Notepad app Archives

Winsage

December 7, 2025

Notepad on Windows 11 can now make Markdown tables — here’s how to master it

Notepad on Windows 11 has been upgraded to version 11.2510.6.0, introducing table support that enhances its Markdown capabilities. This feature allows users to create tables using Markdown syntax, providing a simple way to organize information without competing with spreadsheet applications like Excel. Users can open Notepad, ensure they have the correct version, define rows and columns using Markdown, preview the table, and save their document to preserve the table's structure.

Winsage

November 24, 2025

Microsoft adds tables and more AI to Notepad — what happened to the app we loved?

Windows 11's Notepad app is receiving new features for testing by Windows Insiders, including support for bold and italic text, hyperlinks, lists, and headings. The introduction of AI capabilities, such as streaming responses for the Write, Rewrite, and Summarize tools, has led to mixed user feedback, with many expressing dissatisfaction over the integration of AI into the traditionally simple application. Users have voiced concerns about feature bloat, with some feeling that Notepad is losing its identity as a lightweight tool. There is a growing sentiment of AI fatigue among users, reflecting frustration with unnecessary AI tools in applications where they are not needed.

Winsage

September 18, 2025

Notepad gets free AI features on Copilot+ PCs with Windows 11

Microsoft is enhancing Notepad for users with Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11 by integrating AI-powered text writing capabilities in Notepad version 11.2508.28.0, currently rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. The new features include text summarization, rewriting, and generation, available exclusively for English content. Users with a Microsoft 365 subscription can switch between local and cloud AI models, while those without a subscription can still use the local model. The AI options can be disabled in settings or users can uninstall the updated Notepad to revert to the classic version. Since the redesign of Notepad in December 2021, Microsoft has added features like multiple tabs, a character counter, text formatting, spell-check, and autocorrect. Additionally, updates for the Paint app now support Photoshop-like project files and an opacity slider, while the Snipping Tool has introduced a "Quick markup" feature for faster screenshot annotations.

Winsage

August 4, 2025

How to get started with Markdown in the Notepad app for Windows 11

The Notepad application in Windows 11 now supports the Markdown (.md) file format, allowing users to create and edit Markdown documents without needing additional software. To enable Markdown, users must open Notepad, access the Settings, and toggle the "Formatting" switch to on. To create a Markdown document, users save their file with a ".md" extension and can utilize a toolbar for formatting options such as headings, lists, and links. Markdown syntax supported includes titles, bold and italic text, and lists. Users can switch between formatted and raw views and can disable Markdown support by toggling the "Formatting" switch to off in the Settings. While Markdown support is a useful addition, it is limited compared to dedicated text editors, and users may encounter formatting warnings for unsupported syntax.

Winsage

July 7, 2025

Hands on with Windows 11 Notepad’s new markdown support

Notepad in Windows 11 has introduced markdown capabilities, allowing users to format text with features such as headings, subheadings, body text, bullet points, and numbered lists. The markdown formatting is enabled by default and can be accessed through a new formatting toolbar or by using syntax like "###" for headings. Additionally, users can apply bold and italic styles and include hyperlinks. Notepad remains lightweight, with minimal CPU and memory usage, and users can disable formatting in the Settings menu if desired.

Winsage

July 2, 2025

Microsoft just gave the Windows 11 Notepad app a controversial feature that people are either loving or hating

Windows 11's Notepad app has received an update that introduces new formatting capabilities, making it more similar to the retired WordPad. Users are receiving this update through the Microsoft Store for the stable version of Windows 11. Reactions to the update are mixed; some users appreciate the enhancements, while others feel that Notepad is becoming bloated with unnecessary features. Microsoft has included a toggle feature that allows users to disable the new formatting options, enabling them to revert to the traditional Notepad experience.

Winsage

June 2, 2025

Microsoft updates Notepad app with new features after decades

Microsoft's Notepad is undergoing an update that introduces enhanced formatting features, moving away from its traditional minimalist design. The new version will support "lightweight formatting," including Markdown-style input, a formatting toolbar for bold, italic, hyperlinks, lists, and headings. Users who prefer the classic Notepad can revert to its original simplicity by clearing formatting or disabling new features in the app settings. Notepad was first launched in 1983 as "Multi-Tool Notepad" and became a part of the Windows operating system starting with Windows 1.0 in 1985.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Microsoft releases a bold new update for Notepad

Microsoft is updating its Windows Notepad app with new text formatting options, including bold and italic styling, hyperlinks, lists, and Markdown support. This update is currently available to testers in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. A new formatting toolbar has been added at the top of the application, allowing easy access to these features. Users can toggle between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views. Notepad retains its plain text functionality, and users can clear formatting or disable the new features in the app settings. This update follows the introduction of an AI-powered Write function, enhancing Notepad's capabilities.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Microsoft now testing Notepad text formatting in Windows 11

Microsoft has introduced text formatting capabilities in the Windows 11 Notepad application, allowing users to utilize Markdown-style input. This feature is part of the Windows 11 24H2 update for Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Users can apply formatting options such as bold, italic, hyperlinks, lists, and headings, while also having the option to revert to plain text easily. The update is being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels with version 11.2504.50.0 of the app. This enhancement is part of a broader initiative to modernize Notepad, which has included features like multiple tabs, a built-in character counter, spell check, autocorrect, and AI-powered text summarization and generation. Users can disable new AI functionalities or uninstall the app to revert to the classic notepad.exe program.

Winsage

May 25, 2025

Microsoft Notepad’s latest AI trick churns out custom text for you

Microsoft's Notepad app has been updated to include AI capabilities that allow users to generate custom content based on prompts, available to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscribers. Users can refine generated text through follow-up prompts and access the Copilot menu for content creation. Other Microsoft apps, such as Paint and the Snipping Tool, have also received AI enhancements, with Paint allowing for custom sticker creation and the Snipping Tool offering an automatic editing feature for screenshots. These updates will initially be available to Windows Insiders before wider release.