text formatting Archives

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 16, 2026

Windows 11’s Notepad “Create a table” feature is now available, along with AI streaming results

Microsoft has launched the "Create a table" feature for Notepad, initially tested with Windows Insiders in November 2025, now available to all Windows 11 users. This feature allows users to create tables using Markdown-style formatting, storing them as plain text in .txt files. Users can add rows or columns easily, and a grid picker is available for selecting the number of rows and columns. The feature includes options for formatting text within table cells and managing tables through right-click controls. It is enabled by default, but users can disable it along with other markdown formatting options. Additionally, Notepad has introduced an AI text streaming capability for Copilot+ PC users, allowing real-time text generation, with plans to extend this feature to non-AI PCs in the future.

Winsage

December 2, 2025

5 Secret Windows 11 Features Everyone Should Be Using By Now

Windows 11 includes features for photo editing, advanced calculations, text extraction from screenshots, timezone management, and enhanced text formatting in Notepad. The Photos app allows users to remove objects and backgrounds from images using AI-powered editing tools. Users can erase objects by selecting the Erase option, adjusting the brush size, and brushing over the object. To remove backgrounds, users choose the Background option and use the Background brush tool. The Windows Calculator offers various modes for complex calculations, including Standard, Scientific, Graphing, Programmer, Date calculation, and Converter options. Users can switch modes via the hamburger icon and keep the Calculator window on top of other applications. The Snipping Tool enables users to copy text from screenshots. Users can take a screenshot with Win + Shift + S, open the Snipping Tool editor, select the Text actions icon, highlight the desired text, and choose to copy it. Windows 11 allows users to add multiple time zones in the Notification Center by accessing the Settings app, selecting Time & language, and navigating to Date & time to set additional clocks. Notepad has been updated to include basic text formatting options. Users can toggle on Formatting in Settings, adjust text size, create lists, and apply bold and italic styles, saving their work as Markdown files.

Winsage

November 28, 2025

3 Windows frustrations Microsoft PowerToys finally fixed for me

Windows 11 has a sleek interface but comes with some quirks. Integrating Microsoft PowerToys can alleviate minor irritations and improve productivity. FancyZones allows users to create custom layouts for window management, enabling better organization of the desktop. PowerToys Peek lets users preview file contents in File Explorer using the shortcut Ctrl + Space, reducing the need to open multiple files. Advanced Paste enables pasting text as plain text or Markdown, helping maintain consistent formatting and eliminating issues with unwanted formatting from web content. PowerToys may not be necessary for users with basic computing needs, as the built-in features of Windows 11 might suffice. However, for daily users, the tools provided by PowerToys can enhance workflow and efficiency by addressing small annoyances that accumulate during multitasking.

Winsage

November 27, 2025

Windows 11 Notepad now lets you create tables like in Microsoft Word, and it’s free

Windows 11’s Notepad now includes table generation capabilities, allowing users to create organized notes and lists. This feature is being rolled out and will be available to all users soon. Notepad previously received an update for rich text formatting, enabling options like bold and italic. The new table feature allows users to easily add tables by clicking a button on the formatting toolbar and selecting the number of columns and rows. Notepad supports Markdown-style tables and offers user-friendly editing options. Performance tests show that the new features do not negatively impact the application's efficiency. Users can disable new features through the Settings menu, including formatting tools and the file recovery feature. Notepad also integrates Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can be turned off in the Settings.

Winsage

November 24, 2025

Microsoft adds tables support to Windows Notepad

Microsoft has introduced new features to Windows Notepad, including support for tables and AI enhancements like Summarize, Write, and Rewrite, which are available to users with Copilot+ PCs. The table support is currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. The AI features allow for quicker interaction with previews, but access requires a Copilot+ PC or a Microsoft account. The updates have raised concerns among users about Notepad straying from its original purpose as a simple text editor, with some feeling it is losing its identity.

Winsage

November 8, 2025

Windows 11 issue shows “Edit in Notepad” for all file types, including .exe and images

Windows 11's File Explorer context menu includes the "Edit in Notepad" option for various file types, which is intended only for plain text files. Users can remove this option by editing the Windows Registry. Notepad now registers as a general-purpose text editor, causing it to appear for all file types, including images. To remove "Edit in Notepad," users can create a subkey in the Registry Editor under Shell Extensions and add the specific GUID. Other Shell Extensions can also be removed using a similar method by adding their respective GUIDs. Microsoft is reportedly working on improvements for the context menu.

AppWizard

October 6, 2025

5 journaling apps you should use instead of Pixel Journal

Google has introduced a suite of exclusive applications for the Pixel 10 smartphone series, including the Pixel Journal, an AI-enhanced diary that offers contextual writing prompts and the ability to attach images and maps. Alternatives to Pixel Journal include: 1. Daily You: An open-source, free app that allows users to upload images, track their mood, and visualize mood trends alongside activities. It features a Flashbacks section for past entries and offers customizable storage folders and password protection. 2. Daily Diary: A minimalist journaling app focused on text without image uploads, automatically saving daily entries to a text file. It allows users to view previous entries and includes essential settings. 3. Day One: A comprehensive journaling app that allows multiple journals, text formatting, image embeds, and location tagging for entries. It offers daily prompts and a premium subscription for additional features. 4. Diarium: A feature-rich app with a seven-day trial of its Pro version, offering a timeline view, map view, and a search function. It highlights past entries and the premium version includes unlimited attachments and third-party service integration. 5. Journey: An app with standard diary functionalities and advanced AI features, including the Journey Odyssey AI for searching diary content and a tutorial feature called “Coach” for seasonal prompts. It offers a one-time payment option to unlock all features.

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.

AppWizard

August 10, 2025

My Google Keep notes were a mess — here’s how I got them under control

A user reflected on their experience with Google Keep, noting challenges in managing a growing collection of notes despite attempts at color-coding and pinning. They committed to better organization through labels and deleting outdated notes. In a poll, users shared their strategies for maintaining order: 16% delete and archive old notes, 19% color-code notes, 13% pin important notes, 14% use labels, 22% use another app for complex notes, and 16% use all of the above. Organizing notes into categories with labels has been beneficial, allowing users to filter and reduce clutter. Users expressed a desire for enhanced organizational features, like folders. A user recognized a tendency to hoard unnecessary information and conducted a cleanup, deleting irrelevant notes. Some users moved complex notes, such as medication tracking and pet vet visits, to Notion for better organization, as it offers more advanced features than Google Keep. Despite these changes, Google Keep remains popular for quick notes and spontaneous ideas.