Microsoft has just added a new AI feature to Notepad called “Rewrite,” designed to make it easier for users to improve and personalize their writing. Notepad, one of Windows’ oldest tools, was launched in 1983 as a basic text editor. Now, with this new AI update, users can do more than just take notes: they can rephrase sentences, change the tone, or adjust the length of their text using the powerful AI model from Microsoft, GPT. This feature is currently in preview mode and available to those enrolled in the Windows Insider program.

What is rewriting in Notepad for?

The new Rewrite feature allows users to enhance their text with a range of useful options. With just a few clicks, you can make a sentence more formal, shorten a paragraph to make it more concise, or add details to make it longer. You can even adjust the tone of your text, whether you want something friendly and casual or professional and formal.

To use Rewrite, simply highlight the text you want to adjust, then right-click to access the Rewrite menu or choose the Rewrite button from the toolbar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + I) to quickly open the options. Notepad will generate three rewritten versions of the selected text, so you can review them and select the most suitable one with just one click.

Who can use this feature and how?

Rewrite is currently in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, especially those in the Canary and Dev channels. In some regions, like the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy, anyone with Windows 11 can access it through the Insider program. In other regions, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, Rewrite is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, including Personal, Family, and Copilot Pro plans. Users with these subscriptions receive a set number of monthly AI credits: these credits are used each time the Rewrite feature is applied. Basic users receive 50 credits, while Microsoft 365 subscribers receive 60 credits each month, with the option to add more by subscribing to Copilot Pro.

Microsoft added content filters to ensure Rewrite keeps things respectful and appropriate, blocking harmful or offensive output as much as possible. Users can also report any issues if something doesn’t seem right.

In terms of privacy, Microsoft processes rewrite requests through a secure online service but does not store user text or generated results. This way, your data remains private while taking advantage of AI capabilities.

With Rewrite, Microsoft aims to bring the ease of advanced text editing to everyday Notepad users, giving them an easy way to improve and personalize their writing, all with a single click.