Notepad is one of the most basic Windows tools to ever exist, but Microsoft has decided it’s time for a makeover. You can still write in Notepad as you normally do, but going forward, you have Copilot to assist you.
The latest Windows Insiders update brings Copilot AI to Windows Notepad. On Windows Insiders build version 26120.4161, I see the following new features in the Notepad context menu:
Rewrite
Customized re-write
Summarize
TechRadar reports spotting a Write feature that generates or edits existing text based on a prompt you write, much like any other chatbot like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and more. Once generated, you can refine the text further or accept the changes.
The Customized re-write feature lets you adjust the length of your text, making it longer or shorter. You can also change the tone and format of your text, with five options for tone and six for format. The Summarize feature, as the name suggests, provides a summary of everything included in the text file.
You’ll also see a Copilot icon in the top right, next to the settings gear icon, with all the options mentioned above grouped in one drop-down. The update doesn’t seem to be consistent, as the Rewrite and Write features provide more or less the same functionality, so it seems they might trade places in future updates.
Now, if you’re excited about actually being able to use Notepad for writing, there’s a major speed bump. The feature requires AI credits that you get with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, so you can’t use them for free, even after logging into Notepad with a Microsoft account.
Microsoft hasn’t announced how many tokens it will cost to use the features at the moment, but it turns an otherwise useful implementation of AI into a useless novelty. Surprisingly, you can also disable Copilot via Notepad settings, a welcome sight when it comes to companies forcing AI into everything.
Not Everything Needs AI
Notepad is just the latest in a long line of Windows apps getting AI features. Paint is getting an AI sticker generator and an AI-powered object select tool like Photoshop’s and the Snipping Tool can now automatically crop and resize your screenshots based on what you’re trying to highlight on the screen. Windows Search also got one of its biggest upgrades in years, although with a catch.
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AI really does make things better.
While some of these features are useful, for sure, they don’t make sense everywhere. Take Notepad’s AI writing tools for example. As someone who uses Notepad almost daily, these tools are a massive help. However, since they’re locked behind Microsoft 365 credits, I’m forced to use online tools that arguably do a better job without costing a penny.
Then there’s the question of whether you actually need these tools in Notepad. The only reason the app exists is because of its simplicity, and adding AI features that require a subscription and a login isn’t part of the charm.