Skip to main content Laptop Mag Laptop Mag Search Laptop Mag View Profile Ultimate Laptop Guide Business Laptops Gaming Laptops Chromebooks 2-in-1 Laptops Best business laptops Best laptop deals Best laptops Recommended reading Microsoft's next 50 years are all about making AI feel useful Windows File Explorer is getting a controversial AI upgrade – will users revolt or rejoice? Windows Laptops Microsoft has second thoughts over a surprisingly controversial Windows change Windows Laptops Amid the slow death of Windows 10, Microsoft's CEO reveals a bold stat about Windows 11 Windows Laptops Microsoft "fixes" Windows update bug that some users considered a feature Windows Laptops Microsoft has forked-up Windows 11, but there's one clear solution Windows Laptops Windows users call Microsoft's latest update blunder "The greatest bug in living memory" — here's why This classic Windows program is finally getting features you’d expect in 2025 Oscar Gonzalez 31 May 2025 These changes might make this Windows 11 app be a bit more useful. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Who's ready for a Notepad update? (Image credit: Microsoft) Windows is 40 years old, and the latest iteration of the operating system, Windows 11, keeps making some big improvements. Most notably, Windows 11 for Copilot+ PCs is using AI to create some interesting — and controversial — features, such as Recall, which takes snapshots of your computer to create a searchable timeline of what you did. Microsoft has also been revisiting some of its long-time Windows programs, and one program, which even predated the first iteration of the operating system, is getting an upgrade. Notepad, the simple text editor that pops up whenever a Windows user clicks on a text file, will finally get some formatting options, according to a blog post from Microsoft. The app will soon have a formatting toolbar that allows the use of bold, italic, and hyperlinks for a document, as well as making a list and creating headings. You may like Microsoft's next 50 years are all about making AI feel useful Windows File Explorer is getting a controversial AI upgrade – will users revolt or rejoice? Microsoft has second thoughts over a surprisingly controversial Windows change This simple formatting addition may seem a bit odd to include after all these years, but Windows users tend to use Notepad because it doesn't have any formatting options. Those people simply want to edit text without dealing with different fonts or styles. The Notepad update is rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11 as of Friday. DEAL SPOTLIGHTDellInspiron 16 2-in-1: was $1,349 now $899 at Dell Features: 16-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) 90Hz 300-nit Mini-LED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 16-core CPU, 16GB RAM, Intel Arc Graphics, 1TB SSD, Windows 11 Home Windows 11 is making the old stuff new again. (Image credit: Laptop Mag) Revitalizing the classics Notepad was largely untouched by Microsoft for a long time, but in recent years, the company has made more use of it. Back in 2021, it and Microsoft Paint received a design overhaul to make them more modern. Notepad also received an update on May 22, enabling users to write new content using generative AI. These changes to Notepad could be a way for Microsoft to replace its free word-processing program, Wordpad, which was retired in 2023. Other Windows programs receiving new upgrades this month include the Snipping Tool and Paint. Both will incorporate AI with the Snipping Tool, using AI to create the perfect screenshot and noting the exact color values on whatever is on your screen, while Paint will generate stickers based on a prompt. Get The Snapshot, our free newsletter on the future of computing Sign up to receive The Snapshot, a free special dispatch from Laptop Mag, in your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. What could be the biggest change to Windows 11 is the change to the crash screen. The infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) that appears whenever a severe issue occurs requiring Windows to restart might soon become the Green Screen of Death (GSoD). The GSoD is currently available for Windows Insiders and offers fewer details about what happened to cause the restart. Still, the change will offer a slightly less panic-inducing reaction with the color change. Microsoft is quietly testing one of macOS’s best features on Windows 11, and trying to hide it This app outsmarted Windows 11's most "dangerous" feature — here's how How to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account Today's best laptop deals 485 Amazon customer reviews £269.99View £1,649View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Oscar Gonzalez Weekend News Editor A veteran journalist and award-winning podcaster who specializes in reporting on conspiracy theories, misinformation, business, economics, video games, and tech. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Microsoft's next 50 years are all about making AI feel useful Windows File Explorer is getting a controversial AI upgrade – will users revolt or rejoice? Microsoft has second thoughts over a surprisingly controversial Windows change Amid the slow death of Windows 10, Microsoft's CEO reveals a bold stat about Windows 11 Microsoft "fixes" Windows update bug that some users considered a feature Microsoft has forked-up Windows 11, but there's one clear solution Latest in Software Apple is finally doing something about its confusing OS naming conventions Google released a critical Chrome update today -- you must update by June 5 Opera’s futuristic browser from 2017 returns as an agentic AI that will write code for you What to expect at Microsoft Build 2025: Copilot, Windows 11, and what’s next Why I ditched Google Chrome for Microsoft Edge (and haven't looked back) Microsoft's next Windows update isn't at all what users were searching for Latest in News A 1mm fan inside your laptop's hard drive? 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