Dark mode for Windows 11’s Paint app is finally rolling out to testers in the Windows Insider. We reported about MS Paint’s hidden dark mode in January 2023. Microsoft has officially confirmed giving its iconic canvas app a visual redesign for Windows 11 and new features.

The redesigned Paint app is available for Windows 11 and is rolling out to the testers in the Windows Insider Program of Dev and Canary channel. If your device is in the production channel, you won’t see the updated Paint app when you check for updates in the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is looking for feedback from testers to improve the Paint app. If you can’t wait, you can follow the steps highlighted below to manually replace the old Paint with a new version that has a dark mode and better zoom controls:

• If you’re in the Dev or Canary channel, head to the Microsoft Store and grab the update.
• On older versions of Windows 11 or the production channel, you can download Paint version 11.2304.17.0 from our cloud storage.
• Right-cl on the .msixbundle (make sure the file extension is .msixbundle) and install the app.
• Click on the update or install button when asked.

  

• Open Paint, and you will have dark mode irrespective of the Windows 11 version installed on the system.

By default, Paint will adapt to the system theme preference, but you can modify the theme by opening Paint’s new settings page. Currently, the settings page in Paint lets you toggle between light, dark or “respect system” theme preferences.

Microsoft is also working on new zoom controls for Paint. This makes the editing experience in Paint more flexible, so you can easily control the view of the content in the app. You can always access the classic presets, but the new zoom in and out experience should offer greater precision. You can even set a custom zoom value.

Another new option, “fit to screen”, optimizes the canvas to fit the screen or window size.

Microsoft is also rolling out a new design and dark mode support for “Image Properties” dialogs. The updated dialogs should match the style of the latest Windows 11 design and maintain the familiar experience. You will notice more modern controls and touch-friendly buttons throughout the app.

This is part of the company’s efforts to improve accessibility and usability. As a result, keyboard shortcut support has been improved, and the access key now works better.

As mentioned at the outset, Microsoft’s redesigned Paint app is currently being tested by Windows Insiders. It will likely roll out to the general audience in the coming weeks, but you can always manually install the app from msixbundle.

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