Paint Update Adds .paint Projects and Opacity Slider—A Free Photoshop-like Editor

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Microsoft’s latest Paint update reframes the long‑running app as a serious low‑friction image editor by adding an editable project file format and per‑tool opacity controls — features that put Paint squarely in the conversation as a free, entry‑level alternative to Photoshop for everyday tasks. The new Save as project workflow writes .paint files that preserve layers and edit state, enabling users to pick up mid‑work exactly where they left off, while an opacity slider for the Pencil and Brush tools makes blending and layered painting far more usable. These changes are shipping to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels as a staged test that will inform broader rollout decisions.

Background​

Microsoft has been quietly rebuilding Paint over the past two years from a nostalgic utility into a modern, AI‑aware image editor. Layers, transparency support, and a suite of generative features (Image Creator, Generative Erase, background removal) arrived earlier, and recent updates have focused on making those creative workflows persistent, practical, and more expressive. The latest Insider flight bundles three small but meaningful improvements to Paint — the .paint project file, the opacity slider for drawing tools, and continued UX polish — as part of a wider package of inbox app enhancements that also touch Snipping Tool and Notepad.
These updates are being tested in flighted Insider builds (not final stable releases) and are gated by channel, device capability, and Microsoft’s feature‑flight controls. For this rollout, Paint’s changes are associated with app version 11.2508.361.0 and are initially visible to Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels.

What’s new in Paint: Project files and opacity control​

Save as project: the .paint container​

The headline is the introduction of an editable project file format with the ".paint" extension. Instead of forcing users to export to flattened PNG/JPG or to separately export layer assets, Paint can now serialize a full composition — layers, ordering, and editing state — into a single file that reopens in Paint for continued non‑destructive editing.
  • What it does: Saves canvas state, layers, and edits so a session can be resumed later without rebuilding layer structure.
  • How it behaves: Use the new Save as project command to write a .paint file to File Explorer; opening that file in Paint restores your composition and state.
This is the same practical convenience long offered by professional editors (for example, Photoshop’s .PSD or Paint.NET’s .pdn), and it closes a major friction point for casual creators, students, and hobbyists who previously had to export intermediate assets or keep messy, multi‑file projects.

Opacity slider for Pencil and Brush tools​

A seemingly small usability enhancement has oversized creative impact: Paint now exposes an opacity slider for Pencil and Brush tools, letting strokes be drawn semi‑transparently and layered for richer, painterly effects.
  • Why it matters: Layered, semi‑transparent strokes are foundational to sketching, shading, and compositing workflows. Before this, creators needed manual workarounds — adjusting layer opacity or blending modes — that were clumsy for quick art.
  • Where it appears: The slider is presented in the canvas UI (left side) for the Pencil and Brush tools, letting artists make fine tactile adjustments while drawing.

Why Microsoft is positioning Paint as a Photoshop alternative (and where that claim holds)​

Microsoft’s messaging and the feature trajectory make one objective clear: Paint is being transformed from a throwaway utility into a capable, accessible image editor for common creative tasks. There are pragmatic reasons behind this push.

Strengths that make Paint a viable Photoshop alternative for many users​

  • Zero cost and deep Windows integration. Paint is preinstalled and updates via the Microsoft Store and inbox channels, meaning anyone on Windows 11 can try features without subscription lock‑in.
  • Lower learning curve. Paint’s simplified UI and focused toolset are ideal for users who need speed and approachability over the full complexity of a professional DAW.
  • Non‑destructive, persistent editing. The .paint project file brings Paint into the same user workflow category as layered editors: iterative creative sessions that require persistence and revisitability.
  • Fast AI features for quick fixes. Generative erase, background removal, and Image Creator tools embedded in Paint make it easy to do creative tasks that might have required third‑party tools before. Past updates have steadily added these capabilities.
For users who perform routine image edits, quick mockups, social‑media graphics, annotations, or simple digital painting, Paint can now replace several frequent use cases that previously required stepping up to Photoshop or multiple online tools.

