Keep Notepad++ from automatically populating the search value with selected/adjacent text

Question

In Notepad++, when you do Search -> Find, it automatically populates the "Find what:" field according to the behavior below (per the online documentation - emphasis mine)...

In the Find what field, type the text you want to find. This is automatically filled with the current selected text, or the word under the caret, or the last searched pattern, when the Find dialog is opened.

Is there a way to change or disable this behavior? I would prefer that it come up empty. I don't mind the last searched pattern as a reasonable default, but it drives me nuts when it keeps changing the search value by automatically selecting a word next to the cursor.

I've done quite a bit of digging (settings, help, web searches, etc.) and can't find a way to turn this off.

Answer 1

This problem has been fixed since 2019. I downloaded version 7.8.8 and found an option to turn this feature off in Settings > Preferences > MISC > Don't fill find field in Find dialog with selected word.

Answer 2

There is no standard option to do this but you can achieve it by:

1. The harder way: download N++ sources and make your own N++ build with desired modification

2. The easier way: using AutoHotKey tool, capture Ctrl+F shortcut (with condition only if N++ window is active, see #IfWinActive directive ) so when it is pressed, send keys Ctrl+F, Backspace. Similar for Ctrl+H (Replace)

The AHK macros which work for me are:

SetTitleMatchMode, RegEx

;--------------------------------- Hotkeys for Notepad++ only
#IfWinActive ahk_class Notepad\+\+

; present 'find' dialog with empty field
^f::Send ^f{Backspace}  

; present 'replace' dialog with empty field
^h::Send ^h{Backspace}  

; another example: close document with either ^F4 or ^W
^F4::Send ^w

#IfWinActive

For details regarding AutoHotkey macro setup, please check steps 1-5 in this answer.