A Helpful Guide to Creating Art in MS Paint on Windows

MS Paint is the standard art creation program that comes pre-installed on Windows. The newest versions of MS Paint go beyond drawing and coloring. They let you perform advanced image editing, such as layer-based editing, background removal, and even AI-generated art. This wikiHow article teaches you the basics of MS Paint in Windows.

Creating With Microsoft Paint

Use the color options in the menu bar at the top to select a color. Use the pencil tool to draw. Select a brush from the "Brush" menu at the top. Use the eraser too to erase.
Use the Shapes in the menu bar at the top to create shapes. Use the paint bucket tool to fill in shapes. Use the text tool to add text. All objects will be the color you select.
Use the options in the Copilot menu (if you have a Copilot+ PC) to generate images, stickers, and access the Cocreator.

Section 1 of 8:

Getting Started

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1
Open MS Paint. MS Paint has an icon that resembles a blue painter's palette. To open it, click the Windows Start menu and type "Paint." Then click Paint in the Start menu. This will open a new project in MS Paint.
- If you don’t have MS Paint installed on your computer, you can download it for free from the Microsoft Store.
2
Start a new project. If MS Paint opens to an existing project, use the following steps to start a new one:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click New.
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3
Open the Image Properties window. The Image Properties window allows you to adjust the size of your canvas. Alternatively, you can click and drag the edges of the canvas, but the Image Properties window is more specific. Use the following steps to open the Image Properties window:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Image Properties.
4
Select a unit type. To do so, click the radio option next to "Inches," "Centimeters," or "Pixels."
5
Enter the canvas's height and width, then click OK. Enter the desired height and width of your canvas in the fields next to "Height" and "Width" at the bottom of the Window and then click OK.
6
Enable layers (optional). Layers allow you to isolate different aspects of your image or drawing. When one layer is selected, you will only be able to modify that one layer. Any art on the other layers will not be altered. This prevents you from accidentally erasing or drawing over something you didn’t mean to. Use the following steps to enable layers:
- Click Layers on the far right side of the toolbar at the top of the screen.
- Click the circle with a plus sign at the top of the Layers panel on the right to add a new layer.
7
Zoom in and out. You may need to zoom in and out at different parts of the art creation process to get a more comfortable view of your art. There are a few different ways you can zoom in and out. They are as follows:
- Click View in the menu bar at the top, followed by Zoom. Then click Zoom in, Zoom out, or Fit to Window.
- Press Ctrl+⇞ PgUp to zoom in, or Ctrl+⇟ PgDn to zoom out.
- Use the slider bar in the lower-right corner to zoom in and out.
- Use the drop-down menu in the lower-right corner to select a zoom level.
- Hold Z and left-click to zoom in or right-click to zoom out.
8
Enable rulers and guides (optional). Rulers and guides can help keep objects in proportion when drawing. Use the following steps to enable rulers and guides:
- Click View in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Rulers to enable rulers along the side of your drawing.
- Click Guides to enable the grid.

Section 2 of 8:

