Since Windows Notepad was launched, its focus has always been on providing a straightforward, distraction-free environment for plain text. The application, which comes pre-installed on every Windows PC, has been around for nearly half a century now, and aside from a few updates here and there, it has remained largely unchanged.

Microsoft announced a big Windows 11 update in May, and in addition to the long-awaited redesigned Start menu, the tech giant also revealed new updates to Notepad. One of those updates included “lightweight” formatting, and it’s now rolling out to Windows Insiders… whether anyone wants it or not.

Thankfully, Microsoft lets you opt out if it's not your thing

As announced via a post on the Windows Insider Blog, Microsoft is now rolling out "lightweight" formatting in Notepad, version 11.2504.50.0. The Redmond-based giant explains that this change aims to provide "flexibility in how you structure content across your files."

The new formatting options include bold and italic styling, simple lists and headings, and hyperlinks. You'll find these options in the new formatting toolbar, where you’ll be able to apply formatting as you type or to text you’ve selected.

In the blog post, Microsoft also announced that it now supports Markdown for users who prefer using markup language when working in Notepad. Microsoft knows that the vast majority of Notepad users (especially the longtime ones) don't particularly want text formatting in Notepad, and would rather stick with the clean and minimal editor they've always known.

After all, there are plenty of other apps (both native and third-party) that already offer rich text formatting for those who want it. Likely in light of this, the company has also added the option to clear all formatting via the formatting toolbar.

If you'd much rather not have formatting at all in Notepad, you’ll also have the option to disable support for formatting entirely. The lightweight formatting features are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels on Windows 11.

This isn’t the only new feature Microsoft has announced for Notepad lately. Just last week, the company rolled out an AI-powered writing assistant in Notepad, which can quickly draft text based on a prompt you give it.