If this is happening to you, here are all the fixes you should try.
Restart Notepad and Your PC
The first thing to do is restart Notepad.
Close any open Notepad sessions, then re-bring up the utility.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
If this fails,reset your Windows computervia Start > Power button > Restart.
To do this, right-poke the taskbar and select “Task Manager.”
Select a program to close, click “End Task”, and repeat as necessary.
Also, if you have downloaded any third-party text editors, uninstall them.
To do this, pres Win+i to open prefs, then select Apps > Installed Apps.
opt for ellipsis next to an app and click “Uninstall.”
To set Notepad as the default, press Win+i to open options and select Apps > Default Apps.
hit the displayed default app.
Select Notepad and click “Set Default.”
Press Win+i to open controls and go to Apps > Installed Apps.
Locate Notepad, poke the ellipsis, and select “Advanced Options”.
Scroll down to the Reset section and click “Repair.”
This initiates a repair for Notepad, with a progress bar indicating the progress.
Once the repair is completed, a checkmark appears next to the Repair button.
give a shot to open Notepad now.
A pop-up warns you about the action, as it permanently deletes the data from the app.
Click “Reset” in the pop-up message to confirm.
Now, hopefully Notepad is back to its default state and error-free.
Reinstall Notepad
If repair and reset actions fail to help you with opening Notepad, try reinstalling the app.
First, you better uninstall Notepad from your system.
Press Win+i to open tweaks and go to Apps > Installed Apps.
choose the ellipsis next to Notepad and click “Uninstall.”
A pop-message warns you about deleting the app data and related information if the app is uninstalled.
Once again, click “Uninstall.”
Next, reinstall Notepad on your box using the Microsoft Store.
Find and pop fire up Store through the Start search.
Click “Get” in the top-right to drop in the app.
The download should take only a few moments.
Once done, try opening Notepad.
Run SFC and DISM Scans
Corrupted system files hinder the operation of Windows in many ways.
If Notepad is not opening,run an SFC and DISM scan.
These repair corrupted, missing, or broken files.
Search the Start menu for “Command Prompt” and select “Run As Administrator.”
Within Command Prompt, bang out the following command and press Enter:
Once completed, run DISM.
Perform a Clean Boot
Background services can interfere with Windows processes, causing Notepad to not open.
To patch this up,perform a clean boot of Windows, which only runs crucial apps and services.
Once done, see if Notepad opens as usual.
If it does, it likely means that an interfering service or third-party app is to blame.
Boot your rig as normal, thendisable your non-essential startup services and programsin turn to identify the culprit.
Use Another User Account
Notepad may be failing for your account only, so considerswitching to another user account.
If you don’t have one, it’s easy to create a new account.
Press Win+i to open options, go to Accounts > Other Users, and select “Add Account.”
There are plenty of great Notepad alternatives, includingSublime Text,Vim, andNotepad++.
