New Update Microsoft is killing WordPad in Windows after 28 years

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Microsoft announced today that it will deprecate WordPad with a future Windows update as it's no longer under active development, though the company did not specify the precise timing of this change.

WordPad is a basic text-editing application that allows users to create and edit documents with formatted text and include images and links to other files.

It is automatically installed on Windows systems starting in 1995 since Windows 95 was released, providing users with a basic word processor and document editor integrated into the operating system.

The company now suggests the Microsoft Word app as a replacement for WordPad users and Notepad for those who don't need rich text support.

"WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows," Microsoft revealed today.

"We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt."

This doesn't come as a surprise, given that the program has been an optional Windows feature since the Windows 10 Insider Build 19551 release in February 2020.

Even though it's still being installed by default on all Windows systems, it made it possible to uninstall it using the 'Optional features' control panel.

While not tagged by Redmond as the reason for discontinuing WordPad, earlier this year, the Qbot malware operation also started infecting computers and evading detection by abusing a DLL hijacking flaw in the Windows 10 WordPad app.
 
F

ForgottenSeer 97327

My father was a big fan of Wordpad. It had all the things he needed for a simple text editor. I had a discussing with him trying to move him to Word. I remember telling him Word had a spell checker and he answered so what? I Well, I said it corrects language mistakes you make. He answered: don't need that, I paid attention at school!

He had a point though. I am for fun a part time teacher now. When I ask the class, anyone interested in earning 50 euro's? I got everyone's attention. They simply don't know the anser to a simple math question like how much is 6x8 in 3 secs. My Dutch also has become worse by using text processors
 

oldschool

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I never really understood why Microsoft ships two different apps for text in Windows. They should really just create a normal one with all the features of Notepad and Wordpad. Or, just ship Word with Windows.
Indeed. I have no need for full-blown Word and won't use my MSA to use the free version. For those brave enough to persevere after it's officially gone, save a copy of the folder somewhere else for future use.
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Windows 11 users protest Microsoft’s WordPad removal, ‘It is faster than MS Word’
In Feedback Hub posts and our comments section, users argued WordPad is the best app for loading RTF files, and it also offers image support, which is missing in Notepad. One user argued that WordPad’s ability to load RTF files swiftly is unmatched by MS Word.

“I use WordPad for RTF files because it loads faster than MS Word. I keep reference notes in RTF format since Notepad doesn’t allow text formatting. Please add WordPad to the Microsoft Store as you did with MS Paint when it was deprecated from Windows,” one user noted in a Feedback Hub post.

The narrative around WordPad’s relevance in today’s context is mixed. For some, WordPad feels out of place, like something old from a time when people only choose between simple and fancy text. But for others, WordPad is useful because of its simple way of handling RTFs.

“Using WordPad, I can easily make RTF email signatures without any extra unnecessary details. Doing the same thing in Word makes the file much bigger,” another user noted.

The use of .RTF files is still common for many. One person explained, “I often use .RTF for simple documents because they’re not heavy. I used WordPad just yesterday to write down steps for a server task. It’s great when you don’t want a big word program and aren’t online. It’s the only built-in tool to put text and pictures in one document.”

Some users also hoped for WordPad improvements, like adding spell check and grammar checks, similar to Microsoft Word, but Microsoft has made it clear it has no plans to continue supporting WordPad on Windows.
 

vtqhtr413

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WordPad was introduced in Windows 95 as a basic rich text editor, but starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020, it was removed from Windows and cannot be officially reinstalled. There are many great free alternatives, like LibreOffice Writer, but you can get WordPad back if you really want.

First, you need to download the WordPad application. There are two versions: the application for x86 64-bit computers (also known as x86_64 or amd64), and the application for ARM 64-bit computers. If you aren't sure which one is for your PC, you probably need the x86 version. You can check by opening the Settings app, clicking the "System" tab, and clicking "About" at the bottom. It will say "x64-based processor" for x86 64-bit or "ARM-based processor" for ARM 64-bit.

WordPad for x86 64-bit Windows 11

WordPad for ARM 64-bit Windows 11

These are backups I created from my own computer. The x86 version was from my gaming PC running Windows 11 build 22621.2861, and the ARM version is from a Parallels virtual machine running Windows 11 build 22631.2861. The archive contains a folder called "WordPad," which you can place anywhere on your PC. It's not an installer.
Continue reading instructions
 

nicolaasjan

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@vtqhtr413
You can find the files in:
C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories

Of course you'll need the language file for your specific locale as well (in my case it is in the nl-NL folder).
Tested this in my Windows 10 VM and it worked. :)

Now I wonder if this backup from my Windows 10 will be compatible with Windows 11 in the future. :unsure:
In any case, it didn't work in Windows 7...
(not a valid Win32 application)
 

silversurfer

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In a document published on the official Microsoft Learn website, the company says that WordPad will be removed from Windows 11 version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025. Both operating systems will ship without WordPad components, namely wordpad.exe, write.exe, and wordpadfilter.dll. Microsoft recommends developers avoid referencing those files in their apps and instead use Microsoft Word and Notepad.

Although WordPad had a pretty basic set of features, it was still a decent rich-text editor with RTF support. Starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, which is also known as Windows 11 2024 Update, the operating system will no longer have a built-in text editor with RTF support. If you often work with this file format, Microsoft recommends using Word. As for regular text files (TXT), Microsoft says Notepad should suffice, especially in light of the latter getting plenty of new features and upgrades.
 

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