To use any of these Notepad++ colour schemes, download the XML file and move it to your Notepad++ themes folder (typically C:\Program Files\Notepad++\Themes or C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\Themes). Restart Notepad++ if it is running, then from the settings menu select style configuration. You can select themes from the drop down list.
Notepad++ colour schemes By Tim Trott
Here are a few colour schemes that I have created over the years for use with Notepad++. If there is any particular colour scheme you would like to see, drop me a line in the comments section below!
Neon
Neon Colour Schemes By Techmantium
If you want a dark, high contrast and bright colour scheme, look no further than our Neon theme. You can't get much more Neon than this!
Techmantium_Neon.xml (88.4 kB)Nautical but Nice
Techmantium Nautical but Nice Notepad++ Theme
A dark blue pastel Notepad++ colour scheme based on colours of the sea using large fonts to create an eye-pleasing theme.
Techmantium_NauticalButNice.xml (88.4 kB)Girly Edition
Techmantium Girly Edition Notepad++ Colour Scheme
A high contrast Notepad++ theme using white, blues and pinks which makes a surprisingly easy to ready dark theme.
Techmantium_Girly.xml (88.4 kB)Notepad++ colour schemes from the Internet
And here is a list of great Notepad++ colour schemes from elsewhere on the internet.
Notepad ICLS
Notepad++ ICLS Theme
This theme is based on the default layout of Notepad++. Only a select few basic colors are used which are consistent between file types. This is different to most themes which use a unique color for *everything* into one overwhelming rainbow of code. It's easy to comprehend code layout at-a-glance.
Notepad__.icls__2.xml (32.8 kB) Authors SiteNotepad++ Visual Studio 2015 Dark Theme
Visual Studio 2012/2013 Dark Theme
A simple theme for notepad++ to match Visual Studio 2012/2013/2015 dark style.
VS2015-Dark.xml (91.7 kB) Authors SiteSolarized Light Themes
Solarized Light Notepad Theme
Solarized is a sixteen colour palette (eight monotones, eight accent colours) designed for use with terminal and GUI applications. Solarized reduces brightness contrast but, unlike many low contrast colour schemes, it retains contrasting hues for syntax highlighting readability.
Solarized-Light.xml (86.9 kB) Authors SiteSolarized Dark Themes
Solarized Dark Notepad Theme
Solarized is a sixteen colour palette (eight monotones, eight accent colours) designed for use with terminal and GUI applications. Solarized reduces brightness contrast but, unlike many low contrast colour schemes, it retains contrasting hues for syntax highlighting readability.
Solarized-Dark.xml (87.5 kB) Authors SiteWaher-style Theme
Waher-style Notepad++ Colour Theme
A comfortable colour scheme with a dark background and eye-friendly colours for working long hours. The styles used are intended for a web developer and cover most common files associated with web development.
Solarized-Dark.xml (87.5 kB) Authors SiteBespin theme for Notepad++
Bespin theme for Notepad++
Mozilla introduced an experimental web-based code editor called Bespin which uses a brown coloured theme of which looks nice and is now ported to Notepad++.
Bespin.xml (89.5 kB) Authors SiteTomorrow Theme
Tomorrow Notepad++ Theme
A bright theme with pastel colours and sensible syntax highlighting. The download contains about 12 different themes all based on similar shades.
Authors SiteMaterial Theme (Dark) for Notepad++
Material Theme (Dark) for Notepad++
Dracula
Dracula Notepad++ Theme
Obsidian PyCs
Bbsidian PyCs Notepad++ Theme
Notepad++ color theme [Obsidian PyCs] based on the built-in Obsidian theme and inspired by Adobe Source Code Pro font announcement screenshot.
Obsidian PyCs.xml (88.4 kB) Authors SiteSlush & Poppies
Slush & Poppies Notepad++ Theme
This is a custom port of SublimeText's theme Slush & Poppies for Notepad++
slush_poppies.xml (86.3 kB) Authors SiteNord Notepad++ Theme
Nord Notepad++ Theme
Disappeared
These Notepad++ themes have disappeared. If anyone has the files I can host here or link to updated sites.
Notepad++ Visual Studio Light Theme
Notepad++ Visual Studio Theme
A simple theme for notepad++ to match Visual Studio colours. It's not exactly the same as the default but it's fairly close.
Authors SiteEclipse color scheme for Notepad++
Eclipse color scheme for Notepad++
A colour scheme which mimics the Eclipse IDE scheme as far as possibly.
Authors SiteChrisMar035
ChrisMar035 Visual Style for Notepad++
Another dark colour scheme from the blog of ChrisMar035 which is clear and easy to read.
