Copilot AI Arrives in Notepad, Photos Designer, and Paint on Windows 11

Microsoft has quietly folded generative AI into three of Windows 11’s most familiar utilities — Notepad, Photos (Designer), and Paint — surfacing Copilot-powered features that can generate text, edit and enhance images, and even animate or create new visuals from prompts. For casual users this is low-friction convenience; for IT teams and privacy officers it’s a new surface area that demands policy, testing, and awareness.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft’s strategy over the past two years has been to take the Copilot experience — previously concentrated in cloud-first Office and web surfaces — and embed it into the Windows shell and inbox apps. The goal is to make AI available at familiar touchpoints people already open dozens of times a day. The latest wave adds three categories of capability:

• Generative text assistants inside Notepad (Write, Rewrite, Summarize).
• Image editing and generative tools surfaced through the Photos → Designer workflow.
• Full generative creation and pixel-level AI editing in Paint (Image Creator, Generative Edit, Generative Erase, Animate, Object Select).

Microsoft exposes these features through the Copilot UI in each app; some features run in the cloud and consume monthly AI credits, while others can run locally on Copilot+ certified hardware using the device NPU. The company’s documentation confirms the features and the credit model, though it stops short of publishing full model telemetry or hardware thresholds.

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What’s new — at a glance​

• Notepad: Write, Rewrite, Summarize accessible from the Copilot menu or right‑click; options for tone, length and format; produces multiple variations to pick from. On Copilot+ PCs, on‑device execution is available; otherwise cloud models are used and may consume AI credits.
• Photos (Designer): Background removal, blur, upscaling, selective color pop, object erase, Move (reposition), Cutout, Crop-to-Object, Create Sticker and Designer filters. Many of these tools are powered by the Designer/Co‑creator stack and are integrated into Photos’ Edit with Designer flow.
• Paint: Image Creator (text → image with stylistic choices), Generative Edit, Generative Erase, Object Select, Remove Background, and Animate (turn a static image into a short clip). Paint also gained a native project container (.paint) and improved brush controls in recent Insider flights. Some Paint features run locally on appropriate hardware; others use cloud models and AI credits depending on account and device.

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How it works in practice​

Signing in and AI credits​

All Copilot-enabled features in these apps require a Microsoft account sign‑in to access cloud models or to surface subscription status. Microsoft uses a monthly AI credit model:

• Free Microsoft accounts receive 15 credits per month for image-generation/editing features.
• Microsoft 365 Personal and Family users receive 60 credits per month (note: Family extra credits are assigned to the subscription owner; family members without owner status receive only the base free credits).
• Copilot Pro (and certain Microsoft 365 Premium entitlements) provide extensive or effectively unlimited usage for many Copilot features, depending on the product tier.

The operating model is hybrid: if you’re on a Copilot+ PC (hardware certified with an NPU), some Notepad and Paint operations can run locally without consuming cloud credits; otherwise the request will hit Microsoft’s cloud and may deduct credits. Microsoft’s support pages explain the flows and show where to check your AI credit balance in your Microsoft account.

UI and workflow​

Each app surfaces Copilot through a Copilot button or the Edit with Designer flow in Photos. Typical workflows look like this:

• Open an app (Notepad / Photos / Paint).
• Click the Copilot icon or choose Edit with Designer.
• Enter a prompt (for Write/Image Creator) or select content and choose Rewrite / Summarize / Generative Erase.
• Review multiple variants, click Keep / Replace / Insert to accept output, or retry for alternative results.

This model emphasizes iteration: the assistant presents multiple outputs and leaves the final edit decision to the user — a pragmatic compromise for productivity and accuracy.

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Deep dive: Notepad — a tiny editor with big ambitions​

What Notepad can do now​

Notepad’s Copilot features are purposefully focused and pragmatic:

• Rewrite: Rephrase selected text with options for tone (formal, casual, humorous, inspirational), length, and format (paragraph/list/poem/business style).
• Summarize: Condense long blocks of text to short, medium, or long summaries.
• Write: Generate content from a prompt, either starting from a blank canvas or using selected text as reference.

These tools are fast and integrated into the Notepad toolbar and right‑click context menu. Notepad returns multiple variations for rewrite actions and allows you to keep or discard an output. On Copilot+ devices some or all of these operations can run locally; otherwise the cloud versions are available for signed‑in users and may consume credits.

