# Accidently deleted wordpad! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873 "2008-12-12T13:43:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/1 "2008-12-12T13:43:23Z")
Wooops. Tried to fix my computer, and deleted wordpad and internet explorer. Is there anywhere where I can download a new copy? I can’t find it on microsft.ie. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/2 "2008-12-12T16:11:58Z")
Do you still have your O/S CD? You can reinstall Wordpad from there. [IE is easily available](http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx). ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/3 "2008-12-12T16:24:35Z")
Oh I got IE already, its wordpad thats the hard one. I don’t have the disks AFAIK ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/4 "2008-12-12T19:26:14Z")
Just restore Windows to a point before you accidently deleted Wordpad. [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/5 "2008-12-12T19:49:56Z")
Did you really delete the application or just the icon? Hit Start —\> Run —\> type “wordpad” and see it it opens. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/6 "2008-12-12T23:53:39Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Did you really delete the application or just the icon? Hit Start —\> Run —\> type “wordpad” and see it it opens. It worked… …that’s weird. I mean I’m glad it’s there, but damn, Microsoft suck at cleaning tools. One final question. How do I restore the shortcut? Thanks for all the replies btw. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/7 "2008-12-13T00:00:24Z")
Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32 and locate wordpad.exe. Right-click it and select “Copy” then go your desktop (or wherever you want to place the shortcut), right-click and select “Paste shortcut.” ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/8 "2008-12-15T12:02:00Z")
CRAP! Just realised it is actually gone after all. I was really tired and was using my PC and not my laptop when I replied. So back to square one. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/9 "2008-12-15T12:08:51Z")
Found this [alternative](http://lifehacker.com/5102153/wordpad-2009-offers-windows-7+like-ribbon-interface). ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/10 "2008-12-15T12:12:02Z")
EDIT: Fixed it. For the record - even if Wordpad is deleted, it can be reinstalled from Add/Remove Programs. Thanks to everyone for helping. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/11 "2008-12-15T12:17:14Z")
Thanks GuanoLad, but I managed to get it working. Microsoft should be more careful in future /Granny Weatherwax glare ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/12 "2008-12-15T15:50:28Z")
I use [Cetus WordPad](http://www.cetussoft.com/cwordpad.htm). It adds a spellchecker and thesaurus. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidently-deleted-wordpad/476873/13 "2008-12-15T18:01:18Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I use [Cetus WordPad](http://www.cetussoft.com/cwordpad.htm). It adds a spellchecker and thesaurus. I was going to say - losing wordpad is not really that big a disaster, since its pretty rubbish anyway. Plenty of better alternatives out there for free.