Windows 11s Notepad app is getting new formatting tricks that are already proving controversial

Date:
Mon, 02 Jun 2025 10:36:49 +0000

Description:
Notepad keeps getting more features, and Microsofts latest move to add lightweight formatting options is divisive, shall we say.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Notepad is getting light text formatting abilities but only in testing These allow
you to use bold and italics, headings, and lists Some folks appreciate those formatting extras, while others see them as further bloat though in this case, the functionality can be turned off

Notepad is getting light text formatting abilities in testing, in yet another move to extend the feature set of the app which has proved predictably divisive.

Microsoft wrote a blog post describing the changes which have started to
roll out to Windows 11 testers in the Canary and Dev channels via an update
to the Notepad app (version 11.2504.50.0).

The formatting capabilities are a light sprinkling of support for bolding and italics, hyperlinks, as well as headings (in a more prominent font) and basic lists (using bullet points and the like).

Microsoft explains that the markdown formatting syntax is used, meaning that this keeps the implementation simple and streamlined. Furthermore, this formatting support can be turned off in Notepad settings if youre not going
to use it, and dont want it hanging around. Analysis: Light (formatting) and shade (Image credit: Microsoft)

This sounds like a straightforward enough potentially useful move, so why is it divisive as I indicated at the outset? If you peruse a few Reddit threads on this addition for Notepad, while youll see there are some users who
approve of this plan, it wont be long before you come across someone who isnt pleased about the introduction of text formatting here.

The reason some folks have beef with what Microsoft is doing with Notepad, in terms of adding more and more features which has been the case for a while now is that its supposed to be a lightweight, quick to load and responsive text editor. The fear is that unnecessary bloat is going to encumber the app and slow it down.

In this case, though, the added formatting options are going to be quite useful for some (especially those folks who miss WordPad, the other more fleshed-out text editor that Microsoft canned a while back ). And as theyre implemented in markdown, as noted, any performance impact should be minimal (or hopefully non-existent). On top of that, with it being possible to turn off the formatting, this isnt a feature that should be contributing to any worries around bloat.

AI-powered extras, on the other hand , well, that might be a different
kettle of fish , but its clear enough that Microsoft is set on continuing to travel down the road of providing fresh functionality for Notepad. You might also like... Windows 11 is getting more AI shortcuts, but is Microsoft in danger of cluttering up the OS with AI creep? Cant upgrade to Windows 11?
This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends Been hiding from Windows 11 24H2 due to the fuss about all
the bugs? Theres nowhere to run now as Microsofts made the update compulsory



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/windows-11s-notepad-app-is-getting -new-formatting-tricks-that-are-already-proving-controversial


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