After forty-one years since its introduction in 1983, Microsoft has finally rolled out a spell check and autocorrect feature in Notepad for all Windows 11 users. The new features, which have been tested by Windows Insiders since March, are now available to all users.
Users will now notice the familiar red squiggle under incorrectly spelled words, with the option to right-click on the word and choose from a ‘Spelling’ submenu to correct the spelling.
Windows 11 Notepad spell check
Source: BleepingComputer
Autocorrect: A Mixed Bag
In addition to spell check, Notepad now includes an autocorrect feature that aims to fix spelling mistakes as users type. However, in tests, the autocorrect feature has shown to be inconsistent, only working a few times out of many intentional typos introduced during testing.
Users have the option to disable both the spell check and autocorrect features in the Notepad settings. They can also customize whether these features are enabled for specific file types, such as .txt, .md, .srt/.ass, .lrc, and .lic file extensions.
Windows 11 Notepad spell check and autocorrect settings
Source: BleepingComputer
A Modernized Notepad
Microsoft began adding new features to Windows Notepad in 2018 to modernize the application and enhance its competitiveness with popular Notepad replacements. These features include:
- Improved Unix & Mac compatibility
- Wrap-around find and replace
- UTF-8 support
- Tabs
- Text zoom
- Autosaving
- Line number displays
- A character counter
The introduction of spell check and autocorrect is a significant step forward for an application that has remained largely unchanged for decades. While the autocorrect feature may need further refinement, the addition of these tools marks a notable enhancement for Windows 11 users who rely on Notepad for their text editing needs.
