Notepad used to be a simple note-taking app without any distractions. Now it’s becoming an ad platform for Copilot.
I am an active user of Windows Notepad. I utilize it to make rough meeting notes, store hints for my passwords, and save data that I may need regularly; for example, the hex or RGB values of a custom color scheme in my Power BI reports. I like how quickly the application loads up and lets you get directly into your flow without any fancy splash screens, animations, or suggestions for templates. However, I think that the software has been losing its purpose and vision over the past few years.
It all started back in 2021 when details about a Notepad redesign for Windows 11 leaked with Fluent Design and minimalist menus. This was followed by the rollout of a dark theme and leaks about another UX change, that being a tabbed interface. Then came 2023 and we received automatic save states, Edit in Notepad, and a character counter. Most of these changes were welcomed since Notepad had been in such a dormant state for such a long time from a development perspective.
However, I would argue that this was the turning point as likely enthralled by the positive feedback it was receiving, Microsoft decided to inject dreaded AI capabilities into Notepad as well. The timing was unfortunate, given that Notepad development had finally been reactivated and AI trends were on the rise too.
In January 2024, AI writing assistance features were spotted by internet sleuths, and next month, Insiders could leverage Explain with Copilot directly in Notepad.
