Microsoft Paint Adds AI Coloring Book Generator

Microsoft is modernizing its classic Windows applications with artificial intelligence. The technology giant is rolling out new AI-powered features to the Paint and Notepad apps, bringing advanced capabilities to these traditionally simple tools.

The updates are currently available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. These features represent a significant evolution for applications that have remained largely unchanged for decades, now incorporating generative AI for both creative and productivity tasks.

The most notable addition to Paint is a feature aptly called "Coloring book." This tool allows users to create blank coloring templates directly from a text prompt. The feature is available in version 11.2512.191.0 of the application.

Users can access this functionality by selecting the Coloring book option from the menu. The AI then generates a line-art illustration based on the user's description, ready for digital coloring. This marks a creative expansion for a program primarily known for basic drawing and pixel manipulation.

Early examples of the AI-generated designs have shown mixed results. Some outputs appear to have inconsistencies, such as a design where a cat is not actually positioned on a donut, or another featuring an incomplete face. The technology is still in its early stages of development.

The integration of generative AI into a system-level tool like Paint demonstrates Microsoft's broader push to embed AI across its entire software ecosystem, making these capabilities accessible to casual users.

Alongside the creative tools in Paint, Notepad is receiving its own AI enhancement. The update introduces AI-powered text improvements, providing users with advanced editing capabilities directly within the lightweight text editor.

While specific details on the text improvement features are limited, the integration suggests tools for grammar correction, rephrasing, or summarizing text. This brings Notepad closer to functionality found in more advanced code editors and word processors.

These features feel "oddly niche or advanced for such simplified apps," highlighting Microsoft's strategy of elevating its foundational software. The company is transforming basic utilities into more powerful tools without requiring users to switch to separate, more complex applications.

Both updates are part of the Windows 11 Canary and Dev channel builds, indicating they are in a testing phase before a wider public release.

The new AI features are not yet available to the general Windows user base. Microsoft is deploying these updates through its Windows Insider Program, which allows users to test pre-release software.

Specifically, the features are rolling out to the Canary and Dev channels. These channels are known for receiving the earliest and most experimental builds of Windows 11. Users in these channels will be the first to experience the AI-powered Coloring book and text improvement tools.

This phased rollout allows Microsoft to gather feedback and identify issues before a broader deployment. The company will likely refine the AI models based on real-world usage and performance data from Insiders.

The move signals a new era for Windows' built-in applications, which have traditionally received only minor updates and bug fixes over their long history.

Microsoft's decision to infuse AI into Paint and Notepad reflects a larger industry trend of embedding artificial intelligence into everyday software. These applications are ubiquitous, installed on hundreds of millions of computers worldwide.

By adding generative AI capabilities, Microsoft is lowering the barrier to entry for creative and productive tasks. A user can now describe a scene in plain language and receive a coloring page, or get AI assistance with writing a simple note.

The integration also serves as a testing ground for AI technologies that may later appear in more prominent Microsoft products like Office or Windows itself. The feedback from these core utilities will be invaluable for future development.

As these features mature and move from Insider channels to general availability, they could fundamentally change how millions of people interact with their computers for both work and play.

The introduction of AI to Paint and Notepad represents a significant shift for Microsoft's classic software suite. These updates demonstrate that even the most fundamental Windows applications are not immune to the AI revolution.

For now, the features remain in the testing phase, available only to those enrolled in the Windows Insider Program's Canary and Dev channels. The initial results show promise but also highlight the current limitations of generative AI in producing perfect, complex designs.

As Microsoft continues to refine these tools, the line between simple utilities and powerful creative applications will continue to blur. The humble Paint program, once a staple of basic digital art, is now a gateway to AI-generated creativity.