Online Help for Nextpad++ on Mac

Find answers, keyboard shortcuts, troubleshooting guides, and community resources for Notepad++ for Mac. The macOS version has the same look, feel, and functionality as the Windows version, so most Notepad++ documentation applies directly.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Nextpad++ for Mac uses Cmd instead of Ctrl for most shortcuts. The table below covers the default key bindings.

File

ShortcutAction
Cmd+NNew file
Cmd+OOpen file
Cmd+SSave
Cmd+Option+SSave As
Cmd+Shift+SSave All
Cmd+WClose current tab
Cmd+Shift+WClose all tabs
Cmd+PPrint

Edit

ShortcutAction
Cmd+ZUndo
Cmd+Shift+ZRedo
Cmd+XCut
Cmd+CCopy
Cmd+VPaste
Cmd+ASelect All
Cmd+]Increase line indent
Cmd+[Decrease line indent
Cmd+BBegin/End Select
Cmd+Shift+BBegin/End Select in Column Mode

Line Operations

ShortcutAction
Cmd+DDuplicate current line
Cmd+Shift+KDelete current line
Ctrl+Shift+UpMove line up
Ctrl+Shift+DownMove line down

Comment

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+QToggle single line comment
Ctrl+KSingle line comment
Ctrl+Shift+KSingle line uncomment
Ctrl+Shift+QBlock comment

Auto-Completion

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+SpaceFunction completion
Ctrl+ReturnWord completion
Ctrl+Shift+SpaceFunction parameters hint
Ctrl+Shift+PPath completion
ShortcutAction
Cmd+FFind
Cmd+Option+HReplace
Cmd+Shift+FFind in Files
Cmd+IIncremental Search
Cmd+GFind Next
Cmd+Shift+GFind Previous
Cmd+Option+GGo to Line
F4Next search result
Shift+F4Previous search result

View

ShortcutAction
Cmd+Shift+PCommand Palette
Cmd+Ctrl+FToggle Full Screen
F12Post-It Mode
Cmd++Zoom in
Cmd+-Zoom out
Cmd+0Restore default zoom

Tab Navigation

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+PageDownNext tab
Ctrl+PageUpPrevious tab
Ctrl+TabSwitch to next tab (MRU)
Ctrl+Shift+TabSwitch to previous tab (MRU)
Ctrl+Shift+PageDownMove tab forward
Ctrl+Shift+PageUpMove tab backward

Bookmarks

ShortcutAction
Cmd+F2Toggle bookmark
F2Next bookmark
Shift+F2Previous bookmark

Macros

ShortcutAction
Cmd+Shift+RStart / Stop recording macro
Cmd+Shift+MPlayback recorded macro

External Resources

User Manual

Comprehensive documentation covering all Notepad++ features and settings.

Visit npp-user-manual.org →

Community Forum

Ask questions, share tips, and get help from the Notepad++ community.

Visit community forum →

macOS Issue Tracker

Report bugs, request features, or search existing issues on GitHub.

View on GitHub →

UDL Documentation

Create custom syntax highlighting rules with User Defined Languages.

View UDL docs →

macOS-Specific Help

Gatekeeper / Security Warning

Nextpad++ for Mac is Apple Developer ID signed and notarized, so macOS Gatekeeper should accept it without warnings. If you still see an "unidentified developer" message (e.g., after downloading from an unofficial source), right-click the app icon and choose Open, or go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. This only needs to be done once.

File & Folder Permissions

macOS protects Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and external drives with per-app permission dialogs. The first time Nextpad++ opens a file in one of these locations, macOS shows an "Nextpad++ would like to access files in your [folder]" prompt. Click Allow. To review or change these permissions later, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Files and Folders and find Notepad++ in the list.

Dark Mode

Nextpad++ for Mac follows the system-wide dark mode setting automatically. The window chrome, menus, and dialogs all adapt. To customize the editor colors independently of the system theme, use the Style Configurator (Settings → Style Configurator) or install a theme from the ~/.notepad++/themes/ directory. See the Resources page for the full configuration directory layout.

Retina / HiDPI Displays

Nextpad++ for Mac renders all text using macOS Core Text and Core Graphics, providing crisp, pixel-perfect rendering on Retina and HiDPI displays at every zoom level. No special configuration is needed.

Encoding & Line Endings

Use the Encoding menu to switch between UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, UTF-16 LE/BE, and various Windows/ISO code pages. Use Edit → EOL Conversion to convert line endings between Unix (LF), Windows (CR LF), and old Mac (CR). Both settings are per-tab and take effect immediately.

Plugin Installation

Go to Plugins → Plugins Admin to browse, install, update, and remove plugins. Each plugin is a native .dylib that loads into Notepad++ on launch. See the Plugins page for the full catalog and the Resources page for plugin development details.

Where Are My Settings?

All Nextpad++ configuration lives under ~/.notepad++/ in your home directory. This includes plugins, themes, user-defined languages, function list definitions, backups, and session files. To back up or migrate your configuration, copy the entire ~/.notepad++ directory. See the Resources page for the full directory tree.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the keyboard shortcuts for Nextpad++ on Mac?

Nextpad++ for Mac uses Cmd instead of Ctrl for most shortcuts. See the full keyboard shortcut reference above for every default binding organized by category.

Does Nextpad++ for Mac support dark mode?

Yes. Nextpad++ for Mac follows the system-wide dark mode setting automatically. You can also override editor colors independently via the Style Configurator.

How do I change the default encoding?

Use the Encoding menu to switch between UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, UTF-16 LE/BE, and various Windows/ISO encodings. The setting is per-tab and takes effect immediately.

Where does Nextpad++ for Mac store its configuration files?

All configuration is under ~/.nextpad++/ in your home directory. See the Resources page for the full directory layout.

Which Notepad++ plugins are available on Mac?

A growing library of plugins has been ported to macOS. See the Plugins page for the current catalog, or browse plugins inside Nextpad++ via Plugins → Plugins Admin.