In a notable shift within its software offerings, Microsoft has been enhancing Notepad significantly following the discontinuation of WordPad. However, this evolution has sparked some discontent among users who cherish Notepad’s straightforward functionality. For those who prefer a more minimalist approach, Microsoft is introducing a new text editor designed specifically for Windows 11, which operates within the Command Prompt.
Introducing Edit
This new tool, aptly named Edit, pays tribute to the classic MS-DOS Editor while incorporating a contemporary interface and input controls reminiscent of Visual Studio Code. A preview version of Edit has been reviewed by Windows Latest, revealing a sleek and compact text editor that occupies a mere 230KB of disk space.
To launch Edit, users simply need to type edit into the Command Prompt and hit Enter. Once activated, Edit allows for basic text file editing, including the ability to navigate to a specific line using the go to line command and switch between open documents. However, it is important to note that advanced features such as text formatting and AI summaries are not available in this version.
Currently, users cannot save files directly within Edit. Instead, it is recommended to copy any finished text to other applications like Notepad, Visual Studio Code, or even Microsoft Word for finalization.
Edit is still in the developmental phase, and at present, it can only be accessed through a manual installation from GitHub. Microsoft has indicated that there are plans to make Edit the default text editor for command line use, although a specific timeline for this rollout remains uncertain, likely extending several months into the future.
