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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Microsoft continues to add more features to Notepad on Windows: What's new
Microsoft's Notepad on Windows, long recognised for its simplicity and utility as a tool for removing text formatting, is now receiving a significant update that introduces new formatting capabilities. The update is currently being rolled out to testers in the Canary and Dev Channels of Windows 11. For the first time, Notepad users will be able to apply formatting such as bold and italic text, insert hyperlinks, and work directly with Markdown syntax within the application. Microsoft Notepad: What's new As part of the update, a new formatting toolbar has been introduced at the top of the Notepad window, alongside the familiar File, Edit, and View options. This toolbar provides access to basic formatting tools including bold, italic, and hyperlink insertion. It also includes options for creating lists and adding headings, offering users greater control over the structure of their content. In an official blog post, Microsoft explained the Markdown functionality, stating: 'The experience supports Markdown-style input and files for users who prefer to work directly with the lightweight markup language. You can switch between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views in the view menu or by selecting the toggle button in the status bar at the bottom of the window.' This represents a notable shift for Notepad, which has traditionally served as a default application for plain text editing and stripping out rich text formatting. With the addition of formatting tools, some users may question whether Notepad will retain its effectiveness in this original role. Notepad remains commonly used for writing and editing plain text, and removing formatting remains straightforward. Users can clear all formatting either via the new toolbar at the top or by selecting the relevant option from the Edit menu within the application. For those who prefer the traditional plain-text experience and do not find the lightweight formatting features useful, there is the option to disable them entirely. This can be done through the Notepad app's settings by turning off the formatting support feature. This latest update follows less than two weeks after Microsoft introduced an AI-powered capability designed to generate text based on user prompts. The newly launched 'Write' tool allows users to produce content quickly from basic inputs. With the introduction of formatting features, Notepad is beginning to resemble a streamlined version of Microsoft WordPad, which was discontinued in 2023.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
Microsoft updates Notepad app with new features after decades
After years of remaining a plain text editor, Microsoft's decades-old Notepad application is receiving a significant update, with a suite of new formatting capabilities. This aims to provide users greater flexibility in structuring their content, moving beyond its traditional minimalist approach. In a blog post, senior executive at Windows Inbox Apps Dave Grochocki said that Notepad will now have "lightweight formatting," which includes support for Markdown-style input. Users will now find a new formatting toolbar allowing them to easily apply bold and italic styling, create hyperlinks, and incorporate simple lists and headings directly within their files. This update caters particularly to those who prefer working with lightweight markup languages. Users who wish to revert to the simple Notepad can avail options to clear all formatting. The update also allows switching between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views, offering control over content display. For those who prefer the classic, unformatted Notepad, the formatting support can be entirely disabled within the app was launched in 1983, not as a standalone Windows app, but as "Multi-Tool Notepad". Richard Brodie created it as a stripped-down version of Microsoft's Multi-Tool Word. Its primary purpose at the time was to help commercialise the newly introduced Microsoft Mouse in MS-DOS environments. It was bundled with the mouse, often alongside started in MS-DOS but became an integral part of Windows from its early versions, including Windows 1.0 (released in 1985). For decades, Notepad was defined by its commitment to plain text.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Microsoft updates Notepad app with new features after decades
In a blog post, senior executive at Windows Inbox Apps Dave Grochocki said that Notepad will now have "lightweight formatting," which includes support for Markdown-style input. Users will now find a new formatting toolbar allowing them to easily apply bold and italic styling, create hyperlinks, and incorporate simple lists and headings directly within their files. This update caters particularly to those who prefer working with lightweight markup languages. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads After years of remaining a plain text editor, Microsoft's decades-old Notepad application is receiving a significant update, with a suite of new formatting capabilities. This aims to provide users greater flexibility in structuring their content, moving beyond its traditional minimalist a blog post, senior executive at Windows Inbox Apps Dave Grochocki said that Notepad will now have "lightweight formatting," which includes support for Markdown-style input. Users will now find a new formatting toolbar allowing them to easily apply bold and italic styling, create hyperlinks, and incorporate simple lists and headings directly within their files. This update caters particularly to those who prefer working with lightweight markup languages Users who wish to revert to the simple Notepad can avail options to clear all formatting. The update also allows switching between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views, offering control over content display. For those who prefer the classic, unformatted Notepad, the formatting support can be entirely disabled within the app was launched in 1983, not as a standalone Windows app, but as "Multi-Tool Notepad". Richard Brodie created it as a stripped-down version of Microsoft's Multi-Tool Word. Its primary purpose at the time was to help commercialise the newly introduced Microsoft Mouse in MS-DOS environments. It was bundled with the mouse, often alongside started in MS-DOS but became an integral part of Windows from its early versions, including Windows 1.0 (released in 1985). For decades, Notepad was defined by its commitment to plain text.
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Microsoft provides major revamp to Notepad, adds support for new formatting, hyperlinks and more
Microsoft is providing a much-needed upgrade to Notepad, allowing the vintage Windows app to format text in various styles such as bold and italic, while also adding support for hyperlinks and Markdown. The new update has rolled out to Notepad Canary and the Dev Channel, though there's no confirmation yet on when it will be available for stable users. You may be interested in Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps, while announcing the update in a blog post wrote, 'Microsoft is adding text formatting to its Windows Notepad app. The significant Notepad update is available for Canary and Dev Channel testers on Windows 11, and introduces bold and italic styling, alongside hyperlinks and even Markdown support.' The new lighweight formatting options are part of a new format tab that is located at the top alongside the File, Edit and View options. Apart from choosing styles like Bold and Italic, there is also an option to add lists for Headings and that too in different sizes. Formatting on Notepad The new options will definitely go a long way in helping users write in a more structured manner. However, given that most Windows users are accustomed to writing in plain text, Microsoft also offers the option to clear all formatting or fully disable the new feature by heading to the Notepad settings. Notably, the announcement about the new formatting feature comes almost a week after Microsoft revealed it is bringing the power of generative AI to Notepad. Users can now write new text using AI or improve their existing text directly within the Notepad app. With these updates, Notepad is beginning to look eerily similar to Microsoft Word and even Google Docs, which has become a popular free alternative to Microsoft's service. While the Notepad experience remained unchanged for years, Microsoft now seems determined to overhaul it with new functionality in this era of generative AI.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Microsoft Adds Bold and Italic to Notepad, Plus Markdown and More
Microsoft is giving its long-standing Notepad app a major makeover. In a bold move, the company has rolled out a new update that introduces text formatting features to Notepad, including support for bold and italic text, hyperlinks, lists, and even Markdown. The update is currently available to Windows 11 testers in the Canary and Dev Channels. A new formatting toolbar now appears at the top of the Notepad interface, offering users quick access to formatting tools while retaining the classic File, Edit, and View menus. The toolbar supports basic styling and structural elements, such as lists and headings, making Notepad significantly more versatile for writers and developers alike. 'The experience supports Markdown style input and files for users who prefer to work directly with the lightweight markup language,' said Dave Grochocki, principal product manager lead for Microsoft's Windows inbox apps. Users can switch between the formatted Markdown view and raw syntax using a toggle button in the status bar or through the view menu. For those who prefer plain text, Microsoft has made it easy to clear all formatting or even disable the feature entirely through Notepad settings. This enhancement follows closely on the heels of another recent update: the AI-powered 'Write' feature, which generates text based on user prompts. Together, these upgrades position Notepad as a lightweight yet powerful alternative to Word — a timely shift following Microsoft's decision to retire WordPad after nearly three decades.
