Microsoft Discontinues WordPad, Ending 25-Year Run for PC Users
Microsoft is killing another old product that is not part of the Windows 11 operating system. We’re talking about WordPad, which has been around for over 25 years and has served as a Word replacement for millions. A new development has been spotted in the recent Windows 11 beta, which says, “Starting with this build, WordPad and People apps will no longer be installed after a clean install of the OS.
On the upcoming flight, WordPad will be removed during the update. WordPad cannot be reinstalled. WordPad is a deprecated Windows feature.” The update clearly states that WordPad will be available in Windows 11 as long as you don’t install the latest beta version. WordPad has always lived a Double Life in the Microsoft family.
It was once considered an alternative to Word and also a better alternative compared to Notepad. But its high-end nature made WordPad difficult to become a de facto app for Windows users.
The update will be made public soon, and that’s when WordPad will be removed from Microsoft’s list for the first time since it was released for Windows in 1995. If you’ve been relying on WordPad for work, Microsoft is now clearly saying that Word and Notepad are your only options. The company seems to have planned this day itself in 2023, when the app was marked as obsolete in September of last year.
Another big sign was that the WordPad app didn’t get the usual dark mode update that many other Microsoft apps have received recently. Microsoft is also planning more features and applications that support artificial intelligence for its users in the future. Copilot is already becoming a big part of its AI-PC era, and more changes are expected in the coming months.
