Microsoft is testing a new feature in Notepad that can generate text using artificial intelligence. It’s part of the Windows 11 update that’s rolling out to Windows Insiders on the Canary and Dev channels on Copilot Plus computers. The update also includes new AI-powered Paint features, such as a sticker generator, and improvements to the Crop tool, which can automatically crop and resize screenshots based on what you select.
The new Write feature in Notepad can be used to “quickly write text based on a prompt,” according to the Windows Insider Blog, “or to create new texts based on existing content using AI.” You can right-click where you want to insert new text in your document, or after selecting existing text that you want to use as a reference.
After selecting the new Write feature from the Windows Copilot menu, a window will appear for you to enter instructions. The AI-generated output will appear in the document, but you’ll have the option to save it, discard it if it’s not what you’re looking for, or improve the output by entering further prompts. The feature was first revealed earlier this year in code included in the Windows 11 test builds.
Write follows two other AI tools that Microsoft is testing alongside Notepad. The Summarize feature, first introduced in March last year, can create a summary of text in a document, and the Rewrite feature, which began testing last November, can adjust the tone of text, shorten or lengthen it, and rephrase sentences.
A new sticker generator has been added to the AI features already being tested in Microsoft Paint, such as generative fill, generative erase, and the Cocreator tool, which can create images based on text prompts and reference sketches. A new button in the Pilot menu opens a prompt where you can describe the sticker you want to create. Paint will then create a small set of stickers based on your description, which you can add to your canvas or copy to other applications.
Paint is also getting a new Object Selection tool that relies on artificial intelligence to create smart selections that do much of the mundane work of selecting and manipulating specific elements in a photo or painting.
To potentially make it easier to take a screenshot of exactly what you need and share it immediately without editing, the Snapshot tool in Windows 11 will get a new Perfect Screenshot button in the toolbar. When framing a screenshot using the Rectangle tool, the Perfect Screenshot feature uses AI to “intelligently resize based on the content in the selection,” but you’ll still have the option to resize or reposition the selected area of the screen before taking the picture.
It’s joined by a new color eyedropper in the Selection tool that lets you see HEX, RGB, or HSL color values under the eyedropper cursor, and it can be scaled for greater precision by scrolling or using Ctrl +/-.
To use the new Notepad recording feature, you’ll need to sign in with your Microsoft account, which uses the same credit system as other Windows 11 AI features. Microsoft has not yet announced what the price for these credits will be, if they eventually start charging for them.
