Microsoft lastly provides its iconic WordPad app the chop as a brand new Home windows 11 Canary construct reveals that the long-time phrase processing app’s time is up. The Canary channel is considered one of 4 launch channels within the Home windows Insider Program, Microsoft’s neighborhood that offers testers, builders, and fanatics entry to check out new variations of Home windows and new options to assemble suggestions and enhance them earlier than releasing them to the broader consumer base.
In WordPad’s place, Microsoft is directing customers to make use of Microsoft Phrase to work with wealthy textual content information, which feels a bit of cheeky (extra about that in a second).
We came upon that WordPad was being deprecated a short while again, and now Microsoft is making good on its guarantees. The corporate elaborated that no new WordPad developments have been being labored on on the time of the announcement, and that future Home windows 11 releases wouldn’t embody it – which is what has occurred with the most recent WordPad-less Canary construct.
Microsoft additionally revealed that the WordPad and Individuals apps gained’t be included by default upon a clear set up of Home windows 11, and also you’ll not have the ability to reinstall WordPad at a later date.
Customers react
This growth comes with a tinge of melancholy for a lot of Home windows followers as a result of it has been considered one of Microsoft’s flagship packages for a very long time. For a lot of customers, it was their most popular alternative for a fundamental and simple easy wealthy textual content editor, being included in almost each model of Home windows beginning with Home windows 95.
Microsoft recommends “Microsoft Phrase for wealthy textual content paperwork like .doc and .rtf and Home windows Notepad for plain textual content paperwork like .txt” for customers who wish to know what to make use of as an alternative.
In fact, the total model of Microsoft Phrase is a part of the Microsoft Workplace suite, which isn’t free, so recommending a paid-for various to a free app they’ve simply minimize most likely gained’t go down too effectively. A a lot better various is LibreOffice Author, which is a part of the free, open-source LibreOffice suite – though I can think about why Microsoft can be hesitant to ship folks to a free rival app.
The latest preview construct, Home windows 11 Insider Preview Construct 26020, additionally noticed a transfer that was lengthy anticipated from Microsoft – giving Cortana the chop. For those who’ve already forgotten what Cortana is (or, quite, was), Cortana is Microsoft’s earlier effort in its mission to create a private productiveness assistant.
Now, it’s leaving Cortana previously and trucking ahead with Home windows Copilot, its newer and brisker tackle the all-purpose digital assistant that’s powered by AI. In response to Tom’s {Hardware}, Microsoft is so eager to make Copilot successful (not like the quite unpopular Cortana), it’s now requiring companion keyboard producers to have a devoted Copilot key.
A last bow for WordPad – or is it?
To some, this transfer reminds them of when Microsoft needed to ax Home windows Paint. Many customers have been incensed, which is comprehensible, in my view, as I believe Paint is likely one of the greatest apps ever made. Within the case of Paint, Microsoft truly listened to customers’ outcry and made the app obtainable for obtain from the Microsoft Retailer. Since then, it’s been developed and upgraded for Home windows 11, and even getting its personal AI assistant named Cocreator.
It’s speculated that if there’s sufficient uproar about WordPad’s departure, Microsoft would possibly think about doing one thing comparable for WordPad. WordPad is a top quality, stable app that’s easy and simple, put in by default, fast to load and get going, and provides extra options than NotePad for easy textual content modifying.
It’s secure to say many customers are lamenting WordPad’s exit and are hoping it’ll be made obtainable as an non-obligatory obtain. I suppose we’ll need to see if Microsoft is definitely enthusiastic about persevering with to present customers the choice to work extra merely and with out undesirable AI options, or if it truly is dedicated to dropping well-liked fundamental apps in pursuit of its imaginative and prescient of an AI-powered future.
