Microsoft tests new background removal feature in Paint application

Microsoft is currently beta testing a background removal tool in its mythical Microsoft Paint application. The feature, available to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels under version 11.2306.30.0, allows users to remove an image's background with a single click. To use this feature, testers simply open an image in Paint and click on the dedicated button on the toolbar's left side (that small third icon in the ribbon from left to right).

The background removal tool in Paint automatically identifies the image's subject and removes the background. Users also have the option to manually select specific parts of the background they want to eliminate. This feature adds to Paint's traditional uses, such as image cropping, resizing, annotating, or the recently added dark mode.

Until now, users often turned to third-party apps for background removal, but this makes Paint a quick and straightforward (probably also less polished) alternative to heavier photo editors like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP or Canva, or to online services like Adobe Express, or Remove.bg, some of which charge for this function, which we will now have for free in Paint if we use Windows. It's worth noting that its sister application, Paint 3D, has had this feature for quite some time now!