Windows Notepad: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Simple text editor included with Microsoft Windows}}
{{short description|Simple text editor included with Microsoft Windows}}
{{Redirect|Notepad (software)|other text editors|Notepad (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Notepad (software)|other text editors|Notepad (disambiguation)}}{{Distinguish|WordPad}}{{Infobox software
{{Infobox software
| name = Windows Notepad
| name             = Windows Notepad
| logo = File:Notepad Win11.svg
| logo             = File:Notepad Win11.svg
| logo size = 80
| screenshot       = Windows Notepad.png
| screenshot = Windows Notepad.png
| caption         = Notepad on [[Windows 11]]
| caption = Notepad on [[Windows 11]]
| author           = [[Richard Brodie (programmer)|Richard Brodie]]
| author = [[Richard Brodie (programmer)|Richard Brodie]]
| developer       = [[Microsoft]]
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| released         = {{Start date and age|1983}}<br />(as ''Multi-Tool Notepad'')
| included with      = {{ubl|All [[Microsoft Windows]] versions}}
| ver layout       = stacked
| released = {{Start date and age|1983}} (as ''Multi-Tool Notepad'')
| operating system = [[Windows 10]], [[Windows 11|11]]
| ver layout = stacked
| replaces         = [[MS-DOS Editor]]
| operating system = [[Windows 11]]
| platform         = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], and [[ARM architecture|ARM]] (historically [[Itanium]], [[DEC Alpha]], [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], and [[PowerPC]])
| replaces = [[MS-DOS Editor]]
| genre           = [[Text editor]]
| platform = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], and [[ARM architecture|ARM]] (historically [[Itanium]], [[DEC Alpha]], [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], and [[PowerPC]])
| website         = {{URL|https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9msmlrh6lzf3}}
| genre = [[Text editor]]
| license         = [[Freeware]]
| website = {{URL|https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9msmlrh6lzf3}}
| license = [[Freeware]]
}}
}}
'''Windows Notepad''' is a simple [[text editor]] for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]; it creates and edits [[plain text]] documents. It was first released in 1983 to commercialize the [[computer mouse]] in [[MS-DOS]].
'''Windows Notepad''' (commonly known simply as '''Notepad''') is a simple [[text editor]] for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]; it creates and edits [[plain text]] documents. It was first released in 1983 to commercialize the [[computer mouse]] in [[MS-DOS]], replacing the legacy [[MS-DOS Editor]].


== History ==
== History ==
In May 1983, at the [[COMDEX]] computer expo in [[Atlanta]], Microsoft introduced the '''Multi-Tool Notepad''', a [[computer mouse|mouse]]-based text editor [[Richard Brodie (programmer)|Richard Brodie]] had created as a stripped down version of [[Multi-Tool Word]]. Notepad had the ability to bold, underline or italicise text removed. All these programs were to support the release of the $195 [[Microsoft Mouse]], with the mouse coming with Notepad or Word, sometimes both, depending on the date.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |title=COMDEX: Micros in American mainstream |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 23, 1983 |page=1 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10 |title=Mouse and new WP program join Microsoft product lineup |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 30, 1983 |page=10 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA85 |title=Microsoft ad |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 23, 1983 |page=85 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> Most visitors had never heard of a computer mouse before.<ref name="Wallace">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/harddrivebillgat00wall_0 |url-access=registration |last1=Wallace |first1=James |last2=Erickson |first2=Jim |year=1992 |title=Hard Drive |publisher=Wiley |isbn=0-471-56886-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/harddrivebillgat00wall_0/page/238 238]–244 |access-date=2017-01-28}}</ref> The mouse began shipping in July.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31 |title=In Focus |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=August 29, 1983 |page=31 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> Initial sales were modest because it had no use other than running the programs included in the box (a tutorial, a Doodle drawing app, a musical piano app, Multi-Tool Notepad and/or Multi-tool Word.)<ref name="Manes">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBtPAAAAMAAJ |title=Gates |last=Manes |first=Stephen |collaboration=Paul Andrews |year=1993 |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=0-385-42075-7 |access-date=2017-01-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202044405/https://books.google.bg/books?id=KBtPAAAAMAAJ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX1cCMseXRAhWiQZoKHaiHDKYQ6AEIGjAA |archive-date=2017-02-02}}</ref>
In May 1983, at the [[COMDEX]] computer expo in [[Atlanta]], Microsoft introduced the '''Multi-Tool Notepad''', a [[computer mouse|mouse]]-based text editor [[Richard Brodie (programmer)|Richard Brodie]] had created as a stripped down version of [[Multi-Tool Word]]. Notepad had the ability to bold, underline or italicise text removed. All these programs were to support the release of the $195 [[Microsoft Mouse]], with the mouse including Notepad or Word, sometimes both, depending on the date.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |title=COMDEX: Micros in American mainstream |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 23, 1983 |page=1 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4S8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10 |title=Mouse and new WP program join Microsoft product lineup |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 30, 1983 |page=10 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA85 |title=Microsoft ad |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=May 23, 1983 |page=85 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> Most visitors had never heard of a computer mouse before.<ref name="Wallace">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/harddrivebillgat00wall_0 |url-access=registration |last1=Wallace |first1=James |last2=Erickson |first2=Jim |year=1992 |title=Hard Drive |publisher=Wiley |isbn=0-471-56886-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/harddrivebillgat00wall_0/page/238 238]–244 |access-date=2017-01-28}}</ref> The mouse began shipping in July.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31 |title=In Focus |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=August 29, 1983 |page=31 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> Initial sales were modest because it had no use other than running the programs included in the box (a tutorial, a Doodle drawing app, a musical piano app, Multi-Tool Notepad and/or Multi-tool Word.)<ref name="Manes">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBtPAAAAMAAJ |title=Gates |last=Manes |first=Stephen |collaboration=Paul Andrews |year=1993 |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=0-385-42075-7 |access-date=2017-01-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202044405/https://books.google.bg/books?id=KBtPAAAAMAAJ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX1cCMseXRAhWiQZoKHaiHDKYQ6AEIGjAA |archive-date=2017-02-02}}</ref>