Drawing, Coloring, and Erasing

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1
Click the Pencil icon. It’s in the toolbar at the top in the section labeled "Tools."
- Alternatively, if you make a mistake while drawing, you can click the icon that resembles an eraser to remove drawings and colors.
2
Select a color. To do so, click one of the colored circles in the section labeled "Color" in the toolbar at the top.
- To select a custom color, click the rainbow colored circle to the right of the colored circles to open the "Edit colors" window. You can select a color from the color spectrum square. Use the slider bar to the right to adjust how dark the hue is. Alternatively, you can enter a hexadecimal color code in the field at the top with a hashtag (#) symbol, or you can enter the red, green, and blue values in the fields below "RGB." Click OK when you are finished.
- You can also use the eyedropper tool to select a color from your artwork. To do so, click the eyedropper tool in the Tools section of the toolbar. Then click the color you want to sample in your artwork.
- You can select a primary and secondary color. To select a secondary color, click the second large circle on the left side of the "Color" section in the toolbar. It’s the one on the bottom. Then select a color you want to use as a secondary color.
3
Select a brush type. You can select different brush types to produce different textures and line styles. To select a brush type, click the drop-down menu in the "Brushes" section in the toolbar at the top. It’s below an icon that resembles a marker tip. Then click the brush type you want to use:
- You can select a brush type for the pencil or eraser tool.
4
Adjust the line thickness. Use the top slider bar on the left side to adjust the line thickness. It has an icon that resembles varying line thicknesses.
- You can adjust the line thickness for the pencil or eraser tool.
5
Adjust the opacity. The opacity determines how "see-through" the color is. At 100% opacity, the color will be fully opaque, and you won’t be able to see anything below the mark. At 0% opacity, the color will be completely invisible. Use the bottom slider bar on the left to adjust the color's opacity.
- You can adjust the opacity for the pencil or eraser tool.
6
Click and drag to draw or erase. Once you have your brush, color, and opacity selected, click and drag in the canvas to draw. If you are using the eraser tool, click and drag over a line or mark to erase it.
- Make sure the correct layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right.
- To draw with the secondary color, right-click and drag.
7
Fill a shape with color. You can use the paint bucket tool to fill in any enclosed shape. To do so, select a color from the "Colors" section. Then click the bucket icon with paint pouring out in the "Tools" section. Click any enclosed shape (i.e., a circle or square) to fill the inside of the shape with that color.
- If the line has any gaps or is not an enclosed shape, the paint bucket tool will fill the entire canvas with the color you selected.
8
Use Undo and Redo. If you make a mistake while drawing, you can undo the last action you did by clicking the Undo button at the top. It has an icon that resembles a curved arrow pointing left. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Z to undo. Click or use the keyboard shortcut as many times as you need to undo multiple steps.
- If you accidentally undo something you didn’t want to get rid of, click the Redo button at the top. It’s the icon with the curved arrow pointing right. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Y to redo.

Section 3 of 8:

Adding Lines and Shapes

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Use the options in the Color section of the toolbar at the top, or the eyedropper tool to select a color.
2
Select a line. There are two types of lines you can create. To create a straight line, click the icon that resembles a straight diagonal line in the "Shapes" section in the tool bar to create a straight line. Click the icon that looks like a curved line to create a curved line.
3
Draw a line. To draw a straight line, simply click and drag. This will create a straight line where you start and stop dragging. To create a curved line, click and drag to draw a straight line with the curved line tool, then drag the center of the line to curve it.
4
Click a shape. If you want to create a shape, you can do so by clicking one of the shapes in the "Shapes" section in the toolbar. Shapes include squares, rectangles, circles, ellipses, polygons, stars, arrows, and more.
5
Click and drag to create a shape. You can click and drag anywhere in the canvas to create a shape. The outline of the shape will be the color you selected.
- You can use the paint bucket tool to color the inside of the shape.
- Hold Shift while you click and drag to keep the shape proportional (i.e., a perfect square).

Section 4 of 8:

Adding Text and Stickers

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1
Select a color. Use the options in the Color section of the toolbar at the top, or the eyedropper tool to select a color.
2
Click the text tool. It’s the icon that resembles a capital "A" in the Tools section of the toolbar at the top.
3
Adjust the font style. When you click the text tool, another menu bar will appear below the top toolbar. You can use this menu to select the font, font size, style (i.e., bold, italic, underline), and the alignment (left, center, right) of the text.
- Click the checkbox next to "Background fill" to fill the background of your text with the secondary color in the color section.
4
Add text to your drawing. To do so, click where you want to add text in the canvas and then type the text you want to add.
5
Select a sticker. To do so, click the drop-down menu below "Stickers" in the toolbar at the top. Then click the sticker you want to add. This will add it to your canvas.
- There aren’t a whole lot of stickers to choose from, but you can use AI to generate your own stickers. To do so, click Generate stickers at the bottom of the stickers menu. Make sure you are signed in to your Microsoft account, then enter a description of the sticker you want to generate. Then click Generate to generate the sticker.
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Place the sticker. To do so, click and drag the sticker to where you want to place it in your canvas. Click and drag the circular-arrow icon above the sticker to rotate it. Click and drag the sticker's corners to adjust its size. Hold Shift while dragging the corners of the sticker to keep it proportional.

