The End of an Era: Microsoft’s Decision to Remove WordPad from Windows 11 and Server 2025

Microsoft has announced that WordPad, a basic word processor included in many versions of Windows since 1995, will no longer be supported in the next version of Windows 11, 24H2, as well as from the Windows Server 2025 platform. The company has updated its support document to confirm this change, which comes after Microsoft previously advised users to use Memo Pad for plain text documents and Microsoft Word for rich text documents instead of WordPad.

This announcement marks a shift away from WordPad by Microsoft and signifies a change in their software offerings. Users will need to adapt to the removal of WordPad by utilizing alternative programs for their word processing needs. Although WordPad has been a staple in Windows operating systems for many years, Microsoft is moving towards a more streamlined software lineup for future updates. This change may also signal the end of an era for this classic tool that many have grown attached to over the years.