Use JSTool

As of Notepad++ v7.6, you can use the Plugin Admin option in Notepad++ to install JSTool.

Manual Install

  1. Download it from https://www.sunjw.us/jstool/npp/#download
  2. Copy JSMinNpp.dll to the plugin directory of Notepad++. You may need to create a directory named "JSMinNPP" in the plugin directory after version 7.6.3

Here's an example of JSON that's been formatted using the tool:

{
  "menu" : {
    "id" : "file",
    "value" : "File",
    "popup" : {
      "menuitem" : [{
      "value" : "New",
          "onclick" : "CreateNewDoc()"
        }, {
          "value" : "Open",
          "onclick" : "OpenDoc()"
        }, {
          "value" : "Close",
          "onclick" : "CloseDoc()"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tip: Select the code you want to reformat, then Plugins | JSTool | JSFormat.

Answer from Dan on Stack Overflow
🌐
TMS Outsource
tms-outsource.com › home › how to format json in notepad++ easily
How to Format JSON in Notepad++ Easily - TMS Outsource
May 15, 2026 - No configuration needed for basic use. Open your JSON file in Notepad++ or paste JSON into a new tab. Press Ctrl+A to select all, then go to Plugins > JSTool > JSFormat. The default keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+M.
Discussions

How can I jump to the parent node of a JSON object in Notepad++?
Not sure with notepad++ but I bet vs code can do it More on reddit.com
🌐 r/techsupport
2
1
May 10, 2024
A tool better than Notepad++ for reading/writing jsons?
There are several json editing options, personally I use notepad++ but you could try visual studio code which is a free download. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Battletechgame
31
9
February 2, 2020
What are the VSCode keyboard shortcuts you can't live without?

I just use ctrl + P a lot to navigate between files. It's really hard to keep track of the different files and directories when working on a large application

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/vscode
63
119
March 12, 2022
Accidentally changed json to open with notepad. What is the default windows program it used so I can change it back?
Afaik there's no a default app to open .json files More on reddit.com
🌐 r/techsupport
9
4
January 7, 2021
People also ask

