Hell freezes over, MS Paint adds support for layers and PNG transparency
Automated background removal was also added recently.
Automated background removal was also added recently.
Better hold on to your pants, Photoshop. Here's the new contender!
Paint is not designed to be GIMP/Photoshop alternative. It is just a simple drawing program. Although it is great that they have finally added these long-awaited features, as I may finally move from paint.net, which is also great but it has one huge drawback - it is not a single window, which is a hassle.
been using photopea for years, highly recommended for quick projects!
Screw you Microsoft, I switched to Paint.net forever ago and I'll be long dead in the cold, cold grave before I recognize Missourah, I mean switch back to Paint.
Some other random company got the url "paint.net", so confusingly you need https://getpaint.net/ to download the product paint.net
For those unfamiliar, it's a free art program that's... idk 80% of what photoshop is? But you can install community-made plugins to add features (shoutout to Grim Color Reaper).
Also on their download page, you want this one:
If you do the microsoft link, you'll have to pay microsoft. For a free product. That microsoft doesn't own. Dafuq.
The paid version from the microsoft store helps to support the product; however I suspect the devs will get more bang-per-buck if you DL the free version and make a direct donation at https://getpaint.net/donate.html
The developer of paint.net sells it on the Microsoft store to support the product. Not any different than buying an app through the App Store or Google play store.
It’s created by a Microsoft Engineer, not super surprising they leverage Microsoft tools to get paid.
You can also use winget to install it, if you're into package managers
winget install --id=dotPDNLLC.paintdotnet -e
That way you can still get semi-automatic updates
The single most historically aware yet still funny to the unaware joke that the Simpsons ever put out.
Actually a truly useful update in a sea of bloatware crap.
Win11 exclusive? Welp, guess I'll never use it, then.
I've used Vista "exclusive" programs on XP back in those days so I'm kinda curious how exclusive it really is if I could get the installer/files for it.
Windows 11 is pretty awesome though
Eh, I don't hate Windows (unlike a lot in the Fediverse), but I wouldn't say Win11 is awesome. It probably just works. From what I see it's just a mildly-improved 10, which is nice, but missing a few things (no grouped task bar button option in my case), which is why I'm holding out for now.
Those are great features and two of the biggest reasons I never bother with Paint. But locking them to Windows 11 and not putting them out on Windows 10 is some Grade A bullshit.
It sure isn't enough to get me to bother installing 11.
I get why they do it though - any change to win10 needs testing and so on and might not be welcomed by the user base. You can always download a free (as in freedom) image editor, some are even on the Microsoft Store. Be glad they did not backport all the bad sides of win11...
They had no problem turning windows 10 into mock windows 11 despite what the userbase may think. I don't think adding QOL updates to Paint is going to be met with furor.
Why would they port new features back to a legacy OS, there is no reason…
Because everyone still uses it.
I'm a hobbyist digital artist and have had to do a handful of graphic design projects for my mundane, non-art-in-anyway job.
As our computers are locked down Windows PCs, I've had to manage with MSPaint. It's always taken me double the time as on any other program or app, and I have been wishing it had layers for years.
Since this update is Windows 11 only, I'll have to for my company to upgrade, so I can look forward to layers in maybe 5 years.
Take a look at PhotoPea then. Needs nothing more than a browser. Runs fine in Edge and can be installed as PWA. That should work fine even on a locked down machine.
In case your browser isn't completely locked down: there's also image editors that run as web apps like photopea.
It'd probably bore you to do things the easy way anyway. Accept happiness.
This is what I'll be telling myself as I rock and cry myself to sleep at night.
Are you able to use WSL under Windows? Combined with something that can display X11 graphics (such as MobaXterm) you could pretty much use whatever Linux-based software from within the windows environment, including stuff like GIMP which does transparency and layers etc just fine
Excellent! Now I can draw things on the wrong layer in yet another program
Have you tried using descriptive layer names like layer 1, later 2, later 3?
Layer 1, Later 2, Lazer 3.
FTFY
Or just use only one layer.
Great. Now my customers are going to send me even worse art.
