Free · Windows 10 and 11

The text editor
that never forgets.

FSNotepad opens text and code files in tabs, compares two files side by side and lets you edit both sides directly. Unsaved text survives every restart, and if you like, an AI checks spelling, translates or formats code.

Download for free See the features

Installs without administrator rights. No sign-up, no ads.

FSNotepad comparing two files: differences highlighted in colour, both sides editable
File compare: edit both sides directly

Compare and editDifferences by line and character, copy across with Ctrl+R/Ctrl+L

AI on right-clickSpelling, translation, Markdown, code beautify

Nothing gets lostOpen tabs including unsaved text come back after a restart

Features

Everything you need every day

Tabs in one window

Select several files in Explorer and open them: they all arrive as tabs in the same window. Drag and drop, recent files and “Open with” included.

Editable file compare

Two tabs side by side, differences highlighted, gaps hatched. Both sides are editable, single lines move across with a shortcut, and a detail line shows differences character by character.

Syntax highlighting and folding

C#, VB.NET/VBA, XML, JSON, JavaScript, CSS, Python, PowerShell, batch and Markdown. Blocks fold and unfold, matching brackets and tags are highlighted.

Clipboard history

The last 50 copied texts, from other programs too. Double-click pastes, a button opens an entry as a new document. Rectangular selections stay rectangular.

Find and replace

In the document, in the selection or across all open tabs, with a list of matches. “Replace all” is a single undo step.

Automatic session backup

Every second, open tabs, untitled ones included, are saved in the background. Closing asks nothing; on the next start everything is back.

External changes

When another program changes an open file, FSNotepad offers reload, compare or ignore. Your own edits are never overwritten silently.

Rectangular selection and line commands

Alt+mouse for column selection, pasting past the end of the file, joining selected lines. Line and column ruler, zoom with Ctrl+mouse wheel.

AI features

Right-click, AI, done

The AI features are optional and use your own OpenAI API key. Only the selection or the current document is sent, and OpenAI stores nothing. Every result appears in a comparison first and is applied only when you click.

  • Spell check without rewording your text
  • Translate German ↔ English, keeping the line structure
  • Convert to Markdown: headings, lists, tables, code blocks
  • Code beautify with your configured tab width
  • Recognise text from an image on the clipboard (OCR)
  • Your own instructions in a chat, optionally with web search

Set up the AI (optional)

AI in three steps

01

Install

Run the setup, confirm the folder, done. FSNotepad works right away, even without any AI.

03

Store the key

Save the key once as the user environment variable OPENAI_API_KEY, for example from a command prompt. FSNotepad reads it on every request, no restart needed.

setx OPENAI_API_KEY "sk-…"

Requirements

What you need

  • Windows 10 (1809 or later) or Windows 11, 64-bit
  • No administrator rights, no separate .NET installation
  • Only for the AI features: your own OpenAI API key and internet access
  • About 200 MB of free disk space

Download

Download FSNotepad for free

The setup installs FSNotepad for the current user, adds a Start menu shortcut and offers FSNotepad under “Open with” in Explorer. Your sessions are kept even if you uninstall.

Download setup · version 1.2610.29.118

Questions or wishes? Write to us