How to Install Notepad++

Notepad++ is a free, open-source text editor for Microsoft Windows. It is the standard tool used by Unturned™ modders to edit .dat configuration files because it preserves character encoding, displays line endings, and offers syntax highlighting that the default Windows Notepad does not provide. This reference walks through downloading the installer from the official Notepad++ website, running the installer with the correct options, and verifying that the installation completed successfully. Every step has been documented for readers who have never installed a desktop application on Windows before.

The reference is structured for sequential reading. Each section builds on the previous one, and readers who follow the steps in order will end with a working Notepad++ installation that is correctly configured for Unturned mod development. Readers with prior installation experience may skim to the verification step and confirm the installation matches the expected state described in the verification section.

57 Studios™ maintains this knowledge base as the canonical onboarding reference for new contributors to the modding ecosystem. The installation procedure documented here matches the procedure used internally for every workstation that contributes to 57 Studios™ mod releases, and the same procedure is recommended for community contributors who maintain personal mod projects against the 57 Studios™ project templates.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, confirm the following:

• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer with administrator rights on the user account.
• An active internet connection.
• A web browser such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Brave.
• Approximately 30 megabytes of free disk space on the drive where Notepad++ will be installed.
• A clear understanding that Notepad++ will be installed for the current Windows user account and that the installer will request elevated permissions to write to the Program Files directory.

The disk-space requirement is conservative. The installed footprint of a standard Notepad++ release is approximately 12 megabytes for the executable and supporting files, and an additional 8 to 18 megabytes for plugins, themes, language files, and the user configuration directory that Notepad++ creates on first launch. A 30-megabyte allocation provides a comfortable margin and accommodates a small number of community plugins installed after the base installation completes.

Common mistake

Notepad++ is a Windows-only application. It does not have a native version for macOS or Linux. Readers using a Mac should refer to the macOS modding guide for the recommended alternative editor.

Did you know?

Notepad++ has been continuously maintained since 2003 and is one of the longest-lived free text editors on Windows. The project is hosted on GitHub and accepts contributions from the wider open-source community. The official release cadence is several minor releases per year and one or two major releases.

What you'll learn

By the end of this reference, you will know how to:

• Navigate to the official Notepad++ download page.
• Identify the correct installer file for a 64-bit Windows system.
• Run the installer with the recommended default options.
• Verify that Notepad++ is installed and ready to use.
• Recognise the visual elements of the Notepad++ main window.
• Locate the installer file after download and confirm its publisher information.
• Differentiate between the installer release, the portable release, and the mini-installer release.
• Confirm that the installation matches the expected on-disk layout under C:\Program Files\Notepad++.

Background

The 57 Studios™ workflow for Unturned mod development relies on plain-text editing of configuration files. The Unturned engine reads these files at server startup, and the engine is strict about how the files are encoded. The default Windows Notepad application silently modifies files when it saves them by adding a byte-order mark, which causes the Unturned engine to fail to parse the file. Notepad++ does not have this problem when configured correctly, and it provides additional features such as line-ending visibility and a built-in encoding menu that make it the standard choice for this work.

Modders who have worked with Unturned configuration files for any length of time can recount at least one debugging session that ended when the underlying cause turned out to be the encoding of the file. The Unturned engine does not produce a clear error message for an encoding mismatch. The engine produces a parse error that points to the first key of the file, and the modder may spend hours adjusting that key before discovering that the key itself is correct and the encoding header in front of the key is the actual cause. Notepad++ exists to make this entire class of problems visible at editing time so that the modder never produces a file with the wrong encoding in the first place.

The 57 Studios™ knowledge base treats Notepad++ installation as the foundational step of the mod-development workflow. The two articles that follow this one assume Notepad++ is correctly installed, and the broader knowledge base assumes Notepad++ is available on every workstation that touches an Unturned .dat file. The reasoning is documented in the comparison table later in this reference.

The flow diagram above describes the end-to-end installation path. Each subsequent section in this reference expands one node of the flow into a step-by-step procedure.

Step 1: Open the official download page

Open your web browser and navigate to the following address:

https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/

This is the official download page maintained by the Notepad++ project. The page lists every release of Notepad++ in reverse chronological order, with the most recent release at the top.

Critical warning

Only download Notepad++ from the official website listed above. Third-party download sites frequently bundle adware, browser hijackers, or modified installers with the Notepad++ executable. Always verify the address bar of your browser shows the official domain before clicking any download link.

Best practice

Bookmark the official download page once you have confirmed the address. You will return to this page for future updates, and a saved bookmark removes the chance of mistyping the domain and landing on a lookalike site that hosts a modified installer.

