The company rolled out a Windows 10 update yesterday which fixed a major DNS security flaw (and a few other things), but in the process might have removed Notepad, Paint, or WordPad for some users. Notepad is a free (as in 'free speech' and also as in 'free beer') source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages. Running in the MS Windows environment, its use is governed by GNU General Public License.
Sometimes, the simple things are the best. Take the case of the tinylittle program called Notepad on a Windows PC. It has been part ofMicrosoft Windows computers for more than two decades now. Sadly, thefuture looks unpredictable for Notepad. We are saying this because manyWindows 10 users have reported that Notepad is missing from their PC.
If you also cannot find Notepad on your Windows computer, here we shall tell you how to fix Notepad not visible in Windows 10.
Notepadhas its aura. Although it's a simple app, it is different andremarkable in its way from other apps like MS Word, Wordpad, and evenMicrosoft OneNote. It is one of the best apps to remove formatting from text. Users who have been using Windows computers for years now will feel the void of Notepad.
Fortunately, it's easy to bring Notepad back and enable it on your Windows 10 computer. Let's see how to fix the missing Notepad issue.
Also on Guiding Tech Top 10 Notepad++ Plugins For Writers And Coders Read MoreWhat Happened to Notepad in Windows 10
Microsoft has been playing around with Notepad for quite some time now. Earlier, they moved it to Microsoft Store, but the decision was revoked later. Now, Notepad again will be available through Microsoft Store.
Another development that has taken place is that Microsoft has now made Notepad an optional feature along with Paint. That is the reason why Notepad is missing in Windows 10. So if you buy a new Windows 10 computer or install the latest Windows 10 build 2004 and above, Notepad might go missing from your Windows PC. You will have to install it on your own, as shown below.
Tip: The benefit of making apps such as Notepad optional is that one can easily uninstall them, if they don't want to use it.Where to Find Notepad in Windows 10
Now that you know the reason behind missing Notepad in Windows 10, it's time to find and install it. However, before we tell you how to install Notepad, you should try various ways of finding Notepad on your computer. The Notepad app might still be installed on your computer and only its shortcut must have gone missing from the desktop, Start Menu, or Taskbar.
So here are three ways to find Notepad on Windows 10 PC.
Method 1: Find Notepad in Start Menu
Everyone who uses Windows 10 looks for Notepad under Start Menu > Windows Accessories > Notepad.
Pro Tip: Find out how to fix Windows 10 apps missing from Start Menu.Alternatively, click on the search icon next to the Start Menu. Type Notepad. Click on Notepad to open it.
Method 2: Check Notepad in C Drive
Go to C Drive (or whichever partition you've installed Windows on), followed by Windows > System32 folder. Scroll down and you should find Notepad.exe program. Right-click on the icon and select Send to > Desktop. Alternatively, copy and paste C:WindowsSystem32Notepad in your file explorer and press the Enter key. Notepad should open.
Method 3: Use Run Command
Use Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run window. You can find Run from the Windows search as well. Type Notepad and hit the Ok button. Hopefully, Notepad will open.
Note: If Windows cannot find Notepad or throws an error from the above methods, Notepad is missing from your computer. Follow the two methods given below to install and enable Notepad on your Windows PC.How to Fix Windows 10 Notepad Not Visible
There are two methods to install Notepad when it's missing from your computer.
Method 1: Install Notepad From Optional Features
As mentioned above, Microsoft has made Notepad an optional feature. To use it, you will have to install it from Optional Features settings on your Windows PC. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Open Settings on your Windows PC. You can use Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open settings.
Step 2: Go to Apps.
Step 3: Click on Optional features under Apps & features. Hard drive times.
Step 4: Click on Add a feature.
Step 5: Search for Notepad. When found, select it and hit the Install button. After installation, use any of the methods mentioned above under Where to find Notepad section to open and use Notepad.
Also on Guiding Tech #notes Click here to see our notes articles pageIn case you don't find Notepad under Add a feature. Then go back, and you will find Notepad under Installed features on the Optional features screen.
