How do I fix the Gatekeeper warning when opening Nextpad++ on Mac?

Nextpad++ for Mac is Apple Developer ID signed and notarized, so Gatekeeper should accept it without warnings. If you still see 'app is from an unidentified developer', right-click the app and choose Open, or go to System Settings, Privacy and Security, and click Open Anyway. This only needs to be done once.

How do I grant Nextpad++ permission to open files in protected folders on Mac?

When opening files in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, or external drives, macOS may prompt for permission via a system dialog. Click Allow. To review or change these permissions later, go to System Settings, Privacy and Security, Files and Folders, and find Nextpad++ in the list.

Does Nextpad++ for Mac support dark mode?

Yes. Nextpad++ for Mac follows the system-wide dark mode setting automatically. You can also override it per-app or use the Style Configurator to customize editor colors independently of the system theme.

Does Nextpad++ for Mac support Retina displays?

Yes. Nextpad++ for Mac renders text using macOS Core Text and Core Graphics, providing crisp rendering on all Retina and HiDPI displays at every zoom level.

How do I change the default language or encoding in Nextpad++ on Mac?

Use the Encoding menu to switch between UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, UTF-16 LE/BE, and various Windows/ISO encodings. Use the Language menu to switch syntax highlighting for the current file. Both settings are per-tab and take effect immediately.

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

All configuration is stored under ~/.nextpad++/ in your home directory. This includes plugins (plugins/), plugin configs (plugins/Config/), themes (themes/), user-defined languages (userDefineLangs/), function list definitions (functionList/), backups (backup/), and sessions. See the Resources page for the full directory layout.

Nextpad++ for Mac and Linux Online Help — Keyboard Shortcuts, Guides & Support

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

Nextpad++ for Mac uses Cmd instead of Ctrl for most shortcuts. Key shortcuts: Cmd+S (Save), Cmd+O (Open), Cmd+F (Find), Cmd+G (Find Next), Cmd+Shift+G (Find Previous), Cmd+Shift+H (Replace), Cmd+Shift+F (Find in Files), Cmd+W (Close Tab), Cmd+N (New), Cmd+P (Print), Cmd+Z (Undo), Cmd+Shift+Z (Redo), Cmd+D (Duplicate Line), Cmd+Shift+K (Delete Line), Cmd+I (Incremental Search), Cmd+Option+G (Go to Line), Cmd+Shift+P (Command Palette), Cmd+1–9 (switch to Nth tab), Cmd+, (Preferences). See the full reference table at https://nextpad.org/online-help/

Q: Which Notepad++ plugins are available on Mac?

Nextpad++ for Mac ships with a growing library of Notepad++ ported plugins installable via Plugin Admin. Current plugins include ComparePlus, DoxyIt, NppExport, SelectQuotedText, Auto Detect Indention, QuickText, NppFavorites, Discord Rich Presence, and more. See the Plugins page at https://nextpad.org/plugins/ for the full list.

Keyboard Shortcuts

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

File

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`N`	`Ctrl`+`N`	New file
`Cmd`+`O`	`Ctrl`+`O`	Open file
`Cmd`+`S`	`Ctrl`+`S`	Save
`Cmd`+`Option`+`S`	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`S`	Save As
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`S`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S`	Save All
`Cmd`+`W`	`Ctrl`+`W`	Close current tab
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`W`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`W`	Close all tabs
`Cmd`+`P`	`Ctrl`+`P`	Print

Edit

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`Z`	`Ctrl`+`Z`	Undo
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Z`	`Ctrl`+`Y`	Redo
`Cmd`+`X`	`Ctrl`+`X`	Cut
`Cmd`+`C`	`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy
`Cmd`+`V`	`Ctrl`+`V`	Paste
`Cmd`+`A`	`Ctrl`+`A`	Select All
`Cmd`+`]`	`Ctrl`+`]`	Increase line indent
`Cmd`+`[`	`Ctrl`+`[`	Decrease line indent
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`B`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`B`	Begin/End Select
`Option`+`Shift`+`B`	`Alt`+`Shift`+`B`	Begin/End Select in Column Mode

Line Operations

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`D`	`Ctrl`+`D`	Duplicate current line
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`K`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`L`	Delete current line
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Up`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Up`	Move line up
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Down`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Down`	Move line down

Comment

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Ctrl`+`Q`	`Ctrl`+`Q`	Toggle single line comment
`Ctrl`+`K`	`Ctrl`+`K`	Single line comment
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K`	Single line uncomment
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Q`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Q`	Block comment

Auto-Completion

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Ctrl`+`Space`	`Ctrl`+`Space`	Function completion
`Ctrl`+`Return`	`Ctrl`+`Return`	Word completion
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Space`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Space`	Function parameters hint
`Option`+`Up`	`Alt`+`Up`	Function parameters previous hint
`Option`+`Down`	`Alt`+`Down`	Function parameters next hint
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P`		Path completion

