TextEdit Alternatives for Windows

TextEdit is not available for Windows but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on Windows with similar functionality. The best Windows alternative is Sublime Text. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Vim or GNU nano. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to TextEdit and loads of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to TextEdit are gedit, CudaText, Notepad and Aptana Studio.

TextEdit alternatives are mainly Text Editors but may also be Code Editors or IDEs. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of TextEdit.

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TextEdit

Free • Proprietary
Text Editor
Mac

When you need to create text documents, TextEdit is a highly versatile word processor, including tools to format and layout...

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Sublime Text
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Text Editor
Code Editor
IDE
Mac
Windows
Linux
189 alternatives to Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features.
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Sublime Text Features
1. LightweightSublime Text consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsSublime Text can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. Syntax HighlightingSublime Text supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
4. Dark ModeSublime Text supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
5. Distraction-freeSublime Text has a distraction-free mode for when you need to focus.
6. PortableSublime Text can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
7. AutocompletionSublime Text can predict and complete the rest of a word or phrase you're typing.
Customizable
Package Control
Multiple Cursors
Clean design
Text editing
Font Ligature Support
Simple text editor
Code review
High-dpi support
Git integration
Sublime Text vs TextEdit opinions
Most users think Sublime Text is a great alternative to TextEdit.
Vim
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Text Editor
Code Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Haiku
AmigaOS
OpenSolaris
MorphOS
193 alternatives to Vim
Vim ("Vi IMproved") is an advanced text editor that allows syntax highlighting, word completion and has a huge amount of contributed content. It also has a GUI version called GVim.
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Vim Features
1. LightweightVim consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsVim can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. Syntax HighlightingVim supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
4. Command line interfaceVim either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
5. Works OfflineVim can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
6. Support for MarkDownVim supports MarkDown for document formatting.
7. Batch EditingVim allows you to select multiple items (tasks, files, images etc) and edit their properties all at once.
8. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Vim without registration.
9. PortableVim can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Keyboard focused
Customizable
Hackable
Well documented
Code Syntax Highlighting
Configurable
Modal editor
Terminal-based
Built-in terminal emulation
Visual Mode
Vim vs TextEdit opinions
Some users think Vim is a great alternative to TextEdit, some don't.
ihsan_praditya
TextEdit is best for simple GUI text editing with a control of font size, alignment, non latin alphabeth, and much more but not for code editing. it's seem a minimal package of MS Word. VIM is like Code Editor which you shouldn't put then non latin font, let alone right to left language font.
Negative comment•
0

Guest
Vim is best in class for what it is designed to do (CLI text editing) but is not at all like the GUI TextEdit. The average TextEdit user would not even recognize Vim.
Negative comment•
2
GNU nano
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Text Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Haiku
132 alternatives to GNU nano
GNU nano is a small and friendly text editor. Besides basic text editing, nano offers many extra features like an interactive search and replace, go to line and column number, auto-indentation, feature toggles, internationalization support, and filename tab completion.
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GNU nano Features
1. Command line interfaceGNU nano either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
Terminal-based
Search and Replace
Automatic Indentation
GNU nano vs TextEdit opinions
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
GNU nano is a terminal based editor which does not at all resemble TextEdit
Negative comment•
1

Guest
Nano is a great terminal based editor, but anyone looking for an alternative to TextEdit is of course expecting a GUI application.
Negative comment•
1
gedit
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Text Editor
Code Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
Chrome OS
BSD
GNOME
OpenSolaris
170 alternatives to gedit
Official text editor of the GNOME desktop environment. Has syntax highlighting and is suitable for programming, with support for several languages. It is extensible with plugins.
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gedit Features
1. Lightweightgedit consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Syntax Highlightinggedit supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
3. Extensible by Plugins/Extensionsgedit can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
4. Privacy focusedgedit is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. Works Offlinegedit can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
6. Ad-freegedit doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
7. Autocompletiongedit can predict and complete the rest of a word or phrase you're typing.
8. Spell Checkinggedit can detect and correct all types of grammar and spelling mistakes.
Customizable
Support for Unicode
CudaText
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Text Editor
Code Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
182 alternatives to CudaText
CudaText is a cross-platform text editor, written in Lazarus / Free Pascal.
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CudaText Features
1. LightweightCudaText consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsCudaText can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. AutocompletionCudaText can predict and complete the rest of a word or phrase you're typing.
Native application
Customizable
Minimap
Command palette
Notepad
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Text Editor
Windows
127 alternatives to Notepad
Most simple text editor. Just plain text, saves in .txt format. Not available for download; bundled with all versions of Windows.
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Notepad Features
1. LightweightNotepad consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Minimalistic
Simple text editor
Support for Unicode
Save as txt
Bundled with Windows
Notepad vs TextEdit opinions
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
Notepad lacks rich text editing
Negative comment•
1
Aptana Studio
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IDE
Mac
Windows
Linux
120 alternatives to Aptana Studio
Aptana Studio is a complete web development environment that combines powerful authoring tools with a collection of online hosting and collaboration services that help you and your team do more. Includes support for PHP, CSS, FTP, and more...
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Aptana Studio Features
1. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Aptana Studio simultaneously.
Support for FTP
Discontinued
The last update is from Feb 2021 and the last release is from Jul 2018.
PSPad
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Text Editor
Code Editor
Windows
157 alternatives to PSPad
PSPad is a freeware programmers editor in 8 languages for Microsoft Windows operating systems. Some features are highlighted syntax, ftp, projects and so on. Code explorer for Pascal, C/C++, INI, HTML, XML, PHP and more in development, internal web browser with APACHE support.
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PSPad Features
1. Syntax HighlightingPSPad supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
2. LightweightPSPad consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. PortablePSPad can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Hex Editor
ASCII to Hex
Edit files without creating a project
UltraEdit
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Text Editor
Code Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
200 alternatives to UltraEdit
UltraEdit is the ideal text, HTML and HEX editor, and an advanced PHP, Perl, Java and JavaScript editor for programmers. An industry-award winner, UltraEdit supports disk-based 64-bit file handling (standard) on 32-bit Windows platforms (Windows 2000 and later).
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UltraEdit Features
Column based text editing
Hex Editor
SciTE
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Text Editor
Code Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Xfce
141 alternatives to SciTE
SciTE is a SCIntilla based Text Editor. Originally built to demonstrate Scintilla, it has grown to be a generally useful editor with facilities for building and running programs. It is best used for jobs with simple configurations - I use it for building test and demonstration...

SciTE has no features, suggest some!