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Microsoft’s Notepad has been around for over four decades.
For example, Notepad now supportscharacter count.
Notepad now includes an AI-powered rewrite feature that requires a paid subscription, though you can disable the feature and hide its icon.
But the prompt only refers to those who want to use the AI-powered Rewrite feature.
Notably, both those plans require payment.
You don’t have to use Rewrite to use Notepad as a text editor.
A paid subscription is required to use the Rewrite feature within Notepad.
Still, the icon and prompts related to Rewrite could be viewed as ads.
One of the new prompts was spotted by X users TheBobPony.
Sign in with a Microsoft Account for Notepad?!
pic.twitter.com/VfZVM44EC0February 16, 2025
Microsoft won’t receive the benefit of the doubt from many.
The tech giant has placed ads within the Start menu, File Explorer, and its Weather app.
Do you need a Microsoft account to use Notepad?
You also do not need to pay for a plan to use the utility.
To fully unlock the app, you do need to pay and have a Microsoft account.
I’d say the current model is best described as “freemium.”
Asupport document from Microsoftbreaks down AI credits and how to get them.
