How to Reinstall Notepad using Windows Optional Features or Command Line

Missing Notepad on your Windows 11 computer? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of reinstalling Notepad swiftly using Windows Optional Features.

Method 1: Reinstalling Notepad Through Windows Optional Features

To quickly restore Notepad in Windows 11, utilize the Windows Optional Features by following these steps:

1. Use the search icon on the Windows 11 Taskbar to locate ‘optional features’.
2. Select ‘Optional Features’ from the search results.
3. In the Optional Features settings, choose ‘View features’.
4. Search for ‘notepad’ in the ‘Add an optional feature’ pop-up.
5. Select Notepad by ticking its checkbox, then click ‘Next’ to proceed with the installation.
6. Initiate the installation by selecting ‘Install’.
7. Monitor the installation’s progress under ‘Recent actions’.
8. Upon completion, perform a system restart to finalize the installation.

Method 2: Reinstall Notepad Using DISM Command

For those who prefer technical solutions, the DISM command offers a reliable method to reinstall Notepad. Here’s how to use Command Prompt to achieve this:

1. Open the search bar by clicking the icon next to the Windows start menu on the Taskbar and type ‘command prompt’.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt from the search results and select ‘Run as administrator’.
3. Approve the User Account Control prompt by clicking ‘Yes’.
4. To find Notepad’s capability identity, enter the following in Command Prompt:

   DISM.exe /Online /Get-Capabilities | find "Notepad"

5. To install Notepad, input the following command and press ENTER key:

   Dism /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:Microsoft.Windows.Notepad.System~~~~0.0.1.0

6. Once the command is executed, Notepad will be installed on your system.

Method 3: Reinstall Notepad with PowerShell

For administrators, PowerShell is another avenue to reinstall Notepad:

1. Search for ‘powershell’ using the Taskbar search icon.
2. Right-click on Windows PowerShell from the results and choose ‘Run as administrator’.
3. To find Notepad’s application name, enter:

   Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*notepad*"}

4. To reinstall Notepad, type the following commnad and hit enter:

   Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Microsoft.Windows.Notepad~~~~0.0.1.0

5. A ‘RestartNeeded’ message may appear. If it states ‘false’, no restart is necessary.

Conclusion

Notepad’s simplicity makes it an indispensable tool for handling plain text files. Should it vanish or be removed, the methods outlined—using Optional Features, DISM, or PowerShell—provide straightforward solutions to reinstall it on Windows 11.