Redesigned Microsoft Paint Heads to Public Testing
- Paul Thurrott
- Sep 29, 2021
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Microsoft revealed last night that its redesigned Paint application for Windows 11 is now heading to Insiders in the Dev channel.
“The redesigned Paint app for Windows 11 is a modern spin on the classic app,” Microsoft said of the release, alluding to the fact that it’s the same app as before with no new features. “You will notice a completely updated UI that matches the new visual design of Windows 11. Paint’s new design includes rounded corners, Mica [an opaque background effect], and more.”
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Microsoft notes that the Paint toolbar has been “newly simplified” with updated icons, a rounded color palette, and a new set of drop-down menus for brushes, stroke size, flip/rotate controls, and other tools. There is also an updated Text tool.
Long story short, it’s pretty but not really new. For new features in existing apps, we have to turn to Clock, which is getting a new Focus feature in Windows 11, and Photos, which has slightly more substantive improvements while still being essentially the same app as before.