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okay123123123123's avatar
okay123123123123
Occasional Reader
Oct 29, 2026

Weird graphical glitches in preinstalled software

Recently have began noticing weird issues regarding some applications like paint and notepad. The text seems all mumbled up and occasionally wont show anything. This only seems to happen in those two...
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Jason_M's avatar
Jason_M
Iron Contributor
Oct 29, 2026

The screenshots show missing or broken interface text and icons, not just a problem with the document contents. That suggests an app-rendering or graphics-driver issue, though the images alone can’t identify the cause.

Save your work, then try Win+Ctrl+Shift+B to reset the graphics driver. The screen may briefly flicker. If that temporarily fixes it, that’s a useful clue.

Next, update Paint and Notepad through Microsoft Store. If they still look wrong, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, open each app’s Advanced options, and choose Repair. Avoid Reset initially, especially if Notepad has unsaved tabs.

If both apps remain affected, install the graphics driver recommended by your PC manufacturer. If this started immediately after a graphics-driver update, try Roll Back Driver in Device Manager instead, if available. Task Manager looking normal doesn’t rule out a driver issue—apps can use different rendering paths.