The end of an era: Goodbye WordPad

Believe it or not, after three decades of service, Microsoft is bidding farewell to WordPad. Yes, the app that made its debut with Windows 95 and helped you open .doc files without Word is getting the boot.

But why now, and what does this mean for your business?

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Microsoft recently revealed plans to stop updating WordPad and eventually remove it from Windows entirely. While the exact timeline is uncertain, it's in the works.

Let's face it, how many times have you accidentally opened a document in WordPad when you meant to use Notepad? Notepad for plain text, WordPad for word processing – it's a common mix-up.

Could this confusion be the reason behind WordPad's demise? Or perhaps Microsoft is nudging more users toward paying for Microsoft Word, a key part of its Microsoft 365 suite.

According to Microsoft's updated Windows deprecated features list, they recommend using Microsoft Word for rich text documents and Windows Notepad for plain text. So, it seems like WordPad might become a relic of the past.

But let's not get too sentimental. As a lifelong Windows user, I admit I've mostly opened WordPad by mistake. If it disappears, I won't lose sleep. There are plenty of other word processors out there, and I'm quite fond of Word.

However, if you're a diehard WordPad fan, there's a glimmer of hope. Microsoft is seeking feedback through the Windows Feedback Hub app. If there's enough support, who knows? Maybe Microsoft will reconsider and keep WordPad around, even if it's just as an optional, seldom-updated app from the Microsoft Store.

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