Microsoft adds more AI features to Notepad in latest preview update

Microsoft has released a preview update for Windows 11 Insiders that adds AI features and easier formatting options to Notepad. The otherwise stripped-down text editor has also been given a new welcome screen that describes the app as “the essential text editor, enhanced.”

Among the new features are AI-based tools that can generate and improve text. The results are displayed step-by-step as the text is created, in a way that resembles how well-known AI chatbots work. To use the features, you’ll need to log in with a Microsoft account.

The update also includes expanded support for Markdown. Users can now work with bold, italics, tables, strikethrough text, and nested bullet lists, among other formatting features.

Microsoft emphasizes that these AI features are entirely optional and can be turned off in Notepad’s settings. This Windows 11 preview update also brings some improvements to Paint, including features like AI-generated coloring book pages and a smarter Fill tool.