad++ features.

Kate (KDE Advanced Text Editor)

Kate is the closest native Linux replacement for Notepad++, according to the AlternativeTo community (2025 user ratings).

What Kate matches directly:

• Multi-tab document interface
• Syntax highlighting via XML-extensible definitions
• Plugin support through the KDE plugin framework
• Session management (restores open files on relaunch)

Kate has been in active development since 2001 and is maintained by the KDE community. It runs natively on Linux, Windows, and macOS, which is useful for teams working across platforms.

One gap: Kate does not replicate Notepad++’s unsaved-buffer persistence. Closing an unsaved tab in Kate prompts a save dialog. Notepad++ stores the buffer silently and restores it on next launch without asking.

Visual Studio Code

VS Code accounts for 16% of all downloads on Linux, making it the most-installed cross-platform editor among Linux users (Skillademia, 2024).

It ships with native Linux packages in 4 formats: .deb, .rpm, Snap, and Flatpak. No Wine required.

Compared to Notepad++, VS Code is the heavier option. RAM usage sits between 400 MB and 800 MB with a standard extension load, versus Notepad++ under Wine running well under 200 MB for typical text editing tasks.

If you write code regularly on Linux, VS Code wins on feature depth. If you want a fast file opener for config editing or log review, Kate or Gedit is more practical.

Gedit and Mousepad

Both are minimalist editors that ship as defaults in their respective desktop environments.

Gedit (GNOME default) handles tabs, basic syntax highlighting, and plugin support through the libpeas plugin system. Lightweight and fast. Not a code editor in the full sense, but good for most non-development text editing tasks.

Mousepad (Xfce default) is even lighter. It focuses on speed and low memory use. Perfect for older hardware or server environments where you need a GUI editor without a full desktop environment installed.

Neither Gedit nor Mousepad replicates Notepad++’s macro recording or multi-document session management. For those features specifically, Kate or VS Code is the right choice on Linux.

FAQ on How To Install Notepad++ On Linux

Is there an official Notepad++ version for Linux?

No. Notepad++ is a Windows-native application built on the Win32 API. Don Ho, the developer, considered a Linux port but rejected it. Running it on Linux requires Wine or a container like Snap that bundles Wine internally.

What is the easiest way to install Notepad++ on Linux?

The Snap package is the simplest method. One command handles everything: sudo snap install notepad-plus-plus. Wine is bundled inside the Snap, so no separate Wine installation is needed. Works on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and most systemd-based distros.

Does Notepad++ run well on Linux through Wine?

Yes. Wine’s AppDB rates Notepad++ as Platinum, meaning it works flawlessly with no special configuration. Performance under Wine 9.x and 10.x is near-native for a lightweight source code editor like Notepad++.

Can I install Notepad++ on Linux without root access?

Yes, using the AppImage method. Download the unofficial AppImage from the mmtrt GitHub repository, run chmod +x on it, and launch it directly. No package manager, no sudo, no Wine installation required on your part.

Why does the Notepad++ built-in updater not work on Linux?

The built-in updater tries to reach Windows Update servers through Wine and fails silently. Update manually instead: run sudo snap refresh notepad-plus-plus for Snap, or re-run the new .exe installer through Wine for manual installations.

Does Notepad++ on Linux support plugins?

Yes, through Wine. The Plugin Manager inside Notepad++ functions under Wine, though some plugins have compatibility issues. The 32-bit Wine build supports a wider range of older plugins, including some that have never been compiled for 64-bit.

Which Linux distributions support Notepad++ via Snap?

Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, and Linux Mint all support the Snap installation after enabling snapd. Rocky Linux 9.x is a known exception where Wine errors occur. Manual Wine installation works as a fallback on that distro.

How do I uninstall Notepad++ from Linux?

For Snap: sudo snap remove notepad-plus-plus. For Wine: run wine uninstaller and remove it from the GUI, then delete ~/.wine if needed. For AppImage: delete the .AppImage file and its .desktop shortcut manually.

What is the best native Linux alternative to Notepad++?

Kate is the closest native replacement, with multi-tab editing, syntax highlighting, plugin support, and session management. VS Code is more powerful but heavier. Gedit suits simple text editing. Mousepad works best on low-resource systems running Xfce.

Can I set Notepad++ as the default text editor on Linux?

Yes. After creating a .desktop file for your Wine or AppImage installation, run xdg-mime default notepadplusplus.desktop text/plain in the terminal. For GNOME and KDE Plasma, you can also set it through the desktop environment’s default application settings.

Conclusion

This conclusion is for an article presenting how to install Notepad++ on Linux using 3 confirmed methods: the Snap package, manual Wine installation, and the portable AppImage build.

Each method fits a different situation. Snap works for most users on Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora without touching the Wine prefix configuration directly. The manual Wine approach gives you the official release from notepad-plus-plus.org the moment it drops. AppImage runs without sudo or a package manager.

Post-install steps matter too. Creating a .desktop file, setting MIME type associations via xdg-mime, and knowing how to update each method cleanly keeps the setup from breaking over time.

If Wine overhead becomes an issue, Kate is the closest native Linux replacement with real plugin and multi-tab support.

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Bogdan Sandu

Bogdan Sandu is a front-end developer at TMS Outsource with 8+ years of experience in web technologies. He writes about developer tools, software platforms, and web workflows based on daily hands-on use.

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