Windows Vista and XP: Click the “Start” buttons in the bottom left-hand corner on your task bar. Mouseover “Programs”, then “Accessories”, and click “Notepad” to open. Windows 7: Click the “Start” button in the bottom left-hand corner on your task bar. In the search box, type “Notepad”, and in the list of results, click “Notepad”. [1] X Research source Windows 8: Go to your Start Screen and simply start typing “Notepad”. A pop-up should appear on the left-hand side of the screen. Click “Notepad” to open it.