Why this matters​

Notepad is a low‑friction surface that opens instantly and is often used to strip formatting or draft quick text. Adding concise AI functions here reduces context switching — fewer launches of Word or a browser‑based editor for short tasks like drafting an email outline, rewording a paragraph, or summarizing meeting notes. For people who want rapid, small‑scale assistance, Notepad becomes a convenient entry point.

Strengths​

• Speed and discoverability: Copilot in Notepad is immediate and simple.
• Privacy option via local models: Copilot+ local mode can keep text on device, reducing cloud egress.
• Fine-grained output control: rewrite length/tone/format controls fit real editorial needs.

Limitations and risks​

• English-first rollout: Local models and some features are English‑only at launch.
• Model parity and opacity: Microsoft has not published detailed model specs or exact hardware thresholds for on‑device parity; claims about on‑device vs. cloud parity should be treated as unverified until Microsoft provides detailed technical documentation. This is an important consideration for enterprises evaluating accuracy or regulatory compliance.
• Hallucination risk: Generative tools can invent plausible but incorrect facts; outputs should be treated as drafts that need human verification.

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Deep dive: Photos (Designer) — a modern editing pipeline​

The practical toolset​

Photos’ “Edit with Designer” surface brings Designer’s AI tools into the Photos app for both Windows 10 and 11. Key capabilities include:

• Background remove / blur / replace — remove distracting environments or replace with solid colors or new backgrounds.
• Erase — remove people or objects and fill the gap with plausible surrounding pixels.
• Move — select an object and reposition it within the scene.
• Upscale / Enhance — AI-driven upscaling for higher-resolution prints; targeted focus and color-pop tools to emphasize elements.
• Filters and Color Tools — Designer filters, selective color enhancements and Color Pop to highlight a subject while greyscaling the rest.

The tools are approachable, with a left-pane toolbar offering the common edits and a designer canvas for previewing changes.

Real-world behavior and gotchas​

In practical testing, users find many edits work impressively well — erasing people and filling backgrounds is often seamless. However, there are intermittent issues:

• Responsible AI blocking: In some cases, the UI will refuse to perform an erase or move operation and present a Responsible AI guideline message with no further detail. This can appear randomly and leaves the user without actionable guidance. Treat these blocks as non‑deterministic policy gates that may stop edits involving recognizable people or sensitive content.
• Artifacting: Edge cases produce visual artifacts that require manual clean-up or repeated runs.

Strengths​

• Speed and accessibility: Designer tools make complex edits possible without external editors.
• Integrated pipeline: No need to import/export between separate tools for many common photo fixes.

Limitations and risks​

• Opaque moderation: The Responsible AI refusal messages are unhelpful when they do not specify the reason or provide remediation steps.
• Privacy considerations: Visual Search and Copilot actions may route image content for cloud processing; enterprises should audit which features are enabled and whether local processing is enforced via policy where necessary.

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Deep dive: Paint — generative creation meets classic canvas​

What Paint now offers​

Paint’s modernized feature set spans generative and precision editing:

• Image Creator: Text → image generator with style choices (Photorealistic, Watercolor, Ink Sketch, Oil Painting, Anime).
• Generative Edit: Add or alter scene elements while maintaining the original style.
• Generative Erase: Remove persons or objects and fill intelligently.
• Object Select: AI-based selection to isolate elements for move/erase/copy.
• Remove Background and Animate: Strip background for compositing or generate a short animated clip from a static image.
• .paint project format and UI improvements: Save layered, editable sessions so edits can be resumed later (useful for iterative work).

Example workflow​

• Generate a base image with Image Creator in Photorealistic style.
• Use Generative Edit to tweak a character (change costume or expression).
• Object Select to isolate and reposition a subject.
• Animate to produce a brief moving clip, then export.

This sequence demonstrates how creation and refinement can occur entirely within Paint’s Copilot surface.

Strengths​

• Creative empowerment: Casual creators can go from idea to image without third‑party apps.
• Iterative editing: Project files (.paint) preserve state and layers for later edits — a boon for learners and hobbyists.

Limitations and risks​

• Artifacts and repeated attempts: Generative Erase and selections sometimes leave behind artifacts; multiple passes or manual touch-ups may be required.
• Moderation and policy gating: As with Photos, some edits may be blocked by Responsible AI moderation with little explanation.
• File format lock‑in: The new .paint project format improves workflow but raises questions about interchangeability and long-term archival until Microsoft documents the container spec. Treat assumptions about cross‑app compatibility as unverified until Microsoft publishes the details.

