Notepad now lets you create tables, but is it one feature too many for this simple app?

Microsoft's Notepad is one of those simple legacy apps that has been around for decades. It has been a go-to app for countless Windows users because it offers fast and straightforward text-based editing and note-taking. That said, the Notepad in Windows 11 is a version of the app that has seen several functionality updates, including tab support, text formatting for links and headings, and AI-powered rewrite and summarize tools.

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Tables are coming to Notepad, image credit: Microsoft.

As part of a new update available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11, Notepad (version 11.2510.6.0) now supports creating tables. The new option appears in the toolbar, and, in keeping with Notepad's lightweight, fast theme, it's a simple drop-down menu that lets you create a Table by selecting the number of rows and columns using a grid.

• Read more: Microsoft adds a generative AI feature to Notepad, its simple text editor

There's also some right-click functionality to add or remove rows and columns; however, the initial response to the update has been mixed, as the general feeling is that Notepad's basic text and note-taking functionality is what keeps it lightweight. And the more Notepad features Microsoft adds, the more it's going to lose sight of its original intention and become another unoptimized Windows app with too many unnecessary features.

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In addition to Notepad gaining support for tables, this update also improves the AI-powered Write, Rewrite, and Summarize features, which require you to sign in with your Microsoft account. With "streaming result responses," users will receive their AI-generated text faster, in preview form. Currently limited to Copilot+ PCs, this update will become available to all users down the track.