How to automatically reload modified files in Notepad++

Question

How can automatically reload modified files in Notepad++? The confirmation step is annoying, and is completely unnecessary in some situations.

score 369 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 28 '17 at 13:21

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You can disable the confirmation in the settings:

Settings -> Preferences -> MISC. -> Update silently

edited Apr 28 '17 at 13:21

Wouter

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answered Apr 25 '11 at 00:15

Lesmana

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That's one badly named setting ... – sakra Dec 04 '12 at 12:57
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Note that as of v6.3, "Update silently" only updates the file when its tab receives focus. Search functionality therefore accesses the old buffer and might show inaccurate results. – Tim Sparkles Mar 22 '13 at 00:30
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I wish NotePad++ had a few more 'Yes all' buttons. – Franck Dernoncourt Jul 04 '14 at 20:37
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Good heavens. The confirmations almost made me mad. Thanks! – Martin Vseticka Dec 10 '14 at 10:44
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The "scroll to the last line after update" setting may also be helpful for log viewing scenarios. – Chris Marisic Aug 07 '15 at 19:24
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+1 but if we keep open the file it wont update, will have to alt+tab to update.. thats is something not good – rinuthomaz Jul 02 '16 at 17:22
Seems not to work from network folders – Thomas Weller Nov 27 '17 at 11:21
I'd love a setting to update only the currently opened document... – Regis Portalez Jun 06 '18 at 07:50
More information here. https://blog.zirafon.org/working-effectively-with-log-files/ – Christo Jul 30 '18 at 21:45
If you prefer to enable it just for one open file (rather than a global setting): https://superuser.com/a/1246651/74576 – Ryan Oct 11 '18 at 23:10
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Is update frequency programmable? – wick Dec 04 '18 at 13:50
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excellent !!! confirmation dialogue is extremely irritating – Pawan Patil Feb 06 '19 at 07:35
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As of 7.6.6 you can set 'update silently' and 'enable for all opened files'. – DrOnline May 21 '19 at 07:42
Does this automatically update even if there are unsaved local changes that conflict with the remote changes? – endolith Aug 19 '20 at 16:35
Not that it changed in more recent versions (I don't know from when, see @TTT's [answer](https://superuser.com/a/1568651/1023342)) – gluttony Mar 02 '23 at 08:29

score 93 · Answer 2 · answered May 08 '13 at 05:32

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There is a nice plugin called Document monitor (Can be found and installed from the Plugins => Plugin Manager => show Plugin Manager menu),

It updates the opened files every 3 seconds. Together with the option to "scroll to last line after update", it will have the ability to "tail" a log file as wanted.

After the plugin installation don't forget to activate it by clicking:

Plugins => Document monitor => start to monitor

answered May 08 '13 at 05:32

Raz Maimon

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+1 for for a great plugin. This is exactly what I need. Better than accepted answer. – Seidleroni Dec 16 '14 at 15:03
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Now there is a monitoring function build into notepad++ since [version 6.9.2](https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/notepad-6.9.2-released.html) – Jon Dec 19 '16 at 22:46
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To expand on @Jonathan727 and save everyone a click: "Click on "eye icon" on toolbar or use menu "View->Monitoring (tail -f)" to activate/disactivate this command". – Stefan van den Akker Jan 16 '17 at 15:36
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should be the accepted answer... – Mathias Feb 07 '17 at 14:27
@Mathias : not without the link to the referred plugin. – Sopalajo de Arrierez Oct 20 '17 at 00:40
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@SopalajodeArrierez : Notepad++ has a built in plugin manager. Therefor it is not necessary to provide a link. Also it is well described how to install the plugin. Anyway if you want to have a link here's the source code https://sourceforge.net/projects/npp-plugins/files/DocMonitor/ – Mathias Oct 23 '17 at 08:31
Thanks for the link, @Mathias . This plugin seems to be only working on 32 -bit versions of NotePad++ . And there is no such "Plugins => Plugin Manager => show Plugin Manager menu" on v7.5.1. – Sopalajo de Arrierez Oct 26 '17 at 10:42
didn't noticed that. Maybe you have to ask your self: "Why do I need the 64 bit version of notepad++?". If you don't find any valuable answers but something like: "Because it's state of the art to go for 64-bit" or "I think 64 is better" I would simply install the 32 bit version and use the plugin system. Otherwise you could still brew your own notepad++ including the plugin into the source. Good luck with that option ;-) – Mathias Nov 06 '17 at 11:26
document monitor is never listed under plugins for me... :(((( – oldboy Jul 28 '18 at 05:27
@Mathias literally EVERY company tells you to install 64bit if you have a 64 bit OS, it is ingrained learned behavior .why would you assume someone would try the 32 bit version of the same software after the 64 bit version fails to demonstrate that functionality? – Karan Harsh Wardhan Apr 10 '19 at 10:04
@kkarakk since I've made this comment a lot has changed. Notepad++ has now a built in monitor option (--> plugin is not needed any longer). However back then the 64 bit version had no plugin manager and the monitor option was also not there, so the easiest way was to install the 32 bit version and having plugins. That's why. The OS has nothing todo with the programm. 64 bit programms just can consume more than roughly 2GB of memory. BTW a lot of apps, services, etc. are still compiled in x86..... – Mathias Apr 10 '19 at 14:31

