Notepad Archives

Winsage

February 11, 2026

Microsoft fixes six actively exploited flaws in latest Windows 11 update

Microsoft's February 2026 Patch Tuesday addressed 59 vulnerabilities in Windows 11, with six confirmed as actively exploited. The most critical vulnerability is CVE-2026-21510, a Windows Shell security feature bypass with a CVSS rating of 8.8, allowing attackers to evade warnings by tricking users into opening malicious files. Another significant vulnerability, CVE-2026-21513, also rated at 8.8, affects MSHTML and allows remote attackers to bypass execution prompts through malicious code in HTML or shortcut files. CVE-2026-21514 impacts Microsoft Word and enables adversaries to disable OLE mitigations, posing risks through document-based attacks. Two local privilege escalation vulnerabilities are CVE-2026-21519 in Desktop Window Manager and CVE-2026-21533 in Windows Remote Desktop Services, with CVSS scores of 7.8. CVE-2026-21525 is a denial-of-service vulnerability in Remote Access Connection Manager. The update includes 53 additional vulnerabilities across various Microsoft products and services, with CVE-2026-21531 in Azure SDK rated at 9.8 and CVE-2026-20841 affecting Windows Notepad rated at 8.8. The cumulative update for Windows 11 (KB5077181) also includes enhancements and resolves WPA3 Wi-Fi connectivity issues. Microsoft reminded users of the June 2026 expiration of Secure Boot certificates, which requires timely updates to ensure secure booting. Users can install the updates via Windows Update.

Winsage

February 1, 2026

5 Essential Free Apps That Aren’t Available On The Microsoft Store

The Microsoft Store has recently added applications like VLC, Foobar2000, Firefox, and Brave, but several essential applications are still missing, leading users to download installers from developers' websites. Microsoft has discontinued support for Office installations via the store, and the transition to allowing Win32 app formats has introduced more applications, although many developers may find this shift too late, with full support for Win32 apps not expected until 2025. Notable applications currently unavailable on the Microsoft Store include: - Steam: A critical gaming platform with over 140 million users, absent from the store due to Valve's competition with Microsoft. - Notepad++: A popular text and code editor known for its simplicity and versatility, requiring direct download from its official website. - Calibre: An open-source e-book manager that allows users to organize, convert, and enrich e-books, also needing to be downloaded from its official site. - qBittorrent: A free and open-source torrent client offering a clean interface and extensive features, available only through direct download from its official website. - Paint.net: While available on the Microsoft Store for a fee, it can be downloaded for free from the developer's website, providing robust image editing features.

Winsage

January 31, 2026

A new open‑source Notepad clone brings back the fast, minimal editor we loved — while Microsoft’s Windows 11 version keeps getting more bloated

Notepad has recently integrated new features, including Copilot, which has received mixed reactions from users. An open-source project called Legacy Notepad, developed by ForLoopCodes, aims to provide a classic, less resource-intensive version of Notepad. The developer claims that Legacy Notepad uses 2.1MB of memory and 0% CPU, while Windows 11's Notepad.exe uses 52.3MB of memory and 0.5% CPU. The project has gained popularity on GitHub, with the developer expressing happiness over its success, including surpassing 150 stars.

Winsage

January 28, 2026

6 Windows Notepad Alternatives Worth Checking Out

Notepadify is a minimalist notepad application available on the Microsoft Store, noted for its clean design and user-friendly interface. It features a streamlined menu bar with two main menus, a quick toolbar for common editing tools, and a spacious text box. The application supports rich text formatting, allowing users to bold, italicize, and underline text, and includes a word counter. However, it lacks customization options for font size and style. Notepadify is free to use, with an optional subscription plan for additional features.

Winsage

January 28, 2026

Windows 11 26H2: Expected features, platform changes, and potential release schedule

Windows 11 follows an annual feature update schedule, with the 26H2 update expected to launch in late 2026. This update will be the next major version after 25H2 and will continue to use the Germanium platform. It may function as an enablement package, activating existing features rather than introducing new ones. Anticipated features include increased AI capabilities in applications like Paint and Notepad, refined dark mode options, a revamped Run dialogue box, an AI-powered search feature, and the Xbox Full Screen experience. The build number will increase to 26300. The 26H2 update is projected for a September or October release in 2026.

Winsage

January 22, 2026

Windows 11 backgrounds are finally joining the modern era.

The latest Windows Insider build, 26220.7653, allows users to set .webp images as their desktop background on Windows 11 through the Beta Channel. The design of dialogs in "Accounts > Other Users" has been updated to use the modern WinUI framework and support dark mode, contingent on having a domain-joined work or school account. The Click to Do feature now loads Copilot prompt suggestions instantly, although this is not available to Insiders in the European Economic Area or China. Various fixes have been implemented, including resolving issues with the taskbar, Bluetooth device battery level display, login screen password icon, and Settings crashing when interacting with audio devices. Additionally, issues related to Notepad, explorer.exe, and msinfo32 have been addressed.

Winsage

January 22, 2026

Microsoft unveils wave of new Windows 11 features in Paint and Notepad

Microsoft is rolling out updates for Notepad and Paint in Windows 11. Notepad will feature advanced Markdown capabilities, including strikethrough formatting and nested lists, as well as a formatting toolbar for easier access to formatting options. A new "Welcome Experience" popup will inform users of new features whenever they are added.

Winsage

January 22, 2026

Notepad and Paint updates begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

The latest updates for Notepad (version 11.2512.10.0) and Paint (version 11.2512.191.0) are being rolled out to users in the Canary and Dev Channels of Windows 11. Notepad now includes expanded lightweight formatting capabilities with additional Markdown syntax features such as strikethrough formatting and nested lists. A revamped welcome experience has been introduced to help users learn about the app's features, which can be accessed via a megaphone icon. The update also enhances support for AI text features, allowing for quicker streaming results for Write, Rewrite, and Summarize, requiring users to sign in with their Microsoft account. Paint's update introduces an AI-powered Coloring book feature that allows users to create coloring book pages from text prompts and a fill tolerance slider for greater control over the Fill tool. The Coloring book feature is available only on Copilot+ PCs, and users must sign in with their Microsoft account to access it.

Winsage

January 21, 2026

Windows 11 apps like Notepad aren’t loading — what is error code 0x803f8001 and how do I fix it?

Windows 11 users are encountering the error code 0x803f8001 when launching applications, alongside the file system error (-2143322111). Affected applications include Armoury Crate, Notepad, Snipping Tool, Alienware Command Center, and Nitrosense. The error is often linked to issues with the Microsoft Store's ability to validate app licenses, potentially due to a corrupted Store cache or account sync problems. Users have reported similar issues on social media and forums, indicating a broader impact, including problems with Xbox Ally and ROG Ally Armoury Crate apps. Some users have attempted to reset the Microsoft Store app with mixed results, while one workaround involved uninstalling and reinstalling Armoury Crate from ASUS' website. Microsoft and ASUS are aware of the issue and are working on a resolution.

Winsage

January 21, 2026

Copilot AI: What You’re Missing on Windows 10 PCs — Virtualization Review

Microsoft's Copilot AI experience differs significantly between Windows 11 and Windows 10. On Windows 11, Copilot is integrated at the system level, allowing it to perform tasks such as opening specific Settings pages, toggling system settings, launching built-in applications, and providing contextual guidance with UI navigation. In contrast, Windows 10 users can only access Copilot through browser-based interfaces, limiting its functionality to providing written instructions without the ability to execute actions or interact with local system features. Copilot on Windows 10 lacks awareness of the operating system and cannot manage system configurations or settings directly, while Windows 11 allows for direct interaction with cloud-managed settings.