Microsoft Paint Introduces AI-Powered Coloring Book Feature

Microsoft is enhancing its Paint and Notepad applications on Windows with new AI features aimed at text editing and digital art creation. These updates are currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Windows 11 Canary and Dev channels, introducing functionalities that seem surprisingly advanced for these straightforward apps. Notepad is receiving AI text enhancements, while Paint now includes a feature that allows users to generate coloring book pages instantly.

This new feature, aptly named “Coloring book,” enables users to create blank coloring templates in version 11.2512.191.0 of Paint based on a text prompt. By selecting the Coloring book option from the Copilot menu, users can describe their desired design, such as “a cute fluffy cat on a donut.” Paint will then generate four different designs that users can click to add to their canvas. From there, you can color the image using Paint or print it out for traditional coloring.

It’s an intriguingly specific tool, raising questions about whether coloring book enthusiasts (like parents and stressed millennials) actually turn to Paint for this purpose. Notably, the Coloring book feature is only available on Copilot Plus PCs, suggesting that Microsoft is looking for innovative ways to promote its AI-enhanced Windows 11 devices. Additionally, Paint is introducing a fill tolerance slider, which offers greater control over how the Fill tool applies color, and this feature is not limited to Copilot hardware.

The Notepad update, version 11.2512.10.0, brings the ability to stream AI-generated results for Write, Rewrite, and Summarize features, allowing users to see text previews quickly without waiting for the complete response. Notepad also features a revamped welcome experience that provides a quick overview of the app’s capabilities, along with support for additional Markdown syntax, including strikethrough formatting and nested lists.