Microsoft Paint is gaining a feature I've been waiting 25 years for — Windows 11's built-in image editor is one step closer to replacing Photoshop

Microsoft has announced a new feature that's rolling out in preview for the Paint app on Windows 11 that enables the ability to freely rotate shapes, objects, and text within a Paint project file.

For the longest time, Paint has been a very basic image editor. It was only recently that it gained support for advanced functionality like layers and transparent images, and now it's gaining another function that means I'm one step closer towards dropping Photoshop altogether.

The ability to rotate items in Paint has basically been non-existent for as long as the app has existed. Objects, shapes, and text would always appear in the same orientation, with no option to easily rotate or change the angle in which these items appear in the canvas.

That's finally changing with an upcoming Paint update, which is now in testing with Windows Insiders. Microsoft is adding freeform rotate, something more advanced image editing apps have had for decades. You'll be able to grab the corners of an object or text box to freely rotate it to any angle you like.

Microsoft's says that it's "excited to introduce freeform rotate, a highly requested feature that gives you more control when editing your artwork. You can now rotate shapes, text, and any active selection to any angle. To get started, open Paint and select a shape, text, or selection. When the object is active, use the rotate handle above it to rotate freely in any direction. For more precise control, you can also choose Custom rotate from the Rotate menu and enter a specific angle. Try using freeform rotate in your artwork to adjust elements exactly the way you want and add more flexibility to your creative workflow."

Microsoft Paint has evolved from a very basic image editor to something that could replace Photoshop for many people. While Photoshop is still a much more advanced tool, for those that are only using it for basic functions, Paint is now a viable alternative.

The new freeform rotate feature is available as part of version 11.2601.391.0, which is only available via the Windows Insider Program for now. It should hopefully begin rolling out to all users in the coming weeks.

Productivity enhancements a welcome change of pace

Microsoft has promised that it's planning to focus more on quality of life and productivity enhancements over new AI features in in-box apps on Windows 11 this year. Do you think this is a good start? Let us know in the comments.

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