A Notepad++ alternative that runs in your browser
Notepad++ is one of the best-loved free text editors ever made. It is also a Windows desktop program, which does not help on a Chromebook, a Mac, a locked-down work laptop or someone else's computer.
NextNotePad takes a lot of what people like about Notepad++ (tabs, syntax highlighting, find in files and a familiar color theme) and puts it in a browser tab. It is not a full replacement, and this page is clear about where Notepad++ is still the better tool.
NextNotePad is an independent project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Notepad++ or its developers.
At a glance
| NextNotePad | Notepad++ | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android or iOS | Windows desktop (other systems only through compatibility layers such as Wine) |
| Installation | None; open the website, or install it as a web app if you want an icon | Download and install, or use the portable version |
| Price | Free | Free and open source (GPL) |
| Editing engine | Monaco (from VS Code) | Scintilla |
| Tabs, find and replace, find in files | Yes | Yes |
| Syntax highlighting | 30 languages | A much larger built-in list, plus user-defined languages |
| Notes on several devices | Yes, after signing in, through your own Google Drive | Not built in; you sync the files yourself |
| Plugins | No | Yes, with a large plugin ecosystem |
| Macro recording | No | Yes |
| Works with no internet connection | Limited; the editor needs to load online first | Yes, fully |
| Edits files on your disk directly | No; you import files, or keep a synced copy in a local folder (signed in, Chrome or Edge) | Yes |
What will feel familiar
- A Notepad++ color theme. Choose it under Settings if you want the look you are used to.
- A classic menu bar with File, Edit, Search, View, Encoding, Language, Tools and Window menus.
- Tabs and a file tree for working with many files at once.
- Encoding control for UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, UTF-16 LE and BE, ASCII and ISO-8859-1.
- Familiar shortcuts, such as Ctrl+H for replace, Ctrl+G for go to line and Ctrl+D to duplicate a line. See the full shortcut list.
- Built-in text tools for jobs that often need a Notepad++ plugin: JSON formatting, Base64, hashes, case conversion, sorting lines and comparing two files. They are listed on the developer page.
What is different
Your notes can follow you
Sign in with Google and your workspaces are saved as ordinary files in your own Google Drive, so the same notes open on your laptop, your work computer and your phone. Without signing in, NextNotePad keeps notes in your browser, much like a scratch file you never saved.
Nothing to install or update
That matters on computers where you cannot install software, on Chromebooks, and when you just need an editor for five minutes on someone else's machine.
A different editing engine
Monaco behaves like VS Code rather than like Notepad++. Multiple cursors, bracket matching and the Command Palette work the VS Code way. If your habits are built around Notepad++-specific features such as its column editor dialog or macros, expect to adjust.
When to stay with Notepad++
- You depend on plugins, macros or user-defined language definitions.
- You need to edit files in place on your disk or on a network share.
- You regularly open very large files or work without an internet connection.
- You prefer a native Windows program that keeps everything on your machine.
Many people use both: Notepad++ at their main Windows desk, and NextNotePad everywhere else.
When NextNotePad is the better fit
- You use macOS, Linux, ChromeOS or a tablet and miss having a Notepad++-style editor.
- You cannot install software on the computer in front of you.
- You want the same notes on several devices without setting up file syncing yourself.
- You want a quick scratchpad that opens in a tab you already have.