Notepad++, entering Unicode characters

Question

I'm trying to type Unicode characters in Notepad++ (v7.8.4), and it isn't working. This procedure should enter a Unicode character: Hold down Alt, press the numeric keypad's + key, then enter the Unicode character's four-digit code on the numeric keypad (using the main keyboard for A-F).

When I do this, at least a couple of different things happen, depending on the character I tried to enter.

1. With "discretionary hyphen" (U+00AD): When I enter the fourth digit, Notepad++ opens a pop-up menu which asks whether I want the character to be defined in English, multiple languages, etc. I select "multiple languages." The menu closes. At this point the character should appear in the file, but it does not. Character encoding UTF-8 is selected; I have selected View > Show Symbol > Show All Characters; Notepad++ shows special characters for CR/LF, etc., but none for the Unicode characters I tried to enter.

2. With "dollar sign" (U+0024): The + appears in text, followed by Ctrl-X. This is exactly what should happen if I try to enter an ASCII character through the numeric keypad (Alt with numeric keypad '024').

In other posts I saw that some users prefer to enter special characters through Run > Charmap, but my Notepad++ has no such menu entry.

What is happening? How can I fix it?

Answer 1

This procedure should enter a Unicode character: Hold down Alt, press the numeric keypad's + key, then enter the Unicode character's four-digit code on the numeric keypad (using the main keyboard for A-F)

This only works if you enable the hex numpad by creating a registry entry named EnableHexNumpad with type REG_SZ in HKCU\Control Panel\Input Method, set its value to 1 then reboot. If not enabled then you can only enter characters in the OEM and ANSI code pages. That's why you see the final character similar to Alt+024 when typing Alt++0024

There are also other ways to enter arbitrary Unicode characters in Notepad++ that you can find in Notepad++ inserting special Unicode characters in UTF-8

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In other posts I saw that some users prefer to enter special characters through Run > Charmap, but my Notepad++ has no such menu entry

Run > Charmap here has nothing to do with Notepad++. It means open the Run dialog (Windows+R), type charmap then enter to run charmap.exe. Alternatively just open Start menu, search for character map and open

Answer 2

You need to enter the decimal values. From the examples you have given:

1. U+0024: Press Alt+0036
2. U+00AD: Press Alt+0173

Regarding Run > Charmap, press Win+Run, type Charmap press OK. Charmap will open, then you can search for your character, copy it, then paste it on Notepad++.

Answer 3

In other posts I saw that some users prefer to enter special characters through Run → Charmap, but my Notepad++ has no such menu entry.

Regarding the Windows Character Map utility specifically, it's probably worth mentioning that you do not need to use e.g. the Windows Run dialog to run this program.

That is, Notepad++ can run arbitrary programs with its own Run menu entry. Simply select Run → Run... then the insert the path to Character Map in the Run... dialog i.e.:

%windir%\system32\charmap.exe

Example:

Click Save... to create a Run menu entry (e.g. "Open Character Map") and the utility should then be available to be run via Notepad++: