Microsoft's Classic WordPad To Retire After 30 Years

Even as WordPad is poised to be retired, its predecessor Notepad appears set to persist as a Windows staple.

The text editing software, introduced with Windows 95, will no longer come pre-installed on Windows 11.

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Microsoft has recently announced that WordPad, which was a longstanding Windows app for over three decades, is slated for removal from upcoming Windows 11 builds. The text editing software, introduced with Windows 95, will no longer come pre-installed on Windows 11 and will be gradually phased out, the media has reported.

As revealed in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020 for the Canary Channel, the software giant clarified that WordPad won't be re-installable once removed. This strongly indicates the imminent removal of the classic app.

Microsoft has traditionally positioned WordPad as a compromise between the comprehensive features of Word and the minimalistic Notepad. Initially favoured for its basic formatting options such as fonts, colours and paragraph alignment, WordPad gained popularity for handling smaller documents and notes. However, over time, it appears that WordPad faced pressure as Microsoft directed users towards Word for more intricate documents and Notepad for straightforward plain text.

Even as WordPad is poised to be retired, its predecessor Notepad appears set to persist as a Windows staple.

For numerous users, WordPad served as their initial introduction to word processing before transitioning to Word. However, Microsoft's decision to retire WordPad reflects a clear effort to streamline applications according to contemporary document creation needs. Notepad caters to swift note-taking, while the all-encompassing Office suite addresses more advanced requirements. After three decades of technological evolution, WordPad has become the outlier in this streamlined approach.

The company subtly indicated this direction in its documentation, advising the use of Word for rich text formats and Notepad for plain text. With viable alternatives at hand, Microsoft probably perceived limited value in further WordPad development. Signs of this shift were evident, as Microsoft overlooked updating WordPad with a dark mode for Windows 11.

In contrast, Notepad not only received a dark mode but is also scheduled to incorporate new autosave capabilities.