Microsoft has begun testing AI-enhanced tools for Notepad and Paint, over 40 years after their initial release in the 1980s. These new AI features are now available to Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels who have upgraded to Paint 11. 2410. 28. 0 and Notepad 11. 2410. 15. 0. Paint introduces generative fill and generative erase, adding to the previously launched Cocreator feature. These tools allow users to modify images and replace elements with AI-generated content. In September 2023, Microsoft began offering Cocreator, leveraging OpenAI's DALL-E text-to-image model, to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary channels. According to Dave Grochocki, product manager for Windows Inbox Apps, "With generative fill, you can make edits and additions with just a few words while maintaining the existing art style of your project. " He also introduced generative erase, which removes unwanted objects and fills the space to seamlessly blend the changes. This is part of Microsoft's strategy to incorporate AI into Paint, including a new background remover tool in Windows 11 Insider builds that isolates image subjects by eliminating backgrounds. Notepad, initially launched in 1983, now features an AI-powered "Rewrite" tool formerly known as CoWriter.

This tool helps refine text by rephrasing sentences, adjusting tone, and modifying length according to user preferences. "Options to make your content longer or shorter and modify the tone or format let you easily adjust your content for specific goals, " Grochocki noted. The Rewrite feature is available in preview to Windows 11 users in the U. S. , France, the UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany, requiring Microsoft account sign-in. After years of stagnation, Microsoft began enhancing Notepad in 2018 to compete with popular alternatives like Notepad2 and Notepad++. Recent upgrades include a character counter added in December 2023 and a spell check and autocorrect feature introduced in July.