Microsoft Windows 11 is continually rolling out great improvements to its suite of default apps. They’re now rolling out new releases of Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad to a greater group of testers who are part of the Insider Previews program. These upgrades are ringing the changes that Microsoft keeps on making too, introducing new cool features while giving old apps a refresh so the whole interface flows better, in line with the new look of Windows 11.
The updated version of Microsoft Paint is rolling out to Windows 11 preview users and includes an improved user interface, featuring rounded corners, refreshed icons, and a more modern design consistent with Windows 11’s Fluent Design principles.
One of the most highly requested features of Windows 11 dark mode has finally been introduced. Users who prefer working in low-light conditions can now switch to a dark theme, making it easier on the eyes while maintaining a visually appealing and consistent experience. Dark mode not only reduces eye strain but also gives Paint a more modern and polished appearance.
And of course, Windows 11 made the toolbar a bit more intuitive and easier to understand, along with some other good changes in the newest version of Paint. The tools and brushes are better organized, and users can quickly access essential functions like resizing, rotating, and cropping images. And we’ve tuned things up even more with color pickers and text tools to make them super precise and easy to use. These enhancements make brushes in Paint shinier bright and much easier to work with for quick fixes and awesome doodles and creations.
The Snipping Tool of Windows 11, a staple for screen capture and annotation, has also undergone notable improvements. Microsoft has combined the classic Snipping Tool with the features of Snip Sketch, creating a more powerful and cohesive tool for screen capturing and editing.
The updated Snipping Tool sports a redesigned interface that mirrors Windows 11 visual language. The streamlined interface offers easier access to capture modes such as rectangular, freeform, window, and full-screen snips. Microsoft also gave users a smooth experience by integrating quick and slick annotations right into taking a screenshot now.
Another useful feature in the new version is the ability to set a delay before capturing a snip. Really useful when trying to grab context menus or elements that disappear without a trace really fast. The annotation tools have been improved, allowing for better precision in marking up screenshots with highlights, drawings, and text annotations.
The updated Snipping Tool also offers improved sharing options, allowing users to quickly share their snips via email, Teams, or other connected apps. Cloud integration ensures that captured images are easily accessible across devices, which enhances the productivity experience.
Notepad, the simple yet essential text editor that has been part of Windows for decades, has not been left behind in Microsoft’s modernization efforts. The new version of Notepad aims for a great balance between being really easy to use and also very useful. It introduces new cool features while still remaining nimble and lightweight, as it always has.
Like Paint, Notepad now supports dark mode, a feature that has been widely requested by users. With that dark theme and the stylish look of Windows 11, Notepad looks cleaner and smarter too. Of course, users are super duper handy at moving back and forth between light and dark modes when they want to. They switch when they’re feeling optimistic and want light or when warnings and important stuff are more legible in darker hues. It’s all about preference and environment.
One of the biggest new and exciting additions to the freshly released Notepad is the feature of tabs for editing. This feature allows users to open multiple text files within a single Notepad window, making it easier to switch between documents without cluttering the taskbar. Tabs are just fantastic for getting stuff done especially awesome for developers and people who constantly juggle a lot of code documents at once.
Microsoft has also enhanced the Find and Replace functionality, making it more intuitive and faster. Additionally, Notepad now includes an autosave feature, ensuring that users do not lose their work accidentally. This feature automatically saves changes in real-time, offering peace of mind when working on critical tasks.
Microsoft is gradually spreading the availability of these new versions of apps to Windows Insiders. Insiders are Microsoft users who have signed up for special exclusive programs and who want to get ahead of the rest of us regular users. As part of these Insider groups, they get to try new stuff first and give Microsoft feedback on things. This means that Insiders are likely to be among the first to be tested with new buggy app releases before they go wider. Initially limited to a smaller group of Insiders, the company is now allowing more users to access and test these features, gather feedback, and make further refinements based on real-world usage.
Users enrolled in the Windows Insider Dev or Beta channels can check for updates through the Microsoft Store to receive the latest versions of Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad. Microsoft loves it when customers share their thoughts through the Feedback Hub to help us pin down bugs and make things just a bit better for everyone.
Improvements to Paint, Snipping Tool and Notepad are showing Microsoft cares about taking good care of the overall Windows system. They’re brushing up on these everyday apps, modernizing them, and improving them so they still have what they used to have but in really cool new ways.
So it looks like they don’t just want to replace stuff, they care about making things better without taking away anything good people came to love. These updates not only improve productivity and usability but also align these essential applications with the sleek and modern design philosophy of Windows 11.
As Microsoft keeps refining these applications, expect to see fresh innovations and improvements that significantly enhance the quality of life and add efficiency to Windows 11 so you’ll enjoy using it. Right now people with Windows Insider Preview are excited to try out these updates and full of anticipation that there will be even smoother refinements in later versions.
