The Ultimate Guide: Mastering Notepad on Windows like a Pro

Using Windows Search

Opening Notepad on Windows is a breeze. You can use the "Windows Search" function to access Notepad by typing "Notepad" and selecting the app. Alternatively, you can open the "Run" dialog by pressing Windows+R, then type "notepad" and press Enter. If you prefer using Command Prompt or PowerShell, simply type "notepad" in either tool and press Enter. Regardless of whether you're using Windows 11 or Windows 10, there are several convenient methods to open your favorite text editor on your PC.

To easily find and launch any app on your PC, utilize Windows Search. Simply type the name of the desired app and let Search retrieve it for you. For opening Notepad using this method, firstly access Windows Search by either clicking the "Search" box on your taskbar or opening the "Start" menu and selecting the search box at the top.

Then, type “Notepad” and click the app in the search results.

Your app is now open.

From Run

To launch Notepad using the Windows Run box, simply press Windows+R to open the tool, then type the following command in the open box and press Enter:

notepad

Windows will launch the Notepad app.

Using Start Menu

Windows’ “Start” menu hosts shortcuts to many of your apps, including Notepad.

To use it, open the menu by either pressing the Windows key or selecting the menu icon on the taskbar.

When the menu opens, select “All Apps.” From the app list, choose Notepad to launch the app.

And that’s it.

From Task Manager

To launch apps, instead of simply force-closing them, you can utilize this utility by following these steps: Right-click on the "Start" menu icon and select "Task Manager." In the tool window, choose "Run New Task."

In the open box, type the following and press Enter:

notepad

Task Manager will launch your Notepad app.

From Taskbar

Windows’ taskbar is limited in size so it can’t contain all your apps, but you can pin your favorite apps to it to make launching those apps easier.

To do that for Notepad, first, open the “Start” menu and find “Notepad”. Right-click the app and choose “Pin to Taskbar.”

On your Windows taskbar, you now have a new shortcut, letting you directly launch the Notepad app.

From File Explorer

To launch Notepad while you’re inside File Explorer, you don’t have to close your current window. Use a command within your file manager to launch your text editor.

To do that, in your File Explorer’s address bar at the top, type the following command and press Enter:

notepad

Notepad is now open on your screen.

Using Command Prompt

If you prefer running commands, use a command in Command Prompt to open Notepad.

First, open the “Start” menu, find “Command Prompt”, and launch the utility. Then, type the following command and press Enter:

notepad

Let CMD open your favorite text editor.

With PowerShell

Windows’ PowerShell utility is similar to Command Prompt in many ways, and you can use this tool to launch your apps as well, including Notepad.

To do that, open the “Start” menu, find “PowerShell”, and launch the utility. Then, type the following command and press Enter:

notepad

Notepad is now open.

Using a Desktop Shortcut

If you prefer launching apps from your desktop, add Notepad’s shortcut to your desktop using a few easy steps.

To begin, press the Windows+D combination to access your desktop. Next, right-click on any empty area and select the option "New" followed by "Shortcut."

On the window labeled "Create Shortcut," click on the text field and enter the following text. Then, proceed by selecting "Next."

notepad

On the following screen, click the text field and type a name for your shortcut. Then, click “Finish.”

Your shortcut is now ready, and you can double-click it to open your Notepad app.

Using a Keyboard Shortcut

To launch the Notepad app on Windows, you can create a keyboard shortcut by adding the Notepad shortcut to your preferred location, such as the desktop or a folder. This shortcut will then open Notepad when the keyboard shortcut is activated.

Right-click on your shortcut and select "Properties." Go to the "Shortcut" tab, click on the "Shortcut Key" field, and enter the desired key combination. Lastly, click on "Apply" and then "OK."

And that’s it. Your keyboard shortcut has been created. Press the key combination you specified above each time you want to launch Notepad on your PC.

From Right-Click Menu

To add Notepad's shortcut to your right-click menu, you can modify the Windows registry. This will allow Windows to show a shortcut to the Notepad app whenever you right-click on your computer.

Please be cautious when editing the Windows registry, as making incorrect or accidental changes can destabilize your system. Only proceed if you are confident in your understanding of the process.

To start, open “Run” using Windows+R. In the open box, type the following and press Enter:

regedit

In the “User Account Control” prompt, select “Yes.”

In Registry Editor, using the options on the left, navigate to the following path:

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

In the left sidebar, right-click “shell” and choose New > Key. For the key name, use Notepad .

Right-click the newly-created Notepad key and choose New > Key. Use command as the key name.

Choose the newly-generated "command" key from the left-hand side. Subsequently, double-click the "(Default)" entry on the right-hand panel. In the ensuing dialogue box, click on the "Value Data" field and input the following information. Finally, click "OK."

C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe

Your key has been successfully added. Please close the Registry Editor and go back to your desktop. To access the "Notepad" option in your menu, simply right-click anywhere on your screen.

Now you know different methods to use the built-in text editor on your PC. Enjoy the experience!