Microsoft will remove WordPad from Windows 11 version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025
Microsoft has confirmed that WordPad, an integral component of Windows operating systems since Windows 95, will be removed from all Windows editions starting with Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025. This announcement comes two months after announcing the discontinuation of WordPad, effectively ending a 28-year run of the software.
The removal of WordPad also means that Windows will no longer have a built-in, default RTF reader. The details of this decision were published on a Microsoft Learn page titled “Resources for deprecated features in the Windows client”.
For handling rich text documents such as .doc and .rtf, Microsoft suggests using Microsoft Word. For plain text documents like .txt, Notepad is recommended.
The removal of WordPad will also result in the elimination of the following binaries: wordpad.exe, wordpadfilter.dll, and write.exe. This change will come into effect starting from Windows 11, version 24H2, and Windows Server 2025.
- Word Processor
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Related news
External links
- WordPad will be removed from all editions of Windows starting in Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025Microsoft • Official source
- Microsoft confirms when WordPad will be tossed on the scrapheap – later this year with Windows 11 24H2TechRadar
- Microsoft confirms when WordPad for Windows 11 will be removed from the OS — and it's sooner than you thinkWindows Central
- Microsoft will remove WordPad from Windows 11 in version 24H2Neowin
- Microsoft is removing WordPad from Windows 11 later this yearThe Verge
- Microsoft to remove WordPad in upcoming Windows 11 24H2 updateMSPoweruser
Comments
Today, I lost something I never knew. An application that, even if the UWP were to be utterly destroyed, would be i n d e s t r u c t i b l e.
How many people have even used WordPad, anyway? I haven't, but I feel like there's a small amount of people who do practically use it.
Never ever used this thing. Always wondered why it exists every now and again when I accidentally opened it
Upgrading ? More like downgrading the user experience.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH (insert abrasive airhorns here)