Microsoft has announced the release of its new design tool, Microsoft Designer, to the public in full preview. The tool was first introduced in October 2022 as a new design tool with generative AI capabilities, including OpenAI’s DALL-E 2, and has been in an invite-only beta test until now. 

With Designer, users can easily create graphics projects for blog posts, websites, or digital postcards by simply entering their project type at a prompt, and the generative AI features serve as the skeleton for those designs.

Since its initial announcement, Microsoft has been working to improve the AI models used by designers, making it even more fun and easy to use. Integrating Designer into Microsoft Edge’s sidebar is the first step in this journey. Users can now access Designer while browsing the web with just one click. The sidebar feature lets users describe their desired graphics and instantly create a unique design without leaving the page.

The company has also highlighted some new features that have been added to the public preview since its announcement. The tool now allows users to quickly replace an image’s background with another and extend background art to fill the entire image. Additionally, Designer can be used to add new content to an image or remove content within an image.

Designer’s generative AI capabilities make it an exciting tool for designers of all levels, as it provides an easy and intuitive way to create professional-looking designs without the need for extensive design knowledge or experience. The generative AI feature serves as a starting point, which can then be customized and edited to fit the user’s specific needs.

One of the standout features of Designer is its ability to save time for designers by automating some of the more time-consuming design tasks. The AI-powered tool can suggest design elements and layouts based on the user’s input, which can be further edited and customized to create a unique design.

Microsoft’s integration of Designer into Microsoft Edge’s sidebar is another example of the company’s commitment to making their products more accessible and user-friendly. By placing Designer just one click away from the user’s current web page, Microsoft has made it easier for users to incorporate design elements into their online content without disrupting their workflow.

While Designer is still in its public preview stage, Microsoft has already announced plans for additional features to be included in future updates. These features include the ability to create 3D designs and additional tools for manipulating images and text.