The modern Notepad in Windows 11 has evolved beyond a simple text editor. It now supports features like rich formatting, fonts, bold/italic styles, and even Markdown (in newer versions). While useful, this can sometimes cause unwanted formatting when you just want clean, plain text.
If your text appears styled or formatted and you want to remove formatting and return to plain text, there are several easy ways to do it. In this guide, we will walk you through all the working methods.
How to Remove Formatting and Restore Plain Text in Notepad
Follow the methods below to clean your text.
1. Use “Paste as Plain Text”
If you’re pasting content from the web or another app:
- Copy the formatted text.
- Open Notepad.
- Right-click and select Paste as plain text
(or press Ctrl + Shift + V)
This removes all formatting automatically.
2. Disable Formatting Mode (If Enabled)
New Notepad versions may support formatting/Markdown.
- Open Notepad.
- Click the Settings (gear icon).
- Look for options like:
- Formatting
- Markdown support
- Disable these options.
This ensures Notepad behaves like a classic plain text editor.
3. Clear Formatting Manually
If text is already formatted:
- Select the text (Ctrl + A).
- Copy it (Ctrl + C).
- Open a new Notepad window.
- Paste using Ctrl + Shift + V.
This strips all styles and keeps only raw text.
4. Use Notepad as a Formatting Cleaner
Notepad itself can remove formatting from other apps.
- Copy text from Word, browser, or email.
- Paste into Notepad.
- Copy it again from Notepad.
- Paste wherever needed.
This ensures completely clean text.
5. Save File as Plain Text
Ensure your file is saved correctly.
- Click File → Save As.
- Choose .txt format.
- Set encoding (UTF-8 recommended).
- Save the file.
This prevents formatting from being preserved.
6. Disable Word Wrap (Optional)
Word Wrap doesn’t add formatting but can affect display.
- Click View.
- Toggle Word Wrap off if needed.
This ensures a clean, linear text view.
When Formatting Appears in Notepad
Formatting may appear due to:
- Copying from websites or Word documents
- Markdown rendering (new Notepad versions)
- Rich text features being enabled
- Hidden characters or encoding differences
Conclusion
While Windows 11 Notepad now includes modern features, it still works perfectly as a plain text editor when configured correctly. Removing formatting is quick and easy using options like Paste as plain text, disabling formatting features, or re-pasting content into a new file.
By using these methods, you can ensure your text stays clean, simple, and free from unwanted formatting—just like classic Notepad.
