Welcome to easy formatting in Notepad: Notepad in Windows 11 is gaining Markdown support.
Sometimes even something simple like writing down information feels needlessly complicated, doesn’t it?
You could jot it down on a paper sticky note. But then that info gets stuck — literally — wherever you stick it.
Digital sticky notes are a thing, but not a very good one.
You could open up a Word document and start typing away. But Word can be a little resource-intensive, and you don’t need 90% of the settings in there for taking quick notes.
Then there’s Notepad — good ol’ Notepad. It’s good for taking the simplest notes imaginable, but that’s it. No headings, no formatting to speak of. Even a bulleted list isn’t all that feasible.
We used to have something called WordPad, an app that kind of bridged the gap between the two. But Microsoft killed off WordPad last year.
If you’re frustrated by the huge gap between Notepad and Word, you’re not alone. And good news: Microsoft seems to have heard the complaints, because an all-new way to add some light formatting to simple Notepad documents is on the way: Microsoft is adding support for Markdown language.
What Is Markdown?
Markdown is a “lightweight markup language” that allows you to add basic formatting to documents that otherwise are plaintext. Instead of clicking a big “B” in the menu to turn text bold on screen, you’ll type certain characters to achieve the same result.
Here’s an example: to make text bold, simply **enclose it in two asterisks**.
Or, to make something a heading, just put a hashtag/number sign in front of it on a new line:
# This Would Be a Heading
Some word processors (like Google Docs) already support Markdown, and there are a ton of online tools that use some variation of the language. Dillinger, ghostwriter, Markdown Monster, StackEdit, Simplenote, and iA Writer are just a few.
What’s Changing in Notepad?
Essentially, Notepad can now recognize Markdown (similar to how Google Docs does). If you type in some markdown formatting, Notepad will understand what you’re doing and visually display the formatting you’ve added.
This means that now Notepad supports (and displays) a range of formatting elements it never has before, including:
- Bold
- Italic
- Underline
- Headings
- Hyperlinks
- Bullet points
The Beauty of Markdown
We’ll admit that Markdown isn’t super well known outside of enthusiast and techie circles, but there’s a certain beauty to it.
For one, it’s totally portable. Markdown is all just plain text, so you can open it with anything that can open plain text. It’s also pretty visually intuitive: **two stars is a great way to make text look important**, after all. So even if you don’t see it displayed as bold, you can kind of still see it.
The same goes for:
- # Headings
- ~~strikethroughs~~
- 1. Numbered lists
- + unordered list (bullets)
But again, now Notepad can display Markdown — problem solved.
Useful in the Moment — and for Your Business
Markdown may take a little getting used to, and you’ll have to learn the syntax (which characters do what). But it can be a great system. Once you learn the basics, it can be the perfect way to take quick notes that still have the formatting you need — without the bulk or heft of a Microsoft Word.
We see this as a simple, useful addition for everyday note-taking, but it might even be more than that. For businesses that don’t deal in super complex documents, Notepad could be a beneficial tool in a wider set of business contexts. Will you be canceling your Microsoft 365 subscription? Probably not. But in some situations you might be working faster and more efficiently without bothering with full-fledged Word.
Got questions about Microsoft tools, Markdown, or how to get more out of your IT spend? We can help! Reach out anytime.