At least with layers support you can now extract the individual parts of the image.
What used to drive me nuts is when they send me over everything in one image and I couldn't separate the various components out.
meanwhile, wordpad.. probably used by more people over the age of seven than paint is, getting axed.
microsoft has office subs to sell, but they do not have a photoshop or gimp or even a paint.net alternative to sell.
I've literally never met anybody that used Wordpad, whereas I know a lot of tech normies that'll use MS Paint for quick memes and things
I used it back in my Windows days. Out of the box, I think it's the only way to do rich text on Windows. Also (used to be anyway) one of the less resource intensive options.
You know, for when you've got Napster, Winamp (with visualisation), ICQ, and MSN all up and barely running. You don't want to have to run, like, WordPerfect at the same time! Your MP3s will start skipping :p
They created WordPad because of antitrust issues and never changed it. Try opening a Word document created by a recent version, it's pretty useless today.
Notepad rules though, it even got UTF8 support recently-ish! /s
As someone who enjoys doodling in Paint, this is great
What did you think of the changes between Paint XP and modern versions? I used to adore Paint XP, but brush smoothing (though toggleable) and a clunky interface really spoiled the newer versions for me, and I don't enjoy using them as much. I think I just became so used to the primitive way of drawing well in the old versions that it sort of became it's own art form. Now they there are more advanced tools and so many required extra clicks, it feels like baggage. In the words of Karl Havoc, "THERE'S TOO MUCH FUCKIN' SHIT ON ME!"
Honestly, I never used Paint XP. I've only used the modern version.
Huh.... I thought they discontinued this program.
They discontinued Paint 3D
They did. I guess the community outcry was so loud even Microsoft had to heed it and reverse course.
No. Wordpad is the one being discontinued. Paint is one of several programs that can now be uninstalled from Windows by end users without any special tricks.
I read that WordPad also was being discontinued, in the same article stating the same about MS Paint iirc
I really do like it for something that I want to just add quick/small edits to, or something that can be slapped together quickly. But I do hope this isn't the start of a trend to bloat mspaint and aim to compete against more robust image editors.
The pessimist in me fears they're going to, and start slapping on AI data harvesting measures that they're integrating into Windows, like for training their own AI art generators. But this addition, in a bubble, is a welcome change.
Very cool.
I like Paint for its simplicity, and since I don't need all the extra bells and whistles most of the time, I've never bothered with learning how to use Photoshop or GIMP.
I've been using Paint.net for the last few years, but I'll try the new Paint features as well and compare them to see which one I find better.
Yeah, I'm using paint.net for most of my editing (photopea for rest) but I would never have made the switch from just paint if it wasn't for layers and transparency. Those are a big deal.
I'll stick to good ol' https://jspaint.app/
Works on Linux too.
Actual Photoshop in your browser
Also works great on Linux :) And free.
Yes jspaint.app is perfect! Highly recommended
I make all my memes with Paint(.)NET
But today Microsoft announced that it is finally adding two features that could make the app a bit more useful for power users: support for Photoshop-esque image layers and the ability to open and save transparent PNGs.
What kind of person is an MS Paint power user. I just use it to paste screenshots into if I'm not intending fine editing, otherwise it might as well not exist as a program.
The only person who seriously uses MS Paint for artwork is that one guy who recreated the Mona Lisa out of hundreds of pieces of variously burnt toast. Real, usable art tools would destroy the purpose and make that guy sad.
Really, if they kept this kind of momentum up for the next 20 years, it might put it on par with Fire Alpaca. It's an interesting move, they're just so incredibly late to the game that even other free programs are still leagues better than they are and no one will ever take them seriously again.
I use Paint almost daily.
Especially when I can’t be arsed opening Steam/Aseprite. Paint is a pixel art work horse.
I forgot about people who do pixel art, and I'm terrible. People like you are invaluable to the gaming industry and the ornate ones are their own skillset I'm kind of always awed by
Reading about other peoples workflows is always really cool. Thanks for re-contextualizing a tool :)
What kind of person is an MS Paint power user.
