- Notepad rumored to have a new feature
- Windows 11 app could allow users to embed images
- This might be useful for some, but others will be concerned about how much Microsoft is putting into this “light” application.
The Windows 11 Notepad app is due to add another feature based on what we’re hearing from rumors, and this time it’s image support.
Windows Latest claims to have spoken to sources who say Microsoft will give Notepad users the ability to embed images (as seen in Word, of course).
On top of that, there is some evidence of this addition in the Windows Insiders program, where pre-release versions of Notepad are tested. Windows Latest notes that a new version of Notepad displays an “insert image” button in the application’s toolbar, although it is located in Notepad’s “What’s New” panel, not in the software itself. However, it is a clear indication that this capability is planned.
Apparently, sources consulted by Windows Latest believe that the feature has a “minimal impact” on performance in tests. Additionally, we’re told that those who don’t want this functionality will have the option to turn it off in Notepad settings.
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This feature will apparently be part of Notepad’s ‘downgrade’ support, a formatting syntax, which marked the beginning of the expanded formatting options we’ve seen coming to the app in recent times. That includes things like making bulleted lists, making text bold and italicized, as well as adding hyperlinks, and now adding images.
The question is: how many more features will Microsoft include in Notepad? Where will the company draw the line? Because many long-time Notepad users love the simplicity of the app and its basic nature, meaning it’s efficient and slick, and they’re becoming very skeptical about its future due to this constant trickle of features being introduced into the app.
It’s true that you can disable some of these features, and we’re told this doesn’t have any noticeable impact on performance, but the problem is that all of these little things could eventually add up to hinder Notepad’s overall responsiveness.
Beyond that concern, there are also safety concerns, as a recent incident highlighted. The aforementioned Markdown formatting system itself meant that there was a vulnerability present in Notepad, so expanding (or inflating, if you prefer) Notepad’s capabilities can have unforeseen consequences in terms of exploits and hacking.
It’s actually a strange situation considering that Microsoft abandoned Windows 11’s WordPad, which was a middle option between basic Notepad and full Word, and is now turning Notepad into something that increasingly looks like that middle compromise.
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