Paint for Windows now supports layers and transparency

Microsoft developers on their blog announced, that they have started updating Paint applications for Windows Insiders on the Canary and Dev channels (version 11.2308.18.0 or higher). With the update, the application will support layers and transparency.

Users will be able to add and remove layers on the canvas to create richer, more complex digital images. This will allow, for example, to overlay various shapes, text and other elements on top of each other.

To get started, you need to click the new Layers button in the toolbar, which will open a panel to the side of the canvas. There you can change the order of the layers to see how the arrangement of the image elements will change. Layers can be hidden, duplicated, or merged.

This update also adds support for transparency, including the ability to open and save transparent PNG images. When working with one layer, you will notice a checkerboard pattern on the canvas, indicating the transparent parts of the image. Removing any content from the canvas now actually erases the content rather than painting the area white. When working with multiple layers, if you delete the contents of one layer, you will see the contents of the layers below.

For now, all this is available in beta version. After running and testing, the update will begin to arrive on all Windows PCs.