Home » Technology » Paint & Notepad Get AI Overhaul in Windows 11

Paint & Notepad Get AI Overhaul in Windows 11

by Sophie Lin - Technology Editor

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Microsoft Infuses Artificial Intelligence Into Classic Windows Apps: Paint and Notepad Receive Major Updates


For decades, Paint and Notepad have remained consistent fixtures of the Windows operating system. Microsoft is now fundamentally reshaping these familiar tools, integrating Artificial Intelligence to enhance functionality and user experiences. The updates,currently available to Windows Insiders,signal a broader strategy to embed artificial Intelligence throughout the Windows ecosystem.

Paint Reimagined: From Pixels to Playful Creations

The most striking addition to Paint is a new feature dubbed “Coloring book.” Utilizing the power of AI, this tool automatically generates coloring pages based on simple text prompts.Users can describe a scene – an animal,landscape,or fantastical object – and Paint instantly produces several black-and-white illustrations primed for coloring or printing. This feature intends to make AI accessible and engaging for a wider audience, including families and casual creatives.

Beyond the headline feature, Paint also receives a subtle yet meaningful enhancement: a tolerance slider for the fill tool. This allows users to achieve more precise control over color spread, refining image editing capabilities.

Notepad evolves: Smarter Text Editing with Copilot integration

Notepad is undergoing its own transformation, moving beyond a basic text editor to a more sophisticated platform. AI-powered features now provide a smoother, more responsive experience when rephrasing, redacting, or summarizing text. The resulting text now appears incrementally, minimizing wait times for both local and cloud-based processing.

The application also enhances its Markdown support, adding strikethrough text and nested lists appealing to developers and power users. A redesigned home screen further improves the user experience, spotlighting key features and functionalities.

Key Feature Comparison

Feature Paint Notepad
AI Integration Automatic coloring page generation from text prompts Real-time text rephrasing, redaction, and summarization
Key Enhancement Adjustable fill tool tolerance Improved Markdown support (strikethrough, nested lists)
User Focus Families, casual creatives

What new AI features are being added to Paint and Notepad in Windows 11?

Paint & Notepad Get AI Overhaul in Windows 11

Windows 11 is stepping into the future with a notable update: Artificial Intelligence integration within two of its most classic applications – Paint and Notepad. This isn’t just a cosmetic upgrade; it’s a basic shift in how users will interact with these tools, unlocking creative potential and boosting productivity. The rollout, expected to begin in late January 2026, promises to redefine basic digital creation and note-taking.

Paint: From Pixels to Possibilities with AI

For decades, Paint has been the go-to submission for rapid edits, simple drawings, and nostalgic fun.The AI-powered revamp takes this familiarity and elevates it. Here’s what you can expect:

* Cocreator: A new “Cocreator” feature, powered by DALL-E 3 (integrated directly into Windows 11), allows users to generate images from text prompts within Paint. Imagine typing “a futuristic cityscape at sunset” and having Paint instantly create a starting point for your artwork.

* Expansion of Existing Images: Need to extend a landscape or fill in missing details? The AI can intelligently expand existing images, seamlessly blending new content with the original. This is a game-changer for resizing images or creating backgrounds.

* Layer Support Improvements: While Paint gained basic layer support in previous updates, the AI integration streamlines layer management. AI can suggest layer arrangements or even automatically create layers based on image content.

* Smart Object Selection: Selecting complex objects in an image is now easier than ever. The AI can identify and isolate objects with greater accuracy, simplifying editing tasks like removing backgrounds or applying effects.

* Enhanced Brush Styles: Beyond the standard brushes, AI-powered brush styles will mimic real-world media like watercolor, oil paint, and charcoal, offering a more natural and expressive painting experience.

Notepad: Beyond Basic Text Editing

Notepad,the quintessential simple text editor,is also receiving a considerable AI boost.The changes focus on enhancing writing, association, and accessibility.

* AI-powered Autocomplete: Forget struggling to find the right words. Notepad’s new autocomplete feature,leveraging advanced language models,predicts and suggests phrases and sentences as you type,significantly speeding up writing.

* Summarization Tools: Need to quickly grasp the key points of a lengthy document? notepad can now summarize text, providing concise overviews in seconds. This is invaluable for research or reviewing long notes.

* Translation capabilities: Integrated translation features allow users to translate text directly within Notepad,supporting a wide range of languages. this eliminates the need for external translation tools.

* Improved Search Functionality: the search function has been fully overhauled, utilizing AI to understand the context of your search queries.Rather of just finding exact matches, it can identify relevant facts based on meaning.

* Smart Formatting: While Notepad has always been intentionally minimalist, the AI can now intelligently format text, such as automatically creating bulleted lists or headings based on content.

Benefits of the AI Integration

The benefits of these AI enhancements extend beyond mere convenience.

* Increased Creativity: The AI tools in Paint lower the barrier to entry for digital art, empowering users of all skill levels to express their creativity.

* enhanced Productivity: Notepad’s AI features streamline writing and information processing, saving users valuable time and effort.

* Accessibility Improvements: Features like summarization and translation make digital content more accessible to a wider audience.

* Modernized User Experience: The AI integration brings these classic applications into the 21st century,making them more relevant and useful in today’s digital landscape.

Real-World Applications & Use Cases

The potential applications are vast. Consider these scenarios:

* Students: Using Paint’s Cocreator to visualize concepts for school projects or Notepad’s summarization tools to quickly review lecture notes.

* Professionals: Creating quick graphics for presentations with Paint or drafting emails and reports more efficiently with Notepad.

* Hobbyists: Exploring digital art without needing expensive software or translating foreign language recipes with ease.

* Accessibility: Individuals with visual impairments can leverage AI-powered descriptions of images created in Paint.

First-Hand Experiences (Early Access Program)

During the limited early access program in late 2025, feedback was overwhelmingly positive. beta testers consistently praised the intuitive nature of the AI features and the significant boost to their productivity.One user, a graphic designer named Alex Chen, noted, “The Cocreator feature in Paint is a game-changer.It allows me to quickly generate initial concepts and then refine them to my exact specifications.” Another tester, a student named Maria rodriguez, commented, “Notepad’s summarization tool has saved me hours of reading. It’s incredibly helpful for research.”

Getting the Update

The AI-powered updates for Paint and Notepad will be rolled out as part of a major Windows 11 feature update in late January 2026. Users will receive the update automatically through Windows Update. Ensure your system meets the minimum requirements for Windows 11 to guarantee compatibility.

Looking Ahead

Microsoft’s commitment to integrating AI into core Windows 11 applications signals a broader trend towards bright computing. These updates to Paint and Notepad are just the beginning, and we can expect to see even more AI-powered features across the operating system in the future.

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