The download page is served over HTTPS and the official domain is notepad-plus-plus.org. The page does not display advertising, sponsored content, or third-party download buttons. Any download page that appears to be the Notepad++ download page but displays large advertising banners, a download button that is visually distinct from the rest of the page, or a redirect through an unfamiliar domain is not the official page. Close the tab and start again from a known-good bookmark or a direct type of the official address.

Step 2: Select the latest release

The latest release is listed at the top of the page. Click the version number to navigate to the release page for that version.

The release page displays the version number, the release date, and a summary of changes since the previous release. The release page also displays a list of download options. The list includes installer files for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, portable archives for both architectures, and a mini-installer that contains a reduced subset of files. The recommended choice for a standard mod-development workstation is the 64-bit installer.

Did you know?

The Notepad++ project publishes release notes for every release on the same page as the download link. The release notes are worth scanning before downloading because they document any breaking changes to plugins, file format defaults, or the configuration directory layout that may affect existing installations being upgraded.

Step 3: Choose the 64-bit installer

The release page lists several download options. For modern Windows computers, choose the file labeled:

Notepad++ Installer 64-bit x64

This is the standard installer for 64-bit Windows, which is the default architecture for every Windows computer sold in the last decade.

Did you know?

A 32-bit installer is also offered for legacy systems. Unless you know that your computer is running a 32-bit version of Windows, you should always choose the 64-bit installer. To check, open Settings → System → About and look for "System type." If it reads "64-bit operating system, x64-based processor," you need the 64-bit installer.

The differences between the 32-bit and 64-bit installers are documented in the comparison table below. The 64-bit installer is the recommended choice for almost every reader of this reference.

Property	32-bit installer	64-bit installer
Filename pattern	npp.X.Y.Z.Installer.exe	npp.X.Y.Z.Installer.x64.exe
Default install location	C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++	C:\Program Files\Notepad++
Maximum addressable memory	2 GB	16 EB
Plugin ecosystem	Smaller (legacy plugins)	Larger (modern plugins)
Recommended for new installations	No	Yes
Compatible with Windows 10 / 11	Yes	Yes
Compatible with Windows 7 SP1	Yes	Yes
Required CPU architecture	x86	x64

The portable release is also worth mentioning. A portable release is a self-contained archive that runs Notepad++ from any folder without modifying the Windows registry or writing to Program Files. The portable release is useful when administrator rights are unavailable, when the workstation is shared, or when the modder wants to carry their editor configuration on a USB drive. The portable release is not the recommended choice for a primary workstation because it does not register file associations and cannot be set as the default application for .dat files.

Release type	Administrator rights	File associations	Recommended for
Installer (.exe)	Required	Configurable	Standard workstation
Portable (.zip)	Not required	Not registered	USB drive, restricted accounts
Mini-installer	Required	Configurable	Bandwidth-restricted networks

Step 4: Run the installer

After the download completes, locate the installer file in your Downloads folder. The file name follows this pattern:

npp.X.Y.Z.Installer.x64.exe

Double-click the installer to launch it. Windows will display a User Account Control prompt asking whether you want to allow this application to make changes to your device. Click Yes to continue.

Before clicking Yes on the User Account Control prompt, take a moment to confirm the publisher information displayed in the prompt. The publisher field should read "Notepad++" or "Don HO" (the project's lead maintainer). If the publisher field reads "Unknown publisher" or displays a different organisation name, cancel the prompt and re-download the installer from the official site. The publisher field is signed by the project's certificate and is the strongest practical indicator that the installer is the original file as published by the project.

Common mistake

Approving a User Account Control prompt without reading the publisher field is the most common way that modified installers reach a workstation. The prompt is the last line of defence between a downloaded file and elevated execution. Always read the publisher field before clicking Yes.

Did you know?

Notepad++ installers have been digitally signed since 2014. Older installers are not signed and will display a different style of User Account Control prompt. The recommended practice is to download only current-year releases, which are always signed.

Step 5: Complete the installation wizard

The installer presents a series of screens. The recommended choices are listed in the table below.

Screen	Recommended action
Language selection	English (or your preferred language)
Welcome	Click Next
License agreement	Click I Agree
Install location	Keep the default C:\Program Files\Notepad++
Components	Keep all default checkboxes selected
Additional options	Keep defaults; do not change the configuration directory
Install	Click Install
Completion	Click Finish

Pro tip

The default install location is C:\Program Files\Notepad++. Do not change this location unless you have a specific reason to do so. Many guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting references assume the default path.

