7 reasons why Notepad doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)

If Notepad stops opening, crashing, or won’t save files, the quickest explanation is that something in Windows (app settings, file associations, system files, permissions, or policies) is preventing it from working. The core issue addressed here is Notepad doesn’t work in Windows 10 — this article explains the common causes and gives step‑by‑step fixes so you can get Notepad running again.

You’ll learn how to check and reinstall Notepad, fix file associations, repair system files, adjust security settings, test for profile corruption, and remove policy blocks — with commands and menu paths you can follow even if you’re not an expert.

Key Takeaway

If Notepad fails, the fastest reliable fix is to repair or reinstall Notepad (via Settings > Apps > Optional features or PowerShell) and run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair system files; if that doesn’t help, check file associations, security settings, user profile, and Group Policy/registry blocks.

Quick Fix Guide

Quick Fix Guide

Reason for the Problem	Quick Solution
Notepad is missing or the app is corrupted	Reinstall or repair Notepad from Settings > Apps > Optional features or use PowerShell to add/repair the capability.
File associations point to another program	Reset file association for the file type via Settings > Apps > Default apps or use Open with > Choose another app and check Always use.
Notepad crashes with large or specially encoded files	Open large files with a specialized editor (e.g., Notepad++) or use WordPad; convert encoding to UTF‑8 if needed.
Corrupted system files or Windows component issues	Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth from an elevated Command Prompt.
Antivirus or Controlled Folder Access blocking Notepad	Allow Notepad in your AV or turn off Controlled folder access or add Notepad to allowed apps.
User profile is corrupted	Test Notepad under a new local user account; migrate data if the new profile works.
Group Policy or registry is blocking Notepad	Check gpedit.msc or the registry keys under Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun and remove restrictions.

Detailed Fixes for “Notepad doesn’t work in Windows 10”

1) Notepad is missing or the app is corrupted

Why this happens

• In newer Windows 10 updates Notepad can be an optional feature, and system updates or corruption can remove or break the Notepad package.

Step-by-step solution

1. Open Settings > Apps > Optional features.
2. Search the list for Notepad. If it’s present, click it and choose Uninstall first; then click Add a feature, search Notepad, and click Install to reinstall.
3. If Notepad appears under Apps & features, choose Notepad > Advanced options and click Repair, then Reset if Repair doesn’t work.
4. To reinstall using PowerShell (run PowerShell as Administrator):
   • Check capability:
     Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like ‘Notepad‘
   • To add/reinstall:
     Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Microsoft.Windows.Notepad~~~~0.0.1.0
   • After running, restart Windows.
     Notes/tips

• If you don’t see the optional feature, make sure Windows Update is enabled and the PC is up to date: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

2) File associations are incorrect

Why this happens

• If .txt or other text file types are associated with the wrong program, double-clicking or opening a file won’t launch Notepad.

Step-by-step solution

1. Right‑click the file (e.g., a .txt file), choose Open with > Choose another app.
2. Select Notepad, check Always use this app to open .txt files, then click OK.
3. To set defaults globally: Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type, find .txt and select Notepad.
4. Advanced command-line fix (Command Prompt as Administrator):
   • Reset association:
     assoc .txt=txtfile
     ftype txtfile=”%SystemRoot%\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE” “%1”
     Notes/tips

• You can repeat for other extensions (.log, .ini, .bat if appropriate) as needed.
• If the Notepad option isn’t shown, reinstall Notepad first (see previous step).

3) Notepad crashes on large files or with encoding problems

Why this happens

• Classic Notepad has limits with very large files and some encoding types (very old versions had problems with very large or binary files). Special characters or incorrect encoding can cause display errors or crashes.

Step-by-step solution

1. If the file is large (MBs–GBs), open with a more robust editor: install Notepad++ or use WordPad: right-click > Open with > WordPad.
2. If encoding is the issue, open Notepad, choose File > Open, select the file, and in the Encoding drop-down pick UTF-8, Unicode, or ANSI until it displays correctly.
3. To view a very large file quickly, use PowerShell without loading the whole file: open PowerShell and run:
   Get-Content -Path “C:\path\to\bigfile.txt” -TotalCount 100 (shows first 100 lines).
4. If Notepad crashes, check Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application for Notepad crash entries to get faulting module info.
   Notes/tips

• For repetitive work with big or structured text files, use editors designed for large files like Large Text File Viewer or Notepad++.

4) Corrupted system files or Windows components

Why this happens

• System file corruption (from failed updates, crashes, or malware) can stop Notepad from launching or working normally.

Step-by-step solution

1. Open Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run System File Checker:
   sfc /scannow
   Wait until it completes and follow messages (it may repair files).
3. If issues persist, run DISM to repair the Windows image (still in elevated Command Prompt):
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. After DISM completes, run sfc /scannow again and reboot.
   Notes/tips

• Keep the PC connected to the internet during DISM so it can download replacement files.
• If DISM fails, you can specify a local source ISO as the repair source; see Microsoft docs for the /Source switch.

