Microsoft Paint getting two powerful Photoshop-like features
Microsoft’s basic image creation and editing tool Paint is getting two useful new features commonly used in more advanced photo editors like Adobe Photoshop.
In a blog post on Monday, 18 September 2023, Windows Inbox Apps principal product manager, Dave Grochocki, told Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that layers and transparency were now available for them to test.
Microsoft typically uses these communities to try out new features and fixes before rolling them out in Beta, Preview, and Stable releases of its operating system.
Grochoki said testers can add, remove, and manage layers on their Paint canvas to create richer and more complex digital art.
“With layers, you can stack shapes, text, and other image elements on top of each other,” he explained.
To add new layers to the canvas, users must select the Layers button in the updated Paint app’s toolbar, which will open a new side panel.
This panel can be used to show, hide, merge, duplicate, and re-order layers of image elements.
The transparency adjustment feature includes support for opening and saving PNGs with transparent elements.
“When working with a single layer, you will notice a checkerboard pattern on the canvas indicating the portions of the image that are transparent,” Grochocki explained.
“Erasing any content from the canvas now truly erases the content instead of painting the area white.”
If you have multiple layers and erase content on one layer, it will reveal the elements from layers underneath which it previously covered.
Transparency and layers in Microsoft Paint
While Microsoft has barely touched some of its legacy apps and elements in its latest operating system — Windows 11 — the 38-year-old Paint has frequently received design and feature updates.
Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel recently also got the ability to remove backgrounds from images.
Microsoft said the new features were being rolled out gradually, so they might not be immediately available to all Canart and Dev Channels users.
“We plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone,” Microsoft said.
Now read: Microsoft adding image-to-text support to Windows 11
Loading ...