Paint was once a pretty basic program, but little by little, it’s becoming an image editor that works well for some slightly more complex tasks. Microsoft is testing a tool for removing the background from images.
The feature works in a very simple and practical way: it identifies what the subject of the image is and, with just one click on the corresponding button in the toolbar, erases the background.
You can apply this change to the entire image or specify an area by using the Rectangle tool. Microsoft promises that the cutout will be “smooth.”
The novelty appeared in version 11.2306.30.0 of Paint. For now, it has only been released on the Windows Insiders’ Canary and Dev channels. These two channels are the first to receive news of the operating system. That means it can take some time to get to everyone.
Alternatives
Even without the tool, you can already create images with a transparent background in Paint and Paint 3D. However, the process involves several steps and not just one click, as is Microsoft’s current proposal.
As the Verge notes, other imaging apps already allow you to do this, but there are access limitations.
In Canva, for example, background removal is only available to Canva Pro subscribers, which costs up to $34.90 per month. Adobe Express offers this tool and is free, but requires you to create an Adobe account.
Paint and Notepad keep getting updates
And this is just one of the new features on the way to Paint. Microsoft is also testing a tool to create images from text commands, using the same artificial intelligence as Bing.
Paint isn’t the only classic Windows app to gain modern features. Notepad, for example, can be given the option to auto-save, helping users not to lose their work.
Not all apps are so lucky, though: the WordPad text editor is expected to disappear in the next generation of Windows, slated for 2024. Microsoft recommends that users migrate to Notepad or Word.
