The Evolution of Notepad: From Plain Text to Markdown and Rich Formatting in Windows

Notepad, the humble text editor that has shipped with nearly every version of Windows since 1983, has undergone more change in the past three years than in the preceding four decades. This remarkable transformation has culminated in a major update that not only enhances the classic simplicity of Notepad but also redefines what users can expect from a Windows text editor. The latest update, currently available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels, introduces features once thought the exclusive domain of word processors: bold, italics, bullet lists, hyperlinks, and—perhaps most notably—comprehensive support for Markdown.

The Notepad Evolution: From Plaintext to Powerhouse​

For much of its history, Notepad existed as a minimalistic, lightning-fast alternative to more full-featured applications like Microsoft Word or the now-discontinued WordPad. Its primary use cases included jotting down quick notes, coding scripts, or cleaning up unwanted formatting from copied text. The interface barely changed between Windows 95 and Windows 10: a blank window, a lightweight menu, and little else.
The launch of Windows 11 in 2021, however, marked the start of a new era. Microsoft began overhauling Notepad piece by piece, modernizing its look and feel while layering in standout user-friendly features:

• 2021: Debut of a modern UI and dark mode, making nighttime note-taking and programming less eye-straining.
• 2022: Introduction of browser-style tabs, allowing users to open and manage multiple files within a single Notepad window—a massive boost in productivity.
• 2023: Implementation of spellcheck and autocorrect, features long considered essential in text editors and word processors.
• 2024: Rollout of generative AI-based text editing, a controversial step that brought sophisticated editing suggestions and text generation to the lightweight app.

Now, Microsoft is pushing the boundaries even further with rich text and Markdown support, a move that both excites and concerns longtime users.

Notepad as a Word Processor: What’s New?​

The current experimental builds of Notepad for Windows Insiders introduce a major departure from plaintext purity: a formatting toolbar. This new addition brings tools for applying bold and italics to selected text, creating bullet-point lists, and inserting hyperlinks. These formatting options hint at a bold strategy: bridging the gap between traditional plaintext and advanced word processing.

Markdown: More than a Geeky Niche​

Markdown syntax, popularized in the developer and blogger communities for its readable, minimal markup, is now a first-class citizen in Notepad. Users can flip between a “Formatted” Markdown view and the raw Markdown code via a toggle button in the status bar. This flexibility caters to both content creators who want visual clarity and software engineers or technical writers who need clean, version-controlled text.

• Headers: Easily create H1, H2, and H3 headers using Markdown’s # syntax or toolbar buttons.
• Bold/Italic: Apply [B]bold[/B] or [I]italic[/I] style directly or through buttons.
• Lists: Create ordered (1. Item) and unordered (- Item) lists visually.
• Links: Add clickable hyperlinks using [url="https://windowsforum.com/url"]label[/url] syntax, with instant preview.
• Code Blocks: Insert inline code or fenced code blocks for programming notes.

The dual-mode approach—visual Markdown preview or raw Markdown editing—enables Notepad to serve both everyday users and technical professionals.

Customizability and User Control​

Recognizing the diverse needs of its user base, Microsoft includes an option to completely disable formatting. For those who prefer the traditional plaintext Notepad, a quick trip to Settings reverts the editor to its minimalist roots. This ensures that new features do not compromise workflows reliant on plain ASCII, such as shell scripting or log file inspection.

Why Now? Understanding Microsoft’s Motivation​

While Microsoft hasn’t issued an official statement on why it’s imbuing Notepad with rich text power, several industry trends point toward a calculated strategy.

Closing the Gap with Alternatives​

Third-party editors like Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, and Notepad++ have long surpassed Notepad in functionality. They offer syntax highlighting, extension ecosystems, and, increasingly, Markdown support. By adding formatted text and Markdown features, Microsoft seeks to keep Notepad relevant both for everyday use and lightweight programming tasks.

