Microsoft has officially announced that it will no longer update WordPad and plans to remove the long-standing word processing application from a future release of the Windows operating system. WordPad, a basic word processing tool that has been a part of Windows since Windows 95, will no longer receive updates and will ultimately be phased out. The company recommends users turn to Microsoft Word, a more feature-rich paid alternative, for their word processing needs.
In a support note published by Microsoft on a recent Friday, the company stated, “WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows.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.”
This move comes on the heels of Microsoft’s recent announcement that it is upgrading Windows Notepad with features such as autosave and automatic restoration of tabs. Notepad, which had seen minimal updates for years, received a significant overhaul in 2018, including the addition of tabs in the Windows 11 version.
In contrast, WordPad had not received the same level of attention in recent years. Although it was updated with the Ribbon UI in Windows 7, it had seen few major additions since a slight redesign for Windows 8. As a result, Microsoft has decided to remove WordPad altogether in a “future release of Windows.” This change is expected to coincide with the launch of Windows 12, which is anticipated to arrive in 2024, featuring numerous AI-powered enhancements.
The decision to retire WordPad reflects Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to streamline its software ecosystem and focus on more modern, feature-rich applications. While this announcement may evoke a sense of nostalgia among long-time Windows users, it underscores the company’s commitment to providing users with up-to-date and efficient tools to meet their evolving needs.
As Windows continues to evolve, users are encouraged to transition to Microsoft Word for their word processing requirements, as it offers a comprehensive set of features and capabilities that surpass those of the retiring WordPad.
