Microsoft Infuses AI into Windows Staples: Notepad, Paint, and Snipping Tool Get Major Upgrades

In 3.5 years, Notepad.exe has gone from "barely maintained" to "it writes for you

By late 2021, major updates for Windows' built-in Notepad text editor had been so rare for so long that a gentle redesign and a handful of new settings were rated as a major update. New updates have become much more common since then, but like the rest of Windows, recent additions have been overwhelmingly weighted in the direction of generative AI. In November, Microsoft began testing an update that allowed users to rewrite or summarize text in Notepad using generative AI. Another preview update today takes it one step further, allowing you to write AI-generated text from scratch with basic instructions (the feature is called Write, to differentiate it from the earlier Rewrite). Like Rewrite and Summarize, Write requires users to be signed into a Microsoft Account, because using it requires you to use your monthly allotment of Microsoft's AI credits. Per this support page, users without a paid Microsoft 365 subscription get 15 credits per month. Subscribers with Personal and Family subscriptions get 60 credits per month instead. Microsoft notes that all AI features in Notepad can be disabled in the app's settings, and obviously, they won't be available if you use a local account instead of a Microsoft Account. Microsoft is also releasing preview updates for Paint and Snipping Tool, two other bedrock Windows apps that hadn't seen much by way of major updates before the Windows 11 era. Paint's features are also mostly AI-related, including a "sticker generator" and an AI-powered smart select tool "to help you isolate and edit individual elements in your image." A new "welcome experience" screen that appears the first time you launch the app will walk you through the (again, mostly AI-related) new features Microsoft has added to Paint in the last couple of years. Snipping Tool gets two new features. One is a color picker that will let you see the hex, RGB, or HSL values of colors in a given screenshot. The other is a "perfect screenshot" option that will attempt to automatically crop app windows or other elements onscreen without requiring you to edit it manually after you capture it. The perfect screenshot feature appears to use local processing rather than cloud processing, because it requires a Copilot+ PC. This means using it doesn't require AI credits, but it will also only function on brand-new PCs with certain Qualcomm Snapdragon, Intel Core Ultra, or AMD Ryzen AI processors inside. These updates are rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels, which get new features faster than the Beta or Release Preview channels but are also less stable. Not all of these features will make it to the general public, but the ones that do should be released in the next few weeks or months.

Note, Paint and Snip With AI: Microsoft Adds New Features, but Not for Everyone

Three longtime staples of the Microsoft ecosystem are getting artificial intelligence enhancements, but they won't necessarily be available to all. With the updates, Notepad users will be able to use generative AI to write text; Paint users now can create AI-generated stickers; and Snippet users can deploy a "perfect screenshot" feature. The catch, however, is that the Notepad AI update will only be available to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscribers and Paint's new AI features will only work on Copilot Plus PCs. Everyone will be able to use the new Snippet enhancements, however.

Microsoft Notepad can now write for you using generative AI

Andrew Liszewski is a senior reporter who's been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Microsoft is now testing a new feature in Notepad that can generate text for you using AI. It's part of a Windows 11 update being released to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels with Copilot Plus PCs. The update also includes new AI-powered features for Paint like a sticker generator, and improvements to the Snipping Tool that can automatically crop and resize screenshots based on what you're selecting. Notepad's new Write feature can be used to "quickly draft text based on your prompt," according to the Windows Insider Blog, "or build upon existing content with AI-powered assistance." You can either right-click where you want new text to be inserted in a document or after selecting existing text you want to use as a reference. After selecting the new Write feature in Windows' Copilot menu, a prompt will appear where instructions can be entered. The AI-generated output will appear in the document but you'll have the option to keep it, discard it if it's not what you're looking for, or refine the output by entering follow-up prompts. The feature was first discovered earlier this year in code included in test builds of Windows 11. Write follows two other AI-powered tools Microsoft has been testing with Notepad. Summarize, first introduced last March, can generate a summary of the text in a document while Rewrite, which began testing last November, can adjust the tone of text, shorten or lengthen it, and rephrase sentences. Joining AI features already being tested in Microsoft Paint like Generative Fill, Generative Erase, and the Cocreator tool that can create images based on text prompts and reference sketches, is a new Sticker generator. A new button in the Copilot menu opens a prompt where you can describe the sticker you want to create. Paint will then generate a small set of stickers based on your description that can be added to your canvas or copied over to other applications. Paint is also getting a new Object select tool that relies on AI to create smart selections that takes most of the grunt work out of isolating and manipulating specific elements in a photo or painting. To potentially make it easier to screenshot exactly what you need and immediately share it without edits, Windows 11's Snipping Tool is gaining a new Perfect screenshot button on its toolbar. When framing a screenshot using the rectangle tool Perfect screenshot will use AI to "intelligently resize based on the content in your selection," but you'll still have the option to resize or reposition the selected region of your screen before capturing it. It's being joined by a new Color picker in the Snipping tool that lets you see the HEX, RGB or HSL color values below an eyedropper cursor, and it can be zoomed for more precision by either scrolling or using Ctrl +/- keyboard shortcuts. You'll need to be signed into your Microsoft account to use Notepad's new Write feature which will use the same credits system as other AI-powered Windows 11 features do. Microsoft hasn't yet announced what pricing for these credits will be if it eventually starts charging for them.