The Multi-Tool product line began with [[expert system]]s for the [[Multiplan]] spreadsheet.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 |title=Microsoft ad |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=April 25, 1983 |page=40 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34 |title=In designers' ⁷scenario, software undergoes behavior modification |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=August 29, 1983 |page=34 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> On the suggestion of [[Rowland Hanson]], Microsoft dropped the Multi-Tool brand name. Hanson's rationale was that "the brand is the [[hero]]" and people wouldn't automatically associate "Multi-Tool" with Microsoft. As a result, the Multi-Tool Notepad and the Multi-Tool Word became Windows Notepad and [[Microsoft Word]], respectively. (Hanson also convinced [[Bill Gates]] to rename "Interface Manager" to "Windows" before the release of [[Windows 1.0]].)<ref name="Wallace" /><ref name="Manes" />
The Multi-Tool product line began with [[expert system]]s for the [[Multiplan]] spreadsheet.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7i8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 |title=Microsoft ad |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=April 25, 1983 |page=40 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34 |title=In designers' ⁷scenario, software undergoes behavior modification |magazine=InfoWorld |publisher=IDG |date=August 29, 1983 |page=34 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> On the suggestion of [[Rowland Hanson]], Microsoft dropped the Multi-Tool brand name. Hanson's rationale was that "the brand is the [[hero]]" and people wouldn't automatically associate "Multi-Tool" with Microsoft. As a result, the Multi-Tool Notepad and the Multi-Tool Word became Windows Notepad and [[Microsoft Word]], respectively. (Hanson also convinced [[Bill Gates]] to rename "Interface Manager" to "Windows" before the release of [[Windows 1.0]].)<ref name="Wallace" /><ref name="Manes" />
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=== Change in development model ===
=== Change in development model ===
Since the introduction of [[Microsoft Store]] in 2012, Microsoft has converted some of the built-in Windows apps into [[Universal Windows Platform apps|Microsoft Store apps]] (e.g., [[Sticky Notes]]), so that they could be updated independent of Windows releases. Within three years, Notepad has appeared on Microsoft Store thrice. The first time was in August 2019; it vanished shortly thereafter.<ref name="Wyciślik-Wilson-2020" /> This version required Windows 10 [[Windows 10 version history (version 2004)|preview build 18963]].<ref name="zdnetmsstore20" /> During this short-lived presence on the Store, technology news blogs speculated that Microsoft intended to de-couple Notepad's life-cycle from that of [[Windows 10]] and update it more frequently through Microsoft Store.<ref name="zdnetmsstore20">{{cite news |first1=Mary Jo |last1=Foley |author-link1=Mary Jo Foley |title=Microsoft makes Notepad a separate Store app starting with new Windows 10 20H1 test build |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-makes-notepad-a-separate-store-app-starting-with-new-windows-10-20h1-test-build/ |work=[[ZDNet]] |date=August 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Mayank |last1=Parmar |title=Windows 10 Notepad Added to Microsoft Store, Only for Insiders |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-10-notepad-added-to-microsoft-store-only-for-insiders/ |access-date=August 29, 2019 |work=[[Bleeping Computer]] |date=August 19, 2019}}</ref> Notepad appeared on Microsoft Store for a second time in April 2020, this time, sporting a new logo. It runs on the preview versions of Windows 10, [[Windows 10 version history|build number 19541 or later]].