Notepad++’s auto-update notifications are notoriously cumbersome and annoying. So, the newly released Notepad++ v8.6.9 adds a silent update system that saves you the trouble of repeatedly clicking “Next” every time an update window appears onscreen.

In most applications, a “silent update” system occurs without notifying the user that an update has taken place. The new implementation in Notepad++ is more like a “one-click” update process. You select “Yes (Silent)” when Notepad++ tells you about an update, and it immediately installs the update without any additional user input.

Notepad++ users first requested a silent update system in 2020. This proposal led to a lot of back and forth—some users wanted to go all-in on silent updates (with zero notifications), while others warned that the traditional update process still had its merits. And, naturally, some people chimed in to say that automatic updates shouldn’t exist.

So, Notepad++’s new auto-update system aims to strike a nice balance for all users. If you want to install an update with a single click, just hit the “Yes (Silent)” button the next time an update notification appears onscreen. Those who prefer the classic update process can stick with the “Yes” and “No” buttons, while anyone who hates automatic updates can simply hit “Never.”

Just know that a silent update will force Notepad++ to reboot. This can be somewhat disruptive if you’re in the middle of a workflow. Some users have already asked to change this behavior, as they’d prefer to see silent updates installed after Notepad++ is manually closed.

Other improvements in Notepad++ include new dark mode icons, a backspace unindent option, and a load of bugfixes. In fact, it’s mostly bugfixes. This is a much smaller update than the one we got in November 2023, which included multi-line coding.

Notepad++ should automatically ask you to install the v8.6.9 update. If you don’t see the auto-update notification, you can manually install Notepad++ v8.6.9 from the Notepad++ website.

Source: Notepad++