Flickering screen on the latest edit that i've made (like a preview of current and previous state)

[GM Bobby B]

Dear Notepad++ team,

First, I want to take a moment to appreciate your incredible work. Notepad++ isn’t just a text editor—it’s a lifesaver, a powerhouse, and an essential tool for developers and writers alike. The speed, features, and plugins—pure brilliance! Your dedication to open-source excellence is truly appreciated.

Now, onto a small issue I’d like to report. This problem only occurs on my work computer, which has various firewalls and security settings enabled (cuz company). The issue happens only when I run Notepad++ as a regular user; running it as an administrator works without any errors.

I haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact cause. I tried a clean reinstall, removed all settings, and even used the Total Uninstall Essential tool to completely erase the application. The issue only started a few weeks ago, so it feels like I may have pressed a wrong hotkey—but that wouldn’t make sense since I wiped everything a few times after that.

Here’s what happens:
Whenever I open Notepad++, the screen flickers between black and white (or dark gray to black, depending on my theme). When I enter text, it flashes back and forth between the previous state and the new input.

To explain further:
I open a new document and it already starts flashing. Then I paste a block of text with Ctrl + V. The screen flickers between the empty document and the pasted text.
If I delete a line or a block of text, it flickers between the previous full-text state and the new, shortened version.
Pressing Enter for a new line causes the same issue—flashing between the previous state and the new one. (One line comes visible and flashes back to gone again.)

I recorded a video and posted it on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/notepadplusplus/comments/1j8tbgk/notepad_plus_plus_keeps_flickering_and_im_losing/
If posting links isn’t allowed, feel free to disregard this part.

The issue started with a previous version of Notepad++ and persists even after a clean install with the latest version. I can provide the version number if needed tomorrow.

I’d really appreciate any help in resolving this. I mainly use Notepad++ for HTML, XML, and JSON at work, and honestly, no other editor even comes close to matching its sheer power, versatility, and sheer brilliance. It’s the gold standard—nothing else comes close!

Looking forward to your insights!

All the best,

Bob

[Lycan Thrope]

@GM-Bobby-B ,
First off, you should go to the Notepad++ menu bar, select the ?->Debug info...->Copy debug info to clipboard and add that to this message thread so people can see what you’re working with. This is vital information before beginning any serious troubleshooting of your issue. It would also help if you read over the FAQ Threads of the forums in particular this one 'FAQ:Why can’t I just say “Most Recent Version” ’ to learn things about posting, information required to help, etc.