# Rainmeter editor

It's recommended you install an **advanced editor** instead of using the Windows Notepad to work on your Rainmeter projects and files, since they usually offers a lot of useful functions, like **syntax highlighting** or **errors recognition**.

The two editors we recommend are:

[#notepad++](#notepad++ "mention")

[#visual-studio-code](#visual-studio-code "mention")

## Notepad++

You can download **Notepad++** from its official website here: <https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/>. Set **Notepad++** as your official editor for Rainmeter by following these steps:&#x20;

1. In the system tray, right-click on the Rainmeter icon
2. Select `Manage`
3. Go to the `Settings` tab
4. Next to `Editor`, select the `...` button
5. Navigating to the Notepad++ executable in `C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe` *(The installation path could change from user to user)*

<figure><img src="https://3764159802-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWZbWdpmor6O2Q6HSxHKH%2Fuploads%2FRhmsNDMDJX7ksEVbaJAp%2FAnnotation%202023-04-24%20074059.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f77df841-9c59-416a-b2a0-2f5d6a8aaffe" alt=""><figcaption><p>Enable <strong>Notepad++</strong> as default Rainmeter editor</p></figcaption></figure>

6. It's also recommended you install the addon for Notepad++ called **RainLexer**. <https://poiru.github.io/rainlexer/>
7. Restart Notepad++ and in the Notepad++ menu bar, go to `Language` and select `Rainmeter`

<figure><img src="https://3764159802-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWZbWdpmor6O2Q6HSxHKH%2Fuploads%2F6Jn7pO2VOVukVqIugJPn%2FAnnotation%202023-04-24%20074130.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f1eca1e3-fe61-4394-ae7e-b0d945eb89d2" alt=""><figcaption><p>Enable the Rainmeter linguage <strong>syntax highlighting</strong></p></figcaption></figure>

## Visual Studio Code

You can download **VSCode** from its official website here:[ ](https://code.visualstudio.com/download)<https://code.visualstudio.com/download>. Set **VSCode** as your official editor for Rainmeter by following these steps:&#x20;

1. In the system tray, right-click on the Rainmeter icon
2. Select `Manage`
3. Go to the `Settings` tab
4. Next to `Editor`, select the `...` button
5. Navigating to the VSCode executable in `C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe` *(The installation path could change from user to user)*

<figure><img src="https://3764159802-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FWZbWdpmor6O2Q6HSxHKH%2Fuploads%2FJaTWeUSnvbFG3C4hPy4W%2FScreenshot_208.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4be22074-87a2-41a7-b7dc-ac3149006f50" alt=""><figcaption><p>Enable <strong>VSCode</strong> as default Rainmeter editor</p></figcaption></figure>

6. It's also recommended you install the extension for VSCode called **Rainmeter Support**. <https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=will-shaw.ws-rainmeter>
7. Restart **VSCode**