Windows 11 Paint and Notepad add generative AI tools

Even the humblest Windows inbox apps are getting a generative AI injection.

Microsoft has rolled out updates to Paint and Notepad for Windows 11 Insiders, bringing local and cloud-based AI tools to utilities that have been around for decades.

Paint gets Generative Fill and Erase

Paint now features Generative Fill and Generative Erase.

Generative Erase works on any Windows 11 PC. You simply brush over an unwanted object or select it with a box, hit apply, and the AI deletes it while seamlessly synthesizing the background.

Generative Fill is where things get selective. You marquee a selection, type a text prompt describing what to add, and the tool generates options matching the project's art style. However, Microsoft is initially restricting Generative Fill strictly to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11 version 24H2 or higher. Cocreator also received an updated underlying diffusion model for faster, higher-quality output, but remains locked behind the same Snapdragon Copilot+ hardware barrier.

Image Creator in Paint expanded its preview to the US, UK, France, Canada, Italy, and Germany, with Microsoft 365 and Copilot Pro subscribers in select Asia-Pacific markets now able to spend AI credits on it.

Notepad adds text rewriting and a speed boost

Notepad has introduced Rewrite, an AI feature triggered by selecting text and hitting Ctrl + I.

Notepad serves up three distinct rewrite options at once. You can dial in adjustments to make text longer, shorter, or shift tone and format, with previous variations saved in the prompt window for easy reversion. If you prefer Notepad to stay untouched, the feature can be toggled off entirely in app settings.

For those who couldn't care less about AI in a text editor, Microsoft also tackled raw performance: Notepad launch times have improved by over 35%, with some hardware seeing speedups of 55% or more.

Why it matters

Microsoft is turning its most basic system utilities into everyday gateways for generative AI.

Putting object removal into Paint and quick proofreading into Notepad spares casual users from paying for Photoshop subscriptions or hunting down third-party web apps. It is a smart play to normalize AI interactions right where people already do quick-and-dirty tasks.

However, gating Generative Fill behind Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs is a naked hardware lever. Microsoft is using lightweight system apps as bait to push users toward ARM-based Copilot+ hardware, even though users on capable x86 machines will feel arbitrarily left out.

There is also the friction of identity and bloat. Requiring a Microsoft account and injecting cloud features into Notepad risks alienating purists who rely on it precisely because it is local, instantaneous, and distraction-free. The 35% speedup feels like an olive branch to keep those purists from switching to alternative plain-text editors.