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I inadvertently detached the search box from the main Notepad++ window. Now that I am using a different multiple display configuration, I can no longer "see" or "find" the search window.
Can someone please tell me how to re-anchor the search window to the main window w/o being able to see it? I am using Windows 7.

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6 Answers 6

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If the search box you are talking about is indeed the standard search box you can view when you press Ctrl+F or Search->Find, then one way to regain your window is like you do with every other window in Windows that has default handling:

  1. Press Ctrl+F or Search->Find to assure your find window is in foreground and focussed.
  2. Press Alt+Space to open the Window Context Menu of your Find window.
  3. Press Down and Enter to select the Move entry of your context menu.
  4. Press one of the Arrow Keys at least once.
  5. Move your mouse. The Window should now follow your mouse cursor. Place it wherever you need it, and click.

If that doesn’t help you, please answer what slybloty asked as a comment in your question.

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  • 1
    Also just for good practice, CTRL+F works in pretty much every program that has a search feature
    – CobaltHex
    Jun 2, 2014 at 14:23
  • 2
    Brilliant! The purpose of that "move" menu eluded me for 20+ years
    – mpowrie
    Jul 4, 2016 at 0:37
  • Upvote - that worked for me too.
    – andyb
    Jul 5, 2016 at 23:44
  • I was getting ready to reinstall Notepad++. You're wonderful! Thank you!
    – Joe
    Nov 15, 2016 at 20:30
  • 2
    you should press M to access the Move menu item, because the first (and highlighted) one is Restore
    – phuclv
    May 12, 2017 at 2:01
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I got the same issue and what I did was to clear-up the %APPDATA% folder.

  1. Close Notepad++
  2. Rename the file %APPDATA%/Notepad++/config.xml to %APPDATA%/Notepad++/config_BAK.xml (or just delete it)
  3. Re-open Notepad++

This will reset your settings.

If you want to re-use some old settings, you can merge them from the copy of config.xml back to the new one created.

I worked for me. Hope it can help others.

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Win + left/right arrow keys to rearrange windows.

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Download this small (but awesome) utility called SheepDog http://sheepdog.codeplex.com/releases/view/18974 and run it.

Open Notepad++ Search box or any program whose windows go out off screen.

Right click on SheepDog tray icon and choose the option to Rearrange Windows.

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Try reinstalling Notepad++ without installing it to %APPDATA%.

  1. Uninstall Notepad++
  2. Reinstall Notepad++ and check Don't use %APPDATA%
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Further to @Hoang's answer, an issue which occasionally crops up when changing screen resolution to a lower value, and then restoring to the original resolution. The window sizes of N++ and other programs retain their low resolution dimensions, when other owned windows like the file dialog can pop out into another monitor, if one is configured, and do not return when the resolution is restored.
So, the answer is to activate any other monitors, locate the lost Search dialog, and move it back to the screen where N++ is launched.
Interestingly, on this rig, changing resolution can also make the AutoComplete lists grow to such as size they can extend into and through other monitors, however the all important text remains with N++ in the original monitor.

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