Notepad’s AI Revolution: From Barely Alive to Writing for You!

Remember when Notepad was just a simple text editor? Get ready for a shock! In just three and a half years, Microsoft’s Notepad has undergone a stunning transformation, evolving from a “barely maintained” tool to one that leverages the power of AI to actually write for you. This evolution reflects a broader trend: AI features are becoming increasingly integrated—and unavoidable—in Windows.

Notepad Gets a Brain: AI-Powered Writing Arrives

Back in late 2021, even minor tweaks to Notepad were considered big news. Fast forward to today, and the focus is squarely on generative AI. Following the introduction of AI-powered text rewriting and summarization, Microsoft is now testing a “Write” feature. This allows users to generate text from scratch within Notepad, based on simple instructions, all powered by AI.

To access these AI features, you’ll need to sign in with a Microsoft Account. The “Write,” “Rewrite,” and “Summarize” functions tap into your monthly allowance of Microsoft’s AI credits. Users without a Microsoft 365 subscription receive 15 credits each month, while Personal and Family subscribers get a more generous 60 credits.

Worried about AI taking over your Notepad? Don’t be! Microsoft assures users that all AI features can be easily disabled within the app’s settings. Plus, if you prefer a local account, these features simply won’t be available.

Paint and Snipping Tool Join the AI Party

Notepad isn’t the only classic Windows app getting an AI makeover. Paint and Snipping Tool are also receiving significant updates. Paint now boasts a “sticker generator” and an AI-powered smart select tool designed to isolate and edit elements within your images. A new welcome screen guides users through these AI-driven enhancements.

Snipping Tool gains a handy color picker, revealing hex, RGB, and HSL values from screenshots. The “perfect screenshot” option intelligently crops app windows and on-screen elements automatically. Note that this feature requires a Copilot+ PC, leveraging local processing power from specific Qualcomm Snapdragon, Intel Core Ultra, or AMD Ryzen AI processors.

Coming Soon (Maybe) to Your Windows

These updates are currently in preview for Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. While not all features may make it to the final release, keep an eye out for these AI-powered improvements to land on your Windows machine in the coming weeks or months.

Source: Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica