There are already a lot of readily available image editors, but most don't come with a tool that can automatically remove backgrounds. With something as simple as Microsoft's Paint, you might not expect it to have that feature, but Microsoft plans to add it soon.
Background Removal in Paint
Microsoft Paint is usually used for the simplest image editing tasks you need to do such as cropping, blacking something out, adding text, or other quick and easy changes. One could never expect that it would be capable of detecting a subject and removing the background.
Well, that's exactly what the software giant is adding to the art app. Microsoft is testing the feature and is rolling it out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels, version 11.2306.30.0 according to The Verge.
The "remove background" icon can be found on the right side of the selection tool just below the crop tool, which is in the upper-left corner of the app. This eliminates the need to use more complex editing tools that most users may not have access to.
Users can just open an image with Paint and select the background removal button, and the app will automatically detect which part is the subject of the image. If it is unable to, users can still manually select the area they want to remain.
There are online tools like Canva that you can opt for if you don't have the feature yet, but more often than not, they will be behind a paywall or require you to provide payment details such as credit card information.
One of the free sites that don't come with strings is remove.bg, where you can drag or upload a photo and it will remove any background for you. However, the outcome may not be as smooth as you'd want, especially if it's a photo that does not come with clear lines.
Microsoft's AI Plans with Tools
The tech giant also intends to add AI capabilities to some of its Windows apps. With its partnership with OpenAI along with the general acceptance of AI's emergence, it's not a far-fetched expectation.
For instance, sources say that the Snipping Tool might soon incorporate OCR or optical character recognition, wherein texts within screenshots could be identified. This makes it easier for users to copy the text to a clipboard.
This capability may also be integrated into the system's Camera, as reported by Windows Central. In order to select a text, all the user has to do is take a photo using the device. In case you don't know, iPhones already have this functionality.
One of the best rumored features, however, is Microsoft's plan to integrate generative AI with Paint. The app can open a canvas based on the specifications of a user, which is similar to Microsoft's Bing Image Creator.
If so, then Windows users may soon see a text-to-image function within Paint. Right now, Microsoft is yet to address these rumors, but an announcement could be made in the upcoming Microsoft event this September 21st.