Where Paint still falls short compared with Photoshop​

  • Feature depth and professional controls. Photoshop remains the standard for complex retouching, CMYK color management, advanced layer blending, scripting, and industry workflows.
  • Third‑party plugins and ecosystem. Photoshop’s plugin ecosystem and enterprise integrations are far beyond what Paint offers.
  • Interoperability and file format guarantees. There’s no public spec for the .paint container yet and no guarantee of PSD import/export parity; this limits Paint for collaborative professional pipelines. Microsoft’s blog and Insider notes make no promise about interchangeability with PSD or other editors. Users should treat .paint as Paint‑native until Microsoft publishes formal documentation.

Technical verification and caveats​

What we can confirm​

  • The Paint update being flighted to Insiders includes a Save as project workflow that writes .paint files and an opacity slider for Pencil and Brush tools. These details appear in Microsoft’s Insider rollout documentation and have been reported in recent coverage of the flight.
  • The initial app version associated with the change is 11.2508.361.0, with staged availability for Canary and Dev channel Insiders.

Unverified or incomplete claims — flagged for caution​

  • File internals and interchangeability. Microsoft has not published a technical specification for the .paint format. It is unknown whether .paint is an open container, whether it embeds full‑resolution raster data per layer, or whether it supports advanced blending modes or editable vector objects. Treat any claim of full PSD parity or cross‑app compatibility as unverified until Microsoft provides documentation.
  • Enterprise policy controls and file governance. While Microsoft controls feature exposure via flighting and device gating, specifics on how .paint files are handled in enterprise backup, DLP, or eDiscovery workflows have not been published. Administrators should validate file behavior in test environments before assuming compatibility with existing governance processes.

Rollout mechanics and who will see it first​

Microsoft is testing these Paint features in the Windows Insider Program, delivering them to the Canary and Dev channels first. Feature availability will be further gated by telemetry, device hardware, and regional criteria; not all Insiders will see the features immediately. Microsoft’s phased approach means general availability in stable Windows 11 builds may follow only after additional testing and feedback. For Insiders who want to try the update:
  • Enroll the device in the Windows Insider Program and select Canary or Dev channel.
  • Check Windows Update and update inbox apps via the Microsoft Store.
  • Confirm the Paint app version is 11.2508.361.0 (or newer) to access the Save as project and opacity slider features.
Administrators who manage fleets should treat these as experimental features until Microsoft documents enterprise controls and file behavior.

Practical recommendations for users and IT​

For creators and hobbyists​

  • Start saving ongoing work as .paint files to take advantage of preserved layers and editability, but continue exporting to standard formats (PNG, JPG, PSD when possible) as a parallel archival practice until the .paint format is documented.
  • Use the new opacity slider to experiment with layered brushwork and subtle blending; it significantly improves sketching workflows and reduces the need for workarounds.

For power users and professionals​

  • Don’t treat .paint as a production file for multi‑person projects until you confirm import/export behavior with other tools.
  • If you rely on scripted or automated workflows that assume flattened images or particular clipboard behaviors (for example, automation that captures screenshots from Snipping Tool), test the Quick markup and sharing flows — some capture behaviors have changed.

For IT administrators and security teams​

  • Identify which devices in your fleet are enrolled in Canary/Dev Insider channels and which are Copilot+ capable, as Microsoft increasingly gates local AI features by hardware class. Pilot local AI features on test devices to evaluate privacy and compliance implications.
  • Monitor Microsoft’s documentation and enterprise guidance for Copilot+ certification, and test how .paint files are handled by backup, DLP, and eDiscovery tools before permitting broad adoption.

Design and UX implications​

The combination of persistent project state and on‑canvas opacity control represents a UX shift: Microsoft is making Paint not just for one‑off edits but for iterative creative sessions. Small ergonomics improvements like Quick markup in Snipping Tool and opacity sliders often produce outsized productivity gains because they remove repetitive context switches that previously required multiple apps or manual steps. The net effect is a smoother creative loop for users who sketch, annotate, or touch up imagery frequently.

Competitive context: how this matters in the broader market​

Paint’s evolution reflects a larger industry trend: embedding powerful creative features into everyday apps and democratizing AI capabilities. Microsoft is following an approach of layering capabilities — from basic editing to AI‑assisted creation — into utilities that millions of users already know.
  • For consumer users who need occasional advanced edits, Paint now competes more directly with free web tools and lightweight editors (e.g., Paint.NET, GIMP, and several browser‑based editors).
  • For professionals, Paint is functionally complementary rather than a replacement; it simplifies quick tasks and prototyping but lacks the depth required for studio production pipelines.
  • For enterprises and education, Paint’s accessibility and no‑cost status make it attractive for student labs and casual creative tasks, but governance and interoperability questions will determine how widely it is adopted inside managed environments.

Privacy, security, and AI considerations​

Microsoft’s rollout of AI features across Windows inbox apps has raised questions about where processing occurs (cloud vs. on‑device), account gating, and privacy controls. The Insider notes explicitly point out that some Notepad AI features can run on compatible Copilot+ hardware locally, while other AI features remain cloud‑backed and account‑gated. This hybrid approach is pragmatic but means organizations must:
  • Understand which features call cloud services and whether those calls include image data or metadata.
  • Assess whether local on‑device models meet their privacy and compliance requirements for sensitive content.
  • Keep an eye on how capture/share flows in Snipping Tool and Paint interact with clipboard and sharing policies.
Generative AI features remain helpful assistants but are not infallible; outputs should be reviewed for accuracy and appropriateness, especially in professional contexts.

Verdict — practical evolution, not revolution​

This Paint update is evolutionary and pragmatic: it fills glaring UX gaps (persistent project files and per‑tool opacity) and continues Microsoft’s steady push to put capable, accessible editing tools into Windows’ core utilities. For everyday creators, students, and professionals who need quick, reliable editing without subscription costs, Paint is now good enough for a far broader set of tasks. For professionals and production workflows, Paint is an efficient first pass or rapid mockup tool but not a replacement for Photoshop’s depth.
If you manage devices or workflows that depend on specific file formats or enterprise governance, treat .paint files as a Paint‑native container and validate interoperability and backup behavior before adopting them in production. The best immediate strategy for most users is to adopt .paint for in‑progress work while continuing to export final assets to standard, widely supported formats.

What to watch next​

  • Formal documentation for the .paint format and any announced PSD import/export capabilities.
  • Microsoft guidance for enterprise controls around AI features, Copilot+ certification, and file governance.
  • Broader rollout timelines beyond the Canary and Dev channels into the Beta and stable Windows 11 releases.
  • Community feedback from Insiders that will shape UX tweaks, performance changes, and feature parity expectations.
These will determine whether Paint becomes a credible day‑to‑day alternative to subscription editors for millions of users or remains a powerful but complementary utility within the Windows ecosystem.
Microsoft’s incremental improvements demonstrate a focused product strategy: make common creative tasks faster, keep the app accessible, and use Insider feedback to refine the experience before a wide release. The addition of editable project files and an opacity slider are pragmatic, user‑centered changes that materially improve Paint’s usefulness for everyday creators — and for many users, that will be enough to consider Paint a practical, free alternative to heavier, paid editors.
Source: Windows Central Microsoft positions Paint as a Photoshop alternative with new project files feature
 
