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WordPad on Windows 11

Removed in version 24H2 — what changed, and an editor in the same style you can use right now

Removed in 24H2 · use this editor instead


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Updated

The short answer

WordPad is no longer part of Windows 11. Microsoft removed it starting with version 24H2, the update released in fall 2024, and from Windows Server 2025. It is gone from new installs and from PCs that upgrade, and Microsoft does not offer it as a download or an optional feature. If your PC runs 23H2 or earlier, WordPad is normally still there (it is an optional feature, so it may have been removed in Settings → Optional features).

The editor above works the way WordPad did — a ribbon, fonts, lists, pictures, .rtf and .docx files — and runs in your browser. Install it as an app and it opens from the Start menu and taskbar in its own window.

Check whether your PC still has WordPad

  1. Press Win, type winver and press Enter. The window shows the version, such as “Version 23H2” or “Version 24H2”.
  2. On 23H2 or earlier, search the Start menu for WordPad, or look under All apps → Windows Tools.
  3. On 24H2 or later, the search finds nothing and the folder C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories no longer holds wordpad.exe.

Windows 10 still includes WordPad, but neither WordPad nor Windows 10 itself (regular support ended in October 2025) gets regular updates.

What happened, in order

WhenWhat
1995WordPad ships with Windows 95, replacing Write.
2009Windows 7 gives it a ribbon and DOCX and ODT support.
September 2023Microsoft lists WordPad as deprecated: no more updates, removal in a future release.
2024Windows 11 version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 ship without WordPad.

Microsoft’s advice is Word for rich text and Notepad for plain text (Microsoft Learn: deprecated features). Word is paid, and Notepad has only basic formatting such as bold, headings and lists — no fonts or colors for your text, and no way to show RTF files formatted — which is the gap WordPad filled.

Opening your old WordPad files

In recent Windows versions WordPad saved Rich Text (.rtf) by default. After the update, double-clicking an .rtf file opens it in Word if you have it, or asks which app to use. Your choices:

  • This editor — free and nothing to install: open the file with the RTF editor, or drag it onto the page above.
  • Word — opens .rtf with full fidelity if you already pay for Microsoft 365.
  • LibreOffice Writer — a free desktop office suite that opens and saves .rtf.
  • Notepad — opens the file, but shows the RTF codes rather than the formatted text.

WordPad’s .docx and .txt files open the same way; the DOCX editor is set up for Word documents.

About “getting WordPad back”

Some guides describe copying WordPad’s program files from an older Windows installation, or offer a wordpad.exe on a download site. Neither is supported by Microsoft: copied files can stop working after a Windows update, and an .exe from an unknown site is not from Microsoft and may not be safe. A WordPad-style editor that runs in the browser avoids both problems — there is no program to copy and nothing to run outside the browser.

Questions about WordPad on Windows 11

Where is WordPad in Windows 11?

On Windows 11 version 23H2 and earlier, WordPad is in the Start menu under All apps → Windows Tools, or you can search for it; the program is C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe. On version 24H2 and later it is not there at all, because Microsoft removed it.

How do I get WordPad back on Windows 11?

There is no supported way: Microsoft does not offer WordPad for download or as an optional feature on 24H2. Copies of wordpad.exe on download sites are not from Microsoft. Use a WordPad-style editor instead, such as this one, which you can install from the browser so it opens in its own window.

Why did Microsoft remove WordPad?

Microsoft announced in September 2023 that WordPad was deprecated and would no longer be updated, and recommended Word for rich text and Notepad for plain text. It was then removed starting with Windows 11 version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025.

Can I still open .rtf files on Windows 11 24H2?

Yes, with another program. Word, LibreOffice Writer and this browser editor open .rtf files with their formatting. Notepad opens them too, but shows the raw RTF codes instead of the formatted text.

Does Windows 10 still have WordPad?

Yes. The removal applies to Windows 11 version 24H2 and later and to Windows Server 2025. Windows 10 still includes WordPad, but neither WordPad nor Windows 10 itself (regular support ended in October 2025) gets regular updates.