<ref name="Wyciślik-Wilson-2020">{{cite web |last=Wyciślik-Wilson |first=Sofia |date=2020-04-19 |title=Windows Notepad returns to the Microsoft Store with new features |url=https://betanews.com/2020/04/19/notepad-app-microsoft-store/ |website=BetaNews |quote=This is not the first time the app has appeared in the Microsoft Store. Originally announced in August last year, Notepad appeared for a while before vanishing. |access-date=2021-02-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |title=This Is the New Notepad Icon for Windows 10 |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/this-is-the-new-notepad-icon-for-windows-10-529461.shtml |access-date=2021-02-09 |website=Softpedia |date=16 March 2020}}</ref>
Since the introduction of [[Microsoft Store]] in 2012, Microsoft has converted some of the built-in Windows apps into [[Universal Windows Platform apps|Microsoft Store apps]] (e.g., [[Sticky Notes]]), so that they could be updated independent of Windows releases. Within three years, Notepad has appeared on Microsoft Store thrice. The first time was in August 2019; it vanished shortly thereafter.<ref name="Wyciślik-Wilson-2020" /> This version required Windows 10 [[Windows 10 version history (version 2004)|preview build 18963]].<ref name="zdnetmsstore20" /> During this short-lived presence on the Store, technology news blogs speculated that Microsoft intended to de-couple Notepad's life-cycle from that of [[Windows 10]] and update it more frequently through Microsoft Store.<ref name="zdnetmsstore20">{{cite news |first1=Mary Jo |last1=Foley |author-link1=Mary Jo Foley |title=Microsoft makes Notepad a separate Store app starting with new Windows 10 20H1 test build |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-makes-notepad-a-separate-store-app-starting-with-new-windows-10-20h1-test-build/ |work=[[ZDNet]] |date=August 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Mayank |last1=Parmar |title=Windows 10 Notepad Added to Microsoft Store, Only for Insiders |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-10-notepad-added-to-microsoft-store-only-for-insiders/ |access-date=August 29, 2019 |work=[[Bleeping Computer]] |date=August 19, 2019}}</ref> Notepad appeared on Microsoft Store for a second time in April 2020, this time, featuring a new logo. It runs on the preview versions of Windows 10, [[Windows 10 version history|build number 19541 or later]].<ref name="Wyciślik-Wilson-2020">{{cite web |last=Wyciślik-Wilson |first=Sofia |date=2020-04-19 |title=Windows Notepad returns to the Microsoft Store with new features |url=https://betanews.com/2020/04/19/notepad-app-microsoft-store/ |website=BetaNews |quote=This is not the first time the app has appeared in the Microsoft Store. Originally announced in August last year, Notepad appeared for a while before vanishing. |access-date=2021-02-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |title=This Is the New Notepad Icon for Windows 10 |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/this-is-the-new-notepad-icon-for-windows-10-529461.shtml |access-date=2021-02-09 |website=Softpedia |date=16 March 2020}}</ref>


