How to Open Notepad in Windows 11

By Himanshu Add a Comment 9 Min Read
How-to-Open-Notepad-in-Windows-11

Notepad is a simple yet powerful text editor that comes pre-installed with Windows operating systems. It allows users to create and edit plain text files quickly. In Windows 11, there are multiple ways to open Notepad and you don’t need to be a computer expert to master these methods.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how to open Notepad in Windows 11, making your text editing tasks more convenient and efficient. Whether you prefer using the search feature, the Start menu, keyboard shortcuts, or even the Run dialog box, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started!

Ways to Open Notepad in Windows 11

Here are the different ways in which you can open Notepad on your Windows 11 PC. So, let’s discuss them one by one.

Windows Search is a quick and efficient way to find and open applications, including Notepad. It’s a great option if you prefer using the search feature for quick access.

To open Notepad using Windows Search, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + S to open the Windows search.

2. Type Notepad in the search bar and click on the Notepad app that appears in the search results.

3. Notepad will open and be ready for use.

Using Windows Search Option to Open Notepad

2. From the Start Menu

The Start Menu is a classic method to access applications in Windows. You can easily find and open Notepad from here.

Here’s how to open Notepad using the Start menu:

1. Click on the Start button, typically located in the bottom left corner of the screen.

2. You can find the Notepad app pinned here, click on it to open it.

Open Notepad using Start Menu

3. In case the app is not pinned on the Start Menu. Click on All Apps, and scroll through the list of installed apps.

Click on All apps on Start menu

4. Locate the Notepad app and click to open it.

Scroll to locate Notepad

3. Using Run Dialog Box

The Run dialog box provides a quick way to launch applications by typing their names. It’s a useful method for those who prefer using keyboard shortcuts.

You can open Notepad using Run by following the below-mentioned steps:

1. To open the Run dialog box, use the Windows key + R on your keyboard.

2. Type notepad in the dialog box and press Enter or click on the OK button.

4. Opening Notepad using Command Prompt

If you’re comfortable with Command Prompt, you can also open Notepad from there. Just open any command prompt interface like CMD, Windows Terminal, or Windows PowerShell and use a simple command to open Notepad.

To open Notepad using Command Prompt follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X to open the power menu.

2. Then select Terminal from the list that appears.

Open Terminal

3. Now, you will access the command-line interface. In the Terminal window, type notepad and press the Enter key to launch Notepad.

Note

Instead of using Windows Terminal, you can also use Command Prompt (CMD) to open Notepad by running the same command.

Open Notepad using terminal

That’s it! This way you will launch Notepad with the help of a command.

5. Using Task Manager

Task Manager can be used to start applications, including Notepad, as it is used to manage all the tasks and processes running in your Windows operating system.

Here’s how you can open Notepad using the Task Manager:

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu that opens.

right click on task bar

2. In the Task Manager window, click on the Processes tab and click on the Run new task option.

Click on run new task in task manager

3. In the Create new task dialog box, type Notepad in the text field area. Then press Enter or click the OK button to open Notepad.

Type notepad in create new task

6. Using File Explorer

File Explorer can also be used to access Notepad through the Windows Accessories folder or run the Notepad command in the File Explorer address bar.

To open Notepad using File Explorer, you can follow the following steps:

1. Open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E key combination.

2. Then open the Windows C drive.

File Explorer

3. Navigate to the Windows folder, usually located in the C: drive.

Click on Windows folder

4. After that, look for the System32 folder, as Notepad is installed in this location. Now, open the System32 folder.

System32 folder in C drive

5. Scroll down and double-click on notepad.exe to open Notepad. If you are unable to locate the Notepad installation in the C Drive, you can open Notepad by typing ‘notepad‘ in the File Explorer address bar for quicker access to the application.

Open Notepad using file explorer

7. Pinning Notepad to the Taskbar

Windows offers you the option to pin your favorite applications to the Taskbar area. Pinning Notepad to the Taskbar ensures easy access with a single click.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu and search for Notepad.

2. Right-click on the Notepad app in the search results and select Pin to Taskbar from the context menu.

Pin notepad to taskbar

3. You can now open Notepad directly from the Taskbar by clicking on the pinned icon.

Notepad pinned to taskbar

8. Creating Notepad Desktop Shortcut

You can also open Notepad by using the desktop shortcut; however, you have to create it first. Creating a desktop shortcut is another convenient way to open Notepad with just a double-click.

To create a Notepad shortcut on your desktop, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on free space on the desktop.

2. Then select New and choose Shortcut from the context menu that appears.

Click new shortcut on desktop

3. In the Create Shortcut window, you need to type the location of the item that you want to create a shortcut for. For the Notepad location, simply type Notepad, and it will automatically add the location of Notepad to the text field.

4. Then click on the Next button to continue.

type notepad to create its shortcut

4. Now, type a name for the shortcut, such as Notepad, and click on the Finish button.

Enter name for your notepad shortcut

5. After that, a Notepad shortcut will be created on your desktop; you can use it to open Notepad. To do so, double-click on the shortcut.

Notepad shortcut created

9. With Keyboard Shortcut

For those who prefer keyboard shortcuts, Notepad can be launched quickly using a combination of keys. To do this, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to the Notepad desktop shortcut that you have just created.

Here’s how you can assign a shortcut for Notepad and open it:

1. Right-click on the Desktop icon of Notepad and select Properties from the context menu.

Notepad Properties

2. In the Shortcut key option, enter the combination of keys you want to use for Notepad. You can do this by pressing them on your keyboard.

3. After that, click OK to confirm your selection.

Select Shortcut keys for notepad

Now, you can directly press the selected key combination shortcut to launch Notepad on your Windows operating system.

Conclusion

Opening Notepad in Windows 11 is a simple process that can be done in several ways. Whether you prefer using the search function, the Start menu, the Run dialog box, or keyboard shortcuts, you have multiple options to access this handy text editor.

By following the methods outlined in this guide, you can easily open Notepad and start creating or editing plain text files on your Windows 11 computer. Enjoy the convenience and functionality that Notepad offers for your everyday tasks.

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