How to uninstall Notepad app on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you can uninstall the Notepad app, and in this guide, I’ll outline the steps to complete this task.

Notepad has been around for a long time. It’s a note-taking app designed for basic text editing purposes. Tech-savvy users and programmers usually use it to write notes and edit code. However, many users have expressed various concerns regarding the updated Notepad application on Windows 11, leading some to consider uninstalling it.

Some of the issues include unwanted features, such as AI integration with Rewrite that requires one to sign in to the app with a Microsoft account. This has also raised privacy concerns among users who prefer a straightforward text editor without additional account dependencies.

We can also name the unnecessary Bing integration to perform web searches available from the context menu, and others.

If you don’t find Notepad useful anymore, or you want to use an alternative, such as Notepad++, VS Code, or Obsidian (just to name a few), it’s possible to uninstall the note-taking app easily since it’s an optional feature that you can add or remove at any time.

In this guide, I’ll explain how to uninstall (and reinstall) the Notepad app on Windows 11.

Uninstall Notepad on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you can remove the note-taking app from the Settings app or use commands through PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Method 1. Settings app

To uninstall Notepad on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings on Windows 11.
Click on System.
Click the Optional features page.
Select the Notepad item.
Click the Uninstall button.

Method 2. PowerShell

To uninstall Notepad with PowerShell, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and click the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to remove the Notepad app from Windows 11 and press Enter:
```
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.WindowsNotepad* | Remove-AppxPackage
```

Method 3. Command Prompt

To uninstall Notepad from Command Prompt, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and click the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to uninstall the Notepad app on Windows 11 and press Enter:
```
winget uninstall --id=9MSMLRH6LZF3
```

Once you complete the steps, the basic note-taking app will be removed from your Windows 11 setup.

This method will also work with PowerShell.

Install Notepad on Windows 11

You can also use the Settings app to reinstall the Notepad app, but if you want to use PowerShell or Command Prompt, you will have to use the Windows Package Manager (winget) tool. Alternatively, you can always install the note-taking app directly from the Microsoft Store.

Method 1. Settings app

To install Notepad one more time on your computer, use these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on System.
Click the Optional features page.
Click the “View features” button.
Search for the Notepad app in the search box.
Check the Notepad option.
Click the Next button.
Click the Add button.

Method 2. PowerShell or Command Prompt

To uninstall Notepad with PowerShell or Command Prompt, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell (or Command Prompt), right-click the top result, and click the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to reinstall the Notepad app on Windows 11 and press Enter:
```
winget install --id=9MSMLRH6LZF3
```

After you complete the steps, the Notepad app will be installed on your computer.

Although you can use multiple methods to remove the app, I have noticed that the “Notepad” entry will remain on the “Optional Features” page even after running the command and restarting the computer. As a result, if you use commands to remove the app, then use the commands to reinstall it (if necessary).

If you want to choose the best approach, I would recommend removing and installing the note-taking app from the “Optional Features” settings page.

Why are you uninstalling the note-taking app on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

Source link