How do I replace Notepad in Windows 7? [duplicate]

I use Notepad2. I love Notepad2.

How do I replace Notepad with Notepad2 in Windows 7, so I never use the old version of Notepad again?

7 Answers

Oh, why, of course: Notepad Replacer.

Use the Notepad2 Modifications installer. It works on 32 bit and 64 bit.

This Notepad++ wiki page also has a step-by-step guide for Windows XP and Windows Vista which also works on Windows 7.

If you want to make sure you are using Notepad2, go to a file that you would typically use Notepad2 for and right click > properties. Then where it says "opens with", select change and select Notepad2.

As of this post's date, the recommended approach to replace Notepad with Notepad2 on Windows 7 is best described here.

Rename notepad.exe to oldpad.exe and a copy or symbolic link of your replacement to notepad.exe

Just thought I'd throw one into the mix. It's based on the original notepad2 installer script which worked well in Vista. I found it on this forum post.

@echo off TITLE Notepad2 Install Script for Complete Windows Vista and 7 Notepad Replacement echo. echo Notepad2 Install Script for Complete Windows Vista and 7 Notepad Replacement echo Version 1.2 echo. echo (c) My Digital Life () echo. echo. echo. echo Confirm to apply? (Press Ctrl-C and answer Y to terminate) pause echo. echo. if exist %Systemroot%\notepad.original.exe goto exist_notepad2_already if exist %Systemroot%\System32\notepad.original.exe goto exist_notepad2_already takeown /f %Systemroot%\notepad.exe takeown /f %Systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe icacls %Systemroot%\notepad.exe /grant "%username%":f icacls %Systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe /grant "%username%":f IF EXIST %SYSTEMROOT%\SysWOW64 (bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions "DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS") copy %Systemroot%\notepad.exe %Systemroot%\notepad.original.exe copy %Systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe %Systemroot%\System32\notepad.original.exe echo. echo Original notepad.exe has been renamed to "notepad.original.exe" in its original folder. echo. copy %~dp0\notepad2.exe %Systemroot%\notepad.exe /y copy %~dp0\notepad2.exe %systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe /y echo. echo Notepad2 installation is completed. echo If no error occurred, Notepad2 will now replace all Notepad functions. echo. pause exit :exist_notepad2_already echo. echo INSTALLED NOTEPAD2 ALREADY!. echo. pause exit 

In Windows XP, I used this script from this website to get it to work. You need to perform these registry functions first and place the .vbs script into your C:\Program Files\notepad++ directory,

'// USAGE '// 1) '// Navigate to registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\ '// '// 2) '// Add new subkey with the name of the executable you want replaced (no path) e.g. notepad.exe '// This step is what tells windows to use the replacement exe, to undo simply delete the key you created '// '// 3) '// Create new Sting Value called Debugger '// '// 4) '// Modify value and enter wscript.exe "path to this vbs" e.g. wscript.exe "C:\Program Files\notepad++\npp.vbs" '// 

Here is the VBScript:

Option Explicit '// Declare variables Dim x ' old bad habit, I use this for general temporary variables Dim W ' This will be the WSHShell object Dim sCmd ' This will be the command to run '// Create WSHShell object Set W = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") '// Set the working directory to the one this script resides in '// If the target program doesn't care where it is run from then you don't need the following line W.CurrentDirectory = LeftB(WScript.ScriptFullName, LenB(WScript.ScriptFullName) - LenB(WScript.ScriptName)) '// Set the target executable sCmd = "notepad++.exe" '// Skip the first argument but grab all the rest If WScript.Arguments.Count > 1 Then For x = 1 To WScript.Arguments.Count - 1 '// If the argument contains a space then enclose it with "" If InStrB(WScript.Arguments(x), " ") Then sCmd = sCmd & " """ & WScript.Arguments(x) & """" Else sCmd = sCmd & " " & WScript.Arguments(x) End If Next End If '// Run the command '// The number after the command determines how the window should be initially (google WSHShell.Run) '// The boolean at the end determines whether this script should run the target then exit or wait until the target exits W.Run sCmd, 1, False