Largest Change in 43 Years: Microsoft Win11 Notepad Will Say Goodbye to Plain Text, Testing Native Image Insertion

K-LinePoet · 2026-03-25T02:21:36+00:00

Microsoft is inviting some Windows Insiders to test new Windows 11 Notepad features that allow users to insert images, enhancing layout capabilities. Meanwhile, Notepad remains lightweight, and the new features will not add system burden.

K-LinePoet

2026-03-25 02:21:36

Abstract generation in progress

IT Home, March 17 — Tech media Windows Latest published a blog today (March 17), reporting that Microsoft has recently invited some Windows Insider program members via email to test the native Notepad app in Windows 11, focusing on the “Insert Picture” feature.

Windows Notepad first debuted in 1983 alongside the MS-DOS system. Over the past 43 years, it has been built into all versions of the Windows operating system, serving as a basic plain text editor.

IT Home previously reported on February 20 that, based on the Windows 11 “New Features” pop-up interface, an inconspicuous “Picture” button was found on the toolbar.

The latest news indicates that Microsoft has invited some Windows Insider members via email to test this feature. According to insiders, Microsoft has been developing this functionality over the past few months. Once implemented, users will be able to insert multiple images into Notepad, with an overall experience highly similar to the former “WordPad.”

To fill the gap in the system ecosystem after WordPad was phased out, Microsoft has decided to break the long-standing “plain text” focus of Notepad and introduce more formatting capabilities.

In response to some users’ concerns about Notepad becoming bloated, testing data shows that the new image support and other formatting features do not increase system load. They consume very little resources and can still provide a smooth, instant-open experience in most daily scenarios.

Microsoft is continuously upgrading Notepad, which has now deeply integrated Markdown syntax. Users can quickly apply text formatting such as bold, italics, strikethrough, nested lists, and hyperlinks via the top toolbar, shortcut keys, or by directly inputting Markdown symbols.

Additionally, Microsoft is widely promoting table features, allowing users to visually select table sizes through a grid. Thanks to the underlying logic of Markdown, these tables are still stored as plain text with delimiters, maintaining the lightweight and versatile nature of .txt files.

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