Want two instances (Windows) of Notepad++

I am not a programmer, just a user who finds Notepad++ very useful.

I want to open Notepad++ twice for separate projects. Each would open with different shortcut (icons). I've read about opening separate instances of Notepad++ using -multiInst and/or -nosession and have not figured this out. I either open the original instance or a blank instance (with no obvious way to open the first, much less the second).

Someone had suggested loading Notepad++ twice, but all that happens is an over-write. I tried creating a sub-directory in Notepad++ with the same results as above.

I am using Windows XP and Notepad++ 5.9.6.2

What am I doing wrong?

David

Posted 2013-02-12T00:25:31.537

Reputation: 241

NB For some reason Zero Stack's suggestion doesn't work if you drag a new tab, even if you type text first. But save as a temp file and it works. – Peter Taylor – 2014-09-29T14:09:11.210

If you're looking for an easy solution, IMHO ZeroStacks advice is surpassed by the answer on the existing (duplicate) question – Crowie – 2014-12-18T13:05:42.030

4My recommendation if you want to have two notepad++s open at the same time: Open two windows inside of one notepad++ and drag one of the those windows by clicking the tap (what separates the two files) and drag it outside of your notepad++ application. This will open two windows of Notepad++ – Zero Stack – 2013-02-12T00:36:34.300

I tried both of these with basically the same results. Where is the second instance/window?

My current shortcut icon is:

Target: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" with or without various combinations of -multiInst -nosession Start In: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\localization"

It would seem to me that my shortcut icon should point to my original set of .txt files and that a second shortcut should point to my new set of .txt files, but this does not seem to be the case. At least not as far I can determine. (If I'm wrong, please reveal behind which curtain the Wiz is. – David – 2013-02-16T00:16:53.093

Answers

I tested some options from the Notepad++ wiki, and this one worked for me while others didn't.

I know you already mentioned -multiInst. But maybe you are doing something wrong? I just added a detailed description:

Create a new shortcut to your notepad++.exe
Go to Properties of the shortcut (right-click on it)
Append -multiInst to the target line. It should look like this

^{Notepad++ v6.2.3.}

Since Notepad++ v6.4.3 a new option was added which enables multi instances:

Enter image description here

nixda

Posted 2013-02-12T00:25:31.537

Reputation: 23 233

n.b. When I tried this, I thought that I wasn't getting a second instance but was, in fact, stacking up new Notepad++ windows, all with the same session being opened. Adding -multiInst -nosession remedied that, giving me a nice clean second window. – owjburnham – 2017-08-06T12:52:35.690

1Wanted to add that in Windows 10, after you've enabled the multi-inst, you can right click the notepad++ icon in the taskbar and hit notepad++ to open new window. Took me a second to figure it out, so wanted to share. – John Lee – 2018-08-22T17:58:52.830

Except it would make a difference because your using a totaly different version v5 vs v6 – Ramhound – 2013-02-12T12:32:29.180

I tested his version 5.9.6.2 and its working with -multiInst.

– nixda – 2013-02-12T12:50:19.980

I tried both of these with basically the same results. Where is the second instance/window. My current shortcut icon is Target: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" -multiInst

Start In: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\localization" – David – 2013-02-16T00:02:41.553

@David I can't tell you what went wrong on your system. The -multiInst method is a widely accepted method. But I have searched once more and stumbled up this. please try the method with that empty file called asNotepad.xml

– nixda – 2013-02-16T00:09:53.010

I tried both of these with basically the same results. Where is the second instance/window?

My current shortcut icon is:

Target: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" with or without various combinations of -multiInst -nosession Start In: "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\localization"

Thank you nixda! The posting by Matt Brunell, plus a little insight of my own answered the question. While I have only suspicions how my original instance of Notepadd++ works, I am reasonably sure I can open more instances if necessary. – David – 2013-02-19T17:44:44.450

In version 6.6.9 just right-click on the file tab and choose open in new instance.

Lorenzo Torracchi

Posted 2013-02-12T00:25:31.537

Reputation: 141

Beware that this appears to only work with "clean buffers", i.e. a file that is unmodified since last save. If I just "randomly paste some stuff", I can't move to new instance. (This was mentioned over on StackOverflow. Maybe this behaviour is the source of the downvote?)

– Cornelius – 2015-02-24T13:23:25.990

Another gotcha is it doesn't work on Ctrl+N new files (not until they have been saved at least). The option is grayed out. Otherwise this is the correct answer for me. – fiat – 2016-09-27T05:41:34.220