Where does Notepad++ store unsaved files?

In the backup folder at %AppData%\Notepad++\backup (full path: C:\Users\ \AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\backup). With session snapshot enabled, Notepad++ writes a copy of every open tab there every few seconds.

I closed Notepad++ without saving — can I get the text back?

Usually yes. Reopen Notepad++ first; with session snapshot on it often reloads the tabs automatically. If not, open %AppData%\Notepad++\backup, sort by Date modified, and open the newest file — that is your unsaved content. Then use Save As to keep it.

The Notepad++ backup folder is empty. What now?

That means session snapshot was off, so the text was never saved to disk. Turn it on under Settings → Preferences → Backup for the future. For the lost text, only file-recovery software scanning for deleted temp files may help, with no guarantee.

Where are backups in the portable version of Notepad++?

The portable (zip) build has no AppData folder — look for a backup\ subfolder next to notepad++.exe. To be sure, open Settings → Preferences → Backup and read the exact Backup path shown there, then paste it into Explorer.

What are the files named 'new 1', 'new 2' in the backup folder?

Those are your unsaved, never-named Untitled tabs captured by session snapshot. Open the newest one in Notepad++ and use Save As to keep it — same process as any other recovered tab.

I saved over a file and lost my earlier edits — can the snapshot help?

That is a different case. Session snapshot protects unsaved work; for an overwritten saved file, look for its .bak copy created by the Simple or Verbose backup option. If that option was off, the earlier version was not kept and only file-recovery software might help.

Recover an Unsaved Notepad++ File After a Crash

If Notepad++ crashed or closed before you saved, your text is almost always still on disk in the backup folder at <code>%AppData%\Notepad++\backup</code>. Open that folder, grab the most recent file, and open it in Notepad++ — that is your unsaved session. Below is the exact path, the three steps to restore it, and how to switch on snapshots so a crash never costs you work again.

Where Notepad++ keeps unsaved work

With the session snapshot feature on (it is on by default in modern versions), Notepad++ periodically writes a copy of every open tab to a hidden backup folder. After an unexpected close it reloads them automatically on the next launch. If it did not, the files are still sitting here:

Path: C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\backup
Quick open: press Win+R, type %AppData%\Notepad++\backup, hit Enter.

Restore it in three steps

Open the backup folder with the path above and sort by Date modified — the newest file is your last session.
Drag that file into Notepad++ (or File → Open). The full unsaved text appears in the editor.
Immediately File → Save As to a real name and location so it is no longer a temporary backup.

Also check File → Open Recent inside Notepad++ — it lists the paths you were editing, which helps you match a backup file to the right document.

Turn on snapshots so it never happens again

Go to Settings → Preferences → Backup and enable Remember current session for next launch and Enable session snapshot and periodic backup. Set the interval to every 7–10 seconds. From then on Notepad++ restores every open tab automatically after any crash or power loss — nothing to hunt for.

If the backup folder is empty

If snapshots were off, the backup folder may be empty. The text was never written to disk, so the only remaining option is file-recovery software scanning for recently deleted temporary (.tmp/.temp) files — results vary and are not guaranteed. The reliable fix is turning snapshots on now so the next crash is recoverable.

Portable Notepad++ saves backups somewhere else

The paths above are for the normal installed version. If you run the portable (zip) build there is no %AppData% folder — the backup lives next to the program instead. Look inside the folder that contains notepad++.exe for a backup\ subfolder and a session.xml file. The foolproof way to find the exact folder for your install: open Settings → Preferences → Backup and read the Backup path shown there — copy it, paste into the address bar of Explorer, and you are in the right place every time.

How to pick the right snapshot file

Snapshot files are saved with the original document name plus a timestamp suffix, for example report.txt@2026-01-30_142233. Sort the folder by Date modified and match the newest timestamps to roughly when you lost your work. Tabs that were never named show up as new 1, new 2, and so on — those are your Untitled tabs, and they are recovered exactly the same way: drag the file into Notepad++ and Save As.

Snapshot vs the .bak backup — two different safety nets

Notepad++ actually has two independent features and it is easy to confuse them:

Session snapshot & periodic backup — the automatic every-few-seconds copy described above. This is what saves unsaved work after a crash.
Simple / Verbose backup — a separate option that writes a .bak copy of a file every time you save it. If you saved over a file and lost earlier edits, look for its .bak twin (in the backup folder, or right beside the original with Verbose mode).

So: crashed before saving → use the snapshot folder; overwrote a saved file → look for its .bak copy. Turning both on under Settings → Preferences → Backup covers you for either accident.