Most Notepad++ plugins install with a couple of clicks. The trouble starts with the ones that aren’t in the official Plugin List, and those are the ones people end up searching for. A listed plugin goes through Plugins Admin, which downloads it and restarts the editor for you.
An unlisted one is a folder job. Copy the DLL into its own subfolder of the plugins directory, name the subfolder exactly like the DLL, and restart Notepad++ by hand.
ComparePlus gives you file diffing and NppFTP handles FTP transfers. XML Tools does XML validation, which the editor can’t do alone.
As of November 2026, the nppPluginList repository keeps separate lists for 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64 builds. A manual install skips that matching, so the architecture check is yours to make.
How to install a plugin with Plugins Admin
Once Notepad++ relaunches, the plugin shows up in the Plugins menu.
- Open Notepad++ and go to Plugins > Plugins Admin.
- Stay on the Available tab and find the plugin in the list.
- Tick the checkbox next to its name. Clicking only the name shows plugin details but leaves the Install button disabled.
- Click Install and accept the restart prompt.
- After the relaunch, open the Plugins menu and look for the new entry. The Installed tab lists it too.
Plugins Admin has been built in since v7.6 (Notepad++ release notes, 13 November 2018). It replaced the old Plugin Manager plugin, which Community moderators treat as obsolete from v7.6.3 onward (January 2019).
The restart runs through the bundled updater, gup.exe from the WinGUp project. In 7.6-era installers the Auto-Updater option was locked on whenever Plugins Admin was selected, so the two travel together.
Opening Plugins Admin and reading the tabs
The Available tab lists plugins you haven’t installed yet, each with an Install button.
Updates shows installed or deactivated plugins that have a newer version in the Plugin List, and gives you an Update button. Installed holds the active ones, with Deactivate and Remove next to them.
Incompatible catches plugins you installed earlier that no longer fit your Notepad++ version. All it offers is Remove. Deactivated is where plugins go when you move them aside on purpose, and it comes with Activate and Remove.
Notepad++ v8.9.8 (22 August 2026) and later show all of these, since that release added plugin deactivation (Notepad++ User Manual and v8.9.8 release notes). Older builds show only Available, Updates, Installed and Incompatible, with no Deactivate button. The window also shows the Plugin List version and a link to the list repository.
A plugin stuck in Incompatible isn’t always dead. Check the author’s own site first, because a compatible release sometimes exists before it reaches the Plugin List.
Installing one plugin versus several at once
The manual allows ticking several plugins and clicking Install once.
A 2023 Community thread (v8.5.4, 32-bit, Windows 7) reports a multi-select install after which none of the ticked plugins appeared. A moderator in the same thread installed them one at a time and saw each one load.
Windows 7 is outside the developer’s official support, so that’s thin evidence against current builds. On a modern Windows version, batch installs are the documented path.
On an old system, I’d go one at a time. The extra restarts cost less than a silent failure.
When to install a plugin manually, and how
Go manual when the plugin is missing from the Plugin List, when Plugins Admin can’t download, or when the machine has no internet. Otherwise Plugins Admin is the better route.
One subfolder per plugin, named exactly like the DLL. That’s the whole idea.
Choosing between Plugins Admin and a manual install
The table puts the options side by side. Import plugin(s) is the one with a catch.
| Method | Use it when | Extra files | Restart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plugins Admin | Plugin is in the list | Placed from the zip | Automatic |
| Manual copy | Not listed, blocked or offline | You copy them | You restart |
| Import plugin(s) | Zip holds one DLL | Not copied | Exit and relaunch by hand |
Skip Import plugin(s) for anything that ships config files, documentation or extra DLLs. It copies the single DLL and nothing else, so the plugin loads without the files it needs (Notepad++ User Manual).
Where the plugins folder is
Each plugin gets its own subfolder inside the plugins folder of the Notepad++ install.
- 64-bit installer: %PROGRAMFILES%\Notepad++\plugins\PluginName\PluginName.dll
- 32-bit installer: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Notepad++\plugins\PluginName\PluginName.dll
- Portable edition: <portable folder>\plugins\PluginName\PluginName.dll
Skip guessing the path. Plugins > Open Plugins Folder opens it in Explorer, and the entry stays available even when no plugins are installed (Community thread on the 7.6 plugin loading change, feature request 5224).
Sources disagree here. The manual documents the install folder, while some tutorials still point to %APPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins, and 7.6-era threads discuss %LOCALAPPDATA% and %ProgramData%. Trust the menu command over any pasted path.
Steps for a manual install
- Download the plugin zip from the plugin’s release page and pick the x86, x64 or ARM64 archive that matches your Notepad++ build.
- In Notepad++, choose Plugins > Open Plugins Folder, then close Notepad++.
- Create a subfolder named exactly like the DLL, without the extension. A plugin called Compare.dll goes in a folder called Compare.
- Copy the zip contents into that subfolder, extra DLLs and subfolders included.
- Right-click each DLL, open Properties, tick Unblock if it appears, then Apply and OK.
- Start Notepad++ and check the Plugins menu.
