Hello Windows Insiders, the latest updates for Notepad and Paint are now being rolled out to users in the Canary and Dev Channels of Windows 11, promising to enhance your creative experience.
Notepad (version 11.2512.10.0)
This update brings a host of improvements to Notepad, starting with an expansion of lightweight formatting capabilities. Users can now enjoy additional Markdown syntax features, including strikethrough formatting and nested lists. To explore these new options, simply navigate to the formatting toolbar, utilize keyboard shortcuts, or edit the Markdown syntax directly.
Additionally, a revamped welcome experience has been introduced, designed to assist users in discovering and learning about the app’s latest features. This new dialog provides a concise overview of what Notepad has to offer, serving as a valuable resource for both newcomers and returning users. It can be closed at any time and revisited later by clicking the megaphone icon located in the top-right corner of the toolbar.
Lastly, the update enhances support for streaming results related to AI text features. Whether generated locally or in the cloud, results for Write, Rewrite, and Summarize will now appear more swiftly, allowing users to interact with previews without waiting for the complete response. To access these features, users must sign in with their Microsoft account.
FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad.
Paint (version 11.2512.191.0)
The Paint update introduces two exciting features: Coloring book and a fill tolerance slider.
Coloring book is an innovative, AI-powered tool that enables users to create unique coloring book pages from a simple text prompt. To begin, open Paint and select the Coloring book option from the Copilot menu. Once the side panel appears, type in a description of your desired coloring book page, such as “a cute fluffy cat on a donut” or “a house with a garden and fence,” and click the Generate button. Paint will then produce a set of distinctive coloring book pages based on your input. You can easily add any generated page to your canvas, copy it, or save it for future use.
Note: Coloring book is available exclusively on Copilot+ PCs, and users must sign in with their Microsoft account to utilize this feature.
In addition, a fill tolerance slider has been added, granting users greater control over how the Fill tool applies color. To use this feature, select the Fill tool and adjust the slider on the left side of the canvas to your preferred tolerance level. Experimenting with various settings can yield clean fills or creative effects.
FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.
As always, we welcome your insights and suggestions regarding these updates!
Thanks,
Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps