How do I disable a session in Notepad++?

To disable a session in Notepad++, you need to adjust a setting within the application's preferences to prevent it from remembering and reopening files from your previous work session. This ensures Notepad++ starts fresh with no documents open or only new, empty tabs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Sessions

Disabling the session memory in Notepad++ is a straightforward process that takes just a few clicks. Follow these steps:

Open Notepad++: Launch the application on your computer.
Access Preferences: Navigate to the main menu at the top of the Notepad++ window.
- Click on Settings.
- Select Preferences... from the dropdown menu. This will open the Preferences dialog box.
Go to the Backup Tab: In the Preferences dialog, you'll see a list of categories on the left side.
- Click on the Backup tab.
Uncheck Session Memory: On the right side of the Backup tab, locate the option titled Remember current session for next launch.
- Uncheck this box.
Close Preferences: Click the Close button at the bottom of the Preferences dialog to save your changes.

From now on, when you close and then reopen Notepad++, it will not automatically load the files or tabs that were open in your previous session. Instead, it will start with a fresh instance, typically showing a single "new 1" tab.

Understanding Notepad++ Sessions

A "session" in Notepad++ refers to the collection of open files, their unsaved changes, and the current tab order from your previous usage. By default, Notepad++ is designed to be highly convenient, remembering your work exactly where you left off.

What a Session Does:
- Automatically reopens all files that were open when you last closed Notepad++.
- Maintains the order of tabs and even the scroll position within each file.
- Preserves unsaved changes, allowing you to continue editing without losing work if you accidentally close the program or your system crashes.
Why You Might Disable Sessions:
- Privacy/Security: If you work with sensitive documents and share your computer, disabling sessions ensures that these files are not automatically displayed upon Notepad++ launch.
- Clean Start: Some users prefer a clean slate every time they open their editor, without the clutter of previously opened files.
- Performance: If you frequently open a very large number of files, starting without a session might slightly speed up the launch time.
- Project Management: You might prefer to open files on a project-by-project basis rather than relying on the last session.

Related Settings and Considerations

While disabling the "Remember current session" option prevents Notepad++ from loading previous tabs, it's important to understand how this interacts with other backup and recovery features.

Setting	Function	Impact on Session Disabling
`Remember current session for next launch`	Automatically reopens all files from the previous session.	Disabling this is the primary way to "disable a session."
`Enable session snapshot and periodic backup`	Periodically saves unsaved file states in a temporary location.	Even with sessions disabled, this ensures unsaved work is recoverable if you manually reopen the file. It does not automatically load files.
`Default directory`	Specifies where new files are saved by default.	Independent of session management.

Disabling session memory does not disable Notepad++'s ability to recover unsaved changes for individual files, provided "Enable session snapshot and periodic backup" is checked. This means if you had an unsaved document open, and you manually navigate to and open that file after a fresh launch, Notepad++ will likely still prompt you to recover your unsaved changes. This feature acts as a safety net for individual files, independent of the session-wide memory.

For more information and detailed documentation on Notepad++ features, you can visit the official Notepad++ website.