Wordpad Disappears From Windows 11. Microsoft Recommends Using Word and Notepad
An era of free word editors is over. Microsoft finally removed WordPad from Windows 11 in its latest update and described the program as „obsolete.”.
For years, WordPad accompanied people who could not afford a more advanced (read: paid) text editor. The program first appeared in the Windows 95 operating system and now we know that the official last supported OS is Windows 11. Microsoft announced that the end of support was near in September 2023 (see Tom's Hardware).
WordPad is retiring
In the past, WordPad was a kind of bridge between the advanced Word and the rudimentary Notepad. As time passed, WordPad was increasingly forgotten and now its definitive end has come. Microsoft has added the app to the “Features and functionality removed in Windows client” list, where it becomes the newest entry.
WordPad now appears alongside such programs as Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. In the description of WordPad, Microsoft explains that the application has become redundant because Word is best for advanced text editing anyway, and for simple and quick editing, Notepad is sufficient. The official end of support for WordPad is October 1st.
However, this doesn't have to be the end of the program itself. Everything depends on the community, because in the past it has shown that it can put pressure on Microsoft. When the withdrawal of Paint in favor of Paint 3D was announced, Windows users did not like it. Therefore, the company ultimately withdrew its decision and it looks like it's Paint 3D that will be withdrawn in October.
However, Microsoft's real nemesis is the Control Panel. The company has been trying to replace the application since the times of Windows 8 and as you can see, it has not succeeded so far. This August, further steps were taken and Microsoft encourages more frequent use of Settings, which is intended to fully replace the Control Panel, from which individual functions are migrated.
