Notepad++ for Mac is Here as a Free Download (Update: Unauthorized Clone)
Update: Apparently NotePad++ for Mac is unofficial and not associated with the Windows version or developer. According to a blog post by the Windows developer Don Ho, the Mac release has “nothing to do with Notepad++. It’s not authorized, not endorsed, and not affiliated with the project in any way. The owner is using the Notepad++ trademark (the name) without permission;”, to which the Mac developer has updated their site stating the app will be renamed to “Nextpad++” soon. Users should proceed with reasonable caution. The original article remains below as it was, for posterity.
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For many newer Mac users who come from the Windows side, one of the most commonly missed apps is NotePad++, a powerful text editor that is widely used in the Windows world for development and IT work. In fact, many switchers to the Mac often ask “where is NotePad++ for Mac?” only to discover it did not exist, and many sought alternatives that offered comparable features and capabilities. But that’s all finally changed, because now NotePad++ is available for Mac too.
NotePad++ for Mac brings the longstanding popular Windows favorite to MacOS as a fully native Mac application, and it both feels the same and nearly looks the same as its Windows counterpart too.
Just like it’s Windows counterpart, NotePad++ for Mac is free and lightweight.
This is a real Mac app, it’s not a workaround, or a compatibility layer, it does not require a virtual machine or emulator, and it’s not a third party clone, it’s actual NotePad++ but for MacOS.
You’ll have all the familiar NotePad++ features available including syntax highlighting, search and replace, regex, split view editing, automation, multiple tab support, plugin support, and it’s speedy and lightweight even when handling large files.
NotePad++ is wildly popular in the Windows world especially with developers, programmers, web developers, IT staff, systems administrators, AI agent operators, and basically any tech worker that needs a powerful text editor, and now, finally, this popular Windows tool is available natively for the Mac. What’s next for the Windows-switcher crowd? A DOS prompt? A dedicated Print Screen button? (kidding, just get used to the screenshot keyboard shortcuts).
Prior to the availability of NotePad++ for Mac, Mac users who switched from Windows have long sought alternatives that would bring a similar feature set. Some of the best options have been BBEdit, Nova, Sublime Text, CodeEdit, CotEditor TextMate, VScode, various IDE’s, or even tweaking TextEdit to behave more like Notepad (minus the ++), but if you’re the type that wants no substitution but just the real thing, then NotePad++ for MacOS is finally here to make your life as a Windows switcher complete.
And you even get a goofy chameleon icon:
Did you come from a Windows background and missed NotePad++? Did you find a better alternative for Mac sometime ago? Can you think of any other popular Windows apps like NotePad++ you wish would come to the Mac? Share your wisdom and experiences in the comments!