Section 5 of 8:

Editing Images

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1
Open an image in MS Paint. If you want to use MS Paint as image editing software, you can open an existing image in MS Paint. Use the following steps to do so:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Open.
- Select the image you want to open.
- Click Open.
2
Import an image into a project. Importing an image into an existing project lets you place it on top of your current canvas. Once you import it, you can click and drag it to place it anywhere on the canvas and rotate it. To import an image, select the layer you want to import it to in the Layers panel on the left, and use the following steps to import an image.
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Import to Canvas.
- Click From a file.
- Select the image you want to import
- Click Open.
3
Flipping an image. You can flip an image vertically or horizontally. To do so, click the Flip icon. It has an icon that resembles a solid triangle below an outline of a triangle. Then click Flip vertically or Flip horizontally.
4
Rotate an image. To rotate an image, click the Rotate image icon at the top. It has an icon that resembles a solid triangle with a curved arrow. Then click Rotate right 90° or Rotate left 90° to rotate the image a quarter-circle. Click Rotate 180° to rotate the image upside-down. For a custom rotation, click Rotate custom and then enter the degrees you want to rotate the image. Then click OK.
5
Select a part of an image. You select a part of an image to copy or cut that section of the image, or delete it. Use the following steps to select a part of the image. To select a part of the image, click the selection tool in the toolbar at the top. It has an icon that resembles a square with a dotted line. Then click and drag over the area you want to select.
- Alternatively, you can use the object selection tool. The object selection tool uses AI to automatically detect the object you are trying to select in the image. It’s right next to the selection tool. It has an icon resembling a circle with a dotted line, a mouse cursor, and a star. Use this tool to click and drag over the object you want to select.
- Alternatively, you can use the free-form selection tool. This tool lets you trace your selection. To access the free-form selection tool, click the drop-down menu below the Selection Tool and then click Free-form. Use the free-form selection to trace around the object or area you want to select. It can be any shape you want, but it must be enclosed.
6
Copy, paste, and delete a selection. Once you make a selection using the selection tools, you can find options to copy, cut, or paste the selection in the Edit menu at the top. Alternatively, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
- Copy: Press Ctrl+C to copy a selection.
- Cut: Press Ctrl+X to cut a selection.
- Paste: Press Ctrl+V to paste a selection. After pasting it, you can click and drag it to place it anywhere on the canvas.
- Press Del to delete a selection.
7
Crop an image. Cropping allows you to trim an image so it focuses more on the photo's subject. To crop an image, use the selection tool to select the part of the image you want to keep. Then click the Crop icon. It’s the icon that resembles two right angles forming a square. It’s in the "Image" section of the toolbar at the top.
8
Remove a background. To remove the background of an image, use one of the selection tools to select the part of the image you want to remove the background from. Then click the Remove background tool. It has an icon that resembles a person in front of a striped background. This will use AI to automatically detect and delete the background from your image selection.

Section 6 of 8:

Using AI Features

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1
Click the Copilot icon. It has an icon that resembles a rainbow-colored ribbon. It’s in the toolbar at the top on the right side next to the Layers icon. This displays the Copilot icon.
- To use Copilot features, you need a Copilot+ PC. These features may not be available on all computers.^{[1]
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2
Use the image creator. The image creator lets you generate images with AI. You need AI credits to do so, which are included if you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family account. To generate an image, click Image creator in the Copilot menu. Enter a description or prompt of the image you want to generate. Select a style using the drop-down menu. Then click Create.^{[2]
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Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
3
Generate stickers. Stickers are free to generate, but you need to be signed in to your Microsoft account to do so. To generate stickers, click Sticker generator in the Copilot menu. Enter a description or prompt for the sticker you want to create, then click Generate. Click the sticker you want to add to your canvas.
4
Use Cocreator. Cocreator is a feature in MS Paint that generates AI art as you draw. Cocreator is free to use, but you need to be signed in to your Microsoft Account. You can apply the AI image to your canvas if you like it. Follow the steps below to use Cocreate.
- Click Cocreate in the Copilot menu.
- Enter a text prompt of the image you want to draw.
- Select an art style from the drop-down menu at the bottom (optional).
- Use the slider bar to adjust how creative you want Copilot to be. The more creative, the more it will draw in its own style. The less creative, the more the image it generates will resemble your drawing.
- Start drawing on the canvas. As you draw, it will generate images in the Cocreator window.
- Click Try again to generate a new image.
- Click + Apply to apply the image to your canvas.
5
Use generative erase. Generative erase can be used to remove unwanted objects from a picture, such as random objects or people you don’t want in your photo. Copilot will use AI to detect the object you want to erase and try to erase it. Use the following steps to use generative erase:^{[3]
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- Click Generative erase in the Copilot menu.
- Use the slider bar on the left to adjust the size of the eraser brush.
- Brush over the area with the object you want to erase.
- Click Apply in the top bar.

