Microsoft Notepad: Windows 11 users to get spellcheck and autocorrect on Notepad 41 years after launch

• Microsoft Windows 11 users can use spellcheck and autocorrect on Notepad.
• It is first time features are available on Notepad since it launched in 1983.
• Notepad users will be able to toggle the features on and off in the settings.

Good things come to those who wait, goes the old adage. But for regular users of Windows Notepad, the wait might have been far longer than they bargained for. 

Microsoft is finally going to add autocorrect and spell check to the app, 41 years after it was first introduced. The simple text editor was first rolled out in 1983 and had its stable release four decades later in February 2023. 

The Verge reports that the features will be added to Notepad for Windows 11 users. The tech giant has been quietly testing it out recently but started enabling them for all users. 

The spell check feature is reportedly almost identical to how it works for Word, for those who are familiar with that programme. A red line will appear under words that are misspelt, offering a correction to fix it - although The Verge reports that this takes an extra click to see the list of correct spellings. 

For users who are wondering, the website also reports that users will be able to enable or disable spell check on a file-by-file basis in Notepad; it can simply be toggled in the settings. Giving you the freedom to use the app as you please. 

Microsoft initially unveiled Notepad in May 1983, it was introduced under the name Multi-Tool Notepad. It was designed as a stripped down version of Word and has been included in all versions of Microsoft Windows since Windows 1.0. 

Are you wanting to get more out of your time with Windows 11, tech expert Kevin Stratvert has a fantastic guide on five awesome features from the operating system that you should definitely try out. It can be watched on YouTube here and it is just 7 minutes long.