The ComparePlus release zip is a good example of why the whole archive matters. It holds ComparePlus.dll plus a libs folder with libgit2 and sqlite DLLs for the Git and SVN diff commands (ComparePlus README on GitHub).
Unblock every DLL, subfolders included. Extracting with the Windows Explorer zip feature marks executable files as downloaded, and Windows then refuses to load them.
Ignore install instructions written before the 7.6 loading change. The Compare plugin README still documents the flat pre-7.6.0 layout next to the subfolder layout for v7.6.3 and above, and only the second one works on current builds.
The folder name gets no tolerance at all. A user in the 2023 Community thread concluded that the smallest deviation breaks the install, and the Plugin List rules say a DLL whose name differs from its folder name will not load.
Installing offline
Plugins Admin downloads each plugin zip from the address stored in the Plugin List. Most of those point to GitHub, a few to SourceForge or the author’s own site. A machine without internet needs the manual route, so download the zip on another computer and carry it over.
You can still verify the file. Each Plugin List entry stores the SHA-256 fingerprint of its zip, and Plugins Admin compares it to block tampered files (Notepad++ User Manual). Offline, run Tools > SHA-256 > Generate from files and compare the result with the id in the list’s JSON file for your architecture.
How to match a plugin to your Notepad++ build
Check your build in ? > About Notepad++, then use only plugin archives made for that exact architecture: x86 for 32-bit, x64 for 64-bit, ARM64 for ARM. A mismatch is the most common reason a plugin fails to load.
Notepad++ reports a DLL it can’t use with a message that the plugin is not compatible with the current version of Notepad++. A blocked DLL triggers the same message, so the architecture isn’t always the cause.
The official nppPluginList repository keeps separate lists for 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64 (nppPluginList README). Plugins Admin reads the one for the build you run.
The DLL’s architecture has to match your Notepad++, and the plugin version has to sit inside the Notepad++ range it supports.
Since March 2022, list entries can carry an npp-compatible-versions range and an old-versions-compatibility note (Notepad++ User Manual). They record which Notepad++ releases each plugin version works with, and installed plugins that fall outside the range land in the Incompatible tab.
A manual copy skips all of that. Nothing stops you from dropping an x64 DLL into a 32-bit install, so read the release notes before you copy.
Administrator rights and portable installs
Writing into C:\Program Files needs write permission on the plugins folder. Without it, run Notepad++ as administrator for Plugins Admin and Import plugin(s), or accept the UAC prompt when you copy files by hand (Notepad++ User Manual).
In the 2023 Community thread (v8.5.4), plugins only installed after the user started notepad++.exe itself as administrator. The moderator’s advice was to close every Notepad++ window, right-click notepad++.exe and choose Run as administrator.
It works in reverse too. A portable copy in a folder you can already write to needs no elevation at all.
For portable copies, plugins go in the plugins subfolder next to notepad++.exe, one folder per plugin. Manual copying is the dependable route.
Plugins Admin is the weak spot. A Community post in 2018 noted that the portable zip and 7z archives did not include it, and v7.6.2 added the Plugins Admin module to the zipped portable package (Notepad++ 7.6.2 release notes). Later PortableApps reports describe it vanishing after the first plugin update because the self-restart breaks out of portable mode.
The fix those reports share is to close Notepad++ completely, restore nppPluginList.dll into plugins\Config from the matching portable archive, and start it again by hand. The reports come from 7.6.3 and 7.8, so test the behavior on your own build before relying on it.
Which plugins are worth installing first
Pick by the job you do every week, and install two or three at most. ComparePlus for diffs, XML Tools or JSTool for structured data and NppExec for running commands cover most workflows.
The official 64-bit Plugin List describes each of these as follows.
ComparePlus is a side-by-side diff tool built on the original Compare plugin. The original stays in the list too, so choose ComparePlus unless you want the older, simpler version.
XML Tools handles syntax checks, XSD and DTD validation, pretty print and XPath. JSTool does JavaScript formatting and minifying and comes with a JSON viewer.
NppExec runs commands and saved scripts inside the editor. PythonScript adds Python scripting, and NppFTP covers FTP, FTPS, FTPES and SFTP.
On the text side, DSpellCheck does spell checking, MIME Tools covers Base64, quoted-printable and URL encoding, and Converter turns ASCII into hex.
Every plugin adds a menu entry and loads at startup. A short list keeps the Plugins menu usable.
For manual installs, pick the right zip. The NppExec README offers a plain dll zip for the folder layout used before 7.6 and a PA zip for the Plugins Admin layout. Take the PA one. PythonScript names its archive the same way, with PluginAdmin in the file name.
XML Tools shows how documentation ages. Community threads from the 7.6 era describe companion DLLs from libxml and libxslt, while the current README says the plugin is based on MSXML and lists only XMLTools.dll in a folder called XMLTools. Follow the README for the release you download.
DSpellCheck bundles the Hunspell library. Aspell is the alternative and has to be installed separately (DSpellCheck entry in the Plugin List).