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Enterprise and IT considerations​

Policy, governance and Intune​

IT administrators must treat these inbox app features like any other potentially data‑exfiltrating capability. Actions to consider:

• Audit which features are permitted by default in your environment.
• Use Group Policy / Intune templates where available to disable Copilot features on managed devices until vetted.
• Pilot local vs. cloud processing on representative Copilot+ hardware to evaluate performance, accuracy and local inference claims.

Some administrators have reported inconsistencies when trying to disable Copilot generative features via Intune settings — the enforcement surface is evolving and requires careful testing.

Privacy and data residency​

• Local NPU inference reduces cloud egress risk for on‑device actions, but most image generation/editing flows still involve cloud models and moderation.
• Visual Search, Designer and Image Creator flows may send image content to cloud services; organizations should update privacy notices and acceptable-use policies accordingly.
• For regulated data, disable cloud Copilot features until legal and compliance reviews are completed.

Cost and licensing​

• AI credits matter. If your organization relies on heavy image editing or mass generation, a Personal/Family allocation (60 credits) will be insufficient — Copilot Pro or enterprise Copilot licensing may be necessary.
• Family plans allocate extra credits only to the plan owner; do not assume free family access to expanded credits. This nuance has caused confusion among users and must be considered when planning deployments.

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Strengths — what Microsoft got right​

• Low friction UX: Embedding Copilot into familiar apps reduces friction and increases discoverability for AI features.
• Hybrid execution model: Local NPU inference on Copilot+ hardware where available reduces latency and offers a privacy-friendly option.
• Meaningful incremental upgrades: Project files in Paint, opacity sliders, and pre-capture markup in Snipping Tool are practical improvements, not just novelty features.

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Risks and open questions​

• Opaque model and hardware specs: Microsoft has not published comprehensive model specifications or exact hardware requirements for on‑device parity; organizations should treat performance and privacy claims cautiously until Microsoft publishes detailed guidance.
• Unclear moderation outcomes: Responsible AI blocks that give no remediation guidance frustrate workflows; Microsoft needs clearer feedback and appeal or override paths for valid uses.
• Credit economics and family plan nuance: The credit model is fine for occasional use but becomes a gating factor for power users; the Family plan credit ownership rule is a surprising gotcha for shared households.
• Interoperability and archival: The .paint project container and other proprietary formats need published specs if users rely on them for long‑term projects.

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Practical recommendations for users and admins​

• Try the features on a test device first. Validate the results you need and confirm whether edits run locally or consume credits.
• Check AI credits monthly. For power use, consider Copilot Pro or enterprise options to avoid hitting hard limits.
• Update policies and documentation. Explain to end users which features are allowed, and whether cloud processing is permitted for work data.
• Report moderation failures. Use the app Feedback flows when Responsible AI blocks occur so Microsoft can improve transparency.
• Archive exports in standard formats. While using .paint for work-in-progress, export PNG/JPEG/TIFF for archival until exchange formats are documented.
• Educate reviewers. Treat AI outputs as drafts: verify facts, check image edits for hallucinated details, and validate that automated erasures don’t inadvertently remove legal or identifying cues.

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Final analysis — pragmatic, not perfect​

Microsoft’s move to put Copilot inside Notepad, Photos, and Paint is a pragmatic extension of a broader Copilot-as-everywhere strategy. These updates make everyday tasks easier — drafting, summarizing, erasing unwanted objects, and generating images — in a way that respects existing user habits. The hybrid execution model and the addition of a local path for Copilot+ hardware are particularly important wins for latency and privacy.
That said, the rollout highlights the tradeoffs of shipping AI widely: opacity about model characteristics, intermittent moderation blockages, and a credit‑based economy that complicates predictable usage. For consumers, the features are exciting and useful; for IT teams, they are a manageable but nontrivial governance problem. Organizations should pilot, measure, and craft policy responses now rather than after the features become ubiquitous.
Microsoft’s documentation and support pages explain the user flows and credit model; independent reporting confirms the staged Insider testing approach and the practical behavior of these tools. Where Microsoft has not been specific — model families, local model sizes, and exact hardware thresholds — treat those aspects as unverified until the company publishes technical detail.

