The simplest Windows app is no longer so simple

Notepad has long been Microsoft's simplest application for Windows just open, type, save, and exit; that's all there was to it. As part of the recent update to Windows 11, the company has introduced a new brand identity for Notepad, which represents a change to how Notepad is perceived by users.

When users initially launch Notepad now, they will see a welcome screen advertising it as as “Your essential text editor, elevated.”This may sound trivial, but it indicates how Microsoft will be using Notepad for additional functions beyond merely being a notepad/scratchpad. Notepad is now viewed by Microsoft as being able to act as an extension of users' creativity and imagination, provided not only with traditional writing capabilities but also through the application of AI enhancements

A new direction, without forcing change

The purpose of Notepad still exists and always will. You can just open it, start typing in plain text, and just ignore the rest. But Microsoft is now adding in some extra features for the people who want them, without messing with the way Notepad always has been.

The biggest change is AI-powered writing help in Notepad. The app can now chuck out text for you, rewrite it, or even summarize it for you. Crucially though, these tools are totally optional, not something that happens by accident. You can switch them off with one click in the settings menu, and the app will go straight back to normal; no need to restart or anything. Once you turn them off, Notepad works just like it always has.

That design choice is important. Microsoft has gotten a lot of stick in the past for pushing AI into loads of core Windows features. But here, they're taking a softer approach.

AI text streaming reaches all PCs

Another update worth mentioning is AI text streaming to more than just Copilot+ PCs now. If you tell Notepad to generate some text for you, the response is broken up and comes in more like a live stream, bit by bit. It's not all one load at once anymore.

This makes the tool feel a lot snappier and more interactive. You can stop the stream or change the output mid-flow, just like you can with modern chat-based tools. Microsoft is saying you need to be signed into a Microsoft account to use these features, though, no matter what kind of PC you're on.

Markdown support grows but stays light

Notepad is stepping up its Markdown game, and that's a good thing. Along with the basics, you can now work with nested lists. Think bullet points within bullet points for some added complexity. They've also snuck in strikethrough text and tables & inline formatting.

Microsoft talks about this new round of formatting as being "lightweight," and honestly I think that's a pretty accurate description. It doesn't seem to be slowing down Notepad at all. Not a single resource is being used more than before, and that's what you want out of a plain text app like this. If you just want to write in a straightforward, no-frills way, then you can just switch off the formatting altogether.

A small app, redefined

Microsoft has given Notepad a bit of a facelift, and it's no longer just a built-in app you forget exists. They're repositioning it as more of a general-purpose writing space that just so happens to be super flexible. You can go from just writing some plain text all the way up to structured notes or basically whatever you want. AI is on tap if you need it, but it's not forced on you.

That balance between features and simplicity might just be the best thing they've done so far.

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