Trademark violation: Fake Notepad++ for Mac
Source: Hacker News
2026-05-01
Overview
Several users have recently reported a website pretending to offer an official macOS version of Notepad++:
notepad-plus-plus-mac.org
Let me be blunt: this site has absolutely nothing to do with Notepad++. It is not authorized, not endorsed, and not affiliated with the project in any way. The owner is using the Notepad++ trademark without permission.
Evidence
The site even places my name and biography on the page to make it look legitimate:
Official Statement
Notepad++ has never released a macOS version. Anyone claiming otherwise is simply riding on the Notepad++ name.
As mentioned in my GitHub post, I have already contacted the owner of the fake “official” website and am still waiting for a reply.
GitHub post
What to Do
If you see someone posting “Notepad++ is finally on Mac!” on any of the following platforms, please reply with the suggested message:
- Mastodon
- Discord
- Stack Overflow
- Tech blogs / forums
“This is not an official Notepad++ release. It’s an unauthorized project misusing the Notepad++ trademark.”
and include a link to this announcement.
Thank you to the users who raised the alarm. Your vigilance helps protect the project from people who think they can borrow the Notepad++ identity as they please.
— Don Ho