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Microsoft has put powerful new capabilities into tools that millions of people already use. The result is familiar apps that can now act like assistants — helpful, sometimes surprising, and occasionally imperfect. For users, that means immediate new ways to create and edit. For administrators, it means careful planning, testing, and policy updates to make sure those new powers are used safely and responsibly.

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Source: PCMag Microsoft's Notepad, Photos, and Paint Apps Are Now Powered by AI. Here's What They Can Do

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft has quietly folded Copilot-powered generative AI into three of Windows 11’s most familiar utilities — Notepad, Photos (Designer), and Paint — turning simple, decades-old tools into on-the-spot assistants for drafting text, editing and enhancing photos, and generating or modifying images. The integration is a pragmatic push to make AI available where users already work, but it also raises new questions about privacy, cost, governance, and reliability that both consumers and IT teams must reckon with.

Background​

Microsoft’s strategy over the past two years has been to extend its Copilot experience from cloud-first Office and web surfaces into the Windows inbox apps — places people open dozens of times each day. Embedding generative features into apps such as Notepad, Photos (via the Designer workflow), and Paint aims to reduce friction: fewer context switches, faster edits, and lightweight creation without launching heavyweight tools or browser-based editors. The features are being rolled out in stages (Insider channels first), and availability depends on device capability (notably whether a machine is Copilot+ certified), OS channel, account sign-in, and Microsoft’s staged flighting.
These inbox-app AI features use a hybrid execution model: some operations can run locally on a Copilot+ PC’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU), avoiding cloud egress and reducing latency, while others run in Microsoft’s cloud and — for image-generation/editing operations — may consume monthly AI credits tied to the user’s Microsoft account. Microsoft documents and surfaces these behaviors in the apps, but it has not published full technical model telemetry or precise hardware thresholds for on-device parity. That lack of low-level transparency is a key point for organizations evaluating risk.

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What’s new — feature-by-feature overview​

Notepad: Write, Rewrite, and Summarize​

Notepad is no longer just a scratchpad. Its Copilot features focus on fast, useful text operations:

• Write: generate new text from a prompt or expand an existing fragment.
• Rewrite: rephrase selected text with controls for tone (formal, casual, humorous, inspirational), length (short/long), and format (paragraph, list, poem, business document, academic document, marketing copy).
• Summarize: condense long blocks of text to short, medium, or long summaries.

Notepad surfaces Copilot via a toolbar Copilot icon and right‑click context menu. For rewrite actions the assistant typically offers multiple variations so you can pick or retry. On Copilot+ devices some or all of these operations can execute locally; otherwise the request hits Microsoft’s cloud models. These tools are designed for short, practical tasks — drafting quick emails, cleaning up notes, or summarizing pasted text — rather than replacing full-featured word processors.

Photos (Designer): AI-powered photo editing​

Photos’ “Edit with Designer” flow brings a collection of Designer tools into the Photos app for both Windows 10 and 11:

• Background removal / replace / blur — remove distracting backgrounds or swap them for solid colors or other backgrounds.
• Erase — remove unwanted people or objects and fill the gap with plausible surrounding pixels.
• Move — select and reposition an object inside the image.
• Upscale / Enhance — increase resolution for print and apply selective focus or color pop.
• Filters and Designer effects — one-click stylization, selective color enhancements, and color pop to emphasize a subject.

These tools are approachable and integrated into a familiar left-pane toolbar experience. In practice they work very well on many images, but edge cases can produce artifacts and the UI occasionally blocks certain edits with opaque “Responsible AI” moderation messages that give little explanation. That block can appear unpredictably when editing people or sensitive content.

Paint: Generative creation, editing, and animation​

Paint has been upgraded from a basic canvas to a hybrid generative editor with features including:

• Image Creator: text → image generation with style choices (Photorealistic, Watercolor, Ink Sketch, Oil Painting, Anime).
• Generative Edit: modify or add scene elements while preserving style.
• Generative Erase: remove items from images and fill intelligently.
• Object Select: AI-based selection for isolating elements to move, erase, or repurpose.
• Remove Background and Animate: strip a background for compositing; animate a static image into a short clip.
• .paint project container: save layered, editable sessions for iterative work across multiple sessions.

Image generation and some heavy edits may run in the cloud and consume AI credits; on Copilot+ hardware, certain Notepad and Paint operations can run locally without cloud credits. The workflow supports iterative refinement: generate, then use Generative Edit or Generative Erase to tweak. Expect artifacts in challenging scenes and occasional moderation blocks that require retries or manual touch-ups.

