When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.

Gone are those days of opening different app instances to work on another file.

In contrast, the same feature is available with Notepad++, but it’s far more advanced.

Notepad and Notepad++

Notepad and Notepad++

The encoding support for Notepad is limited compared to Notepad++.

In comparison, Notepad++ uses the UTF-8 as the default.

It fully supports UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32, and it’s capable of detecting encoding automatically.

Notepad interface

On Windows 11, Notepad is all about simplicity and lightweight.

Finally, you might customize various tweaks, but the features are limited.

However, there are some differences in these basic features.

Notepad tabs

For example, you cannot drag tabs in and out of a window.

(In my opinion, Notepad has a better tabbing system and is easier to use.)

In addition, the feature also allows you to search and replace content across open files and inside folders.

Notepad find and replace

However, it packs many features that make this note-taking app powerful and design a secondary thing.

On the other hand, you’re not getting intelligent code completion or syntax checking.

Otherwise, Notepad++ would be the better option for more complex tasks and programming.

Notepad dark mode

However, if we start discussing advanced programming and scripting, we shouldn’t compare Notepad against Notepad++.

Instead, a fairer comparison would be between Notepad++ and Visual Studio Code.

Notepad settings

Notepad++ interface

Notepad++ tabs

Notepad++ dark mode

Notepad++ find and replace

Notepad++ split screen

Notepad++ plugins

Notepad on Windows 11

Sticky Notes for Windows 11

Microsoft 365 home page on a Razer laptop

Powertoys Run

Surface Pro 7 with Type Cover

PowerShell basic commands

Windows 11 system features

Windows 11 Start menu

Windows 11 battery usage

Copilot Vision for Windows announcement

Xbox controller with WD-40

Elden Ring Nightreign

The rare Caine Trailblazer operator skin, obtainable from the Return to Verdansk event in Call of Duty: Warzone

Dune: Awakening

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Promotional screenshot of a superpowered football kick in Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road