Launch Notepad

Notepad is a text editing application that has been bundled with all versions of Microsoft Windows. In this tutorial, we show you how you can launch the Notepad application from the shortcuts in the Start menu of different Windows versions. Learn how to launch Notepad in:

Windows 8
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP

Windows 8

Follow these steps to launch Notepad in Windows 8:

1. When you launch Windows 8, you see the Metro interface, as shown in Figure 1. If you are not seeing the Metro interface, press the Windows key on your keyboard to bring it up.
2. 
   Figure 1: Windows 8 Metro interface
2. Within the Metro interface, don’t select anything. Just type the first few letters of the word, notepad. This brings up a screen with possible results, as you can see in Figure 2.
3. 
   Figure 2: Result screen
3. On the left side of the screen you will see Notepad listed (as you can see highlighted in white within Figure 2, above). Just click this option to launch Notepad.

Windows 7

Follow these steps to launch Notepad in Windows 7:

1. Within the Windows Start menu, choose the Start | All Programs | Accessories | Notepad option, as shown in Figure 3.
2. 
   Figure 3: Notepad in Windows 7

Windows Vista

Follow these steps to launch Notepad in Windows Vista:

1. Within the Windows Start menu, choose the Start | All Programs | Accessories | Notepad option, as shown in Figure 4.
2. 
   Figure 4: Notepad in Windows Vista

Windows XP

Follow these steps to launch Notepad in Windows XP:

1. Within the Windows Start menu, choose the Start | All Programs | Accessories | Notepad option, as shown in Figure 5.
2. 
   Figure 5: Notepad in Windows XP