How to Open Notepad with Previous Session in Windows 11

Notepad Notepad is a simple tool for writing and editing text. If you need to work with complex formatting, you should use WordPad WordPad instead.

Windows 11 now lets Notepad remember your work. If you close the app with several tabs open, it will save them for you. When you open the app again, your work will be right where you left it. This keeps you from losing progress if you have many files open at once.

Why use this feature?

This feature is helpful because it saves time. You do not have to manually reopen every file you were working on after you restart your computer or close the app. It makes your workflow smoother and less stressful.

What happens when done?

Once you change these settings, Notepad will change how it starts. It will either load your old tabs or open a clean, blank window, depending on your choice. This is currently rolling out to users in the Microsoft Insider Preview program.

How to change your Notepad settings

You can choose how Notepad behaves by following these simple steps:

1. Open the Notepad Notepad app app.
2. Click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner.

In the settings menu, look for the When Notepad starts section. Click it to see your choices:

• Open content from the previous session: This brings back your unsaved work from last time.
• Open a new window: This always starts with a fresh, empty workspace.

When you are finished, simply close the settings menu to save your changes.

Summary

Notepad in Windows 11 now helps you stay organized by remembering your open files. You can easily switch between resuming your old work or starting fresh by clicking the gear icon in the app. This update is being rolled out to users in the Microsoft Insider Preview program.