Microsoft dumps AI into Notepad

Microsoft has continued to shovel AI into its built-in Windows inbox apps, and now it's rolling out a Notepad update that will use Copilot to write text for you. The updates come in the same week that Redmond released a snappy, lightweight command line editor that is the antithesis of what the venerable Notepad has become. Notepad's Write feature requires users to sign in with their Microsoft account, select where they want the new content to go (or make a selection for reference), and then choose Write from the Copilot menu to prompt the AI to generate text, which you can review and insert into Notepad if it fits your needs. The output can then be kept, discarded, or refined with follow-up prompts. It is unclear who asked for this, or why Microsoft thinks users of a once-simple text editor require this assistance. If it were necessary, then surely an app like WordPad would have been a better place (if Microsoft hadn't killed it off, presumably so it could better focus on bloating Notepad). At least with Outlook in Microsoft 365, the idea of letting an AI write emails for you could appeal to overly busy middle managers or people who struggle to come up with written communication. But Notepad is primarily used for quick and dirty tasks like jotting down ideas or pasting fussily formatted files into plain text to make the actual text more easily portable. Microsoft's AI ambitions for Notepad first appeared just over a year ago. In November 2024, a "Rewrite" function turned up, with options to tweak text based on the tone, format, and length requirements of a user. Notepad dates back to Windows 1.0 and remained more or less unchanged for decades, with only an occasional fix. In recent years, however, it has undergone multiple tweaks and enhancements at the hands of Microsoft, culminating in the new generative AI features. Microsoft is adding more AI features to another inbox tool - Paint. After giving the aging tool a reprieve in 2019, Microsoft wasted no time giving it a makeover. The latest changes come from Microsoft's AI stable and include a sticker generator (type what you want, and a set of stickers will be generated from the prompt) and a smart selection tool for isolating and editing individual elements in an image. For users who can't keep up with all the new features, there's also a new "welcome experience." It is difficult to see many of these updates as much more than additions for the sake of adding them. We doubt that users were clamoring for AI in Notepad in the same way that they might be demanding Microsoft stops shipping updates that bork the operating system. ®

Windows 11 Notepad gets AI-powered text writing capabilities

Microsoft is testing a new AI-powered text generation feature in Notepad that can let Windows Insiders create content based on custom prompts. Dubbed "Write," the new Notepad feature is rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels, who have upgraded to Notepad version 11.2504.46.0. "The new write feature helps you quickly draft text based on your prompt, making it easy to start from a blank page or build upon existing content with AI-powered assistance. To get started, place your cursor where you want to insert new text or select content you'd like to use as a reference," said Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager for Windows Inbox Apps. "Then right-click and choose Write, select Write from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + Q keyboard shortcut. Enter your instruction into the dialog and click Send. The AI-generated output will appear directly on the canvas." You can add the generated text to the document by clicking the "Keep text" button and hitting "Discard" if it doesn't fit your requirements. You can also enter additional prompts to refine the output. Grochocki added that users must sign in to their Microsoft personal account to use the Writee tool, which will use AI credits linked to their Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Copilot Pro subscriptions. Over the last few years, Microsoft has been actively working to add more AI features to the Windows 11 Notepad application. For example, in November, it included a new text rewriting tool called "Rewrite" with the release of Notepad version 11.2410.15.0. Formerly known as CoWriter, it uses generative AI to rewrite content automatically, and it can rephrase sentences, modify the length of the text, and adjust the tone. Additionally, in December 2023, Microsoft introduced a built-in character counter, and in July 2024, they rolled out a spell-check and autocorrect feature. If you don't want Notepad's AI options in the user interface, you can disable them from the app's settings or uninstall the Notepad app to use the Windows built-in notepad.exe program. On Thursday, the company also started rolling out new AI capabilities for Paint and Snipping Tool users enrolled in the Windows Insider program. Those who have installed Paint version 11.2504.451.0 can create custom stickers by clicking the "Sticker generator button" in the Copilot menu and isolate individual image elements more easily using an AI-powered selection tool. Snipping Tool version 11.2504.38.0 adds perfect screenshot and color picker features, which will automatically resize the current screenshot based on the selected content and select the HEX, RGB, or HSL color code of any pixel on the screen.