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AI credits, sign‑in, and on‑device vs. cloud behavior​

Accessing Copilot features in these apps typically requires signing into a Microsoft account so the app can determine subscription status and credit allocation. Microsoft uses a monthly AI credit model for many image-generation and editing operations:

• Free Microsoft accounts: receive a baseline allocation (historically reported as 15 credits per month for some visual generation features).
• Microsoft 365 Personal / Family: receive a higher monthly allocation (commonly reported as 60 credits per month for image tasks; note Family extra credits are allocated to the subscription owner).
• Copilot Pro / enterprise tiers: provide expanded or effectively unlimited usage for many Copilot features.

On-device execution on Copilot+ PCs can avoid consuming cloud credits for supported operations, but Microsoft’s documentation stops short of publishing detailed model sizes, exact hardware thresholds, or a full map of which operations are local vs. cloud. Check your Microsoft account’s Subscriptions section to monitor AI credit balances before you begin heavy image generation.

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Hands-on workflows — practical steps​

How to use Notepad Copilot for quick drafting and edits​

• Open Notepad from the Start menu.
• Click the Copilot icon on the toolbar or right-click selected text and choose a Copilot action.
• Choose Write to generate new text or Rewrite to rephrase highlighted text.
• Adjust Tone, Length, or Format, then preview the variations.
• Click Keep text (or Replace) to accept the output, or Try again for alternate variants.

Best practice: treat the Copilot output as a draft — verify facts and adjust details manually. On Copilot+ machines, some of these flows may run locally to keep content on‑device.

Quick Photos Designer tips​

• Open an image in Photos and click Edit with Designer.
• Use Erase to remove backgrounds or unwanted people; use Move to reposition objects; use Color Pop and Focus to emphasize a subject.
• If Erase or Move is blocked by a Responsible AI message, try cropping the area, perform incremental edits, or test a local export workflow — and report the incident through Feedback so the moderation team can improve the guidance.

Troubleshooting tip: for stubborn artifacts after erase or move, run the operation again or apply minor manual touch-ups in Paint.

Paint generative workflow​

• Open Paint and click Copilot → Image Creator to generate an initial image.
• Choose a Style (Photorealistic, Oil Painting, Anime, etc.) and generate.
• Use Generative Edit to make targeted changes (e.g., change the bartender to an android with gold skin).
• For removals, use Object Select to define the subject, then Generative Erase to remove it; run multiple passes if artifacts remain.
• Use Remove Background to isolate the subject; use Animate to create a short clip from a static image.

Save iterative work to the .paint project container to preserve layers and undo history for later editing. If you need long-term archival or interoperability, also export to standard formats (PNG, TIFF) because the container spec is not yet published.

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What Microsoft got right​

• Discoverability and low friction: putting AI where users already operate (Notepad, Photos, Paint) lowers the barrier to productive AI usage and shortens workflows. The Copilot UI is simple and iterative, offering multiple variants and easy commit/replace actions.
• Hybrid execution model: enabling on-device inference on Copilot+ hardware reduces latency and offers a privacy-friendly option when available. This is a pragmatic approach for balancing scale and privacy.
• Meaningful, practical upgrades: .paint project files, opacity sliders in Paint, targeted photo edits in Photos, and concise AI text tools in Notepad are real productivity wins rather than gimmicks.

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Risks, limitations, and open questions​

Opaque moderation and “Responsible AI” blocks​

Users report seeing Responsible AI refusal messages with little or no diagnostic information, especially when editing images with people. Those opaque blocks halt workflows and provide no clear remediation steps. Microsoft needs to surface reasons and guidance (or appeal/override paths) so legitimate use cases are not stalled unpredictably.

Hallucination and factual accuracy​

Generative text tools can invent plausible but incorrect facts. Notepad’s Rewrite and Write features are excellent for style, but any factual content produced by the model should be verified manually before publication or use in official communications. This is a structural limitation of current generative models.

Artifacts in image edits​

Generative Erase and Move work well in many real-world scenarios, but complex textures, repeating patterns, or occlusions can produce visual artifacts that require repeated runs or manual cleanup. Expect to perform additional editing for high-fidelity results.

Credit economics and family plan nuance​

The credit model works for casual users but can become a gating factor for power users, creators, or organizations. Family plan credits are reportedly allocated to the subscription owner, creating a gotcha for households that expected equal shared access. For heavy use, Copilot Pro or enterprise licensing will be necessary. Monitor credit consumption and plan accordingly.

