Around 41 years after it was first introduced to Windows, Notepad has finally been updated with autocorrect and spellcheck.
The tech giant introduced a test for the spellcheck feature in March this year, followed by autocorrect the following month. Now, a extensive rollout to Windows 11 should mean all users can avail of the essential writing tools.
If you haven’t already been notified by Windows Update, go and check Notepad as the features should now be in place.
Notepad launched in 1983 as a basic, lesser version of Word. It was introduced as the Multi-Tool Notepad but its attributes were limited. Users could bold and underline text, but not a lot else. At the time, its compatibility with a mouse was lauded in what was a novel form of input.
Spellcheck began as a premium service that wasn’t introduced to Word until the early 1990s, around 10 years after the program was first developed. Initially, it was available on Oracle’s CoAuthor, which would scan a text for you, highlighting any errors requiring attention.
Other recent additions to Notepad
The simplicity of Notepad remains a key asset, with many writers using it for first drafts before transferring the text elsewhere. It has largely been unchanged throughout the decades, but Microsoft has made subtle additions over the last year.
History, tabs, a character count, and dark mode have come to the writing app, while integration with Copilot adds to the experience.
Unlike in Word, you won’t get a list of suggested alternative words when you right-click on text. Another click is required to see a list of correct spellings.
However, Notepad can always just be used for the most basic of tasks if nothing else is needed. For those who don’t want anything else, autocorrect and spellcheck can be turned off in settings.