Click to expand...
Microsoft Paint’s long, slow transformation from a nostalgic Windows toy into a lightweight, modern image editor reached a pragmatic milestone this week with the arrival of editable Project files (.paint) and a per‑tool Opacity slider — changes that make everyday sketching, shading, and iterative work significantly less awkward for casual creators and students alike.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft has been remaking Paint in stages for more than a year: layers and transparency landed first, then a steady stream of AI features and Copilot integrations. The latest Insider release (Paint app version 11.2508.361.0) formalizes two of the most requested workflow features: a native project container that preserves editable state, and a canvas‑level opacity control for Pencil and Brush tools. Both are being flighted to Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. (blogs.windows.com) (windowscentral.com)
Those two changes are deceptively valuable. Saving an editable, layered document — the same basic idea behind Photoshop’s .PSD — removes the usual “flatten‑to‑PNG or re‑export everything” friction for anyone doing multi‑layer work. The opacity slider, meanwhile, turns Paint’s brushes from hard stamps into tools suitable for shading and glazing, enabling richer, painterly results without awkward workarounds. Microsoft describes the feature set and the rollout in its Windows Insider post; independent coverage from industry outlets confirms the additions and places them in the wider Paint modernization effort. (blogs.windows.com) (windowscentral.com)

What changed in Paint — the features, simply explained​

.paint Project files: what they do and what they don’t​

  • What it is: A new Save as project command writes your canvas state into a single file with the .paint extension. That file preserves layers, layer order, transparency and the in‑session composition so you can reopen and continue editing later. (blogs.windows.com)
  • Why it matters: Instead of exporting multiple layer PNGs or rebuilding a composition after you close Paint, the .paint file retains the editable structure — the same convenience that .PSD and .PDN formats provide for other editors. (windowscentral.com)
  • What’s unclear: Microsoft has not published a technical specification for the .paint container. Important internals — whether it’s a documented, open container (like a ZIP of assets and metadata), how large files can grow, and whether advanced layer effects are preserved — remain undocumented and should be treated as unverified. Expect .paint to be a Paint‑native container until Microsoft states otherwise. (blogs.windows.com)

Opacity slider for Pencil and Brush tools​

  • What it does: A slider placed on the canvas UI adjusts the transparency of strokes in real time for the Pencil and Brush tools. This control works alongside the existing size slider to let users build up tones and soft blends directly while painting. (blogs.windows.com)
  • Why it matters: Semi‑transparent strokes are an essential building block for shading, highlights and layered color work. The opacity slider reduces the need for temporary layers or fiddly layer opacity edits when making subtle adjustments.

Other related updates in the same flight​

  • The Insider release also bundles updates to Snipping Tool (Quick markup) and Notepad (local AI on Copilot+ PCs), indicating Microsoft’s broader strategy of elevating “inbox” apps with focused, practical improvements and hybrid AI capabilities. These changes are rolling out in Canary and Dev for testing. (blogs.windows.com)

Hands‑on impressions and practical workflows​

The new Project workflow and opacity slider are small feature additions that punch well above their weight in everyday use.
  • Starting a multi‑session painting: Create sketches on separate layers (background, midtones, linework, highlights). Use File > Save as project to write a .paint file and close the app. Reopening restores layers and lets you move, rename or reorder them without reconstructing the file. This is particularly useful for classroom or collaborative settings where a work‑in‑progress needs to be handed between people.
  • Shading with opacity: Pick a brush, lower opacity to 20–50% and build tone with repeated passes on the same layer, or use multiple low‑opacity layers for non‑destructive glazing. The result is a natural-looking blend that previously required layer tricks or painstaking manual opacity edits.
  • Export and share: When you’re done, paint can still export to standard, shareable formats (PNG, JPG, AVIF, HEIC). Exported files remain flattened as usual, making them easy to share while .paint retains the editable master.
These workflows show how the update improves Paint’s value for quick mockups, diagrams, annotated screenshots, and casual digital art. The features don’t change the competitive landscape for professional, production‑grade editing — rather, they dramatically reduce friction for everyday tasks.