The components screen offers granular control over which optional features are installed. The recommended choice is to keep every default checkbox selected. The default selection installs the editor, the standard plugin set, the syntax-highlighting definitions for common file formats, the localisation files for many languages, and the file-association handler that allows Notepad++ to be configured as the default application for specific file extensions later.

Component	Default	Purpose	Required for Unturned .dat work?
Notepad++ executable	Selected	The editor itself	Yes
Plugin Admin	Selected	Manages plugin install and update	No, but recommended
Localization files	Selected	Localised menu and dialog text	No, but recommended
Themes	Selected	Visual themes for the editor	No, but recommended
Auto-completion files	Selected	Auto-completion definitions for common languages	No, but recommended
Function List	Selected	Function navigation sidebar	No
Mime Tools	Selected	Encoding and base64 utilities	No, but useful
NppExport	Selected	Export to HTML or RTF	No
Converter	Selected	Hex and binary conversion	No
Document Monitor	Selected	Reload-on-change behaviour	Yes, for live testing

Best practice

Even components that are not strictly required for Unturned .dat work are worth keeping. The installed footprint is small, and the components add useful capabilities that become relevant when the modder begins to edit other file types such as Lua plugin scripts, JSON manifests, and Markdown documentation.

The additional-options screen offers two settings that are worth understanding. The first is "Create Shortcut on Desktop," which determines whether a desktop shortcut to Notepad++ is created at the end of installation. The second is "Use the old, obsolete %APPDATA% configuration directory," which determines whether Notepad++ stores its configuration in the standard Windows roaming profile or in a portable-style configuration directory within the install folder.

The recommended choice for the desktop shortcut is to keep the default (selected). The recommended choice for the configuration directory is to keep the default (unselected, meaning the standard %APPDATA% directory is used). The standard configuration directory is the correct location for a primary workstation and is the location assumed by the rest of this knowledge base.

Step 6: Verify the installation

After the installer finishes, Notepad++ launches automatically. The main window opens to an empty document titled "new 1."

To confirm the installation was successful:

1. Open the Help menu in the top menu bar.
2. Click About Notepad++.
3. A dialog box appears showing the version number and build information.

If the dialog box displays the version you downloaded, the installation is complete.

The About dialog displays four pieces of information that are worth noting for future reference:

• The version number, which matches the version downloaded from the official site.
• The build date, which is the date the binary was compiled by the Notepad++ project.
• The Scintilla component version, which is the underlying text-editing engine that Notepad++ uses.
• The Boost library version, which is the C++ library that provides several internal utilities.

Each of the four fields is worth understanding because it appears in bug reports filed against the Notepad++ project. When the modder encounters an unexpected behaviour and wants to file a bug report, the four fields uniquely identify the build that exhibited the behaviour and allow the project maintainer to reproduce the report against the same build.

Pro tip

Take a screenshot of the About dialog after a fresh installation and store it with your project documentation. The screenshot captures the exact build that was used to author your project files, and is a useful reference if a future Notepad++ release introduces a behaviour change that affects your project.

On-disk layout after installation

After installation, the Notepad++ files are arranged in the file system as documented in the table below. The layout is the same on every Windows installation that uses the default install location.

Path	Purpose
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe	The main executable
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins\	Installed plugins
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\themes\	Visual themes
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\localization\	Localised user-interface files
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\langs.model.xml	Default language definitions
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\stylers.model.xml	Default syntax-highlighting styles
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\contextMenu.xml	Default context-menu entries
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\functionList\	Function-list definitions
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\autoCompletion\	Auto-completion definitions
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\updater\	Updater executable
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\readme.txt	Project readme
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\change.log	Cumulative changelog
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\license.txt	Project license

The user-specific configuration directory is created on first launch under %APPDATA%\Notepad++\. The configuration directory holds user preferences, recent file lists, the user-defined language files, session state, and any plugin configuration that plugins choose to persist.

User configuration path	Purpose
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\config.xml	User preferences
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\session.xml	Open-tabs session state
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\backup\	Auto-saved file backups
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\nativeLang.xml	Localised user-interface language
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins\config\	Plugin configuration files
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\stylers.xml	User-customised syntax-highlighting styles
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\langs.xml	User-customised language definitions
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\shortcuts.xml	User-customised keyboard shortcuts
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\userDefineLangs\	User-defined language files

Did you know?

The split between the install directory and the user configuration directory follows the standard Windows convention for desktop applications. The install directory is read-only for non-administrator users, and the user configuration directory is writable by the current user. This split allows multiple users on the same workstation to maintain independent Notepad++ configurations against a single shared install.

Comparison: Notepad++ versus alternatives

The table below compares Notepad++ against three other editors commonly available on Windows.

