Microsoft wedges tables into Notepad for some reason
- Reference: 1763992813
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/11/24/notepad_tables_support/
- Source link:
Notepad might predate Windows, but Microsoft is still keen to add features to it. After adding support for [1]Markdown in June , replete with simple text formatting options, Microsoft has now added [2]table support .
The new functionality is rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels, and "you can now easily insert tables in your document to help structure your notes," according to Microsoft.
[3]
We're not sure who was clamoring for this feature, which, to be frank, would be better suited to a rich text editor. Microsoft already had one of those – WordPad – but [4]removed it from Windows in 2024.
[5]
[6]
While some might be relieved Microsoft is not stuffing yet more AI into Notepad, it has been tweaking what is already there for some time.
Summarize, Write, and Rewrite were made available to Insiders on Copilot+ PCs without a Microsoft subscription in September. However, users had to wait for the AI tools. The update introduces streaming result responses. "Results will start to appear quicker without the need to wait for the full response, providing a preview sooner that you can interact with," the company said.
[7]
Users will still need a Copilot+ PC or sign in with a Microsoft account.
It's difficult to understand where Microsoft is going with Notepad. Earlier this year, it [8]revived the DOS-era Edit tool , which seems at odds with Microsoft's direction. Aggressively lightweight, free of AI fripperies, and laser-focused on being good at one thing – editing text.
Notepad was also a handy text editor, but has strayed from its origins in recent years.
[9]Windows boss defends 'agentic OS' push as users plead for reliability
[10]Gorge on Microsoft Store apps with 16-at-once installer
[11]Norks droning on about your dream job while pwning your PC
[12]Feeling lonely? Microsoft Copilot can now listen to your every word, watch your screen
As one user [13]put it : "It's essentially not notepad anymore." Arguably, it has not been Notepad for a while.
While formatting – and now tables – adds utility to the tool, Microsoft also risks ladling on unnecessary complexity, pushing users to look elsewhere for their text-editing needs. The timing, coming as the company finds itself [14]under fire for forcing AI onto users who would prefer stability, reliability, and performance, is also unfortunate. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/02/microsofts_plain_text_editor_notepad_gets_formatting/
[2] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/21/notepad-update-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aSSPJpKtlylGDLC1lGK7uQAAAM0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/wordpad_off_windows_11/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aSSPJpKtlylGDLC1lGK7uQAAAM0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aSSPJpKtlylGDLC1lGK7uQAAAM0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aSSPJpKtlylGDLC1lGK7uQAAAM0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/20/microsoft_edit_revived/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/17/windows_agentic_os_feedback/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/05/microsoft_multiapp_download/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/23/north_korean_dream_job_attacks/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/16/microsoft_copilot_updates/
[13] https://x.com/StephenCWLL/status/1992285921123705265
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/17/windows_agentic_os_feedback/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: What’s the point
Microsoft no longer loves you (assuming that it did once) and so has made notepad no longer KISS
Re: What’s the point
Big Tech seems to have drunk the AI Cool Aid.
Re: What’s the point
Maybe after 40 years they had managed to get all the bugs out and need more to maintain compatibility with the mothership?
Re: What’s the point
>Seriously, what’s the f€&@ing point of this?
They couldn't add AI to edlin ?
For the love of God
Is nothing sacred?
Never thought I'd see the day when I had to look for something more basic than Notepad.
Re: For the love of God
Next up: Copilot support in Edlin.
There is no escape
Re: For the love of God
[1]Notepad++
[1] https://notepad-plus-plus.org/
For some reason, this instantly reminded me of a old Verity Stob column about what happens when software jumps the shark...
https://www.theregister.com/2007/12/20/verity_stob_software_murder/
(I miss Verity Stob)
Risk and reward
Microsoft also risks ladling on unnecessary complexity, pushing users to look elsewhere for their text-editing needs.
What do you mean "risks"? It seems to be their entire aim and modus operandi here (and in many other places within 'doze).
Thank $diety for Notepad++
If there wasn't so many great free and open source alternatives this would make me angry.
What's your favourite Notepad replacement? I used to use Metapad but it has not updated in many years.
"What's your favourite Notepad replacement?"
Kwrite
"I used to use Metapad but it has not updated in many years."
Isn't that exactly what everyone wanted about Notepad?
How to make notepad being hated
for having too many features...
(Running Server OS on every computer, notepad still classic, paint, calc too and so on, so worth it)
They broke it.
The entire use case for Notepad was:-
1: Shopping lists.
2: pasting in a section of text from a browser or other program in order to remove all formatting from it.
If it starts to understand rich-text buggerations, it will have lost most of its reason to exist.
Re: They broke it.
Agreed. If they wanted to do all this bullshit it would have been better to do it to Wordpad. The only useful additions to Notepad was the whole CR/CRLF thing and maybe UTF.
Re: They broke it.
"The only useful additions to Notepad was the whole CR/CRLF thing and maybe UTF."
And putting in a proper Undo/Redo history.
If you have grown tired of this encrapification nonsense, The "original" notepad.exe can still be found at c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe.
Remove-AppxPackage the new orwellian version, then pin the above .exe to start/taskbar.
The old version is much faster as well. Double plus good.
Some .REG magic also required for full functionality, see below:
https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/restore-old-classic-notepad-windows/
AFAICS the entire objective of Microsoft development is to make all the applications do the same as all the other applications but differently and with added AI.
What’s the point
Seriously, what’s the f€&@ing point of this?