Microsoft announced today that the Windows 11 Notepad application is getting a text formatting feature supporting Markdown-style input.

The feature is being introduced one year after Microsoft removed the WordPad basic word processing app that had text formatting capabilities, with the rollout of Windows 11 24H2 to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel.

“With this update, we are introducing lightweight formatting in Notepad, providing additional flexibility in how you structure content across your files,” said Dave Grochocki, a Principal Product Manager Lead at Microsoft.

“The experience supports Markdown style input and files for users who prefer to work directly with the lightweight markup language. To get started, use the new formatting toolbar to apply formatting as you type or to selected text, including bold and italic styling, hyperlinks, and support for simple lists and headings.”

To switch to plain text in the currently opened document, you can quickly remove formatting using the toolbar or the edit menu. You can also toggle between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views from the view menu or the status bar.

Additionally, those who don’t need text formatting support when editing or viewing their documents in Notepad can disable it in the app settings.

This new Notepad capability is rolling out to all Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels who have updated the app to version 11.2504.50.0.

Stream of new Notepad features

However, the update is also part of a larger effort to modernize the Notepad app, which began in December 2021 with the launch of a fully redesigned Notepad app for Windows 11, 38 years after Microsoft introduced the original program in 1983.

Two years later, Redmond started testing support for multiple tabs and added a built-in character counter (this missing feature forced many Notepad users to use third-party alternatives such as Notepad++ or Notepad2).

In July 2024, the company also added spell check and autocorrect features in Notepad for all Windows 11 users that can fix spelling mistakes automatically as you type them.

More recently, since the start of 2025, Microsoft has also rolled out AI-powered text summarization and text generationfeatures for Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels, which require Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Copilot Pro subscriptions.

However, those who don’t want the new AI options can disable them from the app’s settings or uninstall the Windows Notepad app to use the Windows built-in notepad.exe program.