Section 7 of 8:

Saving and Sharing Images

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1
Save your image. Once you save your image in the desired format and give it a filename, you can press Ctrl+S or click Save in the File menu at the top to save your image at any time. It’s recommended that you save often while working. Use the following steps to save your image:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Save as in the drop-down menu.
- Select an image format.
- Enter a file name for the image file.
- Click Save.
2
Print an image. If you want to print your image, use the following steps to do so:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Print.
- Select a printer in the drop-down menu at the top.
- Click Print.
3
Share an image. You can share images you create over social media or other apps. Use the following steps to do so:
- Click File in the menu bar at the top.
- Click Share.
- Select an app or a contact you want to share the image with.
- Write a caption, or say something about the image using the options in the app.
- Send or post the image.

Section 8 of 8:

Troubleshooting

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1
Restart MS Paint. If MS Paint freezes or becomes unresponsive, you may need to close the app and reopen it. Click the X icon in the upper-right corner to close the app. If that doesn’t work, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click Task Manager. Click the Processes tab on the left side and click Paint. Then click End Task at the top. Reopen Paint in the Windows Start menu.
- To avoid losing your work, save it frequently.
2
Close background apps and tasks. If you have a ton of apps running in the background or a ton of web browser tabs open, this can eat up a lot of your system’s RAM and cause Paint to be laggy. Be sure to close any apps you don’t need to be running and close any web browser tabs you aren’t using.
- You can also check your startup apps in the Settings menu. Make sure Windows isn’t opening a bunch of apps that don’t need to be running upon startup. To check your startup apps, press ⊞ Win+I to open Settings. Click Apps > Startup and toggle off any apps that don’t need to launch upon startup.
3
Restart your computer. If you keep experiencing problems with Paint or any other apps, a simple restart may fix minor errors. Click the Windows Start menu and then click the power icon (the icon that resembles a circle with a line through the top). Click Restart.
4
Make sure you have enough storage space. If you are low on storage space, this will not only limit your ability to save and export files, but it may also cause performance issues. If you are running out of storage space, be sure to uninstall any apps you don’t use and delete any files you don’t need to free up storage space.
5
Check if you have a Copilot+ PC. Some of the AI features in MS Paint require a Copilot+ PC. These are PCs that have special GPUs, CPUs, and NPUs that can perform AI functions locally on your computer.^{[4]
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- To check if your PC is a Copilot+ PC, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click Task Manager. Click the Performance tab. Check whether your PC has an NPU (neural processing unit). Your PC must also have 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD hard drive at a minimum.^{[5]
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Update Windows. If you continue to experience issues, make sure you are running the latest version of Windows. To update Windows, press ⊞ Win+I to open the Settings menu. Click Update Windows (or Update & Security on Windows 10). Then click Check for updates. Click Check for updates. If an update is found, click Download & install and follow any prompts.
7
Update MS Paint. If you are missing any features or the interface is outdated, you may be using an older version of MS Paint. You can update MS Paint in the Microsoft Store. To do so, open the Microsoft Store. It has an icon that resembles a shopping bag with the Windows logo on it. Search “MS Paint” using the search bar at the top. Click Paint and click Update if any updates are available.
8
Uninstall and reinstall Paint. It’s possible your version of MS Paint may have become corrupt. Press ⊞ Win+I to open the Settings menu. Then click Apps > Installed apps. Click the icon with three dots (⋮) next to Paint and click Uninstall. Then open the Microsoft Store and search “MS Paint.” Click Paint and then click Install.
9
Run a virus scan. It’s possible you may have a virus or malware. You can use Windows Defender to run a virus scan. Use the following steps to do so:
- Press ⊞ Win+I to open the Settings menu.
- Click Privacy & security.
- Click Windows Security.
- Click Virus & threat protection.
- Click Scan options.
- Select Full scan.
- Click Scan now.
If you are using a work computer, it’s possible your administrator may have blocked or uninstalled MS Paint on your device. Check whether there are any restrictions in place.