Microsoft has announced plans to discontinue WordPad for Windows. This move follows a series of changes, including the discontinuation of Visual Studio for Mac and certain features in Microsoft Edge. According to a recently updated support document noticed by tech news portal Neowin, WordPad has reached the end of its journey on the Windows platform. Microsoft has confirmed that the application will no longer receive updates and will ultimately be removed in a "future release" of the operating system.
While Microsoft has not provided specific timelines for the removal of WordPad, it is advising users who rely on rich text document extensions such as .doc and .rtf to transition to Microsoft Word. For those who use plain text documents in the .txt format, Microsoft recommends using Notepad as an alternative.
This is the official notification:
WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.
The impact of this decision on Windows users remains uncertain, as there are various alternatives to WordPad available. Nevertheless, WordPad holds historical significance, as it has been a part of the Windows ecosystem since Windows 95, accompanying the debut of Internet Explorer. It replaced Microsoft Write as the default word processor bundled with Windows nearly three decades ago.
Despite receiving a few minor updates over the years, WordPad has become somewhat outdated compared to alternative software options, which are often considered more robust. Users seeking free word processing capabilities for rich text formats can turn to Office web apps available on the cloud. Additionally, those who prefer locally installed software can explore open-source office suites like LibreOffice.
Microsoft's decision to retire WordPad aligns with its broader strategy of streamlining its software offerings and focusing on more modern and versatile solutions.