Notepad++ using a lof of CPU

PeterJones

Any ideas of what is going on?

Sorry, no. I am not a developer. But I cannot replicate your circumstances. Without any files opened, and with no extra plugins other than the defaults, my Notepad++ v8.1.2 64bit instance uses 0% after the initial startup usage, which only lasts a few seconds.

Notepad++ v8.1.2   (64-bit)
Build time : Jul 16 2021 - 01:59:50
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\npp\npp.8.1.2.portable.x64\notepad++.exe
Command Line : 
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit) 
OS Version : 1903
OS Build : 18362.1256
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

Do you have anything in recent files history in Notepad++? Are you sure you deleted the custom settings – for example, does Settings > Preferences > Recent Files History look like:

If this is the first time that Notepad++ is run, is maybe your antivirus/antimalware software scanning Notepad++, and thus slowing it down (ie, making its startup time really long)? If you give AV a chance to catch up, does Notepad++ CPU usage ever go to reasonable? If after 5-10min, you exit Notepad++ and restart Notepad++ from the same location, does it still have high CPU usage?

mvlaza

Peter, history was empty and I don’t think the issue has something to do with AV scanning - since CPU usage was only high for Notepad++.exe process.
I tested several strategies and none fixed.

But I have good news, after a clean reinstall and a extra reboot, the CPU usage is back to normal levels again .
I usually restart my computer every night, but this required an additional restart.

I’ll reconfigure my settings again and keep an eye on CPU usage on the following days, but I believe it is fixed now.

mvlaza

@PeterJones too soon to celebrate :-(
CPU at 12% - but look the following pattern (capture from process explorer):

You will notice that the are flat regions (about 12% CPU usage) - what it is interesting is that the Notepad++ windows was not on top of others (in other words, it was not in focus).
So if I minimize or send the notepad++ window to back, CPU usage increases, but when I’m editing the text files the CPU usage is typically lower (unfortunately this is not always true. Some of the time because of legit CPU usage for text suggestions, highlight, parenthesis prediction, etc but some are bogus CPU cycles since when I’m reading the text I expect the software to be idle).
Doing more tests, it doesn’t matter if the notepad++ window is covered or always shown - if it not the focus, the CPU usage will be high for sure. Tested both with dark mode on and off, same behavior.
Another test with a interesting result: open a modal window (like “sortcut map”) or simply open a menu (and leave it open) drops CPU usage instantly to zero. Looks like a window redraw/refresh issue to me.

I’m out of ideas for now and don’t know what else can be tested.

Thanks in advance,
Marcos

Ekopalypse

@mvlaza

The only two ways I know of to find out what could be causing this are,
run the executable with a debugger or, which I prefer, use
procmon to see what’s going on.
Just put a filter on the running process and see what it does.

Fabio Furlan de Carvalho

I have the same problem, version 8.1.2 installed today 08/13/2021

PeterJones

@Fabio-Furlan-de-Carvalho said in Notepad++ using a lof of CPU:

I have the same problem, version 8.1.2 installed today 08/13/2021

I am sorry you are experiencing difficulty.

Could you please follow the advice already given to the previous user and answer any questions already given to the previous user. Without that, there isn’t anything we can do to help you.

blacksnc

Same problem here. Even with no files opened, the Notepad++ is using 20-25% of my CPU. It’s not normal.

Tried to disable all plugins but I had no success in reducing the CPU usage.
Installed 7.9.5 version (x64). Same results.
Run as Admin. Unlucky.

Debug info:

Notepad++ v8.1.3   (64-bit)
Build time : Aug 10 2021 - 00:29:32
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line : 
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Home (64-bit) 
OS Version : 2004
OS Build : 19041.746
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

Any suggestions?

blacksnc

@blacksnc Tryied something new and it managed to ~solve~ the high CPU usage. The solution? I simply installed the X86 version and the usage stayed around 0-2%.

Seems to me that exists a bug in the x64 version of notepad++ that is causing this issue.

For me the x86 version is fine, since I mainly use it to type some notes or read some files. But I don’t know if this version is OK for other users.

Emerson Carvalho de Souza

Hello all,

For me both versions x86 and x64 have about 25-30% of CPU, without any plugin (I removed all) and with older versions too. Any idea?

PeterJones

@Emerson-Carvalho-de-Souza ,

Any idea?

Plenty. Most of which were enumerated above. You’ve only answered questions to two of the many queries posted above. Some that you haven’t answered:

Share ?-menu Debug Info

Look at the recent-file-history (either in main File menu or a submenu thereof), and make sure there aren’t any

Look at your current session and see whether there are any network drives or mapped drives for the files that are open.

Look for virus scanners or the like that might be interfering with Notepad++'s running.