Feature	Notepad++	Notepad (built-in)	WordPad	Visual Studio Code
Cost	Free	Free	Free	Free
Preserves UTF-8 without BOM	Yes	No (adds BOM)	No	Yes
Shows line endings	Yes	No	No	Yes
Syntax highlighting	Yes	No	No	Yes
Memory footprint	Low	Very low	Low	High
Recommended for Unturned .dat	Recommended	Not suitable	Not suitable	Acceptable alternative
Tabbed editing	Yes	Yes (Win 11)	No	Yes
Plugin ecosystem	Mature	None	None	Mature
File-association support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Encoding menu visibility	High	Low	Low	Medium
Line-ending menu visibility	High	Low	Low	Medium
Default new-file encoding	UTF-8	UTF-8 (Win 11)	RTF	UTF-8
Project-folder navigation	Yes (Folder as Workspace)	No	No	Yes

Best practice

Notepad++ is the standard editor across the Unturned modding community. Using it ensures that your files match the format expected by every published tutorial and reference, including the 57 Studios™ knowledge base.

The table merits a closer reading on two rows: the "Preserves UTF-8 without BOM" row and the "Recommended for Unturned .dat" row. The first row documents the single feature that determines whether an editor can be used safely for Unturned .dat files. The second row summarises the recommendation derived from the first.

Default Windows Notepad adds a byte-order mark to UTF-8 files when saving. The byte-order mark is a three-byte invisible sequence at the start of the file. The Unturned engine reads the byte-order mark as part of the first key, which causes the parse to fail. The default behaviour cannot be disabled in Windows Notepad. This is the single technical reason that Windows Notepad is not suitable for Unturned .dat work, and it is the reason the broader modding community standardised on Notepad++ years ago.

WordPad is also unsuitable. WordPad's default save format is RTF (Rich Text Format), which is not plain text. Saving an Unturned .dat file in WordPad converts the file to RTF and discards the plain-text structure that the Unturned engine expects. WordPad can be used to save plain text by choosing "Text Document" in the save dialog, but the default behaviour is RTF and the editor offers no protection against an accidental save in the default format.

Visual Studio Code is an acceptable alternative. It preserves UTF-8 without BOM by default, shows line endings, and offers syntax highlighting. It is a heavier application than Notepad++ and is generally not recommended for modders whose primary task is editing configuration files, but it is the right choice for modders who additionally develop substantial code in parallel and prefer a single editor across all their work.

Decision flowchart: which editor to install

File-association preview

The next article in this section walks through configuring Windows to open .dat files with Notepad++ by default. The configuration is a one-time setting that pays off across every subsequent editing session. The preview below shows the end state.

The configuration is documented in detail in the next article and is previewed here so that readers can plan for the additional step before they begin opening many .dat files.

Updating Notepad++ after installation

Notepad++ ships with a built-in updater that checks for newer releases periodically. The updater is invoked automatically on launch by default. When a new release is available, the updater displays a dialog box offering to download and install the update. The recommended response is to accept the offer.

Update path	When to use
Built-in updater	Routine updates between major releases
Manual download	Major version updates, or when the updater fails
Plugin Admin	Updates for installed plugins only

Common mistake

Disabling the built-in updater because the prompt is interrupting work. The recommended practice is to accept the update offer once and defer subsequent prompts to a quieter moment in the day. Disabling the updater entirely leaves the install on an older release and may delay critical fixes.

The updater preserves the user configuration directory across updates. The user configuration directory at %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ is untouched by the updater, which means user preferences, custom syntax-highlighting styles, plugin configuration, and recent-file lists carry forward through every update.

Uninstalling Notepad++

The standard Windows uninstall path is the recommended uninstall path for Notepad++.

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Locate Notepad++ in the list.
3. Click the three-dot menu and select Uninstall.
4. Confirm the uninstall prompt.

The uninstaller removes the executable, plugins, themes, and supporting files from C:\Program Files\Notepad++. The uninstaller does not remove the user configuration directory at %APPDATA%\Notepad++\. The configuration directory is preserved deliberately so that a future reinstall recovers the previous user preferences.

Best practice

If the goal of the uninstall is to reset Notepad++ to a fresh state, manually delete the %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ directory after the uninstall completes. The next install will create the directory again with default contents.

Advanced considerations

After the standard installation is complete, several optional configuration changes improve the editing experience for Unturned .dat files. These are covered in the next two articles in this section, but are previewed here so you know what to expect:

• Default encoding. Notepad++ defaults to UTF-8 without BOM for new files, which matches the Unturned engine's expectation. The default does not need to be changed.
• Default line ending. Notepad++ defaults to Windows-style CRLF line endings. The Unturned engine accepts both CRLF and LF, but consistency within a project is important.
• File association. You can configure Windows to open .dat files with Notepad++ by default. This is covered in the next article.

Common mistake

Do not change the default encoding or line-ending settings during installation. The defaults are correct for Unturned mod development. Changes should only be made on a per-file basis when working with a specific file, not as a system-wide default.

Pro tip

After installation, open Settings → Preferences in Notepad++ and review the New Document section. Confirm the encoding is set to UTF-8 and the line-ending format is set to Windows. These are the default values, and confirming them now reduces the chance of an accidental misconfiguration later.

Initial preference review

The following preference review is recommended after installation and before opening any Unturned .dat file. The review takes approximately five minutes and confirms that the editor is in the expected state.

Preference area	Setting	Recommended value
New Document	Encoding	UTF-8
New Document	Format	Windows (CR LF)
New Document	Default Language	Normal Text
Backup	Backup on save	Verbose
Backup	Backup directory	Default
MISC.	Document Switcher	Enabled
MISC.	Show only filename in title bar	Disabled
Auto-Completion	Enable auto-completion on each input	Disabled (for .dat files)
Editing	Caret settings	Default
Margins/Border/Edge	Show line number margin	Enabled
Margins/Border/Edge	Show bookmark margin	Enabled

Did you know?

Most of the recommended values match the installer defaults. The review serves as a confirmation that the install completed without unexpected variation, not as a configuration step that introduces new settings.

FAQ

Does Notepad++ require an internet connection to run after installation? No. Notepad++ runs entirely offline once installed. An internet connection is only required to check for updates.

Will Notepad++ slow down my computer? No. Notepad++ uses very little memory and CPU. It is one of the lightest desktop applications available for Windows.

Can I install Notepad++ without administrator rights? The standard installer requires administrator rights because it writes to C:\Program Files. A portable version is available on the same download page that does not require administrator rights.

Does the installer include any bundled software? No. The official Notepad++ installer does not bundle adware, toolbars, or third-party software. Installers downloaded from unofficial sources may.

How often does Notepad++ release updates? The project releases minor updates every few weeks and major updates several times per year. Updates are optional and can be applied through the Notepad++ updater built into the application.

Is Notepad++ available in languages other than English? Yes. The standard installer includes localisation files for dozens of languages. The user-interface language can be changed from Settings → Preferences → General → Localization at any time.

Can two users on the same Windows computer have independent Notepad++ configurations? Yes. The install directory at C:\Program Files\Notepad++ is shared across users, but the configuration directory at %APPDATA%\Notepad++\ is per-user. Each user's preferences, recent files, and session state are stored independently.

What happens to my open tabs if Notepad++ crashes or Windows restarts unexpectedly? Notepad++ stores open-tab session state in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\session.xml and creates an automatic backup of every open document in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\backup\. After an unexpected exit, Notepad++ restores the tab layout and the document contents on next launch.

Can I run multiple versions of Notepad++ side by side? The installer overwrites the previous version when run. The portable release can be used to keep an older version available for testing while the installed release tracks the latest. The two releases use the same configuration directory by default, which may produce unexpected interactions if both are run simultaneously.

Does Notepad++ collect usage data or telemetry? The standard build does not collect usage data or telemetry. The built-in updater checks the project's update server for new releases, which is the only network traffic the editor generates after installation.

How do I report a bug against Notepad++? The project accepts bug reports on its GitHub repository. The recommended report includes the version number, build date, Windows version, and a clear reproduction sequence. The version number and build date are visible in the Help → About dialog.

Is Notepad++ open source? Yes. Notepad++ is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The source code is available on the project's GitHub repository and may be built from source by anyone willing to install the required build toolchain.

Will Notepad++ run on Windows 7 or Windows 8? Recent releases of Notepad++ require Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or later. Releases from the past two years have been tested against Windows 10 and Windows 11 as the supported platforms. Windows 7 and 8 are not actively tested but generally run recent releases without issue.

Best practices

• Always download Notepad++ from the official website listed in this reference.
• Keep the default install location and component selection unless you have a specific reason to change them.
• Verify the installation by opening the About dialog before proceeding to edit any Unturned files.
• Bookmark the official download page so you can return to it later for updates.
• Confirm the publisher field on the User Account Control prompt before approving the installer.
• Accept the built-in updater's offers to update to newer releases when prompted.
• Take a screenshot of the About dialog after installation and store it with your project documentation.
• Review the New Document preferences after installation to confirm UTF-8 encoding and Windows line-ending defaults.

Appendix A: Glossary of installation terminology

The following terms appear throughout this reference and the rest of the Notepad++ section of the knowledge base. Readers new to Windows installation procedures or to text-encoding terminology may find the glossary useful as a quick reference.

• Administrator rights — The elevated permission level required to write to C:\Program Files and to modify system-wide settings. On a personal workstation, the primary user account typically has administrator rights by default.
• Byte-order mark (BOM) — A three-byte sequence at the start of a UTF-8 file that signals the encoding. The Unturned engine treats the byte-order mark as part of the first key, which causes parse failure. The byte-order mark is documented in detail in the third article of this section.
• Code page — A legacy concept from Windows that mapped each byte to a character. Modern systems use Unicode encodings such as UTF-8 instead of code pages. The "ANSI" indicator in Notepad++ refers to the active Windows code page on the current system.
• Configuration directory — The per-user directory where Notepad++ stores preferences, recent files, and session state. The standard location is %APPDATA%\Notepad++\.
• CRLF / LF / CR — The three common line-ending sequences in plain-text files. CRLF (carriage return + line feed) is the Windows convention, LF (line feed only) is the Unix convention, and CR (carriage return only) is the legacy classic Mac OS convention.
• File association — A Windows setting that maps a file extension to a default application. After a .dat file association is set to Notepad++, double-clicking any .dat file opens it in Notepad++ automatically.
• GPL — The GNU General Public License, the open-source license under which Notepad++ is distributed.
• Installer — A self-extracting executable that places the application files on the system and registers the application with Windows.
• Plugin — An optional extension that adds capabilities to Notepad++ beyond the base editor. Plugins are managed through the Plugin Admin component.
• Portable release — A self-contained archive of the application that runs from any folder without modifying the Windows registry or writing to Program Files. The portable release is useful when administrator rights are unavailable.
• Scintilla — The underlying text-editing engine that Notepad++ uses. Scintilla is an independent open-source project, and the version of Scintilla included in a Notepad++ release is displayed in the About dialog.
• Standard installer — The default installer release of Notepad++. The standard installer contains the editor, the default plugins, themes, localisation files, and supporting components.
• UAC — User Account Control, the Windows feature that prompts for confirmation before allowing an application to run with elevated permissions.
• UTF-8 — The modern standard text encoding. UTF-8 is the encoding the Unturned engine expects for .dat configuration files.
• %APPDATA% — A Windows environment variable that resolves to the user's roaming application-data directory. The standard value is C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming.

Appendix B: Validation checklist after installation

After completing the installation, the validation checklist below confirms that the installation is in the expected state. The checklist takes approximately three minutes to complete and is recommended for every fresh installation.

Check	Expected outcome	Action if not met
Notepad++ launches from Start menu	Main window opens	Re-run installer
Help → About dialog displays version	Matches downloaded version	Re-download installer
C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe exists	File present	Re-run installer
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\config.xml exists	File present after first launch	Launch Notepad++ once
Encoding indicator visible in bottom-right	Status bar shows encoding	Enable status bar in View menu
Line-ending indicator visible in bottom-right	Status bar shows line ending	Enable status bar in View menu
New Document defaults to UTF-8	Encoding indicator reads UTF-8	Settings → Preferences → New Document
New Document defaults to Windows line endings	Indicator reads Windows (CR LF)	Settings → Preferences → New Document
Help → About lists current build date	Date matches release notes	Re-download installer
File menu lists Open, Save, Save As	Menu items present	Re-run installer
Encoding menu lists UTF-8 options	Menu items present	Re-run installer
Plugins menu present	Menu visible	Re-run installer with default components

Best practice

Run the validation checklist on the first business day after installation. The one-day delay catches any deferred behaviour (for example, a postponed Windows Defender scan) that may have affected the install in the background between completion and first regular use.

Appendix C: Common installation issues and recovery procedures

The installer is reliable on the supported Windows versions, and most installations complete without issue. The table below documents the small number of installation problems that have been reported in the community and the recovery procedure for each.

Issue	Likely cause	Recovery procedure
Installer does not launch when double-clicked	File was blocked by Windows after download	Right-click the installer, click Properties, click Unblock, click OK, re-run
User Account Control prompt does not appear	UAC is disabled at the system level	Re-enable UAC in Windows Settings, restart, re-run installer
Publisher field reads "Unknown publisher"	Installer is from a third-party source	Discard the installer, re-download from the official site
Installer fails partway through with permission error	Anti-malware software blocked the installer	Temporarily disable anti-malware, re-run installer, re-enable anti-malware
Install completes but Notepad++ does not launch	Visual C++ Runtime missing	Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft
Notepad++ launches but immediately closes	Corrupted configuration file	Delete %APPDATA%\Notepad++\config.xml and relaunch
Help → About dialog shows wrong version	Old version was not fully uninstalled before reinstall	Uninstall fully, delete install directory if present, reinstall
Encoding indicator missing from status bar	Status bar disabled	Enable Status Bar in View menu
Plugin Admin missing from Plugins menu	Plugin Admin component was deselected during install	Re-run installer and ensure Plugin Admin is selected
Localised user interface displays English text	Localisation file for the chosen language is missing	Re-run installer with Localization files selected

