The Evolution of Notepad in Windows: From Simplicity to Modern Features

From the humble days of Windows 3.1 up through the modern age of Windows 11, Notepad has been one of the most enduring fixtures of Microsoft’s operating systems—a small, reliable utility known for its speed, simplicity, and get-out-of-your-way philosophy. For millions, Notepad offered a frictionless space: jot down an idea, drop in a quick snippet of code, wrangle a configuration file, or strip out formatting with pure, unadulterated text. Yet, as Microsoft has embarked on a mission to modernize every corner of Windows, Notepad itself is receiving more attention—and more features—than ever before. Are we witnessing the slow demise of what made Notepad special, or is this just progress in action?

The Death of WordPad: An End of an Era​

When Microsoft announced the official removal of WordPad from Windows 11 in 2024, it marked the end of a distinctive era in Windows text editing. WordPad, introduced in Windows 95, was always the “middle child”—bridging the spartan Notepad and the heavyweight Microsoft Word. Capable of handling rich formatting (bold, italics, bullet points) yet remaining free and simple, WordPad found a loyal user base, particularly among those who needed something “more than Notepad, less than Word.”
Official Microsoft documentation confirmed the discontinuation in early 2024, with updates from Redmond citing “low usage and maintenance” as leading factors for removal. While the prepaid install base was diminishing, WordPad’s removal left a gap: the average user no longer had a free, built-in, moderately capable editor.

The Evolution (and Complication) of Notepad​

Simplicity: The Core of Notepad’s Appeal​

Throughout decades, Notepad’s superpower has been its absence of features. No formatting. No IDs or templates. No clutter. You launch, you type, you save.
Fast boot time, zero distractions, and universal compatibility made Notepad an irreplaceable part of the Windows experience, especially for developers, power users, and anyone who values raw speed. It was common to use Notepad to quickly jot down thoughts, write out batch code, clean up text, or troubleshoot copy-pasting issues caused by “smart formatting” from other apps.
But as Windows itself moved to a more modern, feature-rich platform, Microsoft began iterating more aggressively on Notepad. In the past two years, these changes accelerated—sometimes for better usability, other times at the risk of Notepad’s minimalist DNA.

The Positives: Smart Features and Modernization​

Recent improvements—such as a modernized user interface, dark mode, tabs for multiple documents, and autosave functionality—have largely been welcomed, making Notepad feel less like a relic. According to Microsoft’s own Windows Insider Blog and user feedback, features like:

• Tabs: Allowing users to open multiple documents in a single window, eliminating “Notepad window clutter.”
• Autosave and Session Restore: Reducing the risk of losing notes due to unexpected shutdowns.
• Dark Mode: Easier on the eyes, especially for late-night work.

For many, these changes felt like bringing Notepad in line with text editors of the past decade, without adding bloat.

The Negatives: Creep of Bloat and AI Overreach​

The recent wave of features, however, has left purists frustrated. Spellcheck, AI-powered text rewriting, auto-summarization, and even rich text formatting are entering what was once sacred “bare metal” territory. Critics argue these features are not only superfluous for the tool’s primary user base, but actively degrade the speed, simplicity, and reliability that made Notepad beloved.

Spellcheck: Useful or Unnecessary?​

The addition of spellcheck—currently rolling out to Insider builds—evoked mixed feelings. For occasional note taking, such a function is harmless, even handy. Still, many users simply do not need this in Notepad. The expectation is clear text, not polished prose—mistakes are part of the process, not something requiring immediate correction.

AI Integration: Overreach by Microsoft?​

Perhaps the most controversial change is the integration of AI features into Notepad, part of Microsoft’s broader push to bring “Copilot” capabilities across all facets of Windows. These features include:

• Rewrite: Automatically rephrases the selected text.
• Summarize: Condenses lengthy blocks of text into shorter highlights.

For most, the idea of AI rewriting text inside Notepad is incongruous. If you need advanced writing assistance, Microsoft Word, Outlook, or even the new Copilot app are more suitable. For the quick and dirty jobs that Notepad excels at, these features not only seem out of place, but could present usability or even privacy concerns (sending quick notes to cloud-based AI services).

Rich Text Formatting: Notepad Becoming WordPad?​

The latest test build of Notepad for Windows Insiders includes bold, italics, underlines, and various font sizes—turning Notepad into a shadow of its late sibling WordPad. At this point, the line between “quick-and-dirty” text editing and moderate document creation is blurred.
It prompts the question: if Notepad becomes a quasi-WordPad, why remove WordPad in the first place? Microsoft’s own documentation is silent on the matter, but some speculate that Notepad was easier to modernize, integrate with WinUI libraries, and ship new features rapidly for Insiders and the broader Windows 11 user base.

The User Backlash: Has Notepad Lost Its Way?​

Online communities have debated these changes furiously. Reddit threads, Windows blogs, and user surveys suggest a significant proportion of the user base still values the “frictionless” Notepad experience. Even feature improvements can polarize, as they risk diluting the tool’s original purpose.
User feedback data from forums and social platforms indicates multiple grievances:

• Performance: More features sometimes mean slower load times, heavier memory use, and more crashes—particularly on lower-powered machines.
• Clutter: The influx of menus, toolbars, and popups hampers the fast, minimalist workflow that built Notepad’s reputation.
• Privacy Concerns: AI-powered features raise the specter of cloud data processing, threatening the perception (and sometimes the reality) of personal notes staying on-device.

For every new addition, Microsoft risks alienating users who simply want a fast, local tool for plain text. Several respected tech journalists have likened the new Notepad to a “rebadged WordPad,” questioning whether the move makes Windows better—or just busier.

