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The phrase processor is a staple of the pc world. In response to writers needing to get work accomplished, the late Nineteen Seventies and early Eighties noticed a whole bunch of phrase processors vying for market area. Microsoft launched Phrase in 1983, and inside a comparatively quick time it grew to become the business normal thanks partially to its graphical consumer interface.
The corporate has since developed its suite of software program instruments to create Microsoft Workplace, and now provides a subscription service known as Microsoft 365. However beginning with the discharge of Home windows 95 within the mid-90s, Microsoft understood the necessity to embrace a free phrase processor that catered to the extra informal consumer. That is the place WordPad got here into the image. Sitting between the plain textual content editor that’s Home windows Notepad and the extra superior Microsoft Phrase, WordPad was a simplified phrase processor that was included via Home windows 11.
No less than till the discharge of Home windows 11 24H2, when Microsoft moved WordPad to its Deprecated Characteristic record. Many customers have been stunned to seek out WordPad eliminated, taking to official Microsoft boards to voice their frustrations. The software program firm hasn’t said formally why they ended assist for WordPad, however many really feel its linked to safety issues. Microsoft now recommends utilizing Phrase for wealthy textual content paperwork like .doc and .rtf and Notepad for any plain textual content paperwork.
Your choices past WordPad
Whereas core features stay free, you may need to pay for Notepad if you want to use AI and in both case, the software program lacks fundamental enhancing options. Fortunately, customers have a lot of selections relating to a WordPad substitute if they do not need to cope with price hikes for Microsoft 365 instruments. The Atlantis Phrase Processor is a good standalone, and free, choice that works offline. It has options like sizzling keys, helps a spread of doc codecs — together with DOC and DOCX — and is repeatedly up to date, with the newest model launched on December 3, 2025.
These searching for one thing nearer to WordPad ought to take a look at Jarte, which was designed as an easy-to-use system that builds off the identical phrase processing engine as WordPad. Totally suitable with each Phrase and WordPad information, Jarte is a additionally free. However what if you happen to merely need to proceed utilizing WordPad? Although discontinued, the traditional WordPad set up information are nonetheless out there on-line, however by nameless third-party websites not endorsed by Microsoft.
