Windows Paint Is Adding Image Generation & Generative Fill

Microsoft has started rolling out updates to its Paint and Notepad applications to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. These updates bring in a host of features normally seen in services like Pixlr and Photoshop.

Paint, now in version 11.2410.28.0, has a new Generative Fill tool. This feature basically adds or modifies elements in an image with text prompts. Users can pick an area of their image and describe what they want added. The AI will take it and try to generate that content, giving users multiple generated options so anyone can pick the right fit. The edit is supposed to blend into the image, as opposed to the existing art generation, which works exactly like generating art in Copilot, ChatGPT, or DALL-E. You must be signed in with your Microsoft account to use this feature.

Generative Erase is also being added to Paint, and it just removes unwanted objects from an image. Using a generative erase brush, users can select areas to erase, and the tool fills the space with matching background elements, making it seem like the erased object was never there. This isn't a feature that always works on other software and will sometimes leave a noticeable streak or blur. This feature is available to all Windows 11 users. Image Creator, a feature that lets users generate images based on text prompts, has been expanded to more markets, including the United States, France, the UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany.

Microsoft also announced some changes to Notepad. The new version 11.2410.15.0 update, introduces a rewrite functionality powered by generative AI. Users can select text, and the AI will generate three text variations. That way, users can rephrase sentences, adjust tone, and modify length. This feature is available in preview to all Windows 11 users in the same markets as Image Creator in Paint.

Source: Windows