Look for Notepad. Click on it and hit the Uninstall button. Once uninstalled, restart your PC and install it again, as shown above, or using the next method.
Pro Tip: Use the same method to install other older apps such as Windows media player, MS Paint, etc.Method 2: Install Notepad From Microsoft Store
If the above method doesn't work, you should try installing Notepad from the Microsoft Store.
Install NotepadClick on the above link and hit the Get button to start the download process. Once installed, Notepad should show up in Start Menu.
How to Put Notepad on Desktop in Windows
Once you have successfully installed Notepad, you can either put it on your desktop, add its shortcut to Start Menu, or pin it to the taskbar for faster access. For that, search for Notepad from Windows search. Then right-click on the Notepad icon and select the appropriate option from Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar.
Alternatively, click on Open file location. The File Explorer window will open. Right-click on Notepad and select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
Also on Guiding Tech 9 Best Sticky Notes Productivity Tips for Windows 10 Users Read MoreDon't Go, Notepad
Sure, Windows has various other alternatives such as Microsoft OneNote, MS Word, and Sticky Notes to jot down notes quickly or even for writing a full-fledged document. But Notepad is Notepad. It has a separate fanbase and I'm one of them. I hope Microsoft doesn't kill Notepad completely. That would be a disaster.
Next up:In case Notepad doesn't work on your computer, check out five Notepad alternatives from the next link. Movies edited with adobe premiere.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextTop 5 Alternatives to Windows NotepadAlso See
![Notepad windows 10 tab Notepad windows 10 tab](https://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Windows-10-notepad-this-pc.png)
![Notepad windows 10 html Notepad windows 10 html](https://cloud.addictivetips.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Real-Notepad-Notebook.jpg)
Did You Know
You can switch manually to the tablet mode in Windows 10.
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Notepad is a basic plain text editor that you can use to create simple documents. The resulting files typically saved with the .txt extension. This article describes several ways to open Notepad and customize its text in Windows 10. This makes Notepad better to use for viewing or editing text (.txt) files.
How to Open Notepad in Windows 10
There are several ways to launch a Notepad and create a new text document.
Way 1: Open Notepad via Run
Press Win+R to open Run box. Input notepad and hit Enter.
A new blank and untitled notepad will be automatically launched on your computer.
Way 2: Open Notepad from Start Menu
Go to the Start Menu and click All apps, you can find it under Windows Accessories folder.
Way 3: Open Notepad via Context Menu
Right-click on a blank area in Desktop or File Explorer, select New > Text Document.
Way 4: Open Notepad using Cortana Search
Step 1: Go to the Start menu.
Step 2: Type notepad into the Search box, and press Enter.
If you need to use Notepad app frequently, you can pin it to the Start or Taskbar. So that you can quickly create a new text document from Start Menu or Taskbar.
How to Enable Word Wrap in Notepad
If you enable Word Wrap, it'll wrap the text in your text document so it doesn't scroll across the entire.
To do: Click the Format tab and select Word Wrap.
The scroll bar at the bottom of the Notepad window will disappear. A check will appear next to the Word Wrap option on the Format menu.
How to Format Text in Notepad
Android file transfer 10 4. With these steps below, you can customize the default font, font style, and font size in Notepad.
To do: Click on Format menu, select Font.
It offers you a list of all your installed fonts, and the option to use bold, italic, and so on. You can select the desired formatting. When done, click OK. The change of font immediately affects the entire document.
How to Enable Status Bar via Registry Editor
Notepad Windows 7 Download
The status bar can't be enabled when Word Wrap is enabled. Here's how to make the status bar visible in Notepad when Word Wrap has enabled.
Step 1: Press Win+R open Run, type regedit, and hit Enter.
Step 2: In Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftNotepad
Notepad Windows 10 Free
On the right pane of Notepad, double-click the StatusBar key.
Step 3: Change the value from 0 to 1. Click OK to save this Settings.
Press F5 to refresh Registry Editor. Open the Notepad, the Status bar will appear at the bottom of notepad application software. It shows the message for the number of lines and column location in the status window.
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