How to remove text formatting in Notepad in Windows 11

¿How to remove text formatting in Notepad on Windows 11? El Notepad It has been one of the most iconic and simple applications in the Windows operating system for decades. However, with the release of Windows 11, Microsoft has decided to give this traditional text editor a new lease of life and power, adding modern features that position it much closer to tools like Word or Google Docs, while maintaining its essence of simplicity. One of the most talked-about new features is the ability to format text and of course delete it when necessaryIf you want to know How to remove text formatting in Windows 11 Notepad and take advantage of all the benefits this update offers, here we tell you in detail.

Throughout this article we are going to review from the news focused on the text format that arrive in Notepad, how you can easily remove these formats and what additional options the app offers to customize your writing and improve your workflow. In addition, we'll cover tricks, shortcuts and tips so that you can get the most out of this renewed tool.

New formatting tools in Windows 11 Notepad

Microsoft has surprised many users by bringing to the Notepad a specific toolbar for format the textThis toolbar, which has been missing for years, is a revolution for those who have been missing the ability to edit their documents beyond simple plain text.

Now, when you open Notepad in Windows 11 (especially if you're in the Insider program, Dev or Canary channels), you'll find Options to apply bold, italics, underline, create lists, add links and even headersThese features are reminiscent of more advanced text editors, but with a simple and lightweight approach.

As if that were not enough, Microsoft has opted to integrate support for Markdown, a lightweight markup language widely used by developers and writers. This means that, in addition to using the formatting bar, you have the option to switch between Markdown syntax view and formatted text view, which provides great flexibility depending on your user profile.

How to remove text formatting in Notepad in Windows 11

One of the most recurring concerns now is: How do I clear the formatting if I want to go back to plain text? Microsoft has made this process very intuitive. You now have two main methods to remove any formatting applied to the text in Notepad:

• From the Formatting toolbar: Simply select the text you want to remove formatting from and click the corresponding button, located on the far right of the bar, next to the hyperlink icon. This button is usually represented by an eraser or a clean formatting symbol.
• From the menu Edit: You can also go to the menu Edit and choose the option Clear formattingThis will restore the selected text to its default style, removing bold, italics, lists, and other formatting elements.

These features are especially useful if, for example, you copy text from other applications with different styles and want to leave everything unified in plain text.

Advantages and operation of the Markdown-based format

The integration of Markdown in Notepad represents a small revolution. While its use may seem complex for novice users, the application actually makes things much easier:

• You can work directly with the visual toolbar, ignoring the Markdown syntax if you don't need it.
• If you are comfortable with the language, you can switch between the view of Markdown syntax and the view of formatted text, from the view menu or using the button on the bottom bar.
• Notepad doesn't compromise the original file format, allowing you to save documents in plain text (.txt), Markdown (.md), HTML, or any extension you choose, while preserving structured content. For more details on removing formatting in other programs, see How to remove formatting in Google Sheets.

In this way, Notepad goes from being just for taking quick notes to an excellent tool for preparing documentation, notes, or any text that requires some structure without the heavy burden of a full-fledged processor.

How to access new features: updates and Insider Program

The arrival of these new features has been gradual. Initially, the formatting tools are only available in the latest builds for members of the Windows Insider Program on the Dev and Canary channels. If you want to be among the first to try them, you have to:

1. Gonna Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program.
2. Select Begin and link your Microsoft account.
3. Choose the Dev or Canary channels, as they are the first to receive updates, although they may be less stable.
4. Accept the terms, continue, and restart your device.

If you're already an Insider or the features have reached the public release, simply update your operating system and check the Notepad app to see if the formatting bar appears. Microsoft will be rolling out these features in stages.

Customization options and tricks for Notepad in Windows 11

 

In addition to the aforementioned formatting tools, Notepad in Windows 11 has incorporated other improvements which may be very practical for you:

• Line adjustment: Prevents text from exceeding the window width. You can activate it from the menu. View > Word WrapIdeal for reading or editing long texts without scrolling horizontally.
• Spell check and autocorrect: Enable these features in your settings to avoid typos. You can configure them based on the document type (for example, disable them for TXT files and keep them for MD files).
• Font customization: Change the font family, style (bold, italic, etc.), and size from the settings options, displaying an example sentence that suits your preferences.
• Autosave and Restore: Notepad now automatically saves your current work and resumes it after you close the application. If you see a dot on the tab, it hasn't been saved yet, but you won't lose the content even if you close the window.
• Search with Bing: Select a text and access options to search for or define concepts directly in your web browser via Bing from the context menu or the Edit menu.

Essential keyboard shortcuts for working quickly

Master the Notepad It involves knowing the keyboard shortcuts most useful tips to speed up your work. Here are the main ones:

Function	Keyboard shortcut
New tab	Ctrl+N
New window	Ctrl+Shift+N
Open	Ctrl+A
Keep	Ctrl+G
Save as	Ctrl+Shift+S
Save all	Ctrl+Alt+S
Print	Ctrl+P
Close tab	Ctrl+W
Close window	Ctrl+Shift+W
Go out	not specified
Undo	Ctrl+Z
Cut	Ctrl+X
Copy	Ctrl+C
Paste	Ctrl+V
Eliminate	Supreme
Define with Bing	Ctrl+F
Look for	Ctrl+B
Search next	F3
Search previous	Shift+F3
Replace	Ctrl+R
Gonna	Ctrl+T
Select all	Ctrl+E
Date and time	F5
Zoom in	Ctrl++
Zoom Out	Ctrl+-
Default zoom	Ctrl+0

Using these commands will allow you to work much faster, especially when you need to edit or clean up the formatting of long texts.

Managing headers and footers when printing

If you need to print a document from Notepad, you have the option to remove or modify headers and footers to customize the output. The available commands allow you, for example, to print the file name, date, time, or page number in specific locations. To do this:

• Go to menu File > Page Setup.
• Enter the desired commands in the text boxes. Header y Footer.
• If you leave these boxes empty, no header or footer will be printed.

Among the most used commands are:

Command	Action
&l	Left align subsequent characters.
&c	Center the following characters.
&r	Right align the following characters.
&d	Print the current date.
&t	Print the current time.
&f	Print the name of the document.
&p	Print the page number.

El Notepad: from basic application to versatile editor

Microsoft's effort to update Notepad isn't limited to formatting or interoperability. The company has also introduced functions based on artificial intelligence with the integration of Copilot and continues to work on expanding its potential. Current benefits include:

• Save files in any format: You can save documents as TXT, MD, HTML and more, simply by editing the extension when saving.
• Flexible formatting options: If you prefer plain text, you can remove or disable the formatting bar from the settings.
• Modern but light: Although it has incorporated new capabilities, it is still extremely fast and consumes almost no resources.

All these details make Windows 11 Notepad not only useful for writing quick notes, but also for more complex tasks, from technical writing to creating protocols or professional documentation.

El Notepad in Windows 11 has long since left its role as a simple, basic editor behind. Now you have a host of modern features at your fingertips, from text formatting to Markdown integration, advanced customization, and the convenience of removing formatting whenever you need to with just a click. Take advantage of all these tricks and options, keep your texts always clean and ready for any purpose, and explore the potential of a revamped tool that continues to adapt to all types of users, from the most basic to the most demanding.