Microsoft Kills WordPad from Windows with Future Update

Microsoft has decided to discontinue WordPad, a long-standing application that has been part of the Windows operating system for decades. The company confirmed that the application will no longer receive updates and will be removed in subsequent releases of Windows.

Shift to Other Microsoft Products

On the Deprecated features for Windows client page, Microsoft stated on September 1, 2023, “WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows.” The company went on to recommend alternatives for users, suggesting, “We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.”

Implications and Wordpad Alternatives

With the removal of WordPad, users will need to transition to other text editing tools available within the Windows environment. Microsoft of course recommends its text processor Word to those who work with .doc and .rtf files. There is a free Web version of Microsoft Word with limitations that you can use without a Microsoft 365 subscription. For simpler needs, such as editing .txt files, you can still use the official Notepad app that comes with Windows.

Another free alternative to Wordpad (and Word) is Google Docs, which also allows you to create, edit, and share documents online. Google Docs has many advantages, such as real-time collaboration, cloud storage, version history, and access from any device. Google Docs also supports voice typing, translation, and dictation.

One of the most popular and powerful alternatives is LibreOffice – Writer, which is an open source word processor that can handle all kinds of documents, from simple notes to complex books. LibreOffice – Writer has a user-friendly interface, a rich set of features, and compatibility with Microsoft Word and other formats. You can also customize it with themes, templates, extensions, and plugins.

If you prefer a minimalist and distraction-free writing environment, you might want to try FocusWriter, which is a free and open source word processor that blocks out everything else on your screen except your text. FocusWriter lets you focus on your writing without any distractions, such as menus, toolbars, notifications, or pop-ups. You can also set goals, timers, alarms, and themes to motivate yourself.

Last Updated on November 8, 2024 11:38 am CET