Microsoft Paint is quietly evolving from a tiny utility into a surprisingly capable image editor, and the latest Insider build shows Microsoft is leaning into features that make Paint behave more like a lightweight Photoshop — including a new editable project file, per-tool opacity controls, improved Snipping Tool markup, and deeper Copilot-powered AI in Notepad that can run locally on Copilot+ machines.
For the last two years Microsoft has steadily rebuilt Paint into a modern app for Windows 11: layers and transparency arrived first, followed by a steady trickle of AI image tools (generative fill, erase, sticker generation) and a Copilot integration that consolidates those capabilities. The most recent Insider previews add several practical quality-of-life updates for creators: the ability to save entire Paint compositions as an editable project file (keeping layers intact), new opacity sliders for pencil and brush tools, and Snipping Tool enhancements that speed up screenshot annotation. Meanwhile, Notepad — long the simplest text tool in Windows — is gaining write, summarize, and rewrite AI tools that Microsoft says can run on-device on Copilot+ PCs without a Microsoft 365 subscription.
These additions are being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary channels and, as with past Paint features, will likely appear in stable builds only after additional testing and feedback.
That shift makes Paint behave more like traditional layered editors such as Photoshop (.PSD), Paint.NET (.pdn), and Krita (.kra), where a native project format retains editing history or non-destructive layers rather than flattening everything into a single PNG or JPEG. For casual creators and hobbyists, that alone closes a major gap: until now Paint’s layer features could be useful for editing in-session, but there wasn’t a seamless way to save a multilayer composition for later rework without exporting separate assets or repeatedly re-importing layers.
Important caveat: the project-file capability is currently being trialed in Insider builds. The exact file internals (compression, whether the format is an open container like a zip, whether it embeds full-resolution raster data per layer or references separate files, and whether layers support blending modes beyond simple opacity) aren’t publicly documented yet. Treat details about file internals and interchangeability with other apps as unverified until Microsoft publishes formal specs or official documentation.
This complements existing updates that improved brush-size selection with a size slider and the layered canvas system. Together, those controls bring Paint’s basic drawing experience closer to what digital artists expect from entry-level creative apps.
Key practical points:
Enterprises and privacy-conscious users should check where model inference happens before enabling features that may send content to cloud services, and consider organization policies around Copilot and AI processing.
However, the change also surfaces trade-offs. Microsoft’s AI-first ecosystem often fragments functionality between cloud and on-device models, and the business model around Copilot, Copilot+ PCs, and AI credits can complicate expectations about what features are free and what require subscription access. File-format openness and interop will be the next battleground: if Microsoft makes .paint an open, well-documented container, Paint could become a genuine lightweight standard for layered edits on Windows. If the format is proprietary and siloed, it will be a convenient convenience but limited for professional pipelines.
Users should temper excitement with measured caution. Project-file internals and cross-app interoperability remain to be fully documented, AI features still vary by hardware and region, and Insider builds can change before public release. For now, Paint’s renaissance is good news for people who want a capable, free, built-in image editor — and the evolving Notepad AI hints at a future in which everyday Windows apps do much more than they used to, often without leaving the desktop.
Source: The Verge Microsoft Paint is getting its own Photoshop-like project files
For the last two years Microsoft has steadily rebuilt Paint into a modern app for Windows 11: layers and transparency arrived first, followed by a steady trickle of AI image tools (generative fill, erase, sticker generation) and a Copilot integration that consolidates those capabilities. The most recent Insider previews add several practical quality-of-life updates for creators: the ability to save entire Paint compositions as an editable project file (keeping layers intact), new opacity sliders for pencil and brush tools, and Snipping Tool enhancements that speed up screenshot annotation. Meanwhile, Notepad — long the simplest text tool in Windows — is gaining write, summarize, and rewrite AI tools that Microsoft says can run on-device on Copilot+ PCs without a Microsoft 365 subscription.These additions are being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary channels and, as with past Paint features, will likely appear in stable builds only after additional testing and feedback.
What’s new in Paint: Project files, opacity sliders, and more
Paint project files: what Microsoft is testing
Microsoft is testing a new editable Paint project file format that preserves your layers and lets you reopen a composition exactly where you left off. The new files use a .paint extension and store layers (and presumably layer ordering, blend modes, opacity data and other layer metadata) inside a single document.That shift makes Paint behave more like traditional layered editors such as Photoshop (.PSD), Paint.NET (.pdn), and Krita (.kra), where a native project format retains editing history or non-destructive layers rather than flattening everything into a single PNG or JPEG. For casual creators and hobbyists, that alone closes a major gap: until now Paint’s layer features could be useful for editing in-session, but there wasn’t a seamless way to save a multilayer composition for later rework without exporting separate assets or repeatedly re-importing layers.
Important caveat: the project-file capability is currently being trialed in Insider builds. The exact file internals (compression, whether the format is an open container like a zip, whether it embeds full-resolution raster data per layer or references separate files, and whether layers support blending modes beyond simple opacity) aren’t publicly documented yet. Treat details about file internals and interchangeability with other apps as unverified until Microsoft publishes formal specs or official documentation.
Per-tool opacity sliders for pencil and brush
The Paint update also adds an opacity slider for the pencil and brush tools. The control lives on the left side of the canvas and adjusts tool transparency in real time, letting you build up strokes or paint translucent highlights without needing to edit a layer’s global opacity. This is a small but meaningful improvement: it transforms brushes from rigid, single-opacity stamps into expressive tools suitable for shading, glazing, or soft blending.This complements existing updates that improved brush-size selection with a size slider and the layered canvas system. Together, those controls bring Paint’s basic drawing experience closer to what digital artists expect from entry-level creative apps.
Layers and background improvements
Recent Paint updates already brought layers and transparent backgrounds to the app, plus a Layers panel with a new background tile option and shortcuts for hiding or showing the background. The project-file support appears tied into that system: saving as a .paint file should preserve layer composition and transparency settings so you can reopen and continue editing later.Snipping Tool: faster markup and recrop
The Snipping Tool is getting a quick markup toolbar that streamlines screenshot annotations. The toolbar includes:- Highlighter and pen tools for inking
- Eraser for removing strokes
- Easier recropping for refining composition after capture
- A draw-and-hold feature that automatically tidies up drawn shapes (helpful for arrows, boxes, and straight lines)
Notepad’s AI: write, summarize, rewrite — and local models on Copilot+ PCs
Notepad is no longer just a lightweight text editor. Microsoft is rolling out AI-powered writing tools inside Notepad that include Write (generate text or expand on an idea), Summarize (condense selected content), and Rewrite (rephrase text with tone and length controls). Microsoft says these features will be available to Copilot Plus PC users as a free capability on machines that host local models, but cloud options remain available so users can switch between local and cloud models based on needs.Key practical points:
- Notepad’s AI tools may require signing into a Microsoft account for some features and regions; AI credits or Microsoft 365/Copilot Pro subscriptions have been used historically to gate higher-usage or cloud-based operations in other Windows AI features.
- On Copilot+ PCs (machines designed and marketed for on-device AI), Microsoft intends to use local models for selected tasks such as summarization and rewrite without sending content to the cloud. That lowers latency and reduces cloud credit usage while improving privacy posture for sensitive content.
- Microsoft’s on-device strategy is part of a broader Copilot+ ecosystem where features like Recall and AI search also run locally when hardware and model support are present.
Hands-on: how this changes workflows
For hobbyists and non-pros
Saving a work-in-progress as a single .paint document will be a huge convenience. Instead of exporting multiple PNG layers or remembering to duplicate assets, you can:- Create or import images into Paint and arrange them on separate layers.
- Save the entire composition as a .paint file.
- Reopen the .paint file later and continue editing with layers intact.
For teachers, documentation authors, and quick mockup creators
The improved Snipping Tool markup and opacity sliders let you create clearer annotated screenshots and diagrams faster. The draw-and-hold feature cleans up shapes for clearer visuals, and opacity control helps you make subtle callouts and focus areas without juggling layers.For power users and professionals
There are trade-offs to weigh. If you rely on advanced layer compositing, adjustment layers, non-destructive filters, blend modes, or smart object workflows, Paint won’t replace Photoshop or Affinity Photo. But Paint’s new project-file model narrows the gap for basic editing tasks and quick iterations. The larger question for pros is whether Paint’s .paint files will offer any interoperability — for example, a simple export or import path to .PSD or .PDN — or whether they’ll be proprietary project files best suited for quick edits and collaboration with non-professional users.Compatibility and technical concerns
File format portability and vendor lock-in
A key unknown is how open the .paint format will be. Important compatibility questions include:- Can .paint files be opened by other editors or exported to .PSD with layers preserved?
- Is the file a single container (like a ZIP) of layer PNGs and metadata, or a bespoke binary format?
- Will Microsoft publish a specification or SDK for third-party apps to read/write .paint?
Backup, cloud sync, and OneDrive behavior
Saving layered projects raises additional questions about storage and syncing:- Will .paint files play nicely with OneDrive file versioning and b-level sync?
- How large can project files get (layers, embedded high-resolution bitmaps)?
- Does Paint auto-save or create temp .paint backups in LocalState (and are those easy to recover)?