On 16 February 2022, Microsoft started rolling out a new and redesigned version of Notepad to all Windows 11 users. This version had Dark Mode added and a new Find and Replace flyout with the same functionality. Notepad is now available in the Microsoft Store in both Windows 10 and 11.
On 16 February 2022, Microsoft started rolling out a new and redesigned version of Notepad to all Windows 11 users. This version had dark mode added and a new "find and replace" flyout with the same functionality. Notepad is now available in the Microsoft Store in both Windows 10 and 11.{{cn|date=December 2025}}


On March 21, 2024, Microsoft announced that it is adding spellcheck and autocorrect to Notepad for Windows 11.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=March 21, 2024 |title=Notepad in Windows 11 is finally getting a spellcheck feature |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/21/24107882/notepad-spellcheck-windows-11-feature |access-date=March 24, 2024 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Abrams |first=Lawrence |date=March 21, 2024 |title=Windows 11 Notepad finally gets spellcheck and autocorrect |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-notepad-finally-gets-spellcheck-and-autocorrect/ |access-date=March 24, 2024 |work=[[Bleeping Computer]]}}</ref>
On March 21, 2024, Microsoft announced that it is adding spellcheck and autocorrect to Notepad for Windows 11.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=March 21, 2024 |title=Notepad in Windows 11 is finally getting a spellcheck feature |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/21/24107882/notepad-spellcheck-windows-11-feature |access-date=March 24, 2024 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Abrams |first=Lawrence |date=March 21, 2024 |title=Windows 11 Notepad finally gets spellcheck and autocorrect |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-notepad-finally-gets-spellcheck-and-autocorrect/ |access-date=March 24, 2024 |work=[[Bleeping Computer]]}}</ref>
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Notepad is a [[text editor]], i.e., an app specialized in editing [[plain text]]. It can edit [[text file]]s (bearing the ".txt" [[filename extension]]) and compatible formats, such as [[batch file]]s, [[INI file]]s, and [[log file]]s.
Notepad is a [[text editor]], i.e., an app specialized in editing [[plain text]]. It can edit [[text file]]s (bearing the ".txt" [[filename extension]]) and compatible formats, such as [[batch file]]s, [[INI file]]s, and [[log file]]s.


Notepad offers only the most basic text manipulation functions, such as finding and replacing text. Until [[Windows ME]], there were almost no keyboard shortcuts and no line-counting feature. Starting with [[Windows 2000]], shortcuts for common commands like "New", "Open", and "Save" were added, as well as a status bar with a line counter (available only when word-wrap is disabled). Before [[Windows 10 version 1809]], Notepad could not properly interpret either [[Unix]]-style or [[Classic Mac OS|Mac]]-style [[newline]] characters.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Introducing extended line endings support in Notepad |url=http://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/05/08/extended-eol-in-notepad/ |website=Windows Command Line Blog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=2018-05-09 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509202114/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/05/08/extended-eol-in-notepad/ |archive-date=2018-05-09}}</ref> Windows 10 version 1809 also introduced the {{keypress|Ctrl|Backspace}} keyboard shortcut (deletes the previous word), zoom functionality, the ability to zoom in and out, and the "Search with [[Microsoft Bing|Bing]]" function.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huculak |first1=Mauro |title=Check out all the changes in Notepad in the October 2018 Update |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/whats-new-notepad-windows-10-october-2018-update |website=Windows Central |date=5 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New features in Notepad in Windows 10 |url=https://www.thewindowsclub.com/new-features-in-notepad-in-windows-10-v1809 |website=The Windows Club |date=9 October 2018}}</ref>
Notepad offers only the most basic text manipulation functions, such as finding and replacing text. Until [[Windows ME]], there were almost no keyboard shortcuts and no line-counting feature. Starting with [[Windows 2000]], shortcuts for common commands like "New", "Open", and "Save" were added, as well as a status bar with a line counter (available only when word-wrap is disabled). Before [[Windows 10 version 1809]], Notepad could not properly interpret either [[Unix]]-style or [[Classic Mac OS|Mac]]-style [[newline]] characters.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Introducing extended line endings support in Notepad |url=http://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/05/08/extended-eol-in-notepad/ |website=Windows Command Line Blog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=2018-05-09 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180509202114/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/05/08/extended-eol-in-notepad/ |archive-date=2018-05-09}}</ref> Windows 10 version 1809 also introduced the {{keypress|Ctrl|Backspace}} keyboard shortcut (deletes the previous word), zoom functionality, the ability to zoom in and out, and the "Search with [[Microsoft Bing|Bing]]" function.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huculak |first1=Mauro |title=Check out all the changes in Notepad in the October 2018 Update |url=http://www.windowscentral.com/whats-new-notepad-windows-10-october-2018-update |website=Windows Central |date=5 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New features in Notepad in Windows 10 |url=https://www.thewindowsclub.com/new-features-in-notepad-in-windows-10-v1809 |website=The Windows Club |date=9 October 2018}}</ref>


