Microsoft is unveiling an enhanced version of the Photos app, equipped with advanced AI capabilities similar to those found in Google Photos. The company is currently testing a cutting-edge feature that harnesses the power of AI to blur, eliminate, or replace the background of an image, and subsequently save it in .png format. This innovative AI feature is being gradually rolled out to users enrolled in the Windows Insider Program Canary channel.

The background removal tool incorporated into the Microsoft Photos app closely resembles the functionality offered by the Paint app. Leverage the capabilities of artificial intelligence, the tool is capable of accurately detecting the foreground object, be it a human, animal, or other object. To access the new AI features, simply open a photo, click the Edit icon, and select the “Background removal” option. Subsequently, users can opt for one of three choices – blur, remove, or replace. Furthermore, users have the flexibility to control the intensity of the blur tool and adjust the brush size to seamlessly blur specific areas of the image.

In the first option, “Blur,” the AI technology effectively blurs the background while maintaining focus on the foreground object.In the second option, the background is completely removed while preserving the foreground object. The third option grants users the ability to replace the background with a solid shade of color, which can be selected from WinUI’s color palette. Our testing has revealed that the new AI tool in the Microsoft Photos app operates seamlessly and offers a more extensive range of features compared to the Paint app.

To experience this cutting-edge background removal tool, users are encouraged to download the updated version of the Microsoft Photos app from the Microsoft Store. The new AI features are currently present in the Microsoft Photos version 2023.11110.8002.0, and is solely accessible to testers in the Canary channel. It is important to note that this AI integration is not yet available in the production, beta, or dev channels.

While it’s worth noting that Microsoft Paint also incorporates a background removal tool powered by AI, offering the ability to utilize Photoshop-like layer features for further customization.