Editor's take: Microsoft is having a tough time leaving Windows Notepad well enough alone. The classic text editor is effectively gone, replaced by a "new" version that keeps accumulating a growing list of features Windows users never asked for.
Microsoft is reportedly working on yet another "advanced" Notepad feature that has little to do with basic text editing. According to unnamed sources cited by Windows Latest, the application will soon support inserting images into text-based documents.
Developers in Redmond have been testing image support in internal Notepad builds, the sources said, and have found no significant impact on performance. The feature is tied to Markdown support, which Notepad gained in 2025 along with expanded formatting options.
Recent Notepad updates released to beta testers in the Windows Insider program already include a new "Image" button, visible in the app's "What's New" dialog. The button is not yet functional but is expected to become operational in the coming months.
Like other formatting features, image support will reportedly be optional and can be disabled in Notepad's settings. According to internal sources, Microsoft is positioning the addition as a way to increase Notepad's "flexibility" and enhance note-taking workflows.
Microsoft now describes Notepad as an "elevated" text editor, complete with rich formatting options and AI-powered writing tools tied to Copilot. The app also supports tables, a feature built on the Markdown functionality introduced earlier.
In effect, Notepad has replaced WordPad as the native rich-text editor in Windows 11. Microsoft retired WordPad in 2024, removing a tool that had survived decades of policy shifts dating back to the Windows 95 era. Users who need a simple but capable document editor must now either install a third-party suite such as LibreOffice or adopt the Markdown-based workflow Microsoft is promoting in the newly "elevated" Notepad.
A growing number of frustrated users see Notepad as a symbol of what they believe is wrong with Windows 11. Microsoft is using the text editor to showcase new AI features and advanced formatting options, critics argue, while users contend with increasing reliability and security concerns.
The company was recently forced to patch a remote code execution vulnerability in Notepad. A basic note-taking app would not typically require network-connected features, yet Microsoft continues to expand the app's scope – leaving some users wary of the potential trade-offs.