Improving performance has been the main focus of Notepad's development. As part of this effort, Notepad is capable of reading text files even when other apps have acquired a [[file locking|range-based lock on the file]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Chen |first=Raymond |date=21 May 2018 |title=Maintaining Notepad is not a full-time job, but it's not an empty job either |url=http://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20180521-00/?p=98795 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=The Old New Thing |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |quote=To load a file, Notepad maps a view of the file as a memory-mapped file and uses that as the source. The code figures out the encoding, performs a code page conversion to UTF-16LE if necessary, puts the result in a memory block, and then uses the EM_SETHANDLE message to hand that entire block to the edit control. }}</ref>
Improving performance has been the main focus of Notepad's development. As part of this effort, Notepad is capable of reading text files even when other apps have acquired a [[file locking|range-based lock on the file]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Chen |first=Raymond |date=21 May 2018 |title=Maintaining Notepad is not a full-time job, but it's not an empty job either |url=http://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20180521-00/?p=98795 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=The Old New Thing |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |quote=To load a file, Notepad maps a view of the file as a memory-mapped file and uses that as the source. The code figures out the encoding, performs a code page conversion to UTF-16LE if necessary, puts the result in a memory block, and then uses the EM_SETHANDLE message to hand that entire block to the edit control. }}</ref>


On [[Windows 95]] and earlier, Notepad renders text files in the [[Fixedsys]] [[font]]. Starting with [[Windows NT 4.0]] and [[Windows 98]], it allows users to choose their own font to display the text. They cannot, however, select individual parts of the text and change their fonts.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/windowsntworksta0000wyat|title=Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Bible|last=Wyatt|first=Allen L.|publisher=[[IDG Books]]|date=1996|access-date=2022-03-08|page=239|isbn=0-7645-8011-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/upgradingtowindo00russ|title=Upgrading to Windows 98|last1=Russel|first1=Charlie|last2=Crawford|first2=Sharon|publisher=[[Sybex]]|date=1998|access-date=2022-03-08|page=304|isbn=0-7821-2190-X}}</ref> Its default font changed to [[Lucida Console]] on [[Windows 2000]], and [[Consolas]] on [[Windows 8]].
On [[Windows 95]] and earlier, Notepad renders text files in the [[Fixedsys]] [[font]]. Starting with [[Windows NT 4.0]] and [[Windows 98]], it allows users to choose their own font to display the text. They cannot, however, select individual parts of the text and change their fonts.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/windowsntworksta0000wyat |title=Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Bible|last=Wyatt|first=Allen L.|publisher=[[IDG Books]]|date=1996|access-date=2022-03-08|page=239|isbn=0-7645-8011-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/upgradingtowindo00russ |title=Upgrading to Windows 98|last1=Russel|first1=Charlie |last2=Crawford|first2=Sharon |publisher=[[Sybex]]|date=1998|access-date=2022-03-08|page=304|isbn=0-7821-2190-X}}</ref> Its default font changed to [[Lucida Console]] on [[Windows 2000]], and [[Consolas]] on [[Windows 8]].


Notepad can print files. It allows customizing headers, footers, and margins before printing. The date, file name, and other information can be placed in the headers and footers with various codes consisting of an ampersand ('&') followed by a letter.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-ZwffW4XcYC&pg=PA94|title=Windows XP Power Hound: Teach Yourself New Tricks|last=Gralla|first=Preston|publisher=[[Pogue Press]]|date=2005|access-date=2022-03-08|pages=94–95|isbn=0-596-00619-5}}</ref>
Notepad can print files. It allows customizing headers, footers, and margins before printing. The date, file name, and other information can be placed in the headers and footers with various codes consisting of an ampersand ('&') followed by a letter.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-ZwffW4XcYC&pg=PA94 |title=Windows XP Power Hound: Teach Yourself New Tricks|last=Gralla|first=Preston |publisher=[[Pogue Press]]|date=2005|access-date=2022-03-08|pages=94–95|isbn=0-596-00619-5}}</ref>


Notepad accepts text from the Windows [[clipboard (software)|clipboard]], but only in the CF_TEXT format.<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.binghamton.edu/~reckert/360/15_clipboard_f03.html |title=The Clipboard |access-date=September 29, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226035433/http://cs.binghamton.edu/~reckert/360/15_clipboard_f03.html |archive-date=2009-02-26}}</ref> It strips the pasted text of any embedded font and style information. One could temporarily paste formatted text into Notepad, then immediately copy it again to obtain the raw text.
Notepad accepts text from the Windows [[clipboard (software)|clipboard]], but only in the CF_TEXT format.<ref>"{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.binghamton.edu/~reckert/360/15_clipboard_f03.html |title=The Clipboard |access-date=September 29, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226035433/http://cs.binghamton.edu/~reckert/360/15_clipboard_f03.html |archive-date=2009-02-26}}</ref> It strips the pasted text of any embedded font and style information. One could temporarily paste formatted text into Notepad, then immediately copy it again to obtain the raw text.