Authors SiteArabian Nights
Arabian Nights Notepad++ Colour Scheme
Just thought I would help with some of the disappeared themes, I was able to use the wayback machine at https://web.archive.org to find a couple.
ChrisMar035
Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160123181637/http://chrismar035.com/2010/01/08/notepad-color-configurator-and-styler-xml/
DL: http://gist.github.com/272115
or DL: https://gist.githubusercontent.com/codegoalie/272115/raw/a82ef68081e47aa9eb9186fc8d7cded40a1bcab8/styler.xml
Notepad++ Visual Studio Light Theme
Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20130702221611/http://www.shilony.net/2012/09/02/notepad-visual-studio-theme
DL: https://web.archive.org/web/20130702221611/http://shilony.net/files/Notepad++%20Visual%20Studio%20Theme.zip
Been using neon for quite a while now with a few tweaks. I love it. Thanks.
VS2019-Dark (A fork from VS2015-Dark) : https://github.com/hellon8/VS2019-Dark-Npp
This turned into my favorite npp dark theme, easy to read and easy with the eyes.
Hi Tim,
I'm trying to download xml file from this page but when I do all it does it open up a new tab in my browser showing the actually XML code. how do I download the actual XML and not just view the code?
You can either right-click the link and select "Save Link As" or when the XML is opened in a tab you can right-click and select "Save As"
These changes often require admin rights to install, which many users don't have. You might want to suggest to your readers that they can download NP++ from portableapps.com. All of their apps can be "installed" into any directory, such as C:\MyApps. Since config files are also stored in C:\MyApps, those config files can be changed or updated without admin rights. The xml files described in your article can then be installed into the MyApps version of NP++. Obviously, they will need to create new shortcuts that launch the C:\MyApps version of NP++.
Not true. You may place them in %APPDATA%\Notepad++\themes (create location if it doesn't exist.)
Hey ya'll I feel like a noob asking but when trying to utilize the Neon theme all the text shows in black and white opposed to the vibrant colors. Any idea how I can fix this?
Hi Brian,
Go to Language->Select yours code programming language.
Like for VB.NEt code, Language->V-> Visual Basic.
If you like Material Design and dark themes, you should check out this theme for Notepad++
https://notepadplusplus.wixsite.com/theme : Material Theme for Notepad++
I wrote a notepad++ theme colors randomizer, it takes any theme and can randomize all the colors it works in HSV color space with given brightness darkness and color saturation markers for pastel/candy colors... here is a pack of 700 themes and here is the project page:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114667999/700 high contrast noetpad plusplus thiemes.rar
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/wrote-a-random-notepad-theme-generator.393215/#post-2564857
I'd love to use a 'Firefox DeepDark Theme' inspired theme.
I know those themes are for the content, but... is there any way to edit the editor icons and layout? It's a little bit ugly.
Cool themes, but I'm unable to use them as I don't have admin rights, any idea how to do it without admin rights?
Here's a Notepad++ theme to match Visual Studio's "Dark" theme: https://github.com/SeanCline/Npp-VS2012-Dark
https://timtrott.co.uk/notepad-colour-schemes/
i think need to update this article soon as possible, cus nearly i found wonderful theme is more similar to BBEdit color schema . it is CodeExpert download from https://smallapp.wordpress.com/codeexpert/ . and its need programing font called Code New Roman(also available there)
Thanks you
my notepad++ Beatifull themes
Great list, I use the obsidian one that comes along with the notepad++. You can configure the color and other part of fonts and everything, if you just dig a little inthe preferences section of notepad++.
Like Solarized!
Code Expert, the best color scheme for notepadd++,similer to BBEdit clor scheme
you can download here @
http://smallapp.wordpress.com/codeexpert/
How do you use the github ones? they are not in .xml format. So what do you do?
NM. Now I see the links below/left of each image. I thought they were ads!
These are great! Thanks for providing.
I tried right click like blah says, but it just lets me save the .jpg, not a .xmls file
@Thomas right-click and save as
Hey
I can't download, it just shows the .xml file in the browser. How to fix this?
@rando Head to your notepad++ installed folder. There you should see a folder named 'themes' [without quotes ofcourse] which has all of your themes. You could open these XML document format files from notepad++ and edit color schemes.
You are welcome.
do you know how we could edit themes ? your article is very useful
OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ECLIPSE THEME!
I recently stopped using Eclipse because it has become bloated an aggravating to use. I've been using Notepad++ for years, but not for javascript and so the color scheme was making me insane!
Your Eclipse theme has restored order and sanity to a universe that was on the verge of going bonkity boo!
Frank
Is there anyway to change the doc switcher background. I have it open along with the document tabs, it stands out being white while the rest of my work space is darker. I like having it open and use it more than the tabs at the top.