Windows 11 Notepad will soon let you generate text using on-device AI models — no subscription required

by

Microsoft is rolling out a major Notepad update for Windows 11. The new version lets you create, revise, and condense text directly on your computer using artificial intelligence – without needing an internet connection or relying on cloud services.

Previously, using Notepad’s AI features meant you needed an internet connection because everything was processed online. It also required a Microsoft 365 subscription and that you be logged in with a Microsoft account.

Now, you can generate text directly on your device using AI, without needing to be signed in or have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Because the processing happens locally on Copilot+ PCs using the NPU, you don’t even need an internet connection. However, this feature does require a Copilot+ PC to work.

As a Notepad fan, I’m so excited about the new AI features! Microsoft just announced that on Copilot+ PCs, I can use things like Summarize, Write, and Rewrite right within Notepad, and the best part is, I don’t even need a subscription to get started. If I *do* have a subscription, it’ll smartly switch between using the AI locally on my PC or in the cloud, depending on what makes the most sense. But even if I’m not signed in or don’t subscribe, I can still use the AI features with the local model – it’s awesome!

Notepad has been updated recently with a lot of useful new features. You can now enjoy things like formatting options, spell check, and tabs, making it much more powerful than the simple text editor it used to be. It still works great for basic text editing, too, if that’s all you need.

A new version of Notepad is now available for Windows Insiders to try out. It’s being tested with those in the Canary and Dev programs, and should be released to everyone soon.

Read More

2025-09-18 00:39