How to Completely Disable ‘Cocreator’ (AI Image Generation) in Microsoft Paint

Microsoft has aggressively integrated artificial intelligence into almost every aspect of Windows 11, including its legacy applications. The classic Microsoft Paint app now features a prominent tool called Cocreator. Powered by the DALL-E AI model, Cocreator allows users to generate complex digital artwork by simply typing a text description and selecting an art style, rendering the generated image directly onto the Paint canvas.

While this is a fun demonstration of generative AI, it fundamentally alters the purpose of Microsoft Paint. For decades, Paint has served as a simple, lightweight utility for cropping screenshots, resizing images, and performing basic annotations. The addition of a cloud-connected AI image generator introduces unnecessary UI clutter and requires a Microsoft account to function. For enterprise environments, educational institutions, or users who simply want a basic raster graphics editor, disabling Cocreator is often the preferred approach.

Why Disable Cocreator in Microsoft Paint?

There are several practical reasons to strip the AI capabilities out of the Paint application:

• Enterprise Compliance: Many corporate IT policies strictly prohibit the use of unapproved generative AI tools to prevent accidental data leakage or copyright complications.
• UI Simplicity: Removing the prominent Cocreator button restores the clean, utilitarian interface that users expect from MS Paint.
• Educational Restrictions: In school environments, administrators often disable AI generation tools to ensure students complete assignments manually.

How to Turn Off ‘Cocreator’ in Windows 11 Paint

Because Cocreator is deeply integrated into the modern Paint app, there is no simple toggle switch in the settings menu. System administrators must use the Windows Registry or Group Policy to disable the feature globally.

1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor (click ‘Yes’ if prompted by User Account Control).
3. Navigate to the following path in the left-hand pane:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
4. Right-click on the Microsoft folder, select New, and click Key. Name the new key WindowsPaint.
5. Right-click on the newly created WindowsPaint key, select New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name the new DWORD DisableCocreator.
7. Double-click on DisableCocreator and set its Value data to 1. Click OK.

Close the Registry Editor and relaunch Microsoft Paint. The Cocreator button and all associated generative AI features will be immediately hidden from the toolbar, returning the application to its traditional, offline state.