How to Install, Update, and Remove Plugins in Notepad++

Notepad++ is a free open source text editor for Windows that supports lots of programming languages and features. Notepad++ supports tabbed editing that allowing you to work with multiple open files in a single window. One of the most useful features of Notepad++ is plugin support. If you’ve never used plugins with the app, you may not know how to install, update, and remove plugins in Notepad++.

Notepad++ has a plugin manager called Plugins Admin that allows you to install, update and remove plugins from Notepad++. Plugin manager also notifies you when an installed plugin has an update available and allows you to update directly. Check below How to Install, Update, and Remove Plugins in Notepad++ using the Plugin Manager.

How to Install, Update, and Remove Plugins in Notepad++

How to Install Plugins Manager in Notepad++

There are two ways to install Notepad++ Plugin Manager, first simply download the .zip file and place the PluginManager.dll file in the Notepad++ plugins directory, and the gpup.exe in the updater directory under your Notepad++ program directory and the second one is choosing custom setting while installing Notepad++.

Method 1:

1. If you’ve already installed Notepad++, uninstall it and keep your custom settings.
2. Download and Install the Notepad++
3. While installing on the Choose Components screen, select Custom from the dropdown list.
4. Check the Plugins Admin box in the list.
5. Click Next.
6. If you plan to move Notepad++ to a USB flash drive, then check the Don’t use %APPDATA% box on the following Choose Components screen.
   

Method 2:

1. Download and Install the Notepad++ on your Windows.
2. Download Notepad++ Plugin Manager latest version.
3. Unzip the file.
4. Copy PluginManager.dll to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins or C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\plugins (If using 32bit version).
5. And copy gpup.exe to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\updater or C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\updater (If using 32bit version).
6. Restart the Notepad++

How to Install Plugin using Plugin Manager

There are two ways to Install plugins in Notepad++. First one is using the plugin manager and the second one is without Plugin admin, the manual method. Check below How to Install Plugin using Plugins Admin.

Method 1:

1. Open Notepad++
2. Go to Plugins>Plugins Admin to open the Plugins Admin.
   
3. Select the plugin you want to install.
4. Click the Install button to install the plugin.
   
5. The Plugins Admin dialog box automatically closes
6. You’ll see a warning popup telling you that Notepad++ will exit and restart to complete the installation.
7. Click Yes.
8. Once restarted, you’ll see the installed plugin on the Plugins menu.

Method 2:

1. First Download the plugin you want to Install using Notepad++ Plugin Resources or another site.
2. Close the Notepad++.
3. If you didn’t check the Don’t use %APPDATA% box during the installation of Notepad++ then go to the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins folder.
4. If you check the Don’t use %APPDATA% box then go to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins folder.
5. Now Copy the downloaded plugin zip file to one of the above locations and extract it. Make sure the extracted plugin file has a folder and inside that folder contain at least one DLL file.
6. Open the Notepad++, the plugin should appear in the Plugins menu in the app.

How to Update Notepad++ Plugins

Updating Notepad++ plugin is as simple as installing it. You can easily update the plugin from the Updates tab on the Plugins Admin dialog box. Check below steps toupdate Notepad++ plugins.

1. To check for updates, go to Plugins > Plugin Admin.
2. Click the Updates tab.
3. Check the box for the plugin you want to update and then click Update.
   
4. You’ll see the Notepad++ exit popup box, Click Yes.
5. Notepad++ will restart with the most current version of the selected plugin.

How to Remove Notepad++ Plugins

There are two ways to Remove Installed Notepad++ Plugins. First one is using the plugin manager and the second one is without Plugin admin, the manual method. Check below How to Remove Notepad++ Plugins.

Method 1:

1. Open Notepad++
2. Go to Plugins>Plugins Admin and click the Installed tab.
3. Select the plugin you want to remove and Click the Remove button.
   
4. Once restarted, you’ll see the removed plugin move to the available tab.

Method 2:

1. Open the Notepad++.
2. If you didn’t check the Don’t use %APPDATA% box during the installation of Notepad++ then go to the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins folder.
3. If you check the Don’t use %APPDATA% box then go to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins folder.
4. Select the folders for the plugins you want to remove and press Delete or Shift + Delete to delete them permanently.

Wrapping Up:

If you are using Notepad++ then you must install the Plugins Admin to manage your plugins. You can also in Get More Notepad++ Plugins from the Plugin Resources web page. You can get the option on the toolbar, click on ? > Get More Plugins. We covered How to Install, Update, and Remove Plugins in Notepad++ both manual or via Plugin Manager. Let us know if you have any queries about the article.