Microsoft has introduced a significant AI enhancement to its Paint application, bringing automated coloring book page generation to Windows users. The new feature, currently available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels, represents another step in Microsoft’s ongoing integration of artificial intelligence throughout its operating system.
Creating Custom Coloring Books with Text Prompts
The headline feature is Coloring Book, an AI-powered tool that transforms simple text descriptions into black-and-white line art suitable for coloring. Users simply enter a description—such as “a cute fluffy cat on a donut” or “a house with a garden and fence”—and the AI generates a set of unique coloring book page options based on the prompt.
Once generated, users can select from multiple variations, then add the image to their canvas, copy it, or save it for later use. The feature is designed to eliminate the manual effort of drawing coloring pages, making it particularly useful for parents, educators, and creative professionals who regularly produce such content.
Hardware and Access Requirements
The Coloring Book feature comes with specific hardware requirements. It is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which feature neural processing units (NPUs) for on-device AI acceleration. Users must also sign in with a Microsoft account to access the feature, as it leverages both local and cloud-based AI processing.
This restriction means the feature is not available on standard Windows 11 PCs or older devices, even those with powerful dedicated graphics cards that might theoretically handle the computational workload.
Additional Paint Improvements
Beyond the coloring book generator, Paint received a fill tolerance slider that provides precise control over how the Fill tool applies color to selected areas. This enhancement allows users to adjust tolerance levels as a percentage, enabling both clean fills and creative effects depending on the desired outcome.
Notepad Gets Writing Enhancements
Alongside Paint updates, Microsoft expanded Notepad’s AI capabilities and formatting options. The text editor now supports additional Markdown syntax, including strikethrough formatting and nested lists. More significantly, the AI-powered Write, Rewrite, and Summarize features now use streaming results, displaying partial responses as they generate rather than requiring users to wait for complete output.
Version Information and Availability
The updated applications are available now for Windows Insiders:
- Paint version 11.2512.191.0
- Notepad version 11.2512.10.0
Both are rolling out through the Canary and Dev channels on Windows 11. General availability to mainstream users has not yet been announced.
Implications for Users
While Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has emphasized that AI must demonstrate practical value for long-term adoption, these features target specific use cases. The coloring book generator appeals to families and educators seeking quick content generation, while Notepad’s improvements focus on productivity and writing refinement.
However, the shift toward cloud-connected tools requiring authentication raises security considerations, as text and image content now transfers to Microsoft servers. Enterprise users should evaluate these features against their organization’s data residency and compliance requirements.