Notepad has a simple logging function. Each time it opens a file with ".LOG" on its first line, the app inserts a timestamp on the file's last line.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 19, 2005|title=Features of LOG and Time/Date Command in Notepad|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/81067|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070628221631/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/81067|archive-date=June 28, 2007|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=December 20, 2004|title=How to Use Notepad to Create a Log File|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260563|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406104758/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260563|archive-date=April 6, 2005|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>
Notepad has a simple logging function. Each time it opens a file with ".LOG" on its first line, the app inserts a timestamp on the file's last line.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 19, 2005|title=Features of LOG and Time/Date Command in Notepad|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/81067 |url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070628221631/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/81067 |archive-date=June 28, 2007|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=December 20, 2004|title=How to Use Notepad to Create a Log File|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260563 |url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050406104758/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260563 |archive-date=April 6, 2005|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>
 
Simple [[Markdown]] support was added in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Endicott |first1=Sean |title=You can now make text bold or italic in Notepad — hell has frozen over |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/you-can-now-make-text-bold-or-italic-in-notepad-hell-has-frozen-over |publisher=[[Future plc|Windows Central]] |language=en |date=3 July 2025}}</ref>


===Encoding support===
===Encoding support===
Line 69: Line 72:
===Unicode detection===
===Unicode detection===
{{Main article|Bush hid the facts}}
{{Main article|Bush hid the facts}}
On the [[Windows NT family]] of operating systems (including [[Windows 2000]] and [[Windows XP]]), Notepad can detect Unicode files even when they lack a [[byte order mark]]. To do this, it calls the <code>IsTextUnicode()</code> function of the [[Windows API]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318672(v=vs.85).aspx |title=IsTextUnicode() |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=January 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910175750/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318672(v=vs.85).aspx |archive-date=2016-09-10}}</ref> Until [[Windows Vista]], this function was imperfect, incorrectly identifying some all-lowercase [[ASCII]] text as UTF-16. As a result, Notepad interpreted a file containing a phrase like "aaaa aaa aaa aaaaa" ("4-3-3-5") as a two-byte-encoded Unicode text file. If a font with support for Chinese was installed, nine Chinese characters (桴獩愠灰挠湡戠敲歡) would display. Otherwise, it would display square [[substitute character]]s instead of Chinese characters. This issue was resolved on Windows Vista and newer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chen|first=Raymond|date=April 17, 2007|title=The Notepad file encoding problem, redux|url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20070417-00/?p=27223|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903031351/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2007/04/17/2158334.aspx|archive-date=2011-09-03|access-date=2019-03-20|work=The Old New Thing|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kaplan|first=Michael S.|date=March 25, 2008|title=Bush might've still hid the facts, but he can't hide them from Vista SP1/Server 2008 Notepad|url=http://archives.miloush.net/michkap/archive/2008/03/25/8334796.html|access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref>
On the [[Windows NT family]] of operating systems (including [[Windows 2000]] and [[Windows XP]]), Notepad can detect Unicode files even when they lack a [[byte order mark]]. To do this, it calls the <code>IsTextUnicode()</code> function of the [[Windows API]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318672(v=vs.85).aspx |title=IsTextUnicode() |work=[[MSDN]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=January 28, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910175750/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318672(v=vs.85).aspx |archive-date=2016-09-10}}</ref> Until [[Windows Vista]], this function was imperfect, incorrectly identifying some all-lowercase [[ASCII]] text as UTF-16. As a result, Notepad interpreted a file containing a phrase like "aaaa aaa aaa aaaaa" ("4-3-3-5") as a two-byte-encoded Unicode text file. If a font with support for Chinese was installed, nine Chinese characters (桴獩愠灰挠湡戠敲歡) would display. Otherwise, it would display square [[substitute character]]s instead of Chinese characters. This issue was resolved on Windows Vista and newer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chen|first=Raymond|date=April 17, 2007|title=The Notepad file encoding problem, redux|url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20070417-00/?p=27223|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903031351/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2007/04/17/2158334.aspx|archive-date=2011-09-03|access-date=2019-03-20|work=The Old New Thing|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kaplan|first=Michael S.|date=March 25, 2008|title=Bush might've still hid the facts, but he can't hide them from Vista SP1/Server 2008 Notepad|url=http://archives.miloush.net/michkap/archive/2008/03/25/8334796.html|access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref>