Technical verification: what we confirmed and what remains uncertain​

I verified the headline technical claims against Microsoft’s official Windows Insider announcement and independent reporting.
  • Version and rollout: Microsoft’s Windows Insider Blog lists the Paint update as version 11.2508.361.0 and explicitly documents the Save as project (.paint) workflow and the Opacity slider for Pencil and Brush tools. The blog confirms the feature appears first for Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. (blogs.windows.com)
  • Independent confirmation: Windows Central and other outlets independently reported that Paint is gaining a Photoshop‑like project file and opacity control, corroborating Microsoft’s announcement and the reported versioning. (windowscentral.com)
  • Unverified internals: Microsoft has not yet published a formal specification for the .paint file format. That means:
  • It is unknown whether .paint is an open, documented container or a proprietary binary format.
  • There is no public guarantee that .paint will interoperate with other editors (for example, round‑trip layer fidelity with Adobe Photoshop’s .PSD).
  • File size behavior, OneDrive block‑level syncing characteristics, and enterprise backup/DLP interactions require hands‑on testing before adoption at scale. These limitations should be considered unknowns until Microsoft publishes technical documentation. (blogs.windows.com)
Flag: any claim that .paint will match PSD parity or exchange richly formatted layer metadata with other editors should be treated with caution until Microsoft releases a format spec or third‑party tools add support.

How Paint’s .paint compares to Photoshop’s .PSD (practical perspective)​

Paint’s new Project files are conceptually similar to .PSD: both store layered, editable work. But there are important, practical differences.
  • Scope of features preserved
  • Photoshop (.PSD): Supports adjustment layers, smart objects, masks, advanced blend modes, multiple color spaces (including CMYK profiles for print), filters, layer styles, and extensive metadata.
  • Paint (.paint): Designed to preserve layers, ordering, transparency and basic tool state (brush strokes, opacity) — not the professional feature set Photoshop stores. Expect far simpler metadata and far fewer non‑destructive features.
  • Ecosystem and plugins
  • Photoshop: Large plugin ecosystem, scripts, and industry adoption.
  • Paint: Focused on accessibility and simplicity; no plugin ecosystem of the same breadth.
  • Intended audience
  • Photoshop: Professionals and studios needing precise, reproducible edits.
  • Paint: Casual creators, students, technical writers and those who need fast iterative edits without subscription barriers.
Bottom line: Paint’s .paint is a major usability improvement for casual and educational use but not a feature‑complete PSD replacement for professional pipelines.

Risks, caveats, and enterprise considerations​

These updates are welcome — but there are practical risks and governance questions to weigh.

File portability and vendor lock‑in​

If .paint remains undocumented and proprietary, organizations will face friction when moving files between tools or archiving them long‑term. Until Microsoft clarifies interchange formats, treat .paint as Paint‑native and export to standard formats for archival or cross‑tool workflows.

Backup and sync behavior​

Large, layered project files can bloat backups or behave unexpectedly in differential sync systems. Test how .paint files interact with OneDrive, SharePoint, and enterprise backup tools before adopting them in shared drives.

Security and installation caution​

Third‑party reports and the community note that early builds are available only to Insiders. WindowsLatest noted that some testers extracted a Paint update from a Dev Channel machine and distributed it — but installing app packages from untrusted sources carries security and stability risks. Stick to the Microsoft Store or official Insider channels to avoid tampered packages.

AI and privacy​

The same flight that introduced .paint also expanded local AI features (Notepad on Copilot+ PCs). While local model inference can reduce cloud data egress, many features still fall back to cloud processing. Verify which operations use local models and which send data to Microsoft’s services before enabling AI tools for sensitive content in managed environments. (blogs.windows.com)

Stability and rollback​

Insider builds are experimental. If you rely on Paint for important work, maintain exports (flattened PNG/JPEG and, where possible, layered exports to other formats) and keep a parallel archive of final assets. If an Insider build causes problems, you can remove the Paint app and reinstall from the Microsoft Store to return to the stable release. WindowsLatest’s hands‑on notes this exact rollback path.