Search

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`F`	`Ctrl`+`F`	Find
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`H`	`Ctrl`+`H`	Replace
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`F`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F`	Find in Files
`Cmd`+`I`	`Ctrl`+`I`	Incremental Search
`Cmd`+`G`	`F3`	Find Next
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`G`	`Shift`+`F3`	Find Previous
`Cmd`+`Option`+`G`	`Ctrl`+`G`	Go to Line
`F4`	`F4`	Next search result
`Shift`+`F4`	`Shift`+`F4`	Previous search result

View

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`P`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P`	Command Palette
`Cmd`+`Ctrl`+`F`	`F11`	Toggle Full Screen
`F12`	`F12`	Post-It Mode
`Cmd`+`+`	`Ctrl`+`+`	Zoom in
`Cmd`+`-`	`Ctrl`+`-`	Zoom out
`Cmd`+`0`	`Ctrl`+`0`	Restore default zoom

Tab Navigation

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`1` … `Cmd`+`9`	`Ctrl`+`1` … `Ctrl`+`9`	Switch to 1st … 9th tab
`Ctrl`+`PageDown`	`Ctrl`+`PageDown`	Next tab
`Ctrl`+`PageUp`	`Ctrl`+`PageUp`	Previous tab
`Ctrl`+`Tab`	`Ctrl`+`Tab`	Switch to next tab
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab`	Switch to previous tab
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`PageDown`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`PageDown`	Move tab forward
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`PageUp`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`PageUp`	Move tab backward

Window

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`N`	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N`	New Window
`Cmd`+`M`		Minimize
`Cmd`+`H`		Hide Nextpad++
`Cmd`+`Q`		Quit Nextpad++

Settings

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`,`	`Ctrl`+`,`	Preferences

Bookmarks

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`F2`	`Ctrl`+`F2`	Toggle bookmark
`F2`	`F2`	Next bookmark
`Shift`+`F2`	`Shift`+`F2`	Previous bookmark

Macros

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`R`	`Ctrl`+`F8` / `Ctrl`+`F9`	Start / Stop recording macro
`Cmd`+`Shift`+`M`	`Ctrl`+`F10`	Playback recorded macro

Find & Replace Window

Shortcuts that fire while the floating Find / Replace / Find in Files / Find in Projects / Mark window is focused.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Return`	`Return`	Find Next (on the Find tab)
`Esc`	`Esc`	Close the window (or restore opacity if dimmed after a match)

Incremental Search Bar

Shortcuts inside the live-search bar opened with Cmd+I.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Return`	`Return`	Find next match
`Shift`+`Return`		Find previous match
`Esc`	`Esc`	Close the incremental search bar

Search Results Panel

Shortcuts inside the docked Search Results panel at the bottom of the editor.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Cmd`+`C`	`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy selected line(s) (visibility-aware: includes line numbers)
`Esc`		Close the inline filter bar
Double-click a result	Double-click a result	Jump to that file and line in the editor

Command Palette

Shortcuts inside the Command Palette opened with Cmd+Shift+P.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`↑` / `↓`	`↑` / `↓`	Move selection up / down the command list
`Return`	`Return`	Execute the selected command
`Esc`	`Esc`	Dismiss the palette

Project Panel

Shortcuts when focus is in the Project workspace tree on the side panel.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Delete` / `Backspace`		Remove the selected node from the workspace
`Cmd`+`↑`		Move node up
`Cmd`+`↓`		Move node down

Mouse & Trackpad

Gesture	Action
`Ctrl`+scroll over editor	Zoom in / zoom out
`Cmd`+double-click word	Select quoted-string / delimited block (Delimiter Selection pane)

Dialogs

Standard buttons in modal dialogs (Go to Line, Run, Comment, Style Configurator, Preferences, Plugins Admin, Function List, etc.) accept the usual keys.

macOS Shortcuts	Linux	Action
`Return`	`Return`	Confirm / OK / Run / Save
`Esc`	`Esc`	Cancel / Close

External Resources

User Manual

Comprehensive documentation covering all Notepad++ features and settings.

Visit npp-user-manual.org →

macOS Issue Tracker

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

View on GitHub →

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 Nextpad++ 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 ~/.nextpad++/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 Nextpad++ 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 ~/.nextpad++/ 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 ~/.nextpad++ directory. See the Resources page for the full directory tree.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

Does Nextpad++ for Mac and Linux support dark mode?

Yes. Nextpad++ for Mac and Linux 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 and Linux store its configuration files?

All configuration on macOS is under ~/Library/Application Support/Nextpad++' in your home directory and on Linux under ~/.local/share/nextpad++. See the Resources page for the full directory layout.

Which Notepad++ plugins are available on Mac and Linux?

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

Online Help for Nextpad++ on Mac and Linux