== Competing software ==
== Competing software ==
{{Further|Comparison of text editors|List of text editors}}
{{Further|Comparison of text editors|List of text editors}}
Notepad lacks many basic features available in other text editors, such as block selection and [[multiple document interface|MDI]]. There are many third-party replacements for Notepad with additional functionality, such as AkelPad, [[Metapad]], [[Notepad++]], Notepad2, and [[TED Notepad]], which include features such as, but not limited to:
Notepad lacks many basic features available in other text editors, such as block selection and until recently [[multiple document interface|MDI]], Notepad now supports a tabbed interface that allows opening and switching between documents in different tabs, also now retains information typed into open tabs on closing the application. There are many third-party replacements for Notepad with additional functionality, such as AkelPad, [[Metapad]], [[Notepad++]], Notepad2, and [[TED Notepad]], which include features such as, but not limited to:


* [[undo]] history
* [[undo]] history

Latest revision as of 17:59, 27 June 2026

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote".Script error: No such module "Distinguish".Script error: No such module "Infobox". Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Windows Notepad (commonly known simply as Notepad) is a simple text editor for Windows; it creates and edits plain text documents. It was first released in 1983 to commercialize the computer mouse in MS-DOS, replacing the legacy MS-DOS Editor.

History

In May 1983, at the COMDEX computer expo in Atlanta, Microsoft introduced the Multi-Tool Notepad, a mouse-based text editor Richard Brodie had created as a stripped down version of Multi-Tool Word. Notepad had the ability to bold, underline or italicise text removed. All these programs were to support the release of the $195 Microsoft Mouse, with the mouse including Notepad or Word, sometimes both, depending on the date.[1][2][3] Most visitors had never heard of a computer mouse before.[4] The mouse began shipping in July.[5] Initial sales were modest because it had no use other than running the programs included in the box (a tutorial, a Doodle drawing app, a musical piano app, Multi-Tool Notepad and/or Multi-tool Word.)[6]

The Multi-Tool product line began with expert systems for the Multiplan spreadsheet.[7][8] On the suggestion of Rowland Hanson, Microsoft dropped the Multi-Tool brand name. Hanson's rationale was that "the brand is the hero" and people wouldn't automatically associate "Multi-Tool" with Microsoft. As a result, the Multi-Tool Notepad and the Multi-Tool Word became Windows Notepad and Microsoft Word, respectively. (Hanson also convinced Bill Gates to rename "Interface Manager" to "Windows" before the release of Windows 1.0.)[4][6]

Since then, Notepad has been part of Microsoft Windows.

Change in development model

Since the introduction of Microsoft Store in 2012, Microsoft has converted some of the built-in Windows apps into Microsoft Store apps (e.g., Sticky Notes), so that they could be updated independent of Windows releases. Within three years, Notepad has appeared on Microsoft Store thrice. The first time was in August 2019; it vanished shortly thereafter.[9] This version required Windows 10 preview build 18963.[10] During this short-lived presence on the Store, technology news blogs speculated that Microsoft intended to de-couple Notepad's life-cycle from that of Windows 10 and update it more frequently through Microsoft Store.[10][11] Notepad appeared on Microsoft Store for a second time in April 2020, this time, featuring a new logo. It runs on the preview versions of Windows 10, build number 19541 or later.[9][12]

On 16 February 2022, Microsoft started rolling out a new and redesigned version of Notepad to all Windows 11 users. This version had dark mode added and a new "find and replace" flyout with the same functionality. Notepad is now available in the Microsoft Store in both Windows 10 and 11.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

On March 21, 2024, Microsoft announced that it is adding spellcheck and autocorrect to Notepad for Windows 11.[13][14]

On November 6, 2024, Microsoft announced that rewriting tools powered by LLMs will be added to Notepad.[15] Users will be able to rewrite selected text, adjust its length and modify its tone and format, similar to Grammarly's AI writing features.

The new features are available to Windows Insider members in the Canary and Dev Channels and will be available to all Windows 11 users at a later time.

Features

Notepad is a text editor, i.e., an app specialized in editing plain text. It can edit text files (bearing the ".txt" filename extension) and compatible formats, such as batch files, INI files, and log files.

