Windows 11 could revitalize Notepad by adding tabs to the mix, at least if a leaked test version of the app is something to rely on – although not everyone is happy with the idea (we’ll come back to that point).
Windows Center (opens in a new tab) spotted a tweet from a Microsoft staff member who mentioned tabs coming to Notepad and posted a screenshot of a preview version of the app showing the tabs in action.
This screenshot included a clear warning not to discuss new features or take screenshots – so as you can imagine, when Twitter discovered the leak, the tweet was quickly deleted.
It’s not a big surprise that the presence of tabs in Windows 11 has been expanded, given that they recently appeared in File Explorer. For those who could use a quick refresher on exactly what tabs are and how they work, tabs in File Explorer and even Notepad are the same as those in a web browser.
They allow you to open multiple web pages in the same browser window, and similarly in File Explorer, they allow you to open multiple folders in the same window. With Notepad, you will be able to open multiple documents in one application instance.
Analysis: Fear of the bloated monster
While we noted above that it’s no surprise that tabs appear elsewhere in Windows 11, given Microsoft’s clear ambition to use them more often outside of the browser, it’s somewhat surprising that they appeared in Notepad. After all, it is not the most powerful application and its basic philosophy is to make everything very simple when it comes to saving and editing text.
However, Notepad received a lot of attention in Windows 11, which will undoubtedly be appreciated by users of the application. This includes a more modern look (rounded corners), font changes, and a dark mode, so a major overhaul isn’t such a shock in that respect.
As for whether Notepad really requirements bookmarks, it depends on who you are talking to. Some users are happy with the arrival of this feature – they argue that it is in other similar word processors and should already be in Notepad – while others, well, are not so keen. The latter fear that Microsoft will blow up the application with this change – and perhaps more in the pipeline, given the current state of affairs? These people are concerned that Notepad will eventually no longer be a simple, quick-to-launch application, such as taking longer to load.
However, we must remember that this change is still only in the testing phase. Cynics might even claim that the leak was revealed to gauge response to the change, but whatever the case, just because a feature is undergoing internal testing doesn’t mean it will see the light of day in the released version of the app. However, it seems that this is certainly an opportunity for the future.