How to Open WordPad in Windows 10

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Last Updated: October 8, 2024 References

WordPad is a free and simple word processing application that was introduced in Windows 95 and is still around in Windows 10. It is not as simple as Notepad nor advanced as Microsoft Word, and it is somewhat limited.^{[1]
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Research source}^{[2]
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Research source} This wikiHow will show you how to open WordPad on Windows 10 devices using Windows Search, the Start menu, and Windows PowerShell.

Things You Should Know

WordPad is an alternative program to Notepad and Microsoft Word.
WordPad can easily and quickly be opened with Windows Search.
You can use a variety of methods to open WordPad in Windows 10.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Using Windows Search

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This is the quickest method.

If it's missing, then click on the Start
button.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Accessing through "All Apps" List in the Start Menu

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The Start menu contains a list of all software installed on your PC. WordPad is hidden under the "Windows Accessories" folder of the list.

You can also scroll if you've configured it to show on the tiles page.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Running through the Dialog Window

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Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Searching with File Explorer

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This is the built-in file management app that also stores system files, including WordPad.

Open File Explorer. You can do this quickly by clicking the taskbar icon
or pressing ⊞ Win+E.
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Type %SystemDrive%/Program Files/Windows NT/Accessories. Hit ↵ Enter or click the right arrow →.
- You can also manually navigate to the folder, replacing "%SystemDrive%" with your drive letter (usually C:).
It might have ".exe" at the end of the name depending on your file viewing settings.

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Using the Command Prompt

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One way is to right-click the Start
button and click Command Prompt.^{[3]
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Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Opening with Windows PowerShell

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WordPad can be opened through PowerShell, which is an alternative to Command Prompt.^{[4]
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Type powershell into the taskbar search bar (or launch the Start
menu and type if the bar is missing).
Ignore any advanced results that may appear (such as "PowerShell ISE" and "PowerShell (x86)").^{[5]
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Depending on your computer, there might be a delay of up to 5 seconds until this appears.

Community Q&A

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Question

How do I change the margins in WordPad for Windows 10?

Community Answer

Clicking Page Setup from the File tab will open the Page Setup dialog. In the bottom-right corner of the dialog, you will see the margin settings in millimeters. Simply adjust these values, then click OK.

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Question

When I save something in WordPad on Windows 10, it won't reopen in WordPad?

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Community Answer

After creating your file, take care save your file with .doc so it will open always.

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Question

I recently installed Windows 10 and have had problems ever since with words that have double letters when using either Notepad or Wordpad. Example installed, it will; only puts one "l" in the word.

Sajeel Rajput

Community Answer

It may be a keyboard fault. If so, the best way to resolve this error reinstall Notepad in Windows 10.

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Tips

Create a shortcut and put it anywhere on your PC, including your desktop. Use %windir%\write.exe or %SystemDrive%/Program Files/Windows NT/Accessories/WordPad.exe as the file location.^{[6]
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To reset WordPad to its default settings, start by opening the Registry Editor. Enter HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad into the top address bar (or navigate manually if you don't have the Creators Update). Right-click the "Options" key in the left pane, press Delete, and confirm the deletion. If WordPad is open, close it and reopen it to apply the reset.^{[7]
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Once WordPad is open, pin it to the taskbar. Right-click on the taskbar icon and select Pin to taskbar.

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