The Demise of WordPad​

Another factor is the recent deprecation of WordPad, the built-in rich text editor that shipped alongside Windows since the 90s. WordPad historically served users who didn’t require a Microsoft Office subscription but needed more formatting than Notepad offered. With WordPad’s removal, Microsoft seems to be reconsolidating features into Notepad, ensuring users still have a free, built-in option for simple document formatting.

Responding to Changing User Expectations​

Modern users—especially students, tech professionals, and remote workers—expect seamless, cloud-enabled, and visually rich editing tools. The traditional separation between “text editor” and “word processor” is blurring, as apps like Google Docs, iCloud Pages, and even mobile note-taking tools like Apple Notes offer formatting, sharing, and collaboration in lightweight packages.

Impact on Users: Strengths and Opportunities​

The overhaul of Notepad brings a host of potential benefits for different classes of Windows users:

Accessibility and Ease of Use​

The addition of formatting options and Markdown lowers the barrier for casual users to create documents with basic structure and emphasis. Often, formatting like boldface or lists are all that are needed for meeting notes, classroom outlines, or simple reports.

Markdown for All​

By integrating Markdown directly into Notepad, Microsoft demystifies a markup language that’s become a core skill for content creators, technical writers, and developers. This may serve as an entry point for more people to adopt Markdown elsewhere, including in version control systems, CMS platforms, and technical documentation.

Lightweight Alternative to Office​

For users who only needed WordPad or a basic edition of Word, Notepad's new capabilities may serve as an adequate replacement. Combined with the free, occasionally discounted perpetual license for Office 2021, Microsoft provides strong options for both casual writers and power users looking to avoid subscriptions.

Streamlined Coding and Note-Taking​

Developers have traditionally enjoyed Notepad’s speed and minimalism, but even in programming contexts, Markdown is increasingly used for project READMEs, inline documentation, and technical notes. With built-in formatting and previews, Notepad can now double as a simple Markdown editor for software projects.

Analysis: Potential Risks and Drawbacks​

No major shift in software design comes without controversy—especially when it involves a beloved, decades-old utility.

Bloat and Complexity​

One of Notepad’s greatest strengths was its utter simplicity: it launched instantly and never got in the way of the text. As new features accumulate, there is a risk that Notepad could become slower, more cumbersome, or less reliable under low system resources. While initial Insider feedback has reported smooth performance, it will be critical for Microsoft to rigorously optimize code and allow feature toggling to prevent “bloatware” accusations.

Workflow Disruption​

Many professional workflows (such as those involving automation or scripting) rely on Notepad’s history of predictable, plaintext-only output. The new formatting features, if enabled by default, could introduce complications for users expecting pure ASCII output, leading to compatibility issues or confusion. The presence of an explicit “disable formatting” option mitigates this risk—but only if end users are aware of the setting.

Feature Redundancy and Fragmentation​

With the rise of advanced free and paid editors, some may question whether Microsoft is investing resources wisely. Visual Studio Code, already free and cross-platform, covers both rich text and code editing with unparalleled extensibility. Rather than competing head-to-head, Microsoft could instead risk Notepad falling into a strange middle ground, pleasing neither traditionalists nor power users.

Markdown Rendering Inconsistencies​

While native Markdown support is a winning feature, it also comes with challenges: Markdown has countless “flavors” and optional syntax for tables, footnotes, and even embedded HTML. Microsoft’s implementation will need to be robust and well-documented to avoid creating a Notepad-specific dialect that breaks compatibility with other Markdown tools and publishing platforms.

Contextualizing with the Competitive Landscape​

Text editing in 2025 is an arena crowded with choices. Notepad’s new capabilities must be evaluated in the context of what’s available natively, through the cloud, and via open-source projects.

Third-Party Editors: The Functionality Race​

• Sublime Text and Atom: Offer robust Markdown support, customizable keybindings, and advanced navigation.
• Notepad++: A favorite among Windows power users, celebrated for plugin support and code-friendly features.
• Visual Studio Code: Has rapidly become the default code editor for developers, with unparalleled extension support and built-in Git integration.

