GitHub release page for Notepad++ 8.9.8.1 listing the SHA-256 digest of every installer and portable package
The Notepad++ 8.9.8.1 release on GitHub publishes a SHA-256 digest for each file; compare yours before you run it. Screenshot, 29 September 2026. Screenshot by the editorial team, September 2026.

Which Notepad++ release file should I download?

Download npp.8.9.8.1.Installer.x64.exe for a normal Windows 10 or 11 PC. Take the ARM64 installer on a Windows on ARM laptop, the portable zip where you cannot install software, and the MSI only for managed deployment. The table lists every file the release contains.

Files in a Notepad++ release and what each is for
File name patternWhen to use it
npp.<version>.Installer.x64.exe64-bit installer for Windows 10 and 11; the file winget installs on a normal PC.
npp.<version>.Installer.arm64.exeInstaller for Windows on ARM laptops.
npp.<version>.Installer.exe32-bit installer for old 32-bit Windows installations.
npp.<version>.Installer.x64.msiMSI for IT departments; the developer recommends the .exe for everyone else.
npp.<version>.portable.x64.zip / .7zPortable build with plugins and Plugins Admin; runs from any folder without administrator rights.
npp.<version>.portable.minimalist.x64.7zMini-portable build: default themes and English only, no plugins or Plugins Admin.
<file>.sigGPG signature for the file with the same name.
npp.<version>.checksums.sha256SHA-256 digest of every package in the release, with its own .sig.

Package descriptions follow the user manual's getting-started page.

How do I confirm a release file is genuine?

Compare the file's SHA-256 with the digest on the GitHub release, and for extra certainty check its GPG signature with the Notepad++ release key. Both take under a minute.

  1. Open the release on github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases; the release body lists a SHA-256 digest for each package.
  2. In PowerShell, run Get-FileHash .\npp.8.9.8.1.Installer.x64.exe -Algorithm SHA256 and compare the output with that digest, ignoring upper or lower case.
  3. For the signature, download the matching .sig file and verify it with GPG against key 0x8D84F46E, whose fingerprint is published in the project README.

winget does the hash check for you: it compares the downloaded installer with the SHA-256 in the Notepad++ manifest and refuses to run it if they differ. The one-line install is the least error-prone route.

What do the Notepad++ release notes cover?

Every version has a page on notepad-plus-plus.org that lists vulnerability fixes first, then regressions, bug fixes and new features, each linked to its GitHub issue. The notes for 8.9.8.1 start with five vulnerability fixes, which is the practical reason to stay on the current version rather than an old build. Read them on the official downloads page.

The release files below are read from the GitHub release when this site is built, so the names, sizes and dates always match what GitHub serves. Anything older than the first row is kept on GitHub for reference only.

Latest Notepad++ release files

Recent releases

All releases on GitHub
GitHub stars
29,541
Downloads, last 3 releases
14.9M
Latest version
8.9.8.1

Latest

8.9.8.1

v8.9.8.1

8.9.8

v8.9.8

8.9.7

v8.9.7

Download counts come from GitHub and cover only the releases shown; winget and app-store installs are not counted.

Frequently asked questions

How often does Notepad++ release a new version?

Every few weeks. 8.9.8.1 was released on September 24, 2026, and 8.9.8 before it on August 23, 2026. Point releases with a fourth number, such as 8.9.8.1, usually fix regressions or security issues found in the release before.

Why does the built-in updater not offer the newest release yet?

The Notepad++ user manual explains a safety delay: the project waits for user feedback, often one to two weeks, before it triggers the auto-update for a new version. Download the release manually or run winget upgrade if you want it sooner.

Where are older Notepad++ versions?

The full releases list on GitHub and the downloads page on notepad-plus-plus.org keep every version. Older versions do not receive the security fixes in later releases, so use them only for troubleshooting.