# Microsoft Designer review (2026): is it worth it? > Microsoft's AI image generator and graphic design app Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. Microsoft Designer creates images, social posts, invitations, cards, wallpapers and other graphics from a text prompt, and edits images with tools such as background removal and generative erase. It runs in the browser at designer.microsoft.com after signing in with a Microsoft account. Microsoft's support pages say AI usage across Designer and other apps is tied to Microsoft 365 plans for individuals. - **Category:** AI Image & Video Generators - **Made by:** Microsoft - **Website:** https://designer.microsoft.com - **Runs on:** Web - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you don't want a Microsoft account, because sign-in is required. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing Microsoft Designer's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site. ## Key features - **Prompt-based images:** