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Paint erase function

Anonymous
2023-10-30T12:32:35+00:00

Paint has changed how it handles "erase". When areas are selected and "delete" is pressed a grey chessboard pattern is disiplayed. The same happens when using the "erase" tool. Previously, deleted areas were displayed as white. White is much to be preferred as tidying up scanned images is much more difficult with the grey pattern, Please restore to previous implimentation.

Windows for home | Other | Apps

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-31T17:44:11+00:00

    A further comment on this "erase" problem. The chessboard pattern indicating "no colour or fill" is a change in function that happened on my system recently and it is not helpful. For information I run Windows 11 and my version of Paint is 11.2308.30.0

    I have tried following your instructions. Saving under a different file format does not change the "erase" function so the chessboard pattern still appears. I have been unable to move to 24-bit colour mode. When I click on "File" within an open image and then "Image Properties" there is no "colours drop down menu" so I wonder if I have a different version of Paint to you or if your explanation is not specific enough for me to follow.

    I hope for a reply.

    John

    Hi John,

    Here is a trick that can help you, when you open paint, go to layers and add one more layer on the top of current one, Using the fill option, fill the whole layer with white color, do all the necessary work, and now save as whichever format you like.

    Giridhar Jangala.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-10-30T14:48:21+00:00

    Hi John,

    Thanks for contacting us and sorry for the inconveniences,

    The grey chessboard pattern that you see when you erase or delete areas in Paint is not a bug, but a feature. It indicates that the areas are transparent, meaning that they have no color or fill. This can be useful if you want to save your image as a PNG file and use it on a different background.

    However, if you prefer to have white areas instead of transparent ones, there are a few steps you can try to change the erase function in Paint:

    • Make sure that your image is not saved as a PNG file, but as a BMP, JPEG, or TIFF file. These file formats do not support transparency, so they will fill the erased areas with white automatically.
    • Make sure that your image is not in 32-bit color mode, but in 24-bit or lower color mode. The 32-bit color mode allows transparency, while the lower color modes do not. You can change the color mode of your image by clicking on File > Properties and selecting the desired color mode from the Colors dropdown menu.
    • Make sure that you have selected white as your background color before erasing or deleting areas in Paint. You can do this by clicking on the Color 2 box at the bottom of the toolbar and choosing white from the color palette. Then, when you erase or delete areas, they will be filled with white instead of transparent.

    I hope this helps!

    Regards, Sola

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-11-01T15:51:52+00:00

    A further comment on this "erase" problem. The chessboard pattern indicating "no colour or fill" is a change in function that happened on my system recently and it is not helpful. For information I run Windows 11 and my version of Paint is 11.2308.30.0

    I have tried following your instructions. Saving under a different file format does not change the "erase" function so the chessboard pattern still appears. I have been unable to move to 24-bit colour mode. When I click on "File" within an open image and then "Image Properties" there is no "colours drop down menu" so I wonder if I have a different version of Paint to you or if your explanation is not specific enough for me to follow.

    I hope for a reply.

    John

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-10-30T19:54:01+00:00

    First - I assumed the chessboard pattern was not a bug but a change in the way Paint handled "erase".

    Second, I tried changing the file format to JPEG first and then BMP - the "erase" function still produced the same chessboard pattern.

    Third, you suggest changing the colour mode by File>Properties and selecting from the Colours drop down menu - when I select File>Properties no such drop down menu appears. Neither do I see a "Color 2" box.

    It would seem that more guidance is needed - but I am glad to at least have a response.

    I look forward to hearing form you - J

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-01-04T06:12:27+00:00

    Hi Giridhar,

    Thank you for your suggestion - which works..woo ho! However, when you make this change and try and save your picture - it wont save. But if you create the same picture leaving the unwanted [and annoying] chessboard image when you erase - save works as normal.

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