Standard Notepad behavior
The requesting program launches the original Windows Notepad application.
Overview
Why replace Notepad?
Some older Windows applications started
Notepad.exe directly when users opened
text files or selected commands such as View Source.
Those applications did not always provide an option
for selecting a different editor.
The original Texturizer replacement utility worked as a small launcher. When a program attempted to start Notepad, the replacement executable opened Texturizer instead.
Replacement behavior
The small launcher starts Texturizer from its installed directory instead.
Important:
Replacing or renaming Windows system files can cause
operating-system problems. These instructions are
preserved for historical reference and should not be
followed on current versions of Windows.
Archived utility
Download replacement
Download the Notepad replacement.
The original replacement program was a small executable whose only purpose was to locate and start Texturizer.
Original file size: 27 KB
Legacy Windows utility
Compatibility not guaranteed
Before offering this file publicly, verify the actual
filename, scan it with current security software, and
publish a SHA-256 checksum on the download page.
Legacy installation instructions.
These steps describe how the replacement was originally installed on older versions of Windows. They are retained for archival documentation only.
Locate the original Notepad file.
On older Windows systems, the main file was
normally located in the Windows installation
folder, such as C:\Windows.
Rename the original executable.
The original guide recommended renaming
Notepad.exe to a name such as
OldNotepad.exe instead of permanently
deleting it.
Copy the replacement file.
The downloaded replacement executable was then copied into the location previously occupied by the original Notepad file.
Test the replacement.
Users could test the installation by opening a plain-text file or using a program command that normally launched Notepad.
Do not overwrite system files unless you have a complete
backup and understand how to restore the original
operating-system configuration.
Notes for Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Windows 2000 and Windows XP included Windows File Protection, which could automatically restore protected system files after they were changed. The original guide therefore instructed users to make the replacement from Safe Mode.
Depending on the Windows installation, copies of
Notepad.exe could appear in several
locations:
-
%SystemRoot% -
%SystemRoot%\System32 -
%SystemRoot%\System32\dllcache
On many Windows 2000 systems,
%SystemRoot% was
C:\WinNT. On many Windows XP systems, it
was C:\Windows.
Windows system folders and protection behavior varied
by edition, service pack, and administrator policy.
Do not use this method on modern Windows.
Current versions of Windows use different system-file
protection, application associations, permissions, and
security controls. Replacing
Notepad.exe is unnecessary and may damage
the operating system.
A safer modern approach is to choose a different default
application for .txt files through Windows
Settings or the Open With menu. This does not guarantee
that every program will use the selected editor, but it
avoids modifying protected system files.
Legacy approach
Rename or replace a protected Windows executable.
Safer modern approach
Change file associations without altering system files.
Questions about the replacement utility.
Does the replacement contain the full Texturizer program?
No. The original replacement was described as a small launcher that started the separately installed Texturizer application.
Must the replacement be updated with every Texturizer release?
The original documentation stated that the launcher continued to locate and start Texturizer after the main application was updated.
Is this recommended for Windows 10 or Windows 11?
No. Do not replace protected operating-system executables on modern Windows systems.
Can the original Notepad be restored?
On legacy systems, restoration depended on whether the original executable had been safely renamed and preserved. Modern users should rely on supported Windows recovery and system-repair tools.