How to open an exe file for editing?

Question

Windows

Hello!
Please tell me how to open the exe file to make changes?
Is it possible to open this type of files in notepad++
If so, then apparently some kind of plugin is needed?
The fact is that I try to open it with a notepad, and incomprehensible icons are displayed (as if the encoding is incorrect).
Thank you.

Answer 1

If you expected to find sources there, this will not happen. .exe contains compiled code and resources such as icons, libraries, dialogs. If resources are relatively easy to change through all sorts of Resource Editors, then in order to modify an .exe file, you need to disassemble it, understand the structure of the assembler code and make changes manually, this is far from so simple. For example, they do this when hacking programs - keygens, patches, cracks.
The answer to your question will be as follows:
You can simply "open" through 7-zip
Unprotected .exe is disassembled through IDA Pro
Packed or protected .exe must first be unpacked (in the most stupid case - through UPX, in complex cases - disassemble the unpacker and dynamically debug)

Answer 2

In most cases, you will not receive the source codes in the form in which they were before compilation.

Answer 3

HIEW is ideal for editing