Security and privacy implications
Project files will contain full-resolution image data and any embedded metadata. If Notepad and Paint adopt local AI models on Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft’s stance is that local processing improves privacy because content need not leave the device. That’s an advantage for sensitive notes and images, but cloud fallbacks or features that require cloud models (like high-quality generative fill or image creation) still exist, and those will involve data moving to remote services unless explicitly processed locally.Enterprises and privacy-conscious users should check where model inference happens before enabling features that may send content to cloud services, and consider organization policies around Copilot and AI processing.
Practical risks and limitations
- Limited interchange: until Microsoft documents the .paint format or adds export-to-PSD, layered projects may be hard to migrate to professional workflows.
- Insider-only feature timeline: new features are being vetted in Canary and Dev builds; availability for mainstream consumers can lag by weeks or months and could change before final release.
- Regional and device restrictions: AI-driven features often vary by region and hardware. Some generative features require Copilot+ hardware or cloud credits.
- Potential feature fragmentation: Microsoft offers both local-on-device and cloud-powered AI; inconsistent UX or feature parity between the two can confuse users (for example, a feature labeled “free on device” in some hardware but gated behind a subscription in others).
- File stability and saves: past Paint iterations introduced behavioral changes to the Save/Save As flow and raised complaints about save dialogs and crashes. Users working with important assets should continue to back up files and export flattened versions until stability is proven.
- No guaranteed PSD compatibility: Photoshop’s PSD format supports complex layer effects and adjustment layers that Paint does not, so expecting full fidelity interchange is unrealistic.
Why Microsoft is doing this: strategy and market context
Microsoft is clearly pursuing a multi-pronged strategy:- Make Windows itself more useful to creators by upgrading default, built-in apps, reducing the friction to create and edit without third-party tools.
- Use Copilot and on-device AI to differentiate Copilot+ PCs and justify the Copilot+ branding and hardware ecosystem.
- Lower the barrier to entry for casual creators who don’t want subscriptions or a complex toolchain: easy layers, a project format, and AI tools in Notepad and Paint make Windows more competitive against free web tools.
- Retain users in the Microsoft ecosystem by integrating features with Copilot, OneDrive, and the broader Windows experience.
Recommendations for users and IT admins
- If you’re curious: join the Windows Insider Dev or Canary channels to test the new Paint project file and opacity sliders. Keep expectations realistic: Insider builds are previews and may change.
- Keep backups: until .paint behavior and interoperability are documented, export flattened PNG or JPG copies in addition to saving .paint files.
- For teams and professionals: continue to use established layered formats (PSD, PDN, XCF) for cross-tool workflows. Treat .paint as a portable project for collaborators who use Paint, not as a primary archival format unless Microsoft provides guarantees.
- Privacy-conscious users: on Copilot+ hardware prefer local-model features for sensitive content and verify which operations are handled locally vs. in the cloud before enabling them.
- IT admins: audit deployment policies for Copilot and Windows AI in enterprise environments. Understand that some Notepad or Paint AI features may require user sign-in, region-specific availability, or a mixture of local/cloud processing.
The bigger picture: Paint’s renaissance and what it means for Windows
Paint’s evolution from a nostalgic utility to a modern creative app is notable. For many years Paint was a trivial Windows accessory; with layers, per-tool opacity, project files, and Copilot-driven AI, Microsoft is converting it into a tool that covers a surprising portion of casual and semi-professional image tasks. That benefits educators, students, documentation authors, and anyone who needs quick visual edits without jumping to subscription-based tools.However, the change also surfaces trade-offs. Microsoft’s AI-first ecosystem often fragments functionality between cloud and on-device models, and the business model around Copilot, Copilot+ PCs, and AI credits can complicate expectations about what features are free and what require subscription access. File-format openness and interop will be the next battleground: if Microsoft makes .paint an open, well-documented container, Paint could become a genuine lightweight standard for layered edits on Windows. If the format is proprietary and siloed, it will be a convenient convenience but limited for professional pipelines.
Conclusion
The addition of editable .paint project files, opacity sliders, Snipping Tool quick markup, and Notepad AI that can use local models on Copilot+ PCs signals a pragmatic and user-centric phase for Windows built-ins. These changes don’t turn Paint into Photoshop overnight, but they materially improve the app’s usefulness for real-world workflows: saving multilayer projects, making expressive semi-transparent strokes, and annotating screenshots faster.Users should temper excitement with measured caution. Project-file internals and cross-app interoperability remain to be fully documented, AI features still vary by hardware and region, and Insider builds can change before public release. For now, Paint’s renaissance is good news for people who want a capable, free, built-in image editor — and the evolving Notepad AI hints at a future in which everyday Windows apps do much more than they used to, often without leaving the desktop.
Source: The Verge Microsoft Paint is getting its own Photoshop-like project files