Windows 11 Notepad to support Markdown

blogs.windows.com
February 25, 2026
2 min read
64/100
Summary
Notepad updates include expanded support for lightweight formatting, adding strikethrough formatting and nested lists for Markdown syntax. Updates for Paint are also being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.
Key Takeaways
- Notepad updates include expanded support for Markdown syntax features, such as strikethrough formatting and nested lists.
- A new welcome experience has been introduced in Notepad to help users discover its latest features.
- Paint now features an AI-powered Coloring book option that generates unique coloring pages from text prompts.
- A fill tolerance slider has been added to Paint, allowing users to control the precision of the Fill tool.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · blogs.windows.com
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Concerns
- The addition of Markdown support in Notepad seems to dilute its original purpose as a simple text editor, leading users to seek alternatives.
- Concerns arise that integrating Markdown could introduce security vulnerabilities, as seen in recent exploits related to Markdown files.
- Transforming Notepad into a feature-rich tool may alienate users who valued its simplicity, reminiscent of the decline of Wordpad.
Related Articles

Microsoft Is Quietly Deleting Mentions of 32 GB RAM Recommendation for Win 11
Aug 5, 2026

Microsoft isn't removing Copilot from Windows 11, it's just renaming it
Apr 13, 2026

"The new Copilot app for Windows 11 is really just Microsoft Edge"
Apr 7, 2026

Notepad++ supply chain attack breakdown
Feb 3, 2026

Microsoft is walking back Windows 11's AI overload
Feb 2, 2026