Microsoft is now testing AI-generated text in Windows Notepad

Both Paint and Snipping Tool are also getting new AI features of their own. As of yesterday, Microsoft has begun rolling out a new update to Windows 11 Insiders on the Dev and Canary Channels. This update brings new AI features to Notepad, Paint, and the Snipping Tool. Notepad now has the ability to write text from scratch using generative AI, which is meant to aid you by quickly producing drafts based on your prompts and instructions. To use AI text generation, simply right-click anywhere in the document and select Write. Type in your instructions, then either click Keep Text or Discard on the results. You'll need a Microsoft account and AI credits to use Write in Notepad. Meanwhile, Paint now has a new AI-generated sticker feature as well as an AI-assisted smart selection tool for isolating and editing elements in an image, and Snipping Tool has a new AI-powered "perfect screenshot" feature for capturing your screen without the need to crop or resize afterwards. Paint's new AI features only work on Copilot+ PCs while Snipping Tool's features work on all computers. All of this builds on Microsoft's strategy to bring more AI experiences to Notepad, Paint, and other Windows apps.

Microsoft gives a trio of Windows 11 apps some nifty new AI powers, but not everyone will get them

Notepad is getting a new AI-powered text creation ability which is coming to all Windows 11 PCs, but it needs a Microsoft 365 subscription Windows 11's Notepad app is getting its AI powers expanded to include the ability to generate written content from scratch, and Microsoft is providing new AI-related functionality to two other apps in the OS, although all of this remains in testing for now. Let's start with Notepad which, with the release of version 11.2504.46.0 (in preview, for Windows 11 testers) adds a new 'Write' option. Just right-click where you want some text to be inserted - or anywhere in an empty document if you're starting with a blank slate - and tell Notepad the nature of the content you want created, and it'll write something for you. Windows Latest has had a play with the feature in testing and observes that the AI tends to keep its generated text on the concise side. If you're not happy with the results and feel the AI-created content could be better, you can always elect to use the option to 'Rewrite' in Notepad, which allows for instructions to lengthen (or shorten) the text, or change the tone (and more besides). The catch with Notepad's new AI-powered writing is that it uses what Microsoft calls AI credits. If you aren't a Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscriber, you don't get those credits, and so won't be able to use this feature. Those with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family plan get 60 AI credits per month, to be used across all Microsoft's apps, so you are limited to the extent that you'll be able to exercise this new power. Away from Notepad, Microsoft has also added new features to the Paint app and Snipping Tool, and yes, as noted at the outset, all of this is AI-driven stuff. Further bear in mind that as Microsoft explains in a blog post, the following abilities are mostly for Copilot+ PCs only, too (except where I've noted otherwise). Snipping Tool's fresh addition is something called 'perfect screenshot' which lets you select an area of the screen that you wish to grab, but you only need to highlight it roughly. The AI will then refine the window that you've drawn to capture, say, an image on the screen. Essentially, this is doing the heavy lifting in terms of cropping an object exactly, meaning you only have to vaguely outline it, and AI does the rest - pretty nifty. A further move with Snipping Tool (coming to all Windows 11 users in this case) is a color picker ability. This is for the likes of designers who want to know precisely what any given color is on-screen (so they can match it elsewhere, and it's possible to use HEX, RGB or HSL color codes). As for Paint, Microsoft is providing a new 'welcome experience' (introductory panel explaining its latest features) that's coming to everyone, too, and there are a couple of new AI tricks here (for Copilot+ PCs only). First off, Paint is getting an object select tool which uses AI to, well, select objects on the canvas. This is (kind of) the equivalent of the Snipping Tool's crop selection ability, meaning you can just point to an element of the image and AI will select the object precisely, allowing you to then apply edits. Secondly, there's a new sticker generator which again does what it says on the (Paint) tin. You tell the AI that you want a sticker of a tortoise in a leather jacket playing a 'Flying V' guitar and it'll produce a selection of such stickers that you can choose from. These are typical uses of AI, of course, encompassing content creation - from paragraphs in Notepad to stickers in Paint - to timesaving little touches in the form of easy selection of objects in Paint, or the swift cropping of an item in a screenshot with Snipping Tool. All of this should make your life a bit easier, but there are reasons to have a bit of a grumble here. You'll need a Copilot+ PC in many cases - and okay, that's because it has the local hardware (an NPU) required to accelerate the task so it works quickly enough - but the subscription requirement for Notepad feels less reasonable. More broadly, some folks are going to be irked by the changes to Notepad full-stop. Mainly because Notepad is supposed to be a minimalist, streamlined app to fire up to jot quick notes and the like, and it's slowly becoming a mini version of Word. (Or indeed a new WordPad, which used to be the middle-ground between the two apps, until Microsoft killed it off). Also, if you were thinking that Notepad already had AI text creation abilities, well, no, it didn't. While the app has already witnessed the introduction of a Rewrite facility, creating paragraphs from scratch is a new thing (for this app, anyway). Does Notepad really need it, though? On the face of it, the move can't hurt - if you don't want it, don't use it. But the argument against slowly drafting in more and more features for Notepad is that this bloat will slow it down, making it less responsive (and even more sluggish to load, perhaps). All of which very much pulls in the wrong direction for those who want a tiny, quickfire jotting pad of an app, which, to be fair, was always the original intent with Notepad. Not so much, these days, that's for certain.