Compared to these, Notepad’s main advantages remain its speed, low resource footprint, and “it just works” simplicity. The new features narrow—but do not close—the functionality gap.

Cloud-Based and Platform-Neutral Solutions​

• Google Docs and iCloud Pages: Offer rich formatting, collaboration, and device syncing, with no install required.
• FreeOffice and LibreOffice: Deliver full Office-like functionality, fully offline, and remain free for home and business use.

For users with basic needs, migrating between these services and Notepad is now less jarring—but serious document authors are likely to require advanced collaboration, scripting, or typesetting options only these more robust tools can provide.

Microsoft’s Own Product Line​

• Office for the Web: A solid, free word processing suite for all Windows users with a Microsoft account.
• Microsoft 365 & Office 2021: Remain standard-bearers for full document authoring but require a subscription or a one-time fee.

The latest update positions Notepad as a stopgap for users who don’t want to pay for Word but need more than unformatted text.

Critical Reception and Early Insider Feedback​

Initial reports and reviews from the Windows Insider community have been cautiously optimistic. Many praise the thoughtfulness with which Microsoft has implemented formatting options as optional, not mandatory. The Markdown toggle and the ability to disable formatting altogether have been well received. Early benchmarks show no significant slowdowns, though high-volume file handling and multi-tab editing with formatted text are still being thoroughly tested.
One recurring concern is the philosophical one: preserving the “soul” of Notepad as a reliable, always-there, unbreakable part of the Windows toolkit. If complexity continues to creep in, Notepad could lose the trust of its most ardent supporters. Microsoft will need to balance ambition with restraint in future releases.

The Future of Notepad: What’s Next?​

If recent patterns hold, more innovation is likely in the pipeline. With generative AI already playing a role in text editing (like autocorrect and intelligent suggestions), further AI-driven features—such as on-the-fly translation, context-aware formatting recommendations, or even collaborative editing—seem plausible. However, the backlash over AI in core Windows tools illustrates the fine line between helpfulness and unwanted bloat or data privacy concerns.
Some possibilities worth watching:

• Enhanced Markdown Features: Support for tables, diagrams, or mathematical notation could bring Notepad closer to technical and academic use cases.
• Cloud Sync and Collaboration: Seamless integration with OneDrive could allow syncing of settings, tabs, and even ongoing documents across multiple Windows devices.
• Plugin or Extension Ecosystem: Taking a page from Visual Studio Code, allowing vetted extensions could keep Notepad lightweight by default but expandable for those who need more.
• Accessibility and Internationalization: Continued focus on font scaling, screen reader compatibility, and right-to-left language support will ensure the tool serves global audiences.

Practical Tips for Users Navigating the New Notepad​

Getting started with the new features is simple:

• Try the Formatting Toolbar: Open Notepad in the latest Insider build and highlight text to apply bold, italics, or lists.
• Markdown Mode: Toggle between formatted and raw Markdown views using the status bar button.
• Settings Customization: Visit the Settings menu to disable all formatting if you prefer plaintext-only editing.
• Experiment with Links: Paste URLs and see how Notepad handles hyperlink insertion and clickability.
• Feedback: Participate in the Windows Insider feedback hub to report bugs, suggest improvements, or express concerns.

Conclusion: Why Notepad Still Matters​

The story of Notepad is a rarity in technology: a 40-year-old application that adapts to changing eras without losing its core identity. In a world overflowing with writing tools—local, cloud-based, subscription, and free—Notepad’s continuous evolution is a testament to the art of software craftsmanship at scale.
The addition of rich text and Markdown support marks a fresh chapter. For students, developers, writers, and everyday users, Notepad is no longer just a scratch pad for plaintext but a nimble, native tool for structuring thoughts and ideas—without leaving the comforts of Windows. As Microsoft listens to feedback and refines the balance between new capabilities and classic minimalism, the future of Notepad looks brighter—and bolder—than ever before.

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Source: TechSpot Notepad gets bold, italics, and Markdown support in latest update