On Windows 10, WordPad is a word processing application that has been around for a long time, and it was designed to offer users basic functionalities to edit or compose text documents in the case that Office was not available on your device.
However, since you can use Office for free online or using an Office 365 subscription, or other word processing solutions, such as Google Docs, most people don’t have much use for WordPad anymore. As a result, instead of removing the app completely, Microsoft is now making it an optional feature, which you can uninstall or reinstall using the Settings app.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to uninstall (and install) the WordPad app on Windows 10 (20H1).
How to uninstall WordPad using Settings
How do I uninstall WordPad from Windows 10? Use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 10.
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Click on Apps.
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Click on Apps & features.
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Under the “Apps & features” section, click on the Optional Features option.
Apps & features settings, Optional features option -
Select the WordPad item.
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Click the Uninstall button.
Uninstall WordPad from Windows 10 20H1 -
Restart your computer.
Once you complete the steps, the basic word processing app will be removed from your computer.
How to install WordPad using Settings
To install WordPad using the Optional features settings, use these steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on Apps.
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Click on Apps & features.
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Under the “Apps & features” section, click on the Optional Features option.
Apps & features settings, Optional features option -
Click the Add a feature button.
Optional features settings, add a feature option -
Check the WordPad option.
Install WordPad on WIndows 10 20H1 -
Click the Install button.
After you complete the steps, the WordPad app will be installed on your device.
In the case that you can’t find settings to install or uninstall, it’s likely that you’re not running the version of Windows 10 (20H1) that makes WordPad an optional feature.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].