The Notepad application that comes with Windows 11 is being "AI-ized" by Microsoft: Based on the integration of Copilot, Microsoft has added a new feature called "streaming" to it. In the future, users can see AI text in Notepad presented verbatim like manual input, rather than the entire result appearing at once. Microsoft believes that this ChatGPT-like output method can make the experience more natural, especially in scenarios such as voice mode, making it easier for users to follow and read.
At present, Notepad’s AI text streaming output function is the first to be pushed to Copilot+ PC, and only locally generated rewriting results will be displayed in streaming mode. However, Microsoft has hinted that this capability will be expanded to ordinary Windows 11 PCs in the future, including some AMD and Intel machines that do not officially support Windows 11 but actually run the system.
The report pointed out that integrating AI into Notepad is not a new attempt. Microsoft has previously added functions such as the Copilot button and "Recent Files" to the application, and now it is continuously strengthening this route. The author questions whether it is necessary to cram so many generative capabilities into a notepad originally positioned as a "minimalist text editor" when you can directly use the standalone Copilot app, Microsoft 365 Copilot, or other desktop/in-browser AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude).
In the current version, Notepad has Copilot enabled by default. Users can select any text and invoke options such as "Write", "Rewrite", "Customized re-write" and "Summary". Custom rewrite provides the ability to adjust the length, modify the tone (formal, relaxed, inspirational, humorous, persuasive, etc.) and change the purpose of the text (such as for marketing scenarios), which has been criticized as deviating from the original intention of Notepad to be "simple, fast, and not cumbersome."
The author believes that although Notepad can still run quickly after adding AI, it has begun to appear "bloated" by default, especially for users who just want to open a txt file and jot down something. For users who are disgusted with this trend, you can still manually turn off Copilot in the Notepad settings: the path is "Settings > Copilot". Turning off the relevant options can restore the relatively clean interface.
However, turning off the switch will not actually move Copilot-related code and components out of the application body. They are just hidden and no longer directly exposed on the front end. The report lamented that AI seems to have inevitably penetrated into classic applications such as Notepad and Paint. If users want a lightweight editing experience without AI at all, they can consider falling back to alternatives such as WordPad (through manual recovery) or choosing third-party tools such as Notepad++.
The contradiction between Microsoft's vigorous promotion of AI at the system level and some users' demands for "the simpler the tools, the better" is gradually intensifying. For pure text editing needs, many people believe that AI does not need to be everywhere, especially not tied into those old applications that are known for being lightweight and pure.
At the same time, for users who are willing to try out AI features, Notepad’s newly added rewriting, summarizing, and streaming output indeed provide an experience closer to that of a modern writing assistant. The report ends with an open question, inviting readers to think about whether the deep integration of AI in basic applications such as Notepad is a productivity upgrade, or whether it turns a classic tool into an "AI toy."