Microsoft has announced that it has stopped developing WordPad and that it will be removed in a future Windows update after 28 years of existence.
Old Windows users have surely worked on it at some point. WordPad was and is the primary Windows word processing application, allowing users to create and edit documents with rich text and include images and links to other files.
WordPad has been built into all Windows systems since 1995, with the release of Windows 95, providing users with a basic word processor and document editor built into the operating system.
Of course there is also Microsoft Office, but WordPad is a very small Word, with completely basic features, which is convenient if you want to write a note. In its announcement Microsoft recommends Microsoft Word as a replacement for WordPad and Notepad users, even those who don't need rich text support.
The news isn't surprising given that the program has been an optional feature of Windows since the release of Windows 10 Insider Build 19551 in February 2020.
Although it is still installed by default on all Windows systems, it was possible to uninstall it using the "Optional Features" control panel.