MIME Tools and Converter both come from Don Ho, the Notepad++ author. The installer bundles a few plugins and lets you choose which (Notepad++ User Manual), so check the Installed tab before hunting for them in Available.
One more catch. Plugins Admin installs the exact version the list names, which can trail the newest GitHub release. If you need a fix from a fresh release, install that one manually.
Why a plugin does not show up or fails to load
The table below covers the usual causes, from a missing Plugins Admin component to a plugin that doesn’t match your Notepad++ version.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Plugins Admin in the menu | nppPluginList.dll missing from plugins\Config | Restore it from the same version, or reinstall from the official installer |
| Install or update never completes, no error | Proxy or firewall blocks the download address (mostly GitHub) | Fix the proxy, or install manually |
| Plugin missing from the Plugins menu | Wrong folder name, blocked DLL, no restart | Rename the folder, unblock, restart |
| Load error at startup | Wrong architecture or plugin too old | Install the matching, current build |
| Notepad++ crashes at launch | One plugin DLL | Start with -noPlugin, then isolate |
On the missing menu entry, a Community thread on v7.9.5 describes a user who lost Plugins Admin after an update. A moderator reproduced it only by deleting plugins\Config\nppPluginList.dll, and the advice was to reinstall from the official download page.
A proxy fails quietly. One Community user behind a company proxy reported no error message, only installs and updates that never happened.
Isolating a plugin that crashes Notepad++
Start Notepad++ with the -noPlugin switch. Command line options are case sensitive, and a Community moderator pointed out that -noplugin does nothing.
If it starts cleanly, move the plugin folders one at a time into plugins\disabled and restart after each move. The folder that brings the crash back is the culprit.
After an upgrade to v8.3, one user’s Notepad++ stopped launching because an old plugin DLL no longer matched the changed plugin API. The fix in that Community thread was to remove the plugin and reinstall the current version through Plugins Admin.
How to update, disable and remove plugins
All of this happens in Plugins Admin, and each action ends with a Notepad++ restart.
Update installs the newest version the Plugin List knows about. Remove deletes the plugin files from the plugins hierarchy, and the plugin returns to the Available tab if it’s in the list.
Deactivate arrived in v8.9.8. It moves the plugin files into a disabled subfolder so the plugin no longer loads at startup (Notepad++ User Manual). It also cuts memory use and menu clutter, which the manual names as the point of the feature.
Updating has one trap in v8.9.8 and later. If an older copy of the plugin sits in the Deactivated tab, installing the update leaves two versions side by side.
Test the new one, then remove the old copy. To go back instead, click Activate on the old version, which overwrites the new one.
Doing it by hand works too. With Notepad++ closed, move the plugin folder into plugins\disabled and back. Plugins Admin only updates plugins its list knows, so a hand-installed plugin needs a manual upgrade.
The NppSnippets documentation shows the difference. An upgrade through Plugins Admin leaves the user’s snippet database untouched, while a manual upgrade should at least replace the existing DLL.
Common Questions About Installing Plugins in Notepad++
Can I still use the old Plugin Manager plugin?
No. A Community moderator’s note says it likely drops plugins into the wrong directory on current builds, so Notepad++ never loads them.
Reports since 2022 add that it can’t download its plugin list. Use Plugins Admin instead.
Is it safe to install a plugin that is not in the Plugin List?
Only from a source you trust. A plugin DLL runs inside Notepad++ with your permissions, which is why Windows blocks downloaded DLLs by default.
Download from the author’s release page and keep the plugin current. The Markdown Panel README tells users to move to version 0.9.3 because earlier releases carry security issues.
Does Plugins Admin work on Windows XP?
No. The developer said in the 7.6.1 thread that Plugins Admin would be disabled under Windows XP because WinGUp has had compatibility problems with XP from the start, and a Community report on v7.6.1 shows a plugin update through Plugins Admin ending in an error after the restart. The last Notepad++ version that runs on XP is v7.9.2.
Windows 7 fares better. Current builds still run on it, but it isn’t an officially supported system (SUPPORTED_SYSTEM.md in the Notepad++ repository), so bugs specific to it can go unfixed.
Which plugins come with Notepad++ by default?
A few, and the installer lets you choose which ones during setup (Notepad++ User Manual).
Debug Info listings in Community threads commonly show MIME Tools, Converter and NppExport, so check the Installed tab before downloading them again.
Backing Up a Notepad++ Plugin Setup
Write down the plugin names from the Installed tab and save the settings files, which typically live in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins\Config (or in the plugins\Config folder of a portable copy). Keep the original zip of anything outside the Plugin List as well. The DLLs are the least valuable part of the backup.
Reinstall through Plugins Admin on the fresh build first, then copy the settings files back. Leave nppPluginList.dll out.
Fresh installs come first because Plugins Admin picks builds that match the new Notepad++, while an old DLL copied over can fail to load. The Plugin List DLL ships with Notepad++ itself (Notepad++ User Manual), so a restored copy brings back an outdated list.
Keep the downloaded zips of hand-installed plugins, because no list can fetch them again.
This advice was checked on 5 November 2026. It changes if a release moves the plugins folder again.
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