5) Antivirus, Controlled Folder Access, or permissions blocking Notepad

Why this happens

• Security software (including Windows Defender) may block Notepad from accessing folders or executing if it suspects unusual behavior; Controlled Folder Access can block saving.

Step-by-step solution

1. Check Windows Security: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage ransomware protection.
2. If Controlled folder access is on, click Allow an app through Controlled folder access, then Add an allowed app and pick Notepad from C:\Windows\system32\notepad.exe (or from Program Files if installed separately).
3. For third‑party antivirus: open the AV console, check quarantine/history, and add notepad.exe or the Notepad install path to exclusions or allowed apps.
4. To test if permissions are blocking execution, run Notepad elevated: right‑click Notepad and choose Run as administrator. If it works as admin, check file/folder permissions: right-click file > Properties > Security tab and ensure your user has Read/Write.
   Notes/tips

• Don’t leave Controlled Folder Access off permanently; add trusted apps instead.
• If AV is the issue, update or reinstall the antivirus to the latest version.

6) User profile corruption

Why this happens

• A corrupted user profile can cause apps to behave oddly; Notepad may fail under the affected profile but work under another account.

Step-by-step solution

1. Create a new local user: Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC > I don’t have this person’s sign-in information > Add a user without a Microsoft account.
2. Create a username and password, sign out, and sign in with the new account.
3. Test Notepad in the new account. If it works, your old profile is likely corrupted.
4. To migrate data, copy documents and important files from C:\Users\OldUser\ to the new profile (avoid copying AppData unless needed and verified).
   Notes/tips

• If case of profile corruption, consider exporting bookmarks, saved settings and reinstalling problematic apps instead of copying hidden AppData blindly.

7) Group Policy or registry restrictions block Notepad

Why this happens

• Administrators can block specific executables using Group Policy, Software Restriction Policies, AppLocker, or registry keys; this prevents Notepad from running.

Step-by-step solution

1. If you have Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise, open gpedit.msc (Press Win+R, type gpedit.msc, Enter).
2. Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System and check Don’t run specified Windows applications — if Enabled, click Show… and remove notepad.exe if listed.
3. Also check Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Software Restriction Policies and Application Control Policies (AppLocker) for rules blocking Notepad.
4. For Home edition or to check the registry: run regedit and inspect these keys:
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
   • If you find a DisallowRun entry or a list containing notepad.exe, back up the registry (File > Export), then delete the offending value.
5. Restart Windows after removing policies.
   Notes/tips

• Modifying Group Policy or the registry can affect system behavior; back up settings and be cautious.
• In corporate environments, contact your IT admin before changing policies.

Preventive tips and when to seek advanced help

• Keep Windows updated: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update to reduce bugs.
• Use reliable editors for heavy work: Notepad is simple; for coding or huge logs use Notepad++, VS Code or Sublime Text.
• Create a regular backup of critical files and your system image using Settings > Update & Security > Backup or third-party backup tools.
• If Notepad problems persist after trying all fixes, collect evidence (Event Viewer logs, Notepad crash files, steps to reproduce) and contact Microsoft Support or your IT department — especially if Group Policy or AppLocker rules are involved.

FAQ

H4: Can I reinstall Notepad from the Microsoft Store?

Yes — on recent Windows 10 builds Notepad is available as an optional feature and may also be updated via the Microsoft Store; reinstall it via Settings > Apps > Optional features or download updates through Microsoft Store if the store listing is available.

H4: How can I recover unsaved Notepad text after a crash?

Notepad does not auto‑save; if Notepad crashed, try checking %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent or look for copies in %Temp%; otherwise use file recovery tools or check if an editor with autosave was used instead. For future protection, use editors with autosave or enable file history/backups.

H4: How do I set Notepad as the default app for all text-like extensions?

Use Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type, then select Notepad for extensions like .txt, .log, .ini. For mass resets, use the assoc and ftype commands in an elevated Command Prompt.

H4: Could a Windows Update break Notepad and how do I roll back?

Yes — a bad update can affect system components. Use Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history and Uninstall updates to remove recent updates, or restore a System Restore point if available.

H4: How do I get more diagnostic information if Notepad keeps crashing?

Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application, filter by source Application Error and look for notepad.exe entries. Create a minidump using Windows Error Reporting or use Reliability Monitor (Control Panel > Security and Maintenance > Reliability Monitor) for more context to share with support.

Conclusion

Most Notepad failures are caused by a missing/corrupted app, file association problems, system file corruption, security blocks, profile issues, or policy restrictions; following the steps above usually restores functionality. If you follow the reinstall/repair steps, run sfc /scannow and DISM, and check associations and policies, you’ll resolve most cases of Notepad doesn’t work in Windows 10.