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How can the font size be changed in Notepad++?

I just downloaded and installed Notepad++ v5.4.5 (I have been using UltraEdit for the last 11.5 years) and can not find a menu command for changing the screen font. I want to change it to Lucida Console 18pt.

Other notes: to download Notepad++ go directly to the SourceForce download page for Notepad++.

(Note: Another question, How do I change Notepad++'s console font?, deals with changing the font (not the font size). For instance, answers to that question that only talks about font size are being downvoted.)

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  • 34
    The Notepad++ configurations are all highly non-intuitive. It's disgusting that "How do I change the font?" in a rich-UI windows text editor needs to be asked and upvoted two-dozen times.
    – Joe Coder
    Commented Mar 14, 2013 at 21:52
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    Agreed. Notepad++ configuration options suck. The max font size there is 28. Why on earth the max is set to 28?
    – Tem Pora
    Commented Nov 5, 2013 at 10:05
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    Possible duplicate of How do I change Notepad++'s console font?
    – shA.t
    Commented Feb 7, 2016 at 14:01
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    @Peter why u edited all my answers? I've a serious disorder while coming to keeping things as I like...If you have any suggestions regarding my answers pls, post in comments...It may sounds rude. But, it's been 2 days since I slept...whenever i see my answers i feel like you are yelling & criticizing about my written communication skills...Sorry if I'm too open.
    – Bhargav - Retarded Skills
    Commented Dec 15, 2022 at 22:13

9 Answers 9

Reset to default
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Ctrl and NUMPAD +/NUMPAD - or mouse wheel to zoom in/out

Edit: Or to achieve exactly what you asked for...

Settings > Style Configurator. Under Font Style you can set the font and size

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    Zoom level is not the same as font size. For instance, when printing it is the font size that matters, not the zoom level.
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 4:45
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Open menu Settings/Style Configurator. Then with the default theme "Default (stylers.xml)" and default language "Global Styles", change the font name and font size for style "Default Style" (the default, style "Global override" will not cut it).

If a document is already open then the display will change immediately as the font name and font size is changed - nice touch! Press the "Save & Close" button to keep the new settings.

Note that in Notepad++ 6.0, you will also need to check the enable global font and enable global font size check boxes.

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  • Where are they, the global font and enable global font size check boxes?? (I couldn't immmediately find them in Notepad++ 6.6.9.)
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 12:36
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    If the styles do not change immediately, note that there is a checkbox to enable global font size changes - for me I hadn't noticed it!
    – AnneTheAgile
    Commented Jun 22, 2015 at 15:42
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Alternatively, hold Ctrl and use the scroll wheel of your mouse.

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  • How can this change the font to "Lucida Console"?
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 14:12
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    @PeterMortensen, Try superuser.com/a/198948/78897
    – Pacerier
    Commented Oct 30, 2014 at 11:21
  • Zoom level is not the same as font size. For instance, when printing it is the font size that matters, not the zoom level.
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 4:46
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Menu Settings -> Style Configurator ->

Font Style:

Font Name
Font Size

Then check:

  1. Enable global font
  2. Enable global font size

Then click on "Save & Close" button.

enter image description here

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  • In my answer I stated it did not work for Style = "Global override" (it should be "Default Style" instead - the second option). Which version of Notepad++ did you use for testing?
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Feb 7, 2016 at 16:53
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Fonts and styles can be changed in the Style Configurator.

  • Settings
  • Style Configurator
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With 5.9.4 I have found that the global override does cut it, as zooming seems to influence global and language-specific font settings differently so that whitespace has different sizes (Tabs don't line up with different zoom levels). The font size did not seem to change either..

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    So... is this a fix to the problem or..?
    – Simon Sheehan
    Commented Dec 5, 2011 at 21:02
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(Notepad++ 6.1.1)

I'm not sure about you, but to me this feature should be in Preferences. I totally missed it when it was right underneath it :p.

Anyway, you could kill two birds with one stone by changing the theme.

Change font & Chose a dark background:

  1. Go to Settings on the top menu
  2. Chose Style Configurator...
  3. At the top it's the theme selector Select theme

Notepad++ has many themes to choose from, so if you're one of those that likes to code on a dark background with a san-serif font the Ruby Blue theme is a good choice, it works great for me.

My 2¢.

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There's a much easier way to change the font by using Notepad++ itself. Go to: "C:\Users[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\stylers.xml" and open it. Then copy the string fontName="", press Ctrl + H and on the first field what you need to be found paste the copied string. On the second field (this tells you what you want to replace the copied string with), enter fontName="Calibri" (or another font you like), click "replace everything" and DON'T FORGET TO TICK THE TICKBOX TO SEARCH ONLY FOR WHOLE WORDS BEFORE DOING ALL THAT.

After that, find the string fontSize="" and replace it with fontSize="11" (or any other size you prefer. Then save the file and restart NPP. This is how I did it, and here's the result:

Screenshot of the changed file, 'stylers.xml'

Font: Calibri (my favourite font), font size: 11 (my favourite size for Calibri). Then archive the entire "C:\Users[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\" to another drive (not on C:), so the next time you need to reinstall the OS, you'd be able to restore your settings on fonts.

This might sound oldschool to some people, but I'm an oldschool myself and this is the way I prefer to do it instead of relying on the program's options.

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Scroll the mouse wheel up while pressing Ctrl...

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    This changes the display size but doesn't actually sent a typeface or font size in the document.
    – kmarsh
    Commented Mar 11, 2014 at 14:37
  • Zoom level is not the same as font size. For instance, when printing it is the font size that matters, not the zoom level.
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 4:47

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