The basic function has been missing for 40 years, but is now finally being integrated. Step by step, Notepad becomes more useful.

Is anyone a fan of Notepad in Windows? The application was treated poorly by Microsoft for decades in an attempt to get everyone to switch to the Office suite with Word as a more functional alternative.

Microsoft is now working step by step on a better Notepad so that you don’t have to install an Office package straight away in the future. Dark mode was introduced at the end of 2021 and at the beginning of this year the application also got tabs. When you close Notepad, it remembers your open tabs so you never lose your work.

Now Microsoft is adding a new feature to Notepad on Windows 11: a character counter. Windows Insiders (beta testers) in the Canary and Dev channels now have an update that includes a counter at the bottom, just like in Word, to count the number of characters.

Beta testers can now also select directly from the options menu to open a file in Notepad for editing.

It is currently unclear when all Windows 11 users can expect the new features. Some functions are rolled out publicly after a few weeks, others remain in the testing phase for months.

Notepad++ as an alternative

It seems crazy to release such a small new feature, but it’s an important step in Notepad’s evolution toward a simple, free alternative to Word. We’re not there yet, text formatting still doesn’t exist, but who knows in the future with Windows 12 or other projects?

If you’d rather not get started with Word straight away, you can always download the free Notepad++. The open source version is packed with tools for regular users and developers. Notepad++ v8.6 was recently released, a special anniversary version to celebrate its 20th anniversary. If you’re curious, click here to download the tool for Windows 11, Windows 10, or Windows 7.