Microsoft Designer, an AI-powered image generation tool, is now available as a free iOS app, following its extended preview phase. Initially accessible through Microsoft Edge and other browsers, Designer has expanded its reach to iOS, Android, and Windows platforms.
The app requires a Microsoft account to access its features, which were previously integrated into other Microsoft apps like Word via Copilot. Designer operates similarly to other generative AI tools, allowing users to create images from text prompts. It also offers templates for social media graphics and greeting cards to simplify the creation process.
In addition to generating new images, Designer includes features for avatar creation and editing existing photos. Users can remove or change backgrounds, alter objects within the scene, or entirely restyle an image.
While the app is free to download, it limits users to 15 "boosts" per day for AI-based modifications. A $20 Copilot Pro subscription increases this limit to 100 boosts per day.
The release of Microsoft Designer coincides with anticipation for Apple's upcoming Apple Intelligence system, set to launch in the fall. Apple's system features a generative AI image tool, Image Playground, which will integrate with various Apple apps for seamless image insertion. Apple's AI tool is also now available for download from the App Store.