How to try the Project (.paint) feature and Opacity slider — step by step​

  • Enroll a test device in the Windows Insider Program and choose Canary or Dev channel (features are staged and may not be available to Beta/Release channels immediately). (blogs.windows.com)
  • Update Windows and open the Microsoft Store to update inbox apps, or check Windows Update for versioned inbox app updates. Confirm Paint is at v11.2508.361.0 or newer. (blogs.windows.com)
  • Launch Paint, create a multi‑layer composition (Layers panel → add layers), then open the app menu and choose Save as project to create a .paint file in File Explorer. Reopen the .paint to verify layers and edits persist. (blogs.windows.com)
  • To test the Opacity slider: select Pencil or Brush, and use the new slider on the left side of the canvas to reduce opacity to e.g., 40%; paint repeated strokes to observe glazing and blend effects. (blogs.windows.com)
Practical tips:
  • For backups, export a flattened PNG or JPG in addition to saving the .paint master. This preserves a shareable version alongside the editable file.
  • Keep a few sample .paint files with known layer structures as part of a migration test so you can later check whether future Paint releases preserve compatibility and metadata.
  • If you manage a fleet, pilot the build on a representative subset of devices and test DLP, OneDrive sync, and backup flows.
Caution: Avoid installing app packages from unofficial cloud storage or extracted packages unless you can validate signatures and package integrity. WindowsLatest reported testers distributing extracted updates from Insider machines, but that approach exposes devices to tampered files and security risks.

Strengths and where Paint now shines​

  • Lowered friction: Saving editable projects removes a major pain point for anyone doing multi‑layer work in Paint.
  • Improved expressiveness: The opacity slider delivers immediate, tangible improvements for shading, highlights and subtle compositing.
  • Accessibility: Paint remains free and installed by default on Windows 11, meaning many users get these improvements automatically over time.
  • Integrated AI roadmap: The project file feature complements the AI work Microsoft has been adding — stickers, generative fill and Copilot tools — making Paint a one‑stop utility for simple creative tasks. (windowslatest.com)

Limitations and realistic expectations​

  • Not a Photoshop replacement: Paint still lacks advanced layer effects, masks, adjustment layers, and color profile management that pros need.
  • Interoperability unknown: No published .paint spec means cross‑app workflows remain uncertain.
  • Insider staging: The feature is experimental and could change before reaching the stable channel.
  • Enterprise governance gap: Microsoft has not yet published detailed guidance on how these new file types and AI behaviors interact with enterprise DLP, eDiscovery or backup systems. Administrators must test and validate before broad deployment.

What to watch next​

  • Official technical documentation for the .paint format (if Microsoft publishes it, that will determine portability and long‑term archival viability).
  • Any announced export/import capabilities to/from .PSD or third‑party editors.
  • Enterprise guidance from Microsoft on Copilot+ certification and how local AI models are handled in managed environments.
  • Community tooling or open‑source libraries that add read/write support for .paint (this is often the signal that a format is worth using in heterogeneous workflows).

Conclusion​

Microsoft’s Paint has quietly evolved into a pragmatic, no‑friction editor for everyday creative tasks, and the addition of editable .paint project files plus an opacity slider transforms it from a one‑session toy into a workable tool for iterative art, quick mockups, and annotated screenshots. Those changes don’t threaten professional tools like Photoshop — they don’t attempt to — but they materially improve the day‑to‑day experience for millions of Windows users who need speed, simplicity and reliability.
The update is confirmed in Microsoft’s Windows Insider announcement and corroborated by independent reporting; however, the lack of a published .paint specification and unanswered questions about interoperability, sync behavior and enterprise controls mean prudent users and IT admins should adopt the new format conservatively: use .paint for in‑progress editing, continue exporting to standard formats for archives and collaboration, and test backup and DLP behavior before widespread rollout. (blogs.windows.com) (windowscentral.com)
In short: Paint is not trying to be Photoshop. It’s trying to be far better Paint — and for everyday creators, these updates are exactly what the classic app needed.
Source: WindowsLatest Hands on with Windows 11 MS Paint's new Photoshop-like Project (.paint file) feature
 
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