How do I format JSON in Notepad++ without a plugin?
Use Python from the command line: python -m json.tool input.json > output.json. Alternatively, paste the JSON into the browser DevTools console and run JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(...)). Both options work without installing anything in Notepad++.
🌐
tms-outsource.com
tms-outsource.com › home › how to format json in notepad++ easily
How to Format JSON in Notepad++ Easily - TMS Outsource
What is the shortcut for JSON formatting?
The keyboard shortcut depends on the specific plugin you are using. For JSTool, the default shortcut for JSON Format is Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M. For the JSON Viewer plugin, use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+J to format and align the code. These shortcuts can be customized via Settings and then Shortcut Mapper.
🌐
brainvoyage.blog
brainvoyage.blog › notepad-plus-plus-format-json
Notepad++ Format JSON: How to Beautify Data (Quick Guide) - ...
What is the fastest way to format JSON in Notepad++?
Install JSTool, then press Ctrl+Alt+M. That shortcut runs JSFormat instantly on selected text or the full document. It is the quickest JSON formatting path available in Notepad++ once the plugin is set up.
🌐
tms-outsource.com
tms-outsource.com › home › how to format json in notepad++ easily
How to Format JSON in Notepad++ Easily - TMS Outsource
🌐
Merge-json-files
merge-json-files.com › home › blog › how to format json in notepad++: quick setup (2026)
How to Format JSON in Notepad++: Quick Setup (2026)
June 8, 2026 - Good alternative shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+J, Alt+Shift+F, or F8 (if not already used by something else). JSTool only formats valid JSON. If your JSON has syntax errors, formatting fails without an error message.
🌐
H2S Media
how2shout.com › home › developer › how to format json in notepad++ (step-by-step guide)
How to Format JSON in Notepad++ (Step-by-Step Guide) - H2S Media
July 3, 2025 - Copy and paste your JSON data into Notepad++. Go to “Plugins” > “JSTool” > “JSFormat“. Your JSON will be formatted into a structured, indented format. 💡 Tip: You can use the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Shift + J in JSON Viewer to format ...
🌐
Codemia
codemia.io › knowledge-hub › path › how_to_reformat_json_in_notepad
How to reformat JSON in Notepad++
Enhance your system design skills with over 120 practice problems, detailed solutions, and hands-on exercises
🌐
Notepad++ Community
community.notepad-plus-plus.org › topic › 23571 › double-click-on-a-json-file-notepad-should-auto-run-the-well-json-formating
double click on a JSON file >> Notepad++ should (auto-) run the well JSON formating | Notepad++ Community
October 7, 2022 - If your are using for example JSTool plugin to format your JSON files, line 2 of the script above has to be npp_menucommand Plugins/JSTool/JSFormat. In case you are using JsonTools plugin, line 2 of the script above has to be npp_menucommand Plugins/JsonTools/Pretty-print current JSON file.
Find elsewhere
🌐
codestudy
codestudy.net › blog › how-to-reformat-json-in-notepad
How to Reformat JSON in Notepad++: Pretty-Print Your JSON Easily (No TextFX Needed) — codestudy.net
Open or paste your messy JSON into ... text). Go to Plugins > JSON Viewer > Format JSON (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M)....
🌐
Rip Tutorial
riptutorial.com › json viewer
notepad++ Tutorial => JSON Viewer
JSON Viewer SourceForge is a plugin for JSON visualization and formatting. It is useful for indenting /formatting JSON documents and can be used to browse complex JSON file using a treeview tool.
🌐
Brainvoyage
brainvoyage.blog › notepad-plus-plus-format-json
Notepad++ Format JSON: How to Beautify Data (Quick Guide) - BrainVoyage.blog
JSTool is a high-performance plugin ... Notepad++ tab. Navigate to Plugins > JSTool > JSFormat. Alternatively, use the Notepad++ format JSON shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M....
🌐
W3Schools
w3schools.io › file › json-notepadplusplus
JSON format in notepad++| Syntax Highlight and open files in Notepad editor - w3schools
December 31, 2023 - In Notepad++, the Following are step-by-step guides to pretty print json in Notepad++ Click on the Plugins Menu and select Plugins Admin · In the Search box, Type JSTool and Check JSTool Checkbox, click on Install ... Click on the Plugins Menu, Select JSTool -> JSFormat option or you can choose a shortcut key CTRL+ALT+M command
🌐
MiniTool Partition Wizard
partitionwizard.com › home › partition manager › how to format json in notepad++ properly? [2 ways]
How to Format JSON in Notepad++ Properly? [2 Ways]
November 28, 2024 - Step 4. Then click on Yes to confirm ... automatically. Step 5. Then navigate to Plugins > JSON Viewer > Format JSON (or press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + J)....
🌐
Merge-json-files
merge-json-files.com › home › blog › 4 best json plugins for notepad++ in 2026 (setup & comparison)
4 Best JSON Plugins for Notepad++ in 2026 (Setup & ...
April 27, 2026 - That combination covers everything Notepad can do for JSON. JSTool is the essential plugin. The Ctrl + Alt + M shortcut formats any minified JSON instantly. You'll use this constantly when working with API responses or minified config files.
🌐
JavaMadeSoEasy
javamadesoeasy.com › 2016 › 12 › how-to-format-json-in-notepad.html
JavaMadeSoEasy.com (JMSE): How to format JSON in Notepad++
Now restart the Notepad++ for installation to take effect. ... NOTE : (JSToolNPP.1.20.0.uni.32.zip) worked for me, Check your system settings for 32 bit or 64 bit and download accordingly. STEP 2 : To install the JSON formatter manually in Notepad++
🌐
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Formatting JSON in Notepad++ - YouTube
In this video, Brian Watrous shows how to format JSON in Notepad++.
Published   December 12, 2019
🌐
Devgex
devgex.com › en › article › 00000919
JSON Formatting and Beautification in Notepad++: A Comprehensive Guide from Compression to Readability - DevGex
October 21, 2025 - The installation method is similar to JSTool, by searching "JSON Viewer" through Plugin Admin and completing installation. When using, select "Plugins"→"JSON Viewer"→"Format JSON" or use the shortcut key Ctrl+Alt+Shift+J.
🌐
Notepadplus
notepadplus.com.cn › en › guide › json.html
How to Convert and Format JSON in Notepad++
The JSON Viewer plugin is the best choice for handling JSON, offering comprehensive features including formatting, validation, compression, and conversion. For simple JSON processing tasks, online tools are also a good option, requiring no plugin installation. We hope this tutorial helps you easily handle JSON data in Notepad++! ... { "name": "John Doe", "age": 30, "isEmployed": true, "address": { "street": "123 Main St", "city": "Anytown" }, "phoneNumbers": [ "555-1234", "555-5678" ] } When using the JSON Viewer plugin, these shortcuts can improve efficiency:
🌐
Oreate AI
oreateai.com › blog › unlocking-readable-json-in-notepad-a-quick-guide › 9f15c912a7dc9411c4c1c43d1c0d743c
Unlocking Readable JSON in Notepad++: A Quick Guide - Oreate AI Blog
February 17, 2026 - Format Your JSON: After Notepad++ restarts, open your JSON file. Select the entire JSON text (you can use Ctrl+A for this). Then, go to the Plugins menu, find JSON Viewer, and click on Format JSON (or use the handy shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M).
🌐
paulsofts
paulsofts.com › home › notepad › notepad++ format json (2024)
Notepad++ Format JSON (2024) - paulsofts
June 18, 2025 - In the below picture, we can see we have the JSON data, but it is not easy to visualize and analyze in Notepad++. ... To reformat the JSON data, we need to go to Plugins > JSTool > JSFormat.
🌐
Jsontotoonconvert
jsontotoonconvert.com › posts › formatting-json-in-notepad
Formatting JSON in Notepad++: A Comprehensive Guide | JSONTOTOON | JSONTOTOON
December 10, 2025 - Open your JSON file in Notepad++. Go to Plugins > JSTool > JSFormat (or press Ctrl+Alt+M). The JSON data will be automatically formatted with proper indentation and line breaks.