Microsoft WordPad

Software Overview

Microsoft WordPad is a free, Word-like text editor included with Microsoft Windows. While WordPad is nowhere near as robust as Microsoft Word, its formatting features are a step up from Microsoft Notepad. Most notably, for those looking for a free Microsoft Word alternative, WordPad can create, open, edit, and save .DOCX files (though the documents may appear slightly different than they do in Word). Microsoft discontinued WordPad, removing it from Windows 11 versions in 2024.

WordPad's ribbon-based UI allows you to specify your text's:

• Alignment
• Spacing
• Font
• Size
• Color
• Style (bold, italic, underline, etc.)

You can also insert images and Microsoft Paint drawings into WordPad documents.

After you finish drafting a document, you can save it as an .RTF, .ODT, or DOCX file. (You can also save the document as a .TXT file, though this will remove its images and formatting.) You can also quickly print or send the document in an email.

Summary

If you need to create a simple, formatted text document that does not include a lot of images, or you're looking for a free, easy way to open and edit a Microsoft Word document, Microsoft WordPad is a great option. However, Microsoft no longer develops WordPad. Some good alternatives to WordPad include Microsoft Notepad for basic text editing and LibreOffice Writer for rich text editing.

Primary File Type

.RTFRich Text Format File

Supported File Types

Additional Related File Types