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Microsoft Paint has two distinct AI image-generation experiences on Windows 11: cloud-based Image Creator, which Microsoft says uses DALL-E, and a newer Cocreator feature for Copilot+ PCs that uses the computer’s NPU to turn a prompt and a sketch into artwork. Paint’s documentation does not identify the exact DALL-E version, so describing the current Paint feature specifically as “DALL-E 3” goes beyond what Microsoft confirms.
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What Microsoft actually put in Paint
The name and capabilities have changed over time. Microsoft announced Paint Cocreator for Windows Insiders on September 27, 2023. That original text-to-image preview began with a waitlist and 50 starter credits; the announcement said the feature was for eligible Insider builds, with Paint version 11.2309.20.0 or higher. Those were preview details, not a current credit allowance or minimum app version. Microsoft’s 2023 announcement describes the staged rollout.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Microsoft later used the name Image Creator in Paint for the cloud-based prompt-and-style feature. Its support documentation still refers to Cocreator in the page title, which can make older instructions and current feature names look inconsistent. A separate, newer Cocreator experience is documented for Copilot+ PCs: it uses a sketch as well as a text prompt and relies on the PC’s NPU for image generation.
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Does Paint use DALL-E 3?
Microsoft’s support page identifies DALL-E as the model behind Image Creator in Paint, but it does not specify a DALL-E version. Microsoft announced DALL-E 3 for Bing Image Creator in September 2023; that announcement does not establish that Paint used that exact version. The accurate description is that Paint’s cloud Image Creator is DALL-E-powered, while the specific model version is not stated in the cited Paint documentation. Paint should not be assumed to be equivalent to Bing Image Creator, Microsoft Designer, ChatGPT or an OpenAI API.
Microsoft’s Image Creator in Paint instructions document the DALL-E association. The separate September 2023 Microsoft event material provides context for the DALL-E 3 announcement, principally in connection with Bing Image Creator.
How the two Paint features differ
| Feature | Image Creator in Paint | Cocreator on Copilot+ PCs |
|---|---|---|
| What you provide | A text prompt and an art-style choice | A text prompt plus a drawing or sketch on the canvas |
| What it does | Generates three image variations for you to choose from | Uses the prompt and drawing to generate artwork; includes a Creativity slider and style choices |
| Where generation happens | Cloud-based | Image generation uses the PC’s NPU; online services still support sign-in and safety checks |
| Hardware requirement | Does not require Copilot+ hardware, but market and account availability apply | Requires a Copilot+ PC |
For Image Creator, select a generated variation to put it on the canvas, then edit it with Paint’s normal tools. In Cocreator, Microsoft recommends making the drawing’s intended shapes and colors clear; what you sketch, your prompt, chosen style and Creativity setting all affect the result. Neither workflow guarantees an exact interpretation of a prompt.
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Microsoft described Image Creator preview availability in the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy and Germany in a November 2024 Windows Insider announcement. That is a dated description of preview markets, not proof of a complete current country list. Availability can depend on the feature, region, account and rollout. The announcement also describes regional expansion for certain Microsoft 365 and Copilot Pro subscribers.
How to use Image Creator in Paint
- Open the Microsoft Store and install any available update for Paint.
- Open Paint in Windows 11 and sign in with a personal Microsoft account.
- Select Image Creator on the toolbar, if it is available for your account and region.
- Enter a descriptive prompt and choose an art style.
- Select Create, review the three variations and select one to add it to the canvas.
- Edit the result with Paint’s tools, then save your image.
Microsoft’s step-by-step Image Creator guidance covers the prompt, style and selection workflow.
How to use Cocreator on a Copilot+ PC
- Open Paint on a Copilot+ PC and select the Cocreator icon on the toolbar.
- Enter a prompt in the side pane.
- Draw on the canvas, using broad, clear shapes and colors that you want reflected in the result.
- Adjust the Creativity slider and choose an available style, such as watercolor or oil painting.
- Review the generated result and select it to apply it to the canvas.
- Continue editing in Paint or save the image.
The feature requires the latest Paint app available through the Microsoft Store, a Microsoft account and internet connectivity. Microsoft says the generation processing takes place on the device’s NPU, while online services provide safety and content-filtering functions. “On-device” therefore does not mean that Cocreator works offline. See Microsoft’s Copilot+ Paint documentation for its feature requirements and workflow.
What you need, and whether there is a charge
- For cloud Image Creator: Windows 11, an updated Paint app, a personal Microsoft account, internet access and availability in your market. Credit rules may also apply.
- For Copilot+ Cocreator: a Copilot+ PC, the latest Paint app, a Microsoft account and internet access for online safety services.
There is no single “free” or “paid” answer that applies to both features and every account. Paint does not require buying a separate image-generation app, but Microsoft’s support documentation associates Image Creator usage with AI credits. It says Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers can use monthly AI credits and that Copilot Pro subscribers receive extensive AI-feature usage; one credit is used for each generated set of images. Allowances and terms can change, so check the current details shown for your account rather than relying on the original preview’s 50 credits. The old 50-credit figure applied to the 2023 preview only.
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Microsoft’s Copilot+ Paint documentation says there is no restriction on the number of images generated by those documented local features. That statement applies to the Copilot+ features, not necessarily to cloud Image Creator. A subscription or Copilot+ PC is not a universal prerequisite for every Paint image-generation workflow.
Why an AI button may be missing
Paint being installed does not mean every AI feature is available on every PC. Image Creator is a cloud feature with market, account and rollout conditions; the newer Cocreator requires Copilot+ hardware. Work through these checks:
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- In the Microsoft Store, open your library and check for Paint updates; then close and reopen Paint.
- Confirm that the device runs Windows 11 and sign in to Paint with a personal Microsoft account.
- Check whether Image Creator is offered in your country or region and whether it has reached your account.
- If you are looking for Cocreator, confirm that the computer is a Copilot+ PC. A standard Windows 11 PC does not meet that feature’s hardware requirement.
- If this is a work- or school-managed device, ask the administrator whether Paint AI features are disabled by policy. Microsoft documents policy controls for Paint Cocreator and Image Creator in its Windows AI policy reference.
- If the button remains absent, the rollout, account eligibility or service availability may be the limiting factor; reinstalling Paint cannot by itself make an unavailable feature appear.
Generation can also fail after a button appears: sign-in or connectivity problems, exhausted cloud credits, a temporary service issue or a safety filter may prevent a request. If a result is unexpected, revise the prompt or sketch and try a different style or Creativity setting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Privacy, filtering and image provenance
For Copilot+ Cocreator, Microsoft says image generation is performed locally, but authentication and safety controls still involve online services. Its documentation says prompts and certain device or user identifiers may be collected for abuse prevention and monitoring, and that Microsoft does not store the input or generated images for these Copilot+ Paint features. Content filtering is not perfect, and users remain responsible for lawful and respectful use.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchMicrosoft says Cocreator images include C2PA content credentials intended to identify them as AI-generated. This provenance information is relevant when sharing or publishing a result, although it is not a substitute for reviewing the image or checking the destination’s disclosure requirements. These privacy and provenance statements concern the documented Copilot+ Paint features; they should not be generalized to every Microsoft image-generation service.
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What the changing rollout means for Windows 11 users
Paint’s AI image generation is an established Windows 11 feature set, not a single new rollout that gives every user the same button. The original Insider preview began in 2023; Microsoft later described Image Creator availability and regional expansion, and its current support material documents a separate NPU-based Copilot+ workflow. A regular Windows 11 PC may be eligible for cloud Image Creator without being eligible for Copilot+ Cocreator.
The practical distinction is simple: choose Image Creator for text-to-image generation when it is available on your account, or use Cocreator on a Copilot+ PC when you want a sketch to guide the result. Microsoft confirms a DALL-E connection for Paint’s cloud feature, but the available Paint documentation does not confirm that it specifically runs DALL-E 3.
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