Notepad offers only the most basic text manipulation functions, such as finding and replacing text. Until Windows ME, there were almost no keyboard shortcuts and no line-counting feature. Starting with Windows 2000, shortcuts for common commands like "New", "Open", and "Save" were added, as well as a status bar with a line counter (available only when word-wrap is disabled). Before Windows 10 version 1809, Notepad could not properly interpret either Unix-style or Mac-style newline characters.[16] Windows 10 version 1809 also introduced the Template:Keypress keyboard shortcut (deletes the previous word), zoom functionality, the ability to zoom in and out, and the "Search with Bing" function.[17][18]

Improving performance has been the main focus of Notepad's development. As part of this effort, Notepad is capable of reading text files even when other apps have acquired a range-based lock on the file.[19]

On Windows 95 and earlier, Notepad renders text files in the Fixedsys font. Starting with Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98, it allows users to choose their own font to display the text. They cannot, however, select individual parts of the text and change their fonts.[20][21] Its default font changed to Lucida Console on Windows 2000, and Consolas on Windows 8.

Notepad can print files. It allows customizing headers, footers, and margins before printing. The date, file name, and other information can be placed in the headers and footers with various codes consisting of an ampersand ('&') followed by a letter.[22]

Notepad accepts text from the Windows clipboard, but only in the CF_TEXT format.[23] It strips the pasted text of any embedded font and style information. One could temporarily paste formatted text into Notepad, then immediately copy it again to obtain the raw text.

Notepad has a simple logging function. Each time it opens a file with ".LOG" on its first line, the app inserts a timestamp on the file's last line.[24][25]

Simple Markdown support was added in 2025.[26]

Encoding support

Notepad supports the following character encodings:

  • "ANSI" (the locale-dependent codepage)
  • Unicode, encoded as:
    • UCS-2 (Windows NT 3.5 to 2000)
    • UTF-16 (Windows 2000 or later), both little- and big-endian
    • UTF-8 (Windows 2000 or later)
      • Before Windows 10, Notepad always inserted a byte order mark character at the start of the file. Since Windows 10, the BOM has been optional.

Starting with Windows 10 1809 Insider build, it supports Unix-style (LF) and Classic Mac OS -style (CR) line endings, along with the native DOS/Windows CRLF style. Before this, only CRLF line endings were recognized.[27]

Opening and editing in left-to-right and right-to-left based languages are done via RichEdit controls and input method editors, available in versions for Windows XP or later.

Limitations

Notepad used a built-in window class named EDIT. The maximum file size Notepad can open depends on operating system limitations on the size of the EDIT window class, with a different limit in each version of Windows. Because of this limitation, on Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, and Windows 3.11, Notepad could not open files larger than 54 KB. (Microsoft recommended using another text editor for opening files larger than 45 KB.)[28] This limit was extended to 64 KB in Windows 95, with users now directed to WordPad for larger files. On Windows XP, Notepad was limited to 32 MB and declined to open bigger files.[29] On Windows 11, Notepad uses the RichEdit control.[30] The size limit was raised to about 1 GB, and attempting to open any file larger than that shows a dialog box suggesting that the user open it with a different text editor.[31]

Unicode detection

Template:Main article

On the Windows NT family of operating systems (including Windows 2000 and Windows XP), Notepad can detect Unicode files even when they lack a byte order mark. To do this, it calls the IsTextUnicode() function of the Windows API.[32] Until Windows Vista, this function was imperfect, incorrectly identifying some all-lowercase ASCII text as UTF-16. As a result, Notepad interpreted a file containing a phrase like "aaaa aaa aaa aaaaa" ("4-3-3-5") as a two-byte-encoded Unicode text file. If a font with support for Chinese was installed, nine Chinese characters (桴獩愠灰挠湡戠敲歡) would display. Otherwise, it would display square substitute characters instead of Chinese characters. This issue was resolved on Windows Vista and newer.[33][34]

Competing software

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". Notepad lacks many basic features available in other text editors, such as block selection and until recently MDI, Notepad now supports a tabbed interface that allows opening and switching between documents in different tabs, also now retains information typed into open tabs on closing the application. There are many third-party replacements for Notepad with additional functionality, such as AkelPad, Metapad, Notepad++, Notepad2, and TED Notepad, which include features such as, but not limited to:

See also

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ "Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

  • Script error: No such module "Official website".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Notepad FAQ in Windows Vista documentation at Microsoft.com – Script error: No such module "webarchive".

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