Try a portable edition of the same version and see if it behaves the same. Try a portable edition of a different (newer or older) version and see if it behaves the same.

Is it only when large files are loaded, or any time? (If so, how large?)

Is there a syntax highlighter lexer enabled (ie, is the Language menu selected None (Normal Text) or one of the others. If a different lexer is enabled, if you manually change it to None (Normal Text), does the CPU usage stay high, or does it drop to reasonable levels

If you exit and/or reboot, does it stop using large CPU levels?

Emerson Carvalho de Souza

Hi @PeterJones , I’m sorry.
On my recent files I have only 1 path, and no files opened.

Notepad++ v8.1.4 (64-bit)
Build time : Aug 21 2021 - 13:04:59
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19043.1237
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : none

PeterJones

@Emerson-Carvalho-de-Souza said in Notepad++ using a lof of CPU:

On my recent files I have only 1 path

You don’t say whether that was a local path on your machine’s HDD/SDD, or whether it was a network path. Which is really the information I was going for. But you could try File > Empty Recent File History and see if the performance improves when you restart.

Or, as noted above, do the Settings > Preferences > Recent Files History and turn on the Don't check at launch time, which makes it so Notepad++ won’t try to see if files in the Recent Files History still exist or not.

and no files opened.

Okay

With the version you supplied, I have been using it since the day it came out with no unexpected high-CPU events. So it’s not just the version. It’s something specific about your setup, and unfortunately, as a fellow user, there’s nothing more that I can do to help you. I have already suggested everything I can think of. Don’t forget to try everything already suggested in this thread.

Good luck.

lukas venuti coelho

Hi guys, how are you?

I had no problems wich the portable version of notepad++, I’m using it that way as it was impacting my machine resources.

I had the same problem installing the application, I tested several versions, it could be a BUG with Win10 too.

Claudio Neves

Hello!

My Notepad++ version 8.1.5 (32-bit) was constantly using 20-30% of CPU, even without doing anything on it, and just small files opened.

I’ve uninstalled it, installed version 8.1.8 (64-bit), and the high CPU usage continued. Disabled all plugins renaming the plugins directory, and issue persisted.

Debug Info:
Notepad++ v8.1.8 (64-bit)
Build time : Oct 19 2021 - 17:02:51
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19043.1288
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : none

I have only around 8-10 files, all with less than 1MB. I really don’t have any idea of what could be causing this high CPU usage.

I’m available to make whatever tests that may help finding what’s causing this high CPU usage .

Thanks,
Claudio Neves

artie-finkelstein

testing (ordered by increasing effort):

install the portable version instead (in a separate location)
install the portable x86 (32 bit) version instead (in a separate location)
cold reboot the computer (power cycle) and exit as many other applications as possible before starting the portable Notepad++ version
cold reboot the computer (power cycle) and run NO other applications before starting the portable Notepad++ version

Note: One or more of the above may not be possible in a corporate environment

FWIW: approximate commonalities-

Windows 10
64 bit version of Notepad++
Zoom (the application) has seemed problematic, but that may just be me suspecting the whiteboard function

Disclosure: I don’t use any of the above (Win 10, 64 bit Notepad++ or Zoom); I’m condensing observations in this and other threads

Andre Viol

Same problem here.
Debug info:

Notepad++ v8.1.9.3 (64-bit)
Build time : Dec 6 2021 - 19:21:37
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19044.1415
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll NppFTP.dll

No recent history.
Even with no plug-ins, same problem.
Same situation as mvlaza described: if I open a menu, CPU usage becomes normal (very low)
CPU usage around 30%
Zenburn theme but with default theme same problem

Eduardo Schuster

Same Problem,
No Docs open, no history check, CPU always in 25% or more.

Notepad++ v8.1.9.3 (64-bit)
Build time : Dec 6 2021 - 19:21:37
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : ON
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19042.1415
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : DSpellCheck.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

Ekopalypse

@eduardo-schuster

DSpellCheck.dll is not a standard plugin, could it be that this is
an artefact from an old installation that is causing problems?

Aguilar Dias

Same problem:

Notepad++ v8.3.2 (64-bit)
Build time : Feb 27 2022 - 03:35:46
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19044.1526
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

I’d tried all other options: Portable, 32-bit
But after a few minutes using it, the cpu reaches more than 20% of CPU

Alexandre Lorenzatti

I’ve realized I have had the same problem since 2022/03.

Curious thing or not, I have a AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor. I’ve made some tests and realized that after firing up Notepad++, it’s always CPU 2 that goes to 100% consumption which makes turn on the fan (see picture below).

Follows debug info:
Notepad++ v8.3.3 (64-bit)
Build time : Mar 13 2022 - 17:20:02
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Home Single Language (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 19044.1586
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll