Microsoft just can’t stop updating Notepad. Every Windows 10 Update now includes improvements to Notepad, from support for Unix-style line endings to Bing searches and performance improvements. Now, Microsoft is set to update Notepad much more quickly.
This change is part of Windows Insider build 18963. It will arrive with Windows 10’s 20H1 update, expected sometime around April 2020. Until then, Notepad will be updated in the normal way—through Windows Update.
Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar and Brandon LeBlanc explain the change in a blog post:
Notepad has been a well-loved text editor in Windows for over 30 years. Over the last few releases, we’ve been making a number of small improvements to Notepad based on your feedback (including expanded line ending support, wrap around search, and indicating when there’s unsaved content.) Starting with this build, we’re making a change so that future Notepad updates will be automatically available via the store. This will allow us the flexibility to respond to issues and feedback outside the bounds of Windows releases. As always, if you have any feedback for Notepad, we welcome it in the Feedback Hub under Apps > Notepad.
This is a pretty crazy change: Does Notepad really change so often that Microsoft needs the ability to update it more often than every six months? Apparently, it does!
You can now even uninstall Notepad! Just right-click it in the Start menu and select “Uninstall.” If Notepad is uninstalled and you try launching it, you’ll receive a prompt saying “Notepad is not installed.” This prompt points you to the Microsoft Store, where you can install it.
While surprising at first, it shouldn’t be a shock when you consider other recent developments. More and more apps have been casually moving outside of Windows to the Store. The new Windows Terminal application is delivered through the Store, and Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge web browser will also be updated through the Store more often than every six months.
Who knew Notepad would beat Microsoft Edge to the Store?
RELATED: Everything New in Notepad in Windows 10’s October 2018 Update
