1. Notepad is no longer a “plain‑text” editor
Users lament that the new Windows 11 Notepad now renders Markdown, shows a Copilot sidebar, and even requires a Microsoft account.
“Notepad is supposed to be a bare bones editor – where you go when everything else fails.” – nnevatie
“The new workflow will be ‘AI, I need to view this text file and add some words to it.’” – zombot
2. Security is a major concern
The update has exposed a host of vulnerabilities, from supply‑chain attacks to a CVE‑2026‑20841 RCE that can be triggered by a malicious Markdown link.
“An attacker could trick a user into clicking a malicious link inside a Markdown file opened in Notepad.” – password4321
“The new Notepad app Remote Code Execution Vulnerability” – password4321
3. Lightweight, “no‑frills” editors are still king
Many users prefer Notepad++, VS Code, Emacs, or even terminal editors over the bloated Windows version.
“Notepad++ is great, though they have a dubious habit of dumping political messages on releases.” – somenameforme
“I use VS Code, it is quite quick when you disable all extensions.” – SamuelAdams
4. Political messaging in open‑source tools is divisive
Notepad++’s occasional political banners have sparked debate about whether developers should embed opinions in free software.
“They have a selective political stance, and it feels risky to give them access to my machine.” – cogman10
“If software is a personal creative expression, you must be prepared for people who don’t like your political views.” – bigstrat2003
5. User experience has deteriorated
Performance regressions, confusing UI changes, and mandatory features (Copilot, auto‑save) frustrate users who relied on the old, instant‑on editor.
“The new Notepad is hilariously buggy… it refuses to open files of a certain size.” – 0cf8612b2e1e
“I never figured out how to disable the Copilot button, and it keeps popping up.” – tom_
6. Microsoft’s strategy is seen as “bloat‑ification” and loss of control
Critics argue that Microsoft is turning a simple tool into a marketing platform, pushing AI, and removing the original lightweight experience.
“Microsoft is trying to make the OS a platform for AI, not a simple text editor.” – steve1977
“If Microsoft really wanted a built‑in text editor that had features Notepad didn’t, they should have made a second application rather than ruining the minimalist one.” – CivBase
These six themes capture the core of the discussion: the shift in Notepad’s purpose, security fallout, the continued demand for lightweight editors, the controversy over political content, user‑experience pain points, and the broader critique of Microsoft’s product‑management choices.