Common mistake

Disabling anti-malware software permanently to work around an installer block. The recommended practice is to disable the anti-malware temporarily, complete the installation, re-enable the anti-malware, and add Notepad++ to the anti-malware exclusion list if the issue recurs on update.

Cross-references

• How to Open a DAT File — The next reference, which walks through opening an Unturned .dat file in the freshly installed Notepad++.
• How to Save a DAT File with Correct Encoding — The third reference in this section, which covers the UTF-8 without BOM encoding requirement.
• How to Export an FBX — The previous reference, which prepared the 3D asset that the Unturned configuration files in the next references will reference by GUID.

Document history

Version	Date	Author	Notes
1.0	2024-03-14	57 Studios	Initial publication with installer walkthrough and verification step.
1.1	2024-06-22	57 Studios	Added comparison table against alternative editors and decision flowchart.
1.2	2024-11-08	57 Studios	Added advanced considerations section and FAQ.
1.3	2025-02-19	57 Studios	Expanded installer wizard guidance with component-level table.
2.0	2026-05-17	57 Studios	Major expansion: on-disk layout, validation checklist, common issues appendix, glossary, and extended FAQ.

Appendix D: Recommended initial keyboard shortcuts

Notepad++ ships with a deep set of keyboard shortcuts. The recommended initial set is documented in the table below. The shortcuts below are the shortcuts the 57 Studios™ workflow assumes are familiar to every contributor.

Shortcut	Action	Notes
Ctrl + N	New document	Opens a new empty tab
Ctrl + O	Open file	Opens the file picker
Ctrl + S	Save current file	Saves to the current path
Ctrl + Shift + S	Save As	Prompts for a new path
Ctrl + W	Close current tab	Prompts for save if unsaved changes
Ctrl + Tab	Switch to next tab	Cycles through open tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Switch to previous tab	Reverse cycle through open tabs
Ctrl + F	Find	Opens the Find dialog
Ctrl + H	Replace	Opens the Find and Replace dialog
Ctrl + G	Go to line	Prompts for a line number
Ctrl + D	Duplicate current line	Useful for repeated key-value patterns
Ctrl + L	Delete current line	Removes the active line
Ctrl + /	Toggle line comment	Behavior depends on file language
Ctrl + +	Increase font size	Useful on high-resolution displays
Ctrl + -	Decrease font size	Reverses the above
F11	Toggle full-screen mode	Hides menus and tabs
F12	Toggle post-it mode	Borderless single-document mode
Ctrl + Shift + N	New file with current language	Inherits language from current tab
Ctrl + Shift + O	Open All Recent Files	Opens the recent files list

Pro tip

Customise the keyboard shortcuts only after several weeks of working with the defaults. The defaults are widely documented in community tutorials, and a customised shortcut layout makes those tutorials harder to follow during the first project.

Appendix E: Recommended starter plugins

The base Notepad++ installation includes the core editor and a small set of essential plugins. The Plugin Admin component adds optional plugins from the project's community plugin registry. The recommended starter set for Unturned mod-development workstations is documented below.

Plugin	Purpose	Recommended for .dat work?
Compare	Side-by-side diff of two files	Yes, for diffing .dat revisions
XML Tools	Pretty-printing and validation of XML files	No, but useful for plugin manifests
JSON Viewer	Tree view of JSON documents	No, but useful for mod manifests
HEX-Editor	Inspect file bytes including the byte-order mark	Yes, for diagnostic encoding work
NppExec	Run external commands against the current document	Optional
TextFX	Legacy text-manipulation utilities	Optional
ComparePlus	Modern fork of Compare with improved diff algorithm	Yes, for diffing .dat revisions
AutoSave	Periodic auto-save of unsaved documents	Optional
Customize Toolbar	Reorganise the toolbar	Optional

Best practice

Install only the plugins you actively use. Each installed plugin adds startup time and a small amount of memory overhead. The HEX-Editor and Compare plugins are the two most useful additions for Unturned .dat work, and the rest can be deferred until a specific need arises.

Common mistake

Installing plugins from outside the Plugin Admin registry. The Plugin Admin registry is the project's vetted plugin list. Plugins sourced from outside the registry have not been reviewed for compatibility with the current Notepad++ release and may install dependencies that conflict with the standard install. Always install plugins through the Plugin Admin.