The “Edit” Solution: Microsoft’s Return to Basics​

On the heels of this feedback, Microsoft has announced a new utility: Edit, a command line-based text editor that will be bundled in Windows. Announced in early 2025 and aimed squarely at power users, Edit is designed for fast, no-frills text editing directly from Command Prompt or Windows Terminal.

What is Edit? How Does it Compare?​

• Command Line Driven: Unlike Notepad, Edit runs entirely within a terminal window, mirroring the experience of classic text editors on UNIX-like systems (such as Nano, Vim, or Emacs). This context-switch reduction will appeal to sysadmins, programmers, and those who prefer to never leave their keyboard.
• No Formatting or AI: As a strictly plaintext editor, Edit promises to be immune to the creeping complexity of Notepad. Early demos show basic navigation and editing but no support for styling or AI integration.
• Potential Accessibility Issues: There’s a catch—Edit requires some familiarity with the command line. For general-purpose users, this barrier may be too high. If you’re accustomed to launching Notepad from the Start Menu with a click, Edit may remain in the background.

So far, the feature remains in preview. It’s unclear whether Edit will ever entirely supplant Notepad for die-hard text purists, but its very existence is a public acknowledgment from Microsoft: users want—demand, even—a simple, fast, and private text editor.

Alternatives Flourish: Notepad++ and Beyond​

Microsoft’s evolving stance has fueled renewed interest in third-party editors—many of which have long eclipsed Notepad in power, flexibility, and customization. If you’re dissatisfied with the new direction, a thriving ecosystem of alternatives awaits.

Notepad++: The Community’s Favorite​

Consistently atop "best free text editor" lists, Notepad++ is the de facto standard for anyone who needs more than Notepad’s original toolbox. Notepad++ offers:

• Syntax Highlighting for dozens of coding languages.
• Line Numbers for easier debugging and reading.
• Plugin Support for customization and added features.
• Macros & Multi-Document Support—all while maintaining a portable, lightweight feel.

It remains open source, constantly updated, and fiercely protective of privacy and speed.

CherryTree, Sublime Text, and More​

For note-taking with structure, CherryTree offers hierarchical notes, rich exporting options, and encryption support. Sublime Text and Atom have also carved out loyal followings among programmers and creatives, providing deep customization and extension capabilities.
Still others—VSCodium, Vim, and even simple web-based editors—present further options, each with their own balances of power, usability, and lightness.

Pros and Cons of Switching​

Editor	Pros	Cons
Notepad++	Powerful, customizable, free	Slightly larger footprint than Notepad
CherryTree	Hierarchical, rich note-taking	More complex UI
Sublime Text	Lightning-fast, plugin ecosystem	Paid license for full version
Edit (Windows)	Terminal-native, minimalist	Command line barrier for some users
Classic Notepad	Ultimate speed & simplicity	Losing features, possible deprecation

Critical Analysis: Progress or Feature Creep?​

As Microsoft’s intent for Notepad (and its replacement Edit) comes into focus, a few lessons emerge—some positive, some cautionary.

Strengths of the New Direction​

• Modernization: For the majority, having tabs, dark mode, and autosave is a net positive. These features modernize Notepad without being intrusive—when executed correctly.
• Inclusivity: New accessibility and formatting tools broaden Notepad’s audience, especially with WordPad no longer bundled by default.
• Integrated AI: For those leveraging Copilot in knowledge work, having AI on tap in more places does streamline workflow—albeit, perhaps, not in Notepad of all apps.

Risks and Weaknesses​

• Alienating Core Users: The biggest risk is the loss of the Notepad “purist”—a user who wants nothing but barebones text. If the app becomes slow, crashes more, or sends text off-device, these users will look elsewhere.
• Redundancy and Bloat: With formatting in Notepad but no WordPad, is Microsoft simply shifting complexity from one app to another? Critics argue that duplicating functions only muddies the Windows experience.
• The AI Creep Problem: Embedding generative AI everywhere is a bold vision for Microsoft, but text-editing tools are especially sensitive domains. Users handling sensitive or local information may recoil at having AI intervene automatically—or send notes into the cloud.

The Future: Is This the End of Classic Notepad?​

Windows users are at a crossroads. On one hand, Notepad’s evolution reflects Microsoft’s commitment to modernization and user feedback. On the other, it exposes a company sometimes too eager to push AI and web-connected features into every software niche, regardless of appropriateness.
The arrival of Edit seems to be Microsoft’s tacit acknowledgment that Notepad’s new feature set won’t please everyone. For the user who wants blazing speed, local privacy, and absolute minimalism, Edit is a safe harbor—provided they’re comfortable using the terminal.
Meanwhile, if Notepad is genuinely your daily driver, the new features may be improvements or annoyances, depending on your preference. For everyone else, a rich community of alternatives, notably Notepad++, ensures that you can tailor your text editing experience as you see fit. There’s never been more choice, but the fragmentation of the Windows text editing landscape is real—at least while Microsoft experiments with the balance of simplicity and power.

Takeaway: The Choice is Yours​

Microsoft’s effort to modernize Notepad—a drive that’s become even more pronounced following the end of WordPad—reflects the perennial tension in software design: balancing innovation against the danger of feature creep. Whether you welcome Notepad’s new powers, mourn its lost elegance, or leave the app behind in favor of Edit or Notepad++, the good news is that options abound.
Windows users have the agency to shape their workflow. If you want AI in every corner of your OS, Microsoft is happy to oblige. If you want to return to basics, Microsoft is at least—belatedly—listening with tools like Edit and a more open Windows ecosystem. Amidst all these changes, the key is remembering what made tools like Notepad great in the first place: not the features on offer, but the freedom to choose how and where you write.

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Source: XDA Microsoft is just turning Notepad into WordPad at this point, and I'm not sure I like it