Microsoft Paint is one of the oldest and most popular Windows applications. This allows users create and edit images easily. However, despite its longevity, Paint had never had support for dark mode, a feature highly demanded by users. Users prefer a darker background to reduce eye strain and battery drain. That’s about to change with Windows 11, Microsoft’s new operating system that brings a complete revamp to the design and user experience.
What’s new in Paint in Windows 11?
Paint in Windows 11 is an updated version of the classic app, keeping its basic functionality. Adapting to the new style of Windows 11 with Fluent and Mica effects. In addition to a more modern and rounded look, Paint incorporates some improvements such as:
- A new settings panel that allows you to adjust application preferences such as language, theme, or brush size.
- More flexible and precise zoom controls, allowing you to zoom in or out by a custom value or fit the screen size.
- Updated dialogs for brush, color picker, or crop and rotate options that follow the WinUI pattern and integrate better with the rest of the operating system.
- Improved support for accessibility, with keyboard shortcuts for the most common functions and greater support for screen reading tools.
How to activate dark mode in Paint?
The most anticipated new feature of Paint in Windows 11 is undoubtedly the support for dark mode. This had been announced almost two years ago but had not been implemented until now. Dark mode applies a black background to the app and changes the colors of interface elements to improve contrast and readability.
To activate the dark mode in Paint, you have to follow these steps:
- Open the Paint app from the Start menu or taskbar.
- Click on the settings icon in the upper right corner, below the close button.
- In the side panel that opens, select the “Theme” option.
- Choose between “Light”, “Dark” or “System Default”, depending on personal preference or the overall theme of Windows 11.