Microsoft Paint Gets A Major Update With Layers & Transparency Support

Microsoft is rolling out a new update for its iconic Paint app. The update is only available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels (version 11.2308.18.0 or higher). It brings support for layers and transparency, features that have long been associated with professional software like Adobe Photoshop.

Users can add, remove, and manage layers on the canvas, allowing them to create more complex digital art. Adding layers will enable users to stack various shapes, text, and image elements on top of each other, just like in Photoshop.

A new Layers button has been introduced in the toolbar, which opens a panel on the side of the canvas. In this panel, users can add new layers to the canvas and change the order of layers. Users can also show or hide individual layers, duplicate them, or merge them.

Another major addition is the support for transparency, including the ability to open and save transparent PNG files. Users will notice a checkerboard pattern on the canvas when working with a single layer, indicating transparent areas. Erasing content from the canvas now removes the content without leaving behind a white background.

Adding layers and transparency to Paint opens up exciting possibilities for creating layered compositions, especially when combined with Paint's recent background removal feature.

These new features are being tested and may not be available to all Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. While there is no official timeline for these features to be available to all Windows 11 users, the company is expected to roll them out once testing is completed.