David Fraser · Answer 3 · 2020-08-31T15:08:47.293

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For monitoring an individual log file, use the View > Monitoring (tail -f) option (thanks to https://superuser.com/a/1246651/17025).

This will keep the file up to date, and also keep the end of the file visible (which is not always exactly what you want); it also is a setting for each individual file rather than a global setting.

This approach is not usable if you want to edit the file as well - it keeps it in read-only mode.

edited Aug 31 '20 at 15:08

answered Nov 06 '17 at 08:47

David Fraser

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This answer is buried, but is by far the most correct solution. It uses a built-in feature, doesn't disable warnings for all other files, and doesn't require installation of a 3rd party plugin. Hopefully this gets more attention and votes! – Derek_6424246 Jun 24 '19 at 15:23
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This approach will also set your file as read-only (which is bad in my current case) – Jason Angel May 07 '20 at 00:26
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This works without the focus on Notepad++. Nice! – Intrastellar Explorer May 09 '20 at 09:23
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This doesn't let you edit the file – endolith Aug 19 '20 at 16:39
Way more convenient than opening a Powershell window and running `Get-content pathToLogfile -Tail 0 -Wait` :) – Sébastien Jun 14 '21 at 15:44
this works but for me when I enable it, the application is throwing an error saying that the log file can't be accessed due to another system currently using it. – Brooklynn99 Jan 09 '22 at 22:51
This should be the accepted answer – rajesh Apr 08 '22 at 14:10

score 9 · Answer 4 · edited Jan 31 '14 at 08:51

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Both of the above commands are not working properly.

There is a command in the File menu, 'Reload from disk' which works perfectly.

I have made a shortcut Alt + R which makes it very handy. Yet, not automatic though.

edited Jan 31 '14 at 08:51

Andrea

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answered Jan 31 '14 at 06:24

Praveen

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Does not answer the question. The asker is looking for a way to suppress the dialog that asks if you want to reload and do this automatically. – R-D Jan 31 '14 at 08:27
@Roald van Doorn: The answer to the question is that there is no solution YET. Praveen gave the next-best solution that is possible NOW. – qedstar Dec 10 '15 at 13:04
I think there is a built-in shortcut `Ctrl + R` – xjcl Mar 09 '21 at 17:08

Alireza Fattahi · Answer 5 · 2022-08-09T05:27:04.507

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In newer versions of notepad++, click the eye icon which described as Monitoring (tail -f)

edited Aug 09 '22 at 05:27

answered Aug 09 '22 at 05:05

Alireza Fattahi

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score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 14 '20 at 19:16

I typically have multiple files open, and after I update them I want all open files to automatically reload without having to click on each one separately. The current way to do this is by selecting the setting called "Enable for all opened files". In my case I like to be prompted for every file so I get to see what it looks like before and after I accept the prompt, but I want it to happen all in one shot as soon as I bring Notepad++ into focus, which is what this setting enables. If you don't want to be prompted at all, you should also select the "Update silently" option:

How to automatically reload modified files in Notepad++

6 Answers6

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