New “Text Document” missing from Right-Click menu in Windows 11

When you right-click on the desktop and click “New,” the New menu may not contain the “Text Document” option on your Windows 11 computer. This article tells you how to bring the “Text Document” option back.

Restore Missing “Text Document” to the New menu

To add “Text Document” to the New menu, follow these steps:

1. Start Regedit.exe and go to:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt

2. Create a subkey named “ShellNew” if it doesn’t already exist.
3. Select the “ShellNew” key and create the following string values (REG_SZ) in the right pane.

   "NullFile"
   
   "ItemName"

4. Leave the data for NullFile empty.
5. Double-click ItemName and set “Text Document” as its value data.
6. Exit the Registry Editor.
7. Log off and log back in for the changes to take effect.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\ShellNew]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\ShellNew]
"NullFile"=""
"ItemName"="Text Document"

Uninstall and Reinstall Notepad

If the above registry edit doesn’t help, try uninstalling Notepad using PowerShell and reinstalling it via Microsoft Store.

1. From admin PowerShell, run the following command:

   Get-AppXPackage Microsoft.WindowsNotepad -allusers | remove-appxpackage -allusers

2. Open Microsoft Store, search for Windows Notepad and install it.

   Windows Notepad - Microsoft Store Apps: https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/windows-notepad/9MSMLRH6LZF3

You should now see the “Text Document” entry in the New menu.