[BUG] Notepad++.exe cannot be launched on Windows 11 due to "++" in filename

[vitali3222-spec]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Is the issue reproducible in Notepad++ without plugin?

• I have tried Notepad++ without plugin

Is the issue reproducible in portable version of Notepad++?

• I have tried portable version of Notepad++

Does the issue affect SciTE?

• I have tried SciTE

Description of the Issue

After installing Notepad++ using the official installer, the program cannot be launched. Windows shows the following error:

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."

Steps To Reproduce

1. Install Notepad++ (latest version) using the official installer
2. Navigate to installation folder (C:\Program Files\Notepad++)
3. Try to run notepad++.exe
4. Error appears

Current Behavior

Windows blocks execution with an access error

Expected Behavior

The application should launch normally.

Debug Information

File launches successfully after rename → not a permission or corruption issue
No "Unblock" option present in file properties
Running as Administrator → same error
File located in trusted system path (Program Files)
SHA256 of installer matches official distribution (no tampering)
No quarantine or block events in Windows Security → Protection History
SmartScreen did not display any warnings

Event Viewer:

No clear error entries under:
Windows Logs → Application
Windows Logs → Security
No AppLocker or SRP logs present

Additional observations:

Issue appears strictly tied to filename containing "++"
Suggests possible Windows path parsing / execution policy / security filtering edge case
Reproducible consistently

Anything else?

This may not be specific to Notepad++ itself, but rather a Windows 11 handling issue with executables containing "++" in their filename. However, since this is the default binary name, it results in a broken out-of-the-box experience.

[xomx]

+ is definitely an allowed filename char on Windows: Ref

Event Viewer:

No clear error entries under:
Windows Logs → Application
Windows Logs → Security

Due to that clean logs, I bet that the error msg

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."

originates somewhere from the Win Explorer shell level and not from the WinOS app loader itself (OS app-loader fails are logged). So I guess that somewhere at the shell level is a process/task failing to parse or blocking on purpose that filename, before even trying to really launch it.

Issue appears strictly tied to filename containing "++"

To determine if it's a security/policy thing or a "+" char shell filename parsing error, I'd like to know if any other "app".exe, renamed for testing to an "app++".exe, exhibits the same problem? If no, it's probably some security/policy block set on that specific notepad++.exe name (did you try to launch only partially renamed "notepad+.exe"?).