Windows users need to be careful with the next major feature update. Microsoft is removing these applications from its operating system.

With the Windows 11 2024 update, Microsoft has improved the model that underpins Paint to deliver faster results. Plus, with new generative fill and erase tools, the Microsoft boasts that you can now use an adjustable brush to remove "unwanted or distracting elements" in your image. You can also a dd new elements exactly where you want them.

"WordPad is removed from all editions of Windows starting in Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025," Microsoft says on its support site. "We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt."

Microsoft has released two versions of Office 2024 for Windows PCs and Macs, the latest edition of its productivity suite that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and (in the Home & Business version) Outlook.

In September 2023, Microsoft announced the surprising end of their free text editing program. For many, WordPad was a simple but useful alternative to Microsoft Word — but it’s no longer part of Windows.