WordPad was always free — it came pre-installed with Windows. But with Microsoft removing it from Windows 11 and users switching to Mac, Linux, and Chromebook, many people are searching for a free WordPad equivalent that works anywhere.
The Best Free WordPad: No Download Required
Online WordPad is a free word processor that runs in your browser. It costs nothing, requires no installation, and works on every operating system.
Unlike Microsoft Word (which requires a Microsoft 365 subscription at $6.99/month or more), Online WordPad is and will remain free.
What You Get for Free
Everything — there are no paid tiers, no feature limits, and no ads:
- Full rich text formatting toolbar
- Tables with visual grid picker
- Image insertion and resize
- Page breaks with A4 page layout
- Export to Word (.docx), HTML, and plain text (.txt)
- Print with configurable margins (0.5 cm to 2 cm)
- Slash command menu
- Emoji picker
- Unlimited undo and redo
- Auto-save to browser local storage
Free WordPad vs Paid Alternatives
You do not need Microsoft Word to write a standard document. Here is what you actually need versus what Word charges for:
| Feature | Online WordPad (Free) | Microsoft Word (Paid) |
|---|---|---|
| Bold, italic, underline | ✓ | ✓ |
| Font families and sizes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tables | ✓ | ✓ |
| Images | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export to .docx | ✓ | ✓ |
| ✓ | ✓ | |
| No account needed | ✓ | ✗ |
| No subscription | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works in browser | ✓ | Partial |
Is Free Always Worse?
Not for most use cases. If you are writing:
- A letter
- Meeting notes
- A short report
- A school assignment
- A simple form or document
Then a free tool like Online WordPad is all you need. Microsoft Word's advanced features (mail merge, macros, tracked changes for large teams) are irrelevant for everyday writing.
How to Get Started
- Go to wordpad.online/pad
- Start typing
- Format your document with the toolbar or by typing
/ - Export as .docx when you are done
No credit card. No sign-up. No expiry. Free forever.
Is My Document Private?
Yes. Online WordPad stores your document in your browser's local storage only. Nothing is sent to a server. There are no user accounts, no cloud sync, and no tracking of document content.
Open Free WordPad and start writing now.