How to Make a GIF With Notepad

Notepad is a text editing program, not a graphics program, but that doesn't mean you can't turn a Notepad file into an image. Creating a graphic from a text file in Notepad takes more steps than just saving a file; Notepad saves documents as TXT files by default and does not offer the option to save in any graphic formats. You can take a screen capture of an open Notepad document and save it as a GIF using Microsoft Paint, which comes bundled free with the Windows operating system just like Notepad.

Instructions

1. Open your Notepad file.

2. Arrange your Notepad window so the entire file appears on the screen at one time.

3. Press "Prt Scr" or the equivalent print screen key on your keyboard.

4. Open Microsoft Paint.

5. Click "Edit," then "Paste" in Paint.

6. Click the Paint menu button in the top-left corner and choose "Save As."

7. Choose "GIF (*.gif)" from the "Save as Type" drop-down menu.

8. Enter a name for your image in "File Name."

9. Click "Save."

Tips & Warnings

• Many laptops require that you press "Fn" and "Prt Scr" at the same time to take a screen capture.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Using Paint
• Microsoft Windows: Notepad: Frequently Asked Questions