Replace Notepad With Notepad Windows 11

If you simply hate the new UWP (Universal Windows Platform) version of Notepad, you can remove it entirely. Open . Go to Apps > Installed Apps . Search for Notepad . Click the three dots and select Uninstall .

If you’re ready to move on, here are the best alternatives, ranging from "light upgrade" to "professional powerhouse."

If you want to revert to the default Windows 11 Notepad, open the Administrator Terminal again and run this command: replace notepad with notepad windows 11

The classic Notepad we knew for years was intentionally limited. It served as a quick, no-frills scratchpad without formatting, tabs, or session saving. This began to change as Microsoft repositioned Notepad as a more significant part of the Windows ecosystem.

While many users welcomed the new features, others who loved Notepad for its simplicity and immediate responsiveness grew frustrated. The perception that Microsoft added "unnecessary" features to a tool whose main appeal was its minimalism led many to seek third-party alternatives. Moreover, some of the AI features require users to sign in with their Microsoft accounts for text streaming. For users who prefer to work locally and without the cloud, this is a notable deterrent. It has even spurred developers to create lightweight alternatives such as Legacy Notepad specifically to escape the "bloatware" in the updated Notepad.exe. If you simply hate the new UWP (Universal

Step 2: Set Notepad++ as the Default Text Editor (File Associations)

Which (e.g., VS Code, Notepad++, Sublime Text) you want to switch to. Search for Notepad

The cleanest way to replace Notepad is using a registry-based image file execution option. This method forces Windows to intercept any call to notepad.exe and open Notepad++ instead. It works seamlessly across the entire operating system, including the "Open with" menus and command-line triggers. Step 1: Open Terminal as Administrator Right-click the icon. Select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) .

Click on the current app listed under .txt and change it to .