Some older folks that aren't as tech savvy have made some impressive pieces with it if memory serves. There's also those that use it unironically for its constraints to produce pieces with a classic MS Paint style produced from those limitations. In a way this update kind of flies in the face of that a little, maybe, but eh.
Transparency and layers is hardly a power user feature. Any common person wanting to make a meme worth half a chuckle will need both of those features. MS paint always starts up super fast compared to PS or GIMP so I'm looking forward to these features for fast meme creation.
I'd consider myself a paint power user. My job (QA) gives us a NUC and wants us to edit screenshots and videos on said NUC. It's not going to be a fun time with Photoshop, online tools are expressly forbidden, and alternative software needs manual approval by GIS.
Washington State Department Of Transit's twitter feed is pretty awesome because of it
https://twitter.com/wsdot_traffic/status/746373350864232448
and
https://twitter.com/wsdot_traffic/status/1398301020606787586
Glorious. This alone has swayed me. Whoever runs this account, I'm glad they haven't been yelled at by some soulless office robot
The Big Lez Show graphics are drawn entirely in MS Paint. Every. Frame.
So many artists started with paint. I am really glad it is adding some features that are significant improvements that will help today's young artists even more.
I'm talking about kids, like an age before you're likely to become aware of other free tools... Wait. Fuck, do kids even use windows computers anymore or is the closest a chromebook?
Wait. Fuck, do kids even use windows computers anymore or is the closest a chromebook?
Your instinct is accurate. The younger generation doesn't use Windows computers. They're happy with just their phones, Chromebooks, and Steam Decks. They even play games on their phones, despite the fact that mobile devices don't include any gaming-friendly input methods out of the box. They straight-up use the touchscreen to game on and are absolutely okay with it.
(Also IB4 someone replies to me with "I'm a teenager/20-something and I use a computer". Obviously I'm not referring to you, my dude. Just the average person your age. Also this is satire)
iPads now 💀
Kindle fire
What's the low-down on if extracting the EXE and putting it on Windows 10 works?
I found this guide: https://beebom.com/how-get-windows-11-paint-app-windows-10/ haven't verified it or anything though. It's a bit old but it should still be possible in any case.
Didn't they say they were retiring ms paint in 2017 for some other program no one had heard of?
Wasn't it something like Paint3D?
Yeah this was during the peak of VR hype when MS sunk a ton of money and effort into HoloLens and Mixed Reality.
I think they floated something like that, but there was push back.
Sounds like a good little update, love seeing more default apps/programs getting new visual updates and helpful features
All those Wordpad developers need something to do after all.
I use paint nearly every day to save something quickly. Glad to see it continue to be supported.
Does it still save in one of the most basic but still GIGANTIC file sizes?
Don't hate on Bitmap files.
They are good for glitch art (open in text editor and start mangling and you get some really cool results)
EDIT: references
Watch me
I'd love to see KDE KolourPaint add these features
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The venerable, equally derided and beloved MS Paint app has been on a roll lately, picking up a major redesign, dark-mode support, better zoom controls, and other fit-and-finish updates all within the last couple of years.
But today Microsoft announced that it is finally adding two features that could make the app a bit more useful for power users: support for Photoshop-esque image layers and the ability to open and save transparent PNGs.
In an image program without support for layers, adding new elements to an image like this is always destructive—you lose the ability to see and edit the part of the sky that is covered by the plane and the cloud, and the part of the plane that is covered by the cloud.
Support for creating, editing, and saving transparent PNG images goes hand in hand with support for layers, since it's useful to be able to pull a single object out of an existing image so you can put it in a new one.
Transparent PNG support goes well with the automated background removal button that Microsoft added to Paint builds earlier this month.
The redesigned Paint is rolling out to Windows Insider testers in both the Dev and Canary channels, the two bleeding-edge and less-stable versions of Windows 11.
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Developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers!
Thanks Steve Ballmer.
Ballmer: my water is yours.
What stops them from bundling paintdotnet instead?
The license allows for redistribution
Do they have variable weight? Are they planning to add that? Because I'd really like that for quick sketching and doodling.