Microsoft Will Soon Let You Create AI-Generated Stickers in MS Paint

Snipping Tool will now automatically resize screenshots using AI Microsoft is testing several new artificial intelligence (AI) features for first-party apps in Windows 11. On Thursday, the Redmond-based tech giant announced that it is releasing a new update to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels. The update is only for those with a Copilot+ PC. The update includes new features for MS Paint, the Snipping Tool, and the Notepad. Paint is getting a new sticker generator tool and an option to select individual elements in an image, while the company is making it easier to capture screenshots using the Snipping Tool. In a blog post, the Windows maker announced multiple new AI features which are currently being tested by the company with Windows Insiders. There is no word on when these will be generally available, but considering past trends, they can be rolled out widely later this year. Two new AI features are being added to MS Paint. First is a new Sticker Generator button that joins existing AI features in Paint, such as Generative Fill, Generative Erase, and the Cocreator tool. The new feature lets users create custom stickers using text prompts. The Sticker Generator button can be found in the Copilot menu. Once tapped, a text field opens, where users can describe their desired sticker. Once done, Copilot will generate four variations of the sticker. Users can click on any one of them to add it to the canvas. They can also copy it to use in another app, as well as save it for later. Users can revisit the stickers by clicking the new Stickers option in the toolbar. Microsoft is also adding a new Object Select tool. It uses AI to intelligently isolate and select individual elements in an image that users can then edit separately. The tool can be found in the toolbar, and users can just move the cursor over an object or element in the canvas to select it. Additionally, the company is also adding a new dialogue box that provides a quick overview of the new and existing features in Paint. Snipping Tool is also getting a couple of new features. First is Perfect Screenshot, an AI-powered tool that assists users in capturing precise screenshots, without the need to resize or crop post-capture. After opening the Snipping Tool toolbar by pressing the Print Screen keyboard shortcut, users can select the Perfect Screenshot button when in rectangle mode. As a user begins selecting a region of the screen, the tool will use AI to accurately resize the screenshot to only capture the content from the entire selection area. Users will be able to move or edit the area before they confirm the screenshot. The second feature is called Colour Picker, and it is a tool for users to quickly inspect and find out the colour code of any part of the screen. The tool can be selected from the toolbar, and users will need to set the colour code output between HEX, RGB, or HSL values. Once done, they can move the cursor to the desired area, and the tool will show the colour code of the area. Users can also zoom the area to check the colour of a smaller region. Finally, Microsoft is also adding a new AI feature to Notepad. Dubbed Write, this feature allows users to generate new text content in the app using AI. Users can either use the feature on a blank note or to expand a pre-written draft. After placing the cursor at the desired place, users can either right-click and choose Write or select it from the Copilot menu. A text field will appear, and users can type a prompt describing what they want the AI to generate. After clicking Send, Copilot will generate the response on the canvas. Users can then decide whether they want to add the text to the document or refine it by entering additional prompts. They can also discard the text if they want. To use Write in Notepad, users must be signed into their Microsoft account. Notably, the feature uses credits, similar to other AI features in Windows 11. Those on the free tier get 15 credits every month, and Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers receive 60 credits every month. Copilot Pro subscribers, on the other hand, get unlimited credits.