Appendix F: Backup and recovery configuration

Notepad++ supports three independent backup mechanisms: the session-state backup, the per-file auto-backup, and the user-initiated File → Save a Copy As snapshot. The three mechanisms together provide a defence in depth against accidental data loss.

Mechanism	Trigger	Location	Recovery procedure
Session backup	On Notepad++ exit	%APPDATA%\Notepad++\session.xml	Restored automatically on next launch
Auto-backup	On document edit	%APPDATA%\Notepad++\backup\	Open the backup file directly
Save a Copy As	User-initiated	User-chosen path	Open the saved copy in Notepad++

The auto-backup is the most important of the three for Unturned .dat work. The auto-backup creates a timestamped copy of every open document on every edit, and the timestamped copies are preserved indefinitely until manually pruned. The recommended setting is "Verbose," which produces a backup on every edit rather than only on save.

Pro tip

The 57 Studios™ workflow includes a monthly prune of the auto-backup directory. The directory can grow to several hundred megabytes across a year of heavy editing, and a monthly prune keeps the directory size manageable without losing the practical defence the auto-backup provides.

Appendix G: Network installation considerations

Workstations on a corporate network or a restricted home network may encounter additional friction during installation. The friction typically falls into one of three categories: a proxy that blocks the download, a Group Policy that prevents the installer from running, or an anti-malware product that flags the installer as suspicious because it has not yet been classified by the product's reputation engine.

Network friction	Symptom	Mitigation
Proxy blocks download	Browser displays connection error	Configure the browser proxy settings or download from an unrestricted network
Group Policy blocks installer	Installer launches and exits	Request administrator assistance to whitelist the installer
Anti-malware false positive	Installer is quarantined	Submit the installer to the vendor for reclassification, then re-download
Slow corporate network	Download takes excessive time	Use the mini-installer release
Restricted account	UAC prompt does not display	Request an administrator to perform the installation

Did you know?

The Notepad++ project's digital signature is on the major anti-malware vendor reputation lists. False positives against Notepad++ installers are rare. When a false positive does occur, it typically affects a single new release within the first 24 hours after the release ships, and the issue resolves itself within a day as the vendor's reputation engine updates.

Appendix H: Comparison of Notepad++ release channels

The Notepad++ project maintains a single stable release channel. Other text editors (such as Visual Studio Code) maintain multiple channels (stable, insiders, beta), but the Notepad++ project has standardised on a single channel and ships every release through the standard installer.

Release	Cadence	Tested before release	Recommended for
Stable	Several per year	Yes	Every workstation
Source build from main	Continuous	Limited	Contributors
Source build from release branch	Several per year	Yes	Contributors who need to verify a fix

The single stable channel is the recommended choice for every reader of this reference. Source builds are only relevant to contributors who are developing fixes to the Notepad++ codebase itself, and that work is outside the scope of the 57 Studios™ knowledge base.

Appendix I: Quick-start summary

The five-step quick-start summary below condenses the installation procedure to its essential actions for readers returning to this reference after the first read.

1. Open the official download page at the address documented in step 1.
2. Click the latest release version number.
3. Click the 64-bit installer link.
4. Run the downloaded npp.X.Y.Z.Installer.x64.exe file with the default options.
5. Confirm the installation via Help → About Notepad++.

The full procedure earlier in this reference adds publisher verification, component-level guidance, on-disk layout details, and the validation checklist. Returning readers who have completed the installation once may use the quick-start summary as their reference, and refer to the full procedure when an exception requires deeper investigation.

Next steps

With Notepad++ installed, you are ready to open your first Unturned .dat file. Continue to How to Open a DAT File to learn three methods for opening .dat files in Notepad++ and to see the structure of a typical Unturned item definition.

The next reference assumes the installation steps in this article have been completed in full. If any of the validation checks in Appendix B did not pass, address the failing check before proceeding to the next reference. The next reference assumes the encoding indicator, the line-ending indicator, and the standard menu layout are all visible and behaving correctly.

The reference after the next one covers the encoding requirement that determines whether an Unturned engine can parse a .dat file at all. The two upcoming references build directly on the installation procedure documented here. Readers are encouraged to read the three references in order on first pass, then return to specific sections as needed during the project lifecycle.

The full three-article sequence in this section is the recommended onboarding path for new modders, and the same sequence is the recommended refresher for returning modders who have stepped away from the Unturned ecosystem for several months. The encoding behaviour of the Unturned engine has not changed since the engine's early releases, and the procedures documented across the three references remain stable across engine updates.