Lack of model and hardware transparency​

Microsoft has not published precise on‑device model specs, model families, or exact hardware thresholds for local parity. Enterprises and privacy auditors need more granular documentation to evaluate risk, resource consumption (NPU/RAM), and compliance implications. Treat claims about parity between on‑device and cloud models as unverified without additional technical disclosure.

File-format and archival concerns​

The new .paint project container improves workflow but raises questions about long-term interchangeability and archival. Microsoft hasn’t published the container spec; until it does, export to standard formats for archival use.

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Recommended playbook for users and IT admins​

For individual users (creators and hobbyists)​

• Use Copilot in Notepad for quick rewrites and summaries, but always verify facts.
• Test Photos/Designer edits on copies before applying changes to originals.
• Run Generative Erase or Move multiple times and be prepared to apply manual touch-ups.
• Check your AI credit balance under your Microsoft account subscriptions before heavy use.
• Export important projects from .paint to PNG/TIFF for archival or cross-app use.

For IT and security teams​

• Audit and pilot: enable Copilot features on a limited pilot fleet and evaluate which operations run locally vs. cloud-based on representative Copilot+ hardware.
• Update policy: revise acceptable-use and data handling policies to include Copilot image and text workflows. Treat AI outputs as drafts unless verified.
• Manage cloud egress: use Intune/Group Policy where possible to disable cloud Copilot features on regulated devices until legal/compliance reviews are complete. Note: enforcement surfaces are evolving; test management controls thoroughly.
• Monitor credits and licensing: plan licensing (Copilot Pro/enterprise) for heavy use cases and understand how Family subscriptions allocate credits.
• Report moderation failures: encourage users to file Feedback reports when Responsible AI blocks occur so Microsoft can improve transparency and model behavior.

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Real-world examples and practical tips​

• When Notepad’s Summarize yields a result that’s “too short,” increase the requested length and retry — the UI lets you select Short/Medium/Long and run the operation again to get more comprehensive summaries. This iterative approach is a reliable way to coax better output.
• In Photos, if Erase or Move refuses due to moderation, try cropping the selection, anonymizing faces, or moving to a different image area before reapplying — sometimes the operation is sensitive to context and small edits can bypass the gate. Log the incident for Microsoft feedback.
• In Paint, use Object Select to isolate difficult subjects before running Generative Erase; this often produces cleaner fills because the model can focus on a clearly defined region. If artifacts remain, run the erase a second time or use a small paint brush to blend the edges.

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Final assessment — pragmatic, but not perfect​

Microsoft’s decision to put Copilot into Notepad, Photos, and Paint is a strategic and pragmatic expansion of AI into everyday workflows. The update democratizes access to generative text and image tools by embedding them in apps people already use, reducing friction and enabling quick creative or productivity wins. The hybrid model (local where possible, cloud otherwise) is a sensible compromise that balances latency, privacy, and model capability.
At the same time, the rollout highlights the central tensions of shipping AI widely: opaque moderation gates, artifact-prone visual edits, credit-based economics, and insufficiently detailed technical disclosures that enterprise auditors and privacy officers will rightly demand. These are not fatal flaws — most are resolvable with clearer documentation, better diagnostics for moderation decisions, more generous or transparent licensing for power users, and improved artifact handling — but they do mean that organizations should plan for controlled adoption rather than blanket enablement.
For everyday Windows users, Copilot in Notepad, Photos, and Paint is a compelling set of tools worth trying: fast, accessible, and often impressively capable. For IT teams, the integration is an early signal to develop governance, pilot hardware, audit cloud egress, and update policies — because these inbox apps are now a new surface area for generative AI in the enterprise.

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Conclusion
Embedding Copilot into Notepad, Photos (Designer), and Paint moves generative AI from experiment to everyday utility. The features make common tasks faster and open creative possibilities for millions of Windows users, but they also create real operational and governance responsibilities. The right approach is pragmatic: experiment and adopt where the features deliver value, but do so with policies, pilots, and exports in place to manage privacy, cost, and reliability. The technology is useful today, but it’s still maturing — treat outputs as draft material, verify facts and edits, and expect Microsoft to refine moderation transparency and technical documentation as the features reach broader availability.

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Source: PCMag UK Microsoft's Notepad, Photos, and Paint Apps Are Now Powered by AI. Here's What They Can Do