Notepad’s spell-checking and auto-correct features are rolling out now


  • Microsoft is rolling out the update that adds spell checking and autocorrect features to Notepad for all Windows 11 users.
  • These updates come as the company prepares to stop shipping WordPad with Windows 11.

In 1983, Microsoft launched a simple text editor, Notepad. Since then, the app has undergone several updates and version changes. In March of this year, Microsoft began testing an update to the app that included spell checking and autocorrect. Today, the update that adds these two features to Notepad is finally rolling out to all Windows 11 users via the Microsoft Store.

The spell check feature underlines words in red if they are “misspelled.” Users can left-click on words to see a list of suggestions. They can also right-click to see suggestions under a separate “Spelling” menu item. AutoCorrect automatically corrects minor and obvious misspelled words. Users have the option to undo the change manually.

App users can disable either of these features in Notepad’s settings. Spell checker can also be enabled or disabled for a few file extensions if users want to see spelling suggestions for .txt files and not .lic or .md files. That said, spell checking is disabled by default for log files and a few file types associated with coding.

Since Microsoft typically rolls out new app updates gradually, some users may not see the new features yet. That said, the features appear to be available in Notepad version 11.2405.13.0 running on an updated Windows 11 23H2 PC.

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Why it matters

This update is significant for two reasons. The first is that while the app has received several updates over the years, it has received what can be considered major updates during the Windows 11 era. Recent features include support for dark mode and other theme options, auto-save, character count, a tabbed interface that supports automatic file reopening when the app is restarted, and Copilot integration.

Second, the updates come as the company prepares to stop shipping WordPad with Windows 11. WordPad has received very few significant updates since the release of Windows 7. While the app is still available in Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, it is no longer part of current builds as of the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update. With the app gone, users looking for a basic word processor will have to look for a more capable Notepad or an alternative like LibreOffice.

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