Notepad gets character count in latest Windows 11 update

Microsoft's Notepad app on Windows 11 has been steadily improving in recent years, and now it finally gets a character count.

In a new Canary channel test version of Windows 11, Microsoft has added a character count at the bottom, similar to how Microsoft Word counts the number of words in a document.

"When text is selected, the status bar shows the character count for both the selected text and the entire document. If no text is selected, the character count for the entire document is displayed, ensuring you always have a clear view of your document’s length," Microsoft said in a blogpost.

Notepad has undergone several updates this year. The latest addition is an autosave feature that eliminates the need for the pop-up save prompt when closing the app.

Additionally, Microsoft has added tabs to Notepad, a dark mode option, and even a virtual fidget spinner.

In addition, the widgets section of the operating system (OS) is also getting improved. Soon, users will have the ability to show widgets only and hide the feed of news and articles that appear inside the widgets screen.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is introducing an "energy saver" mode for Windows 11 Insiders, which "extends and enhances" the existing battery saver option.

The new mode, unlike battery saver, is not limited to laptops. Users can now also use energy saver on a desktop computer to save systems' battery.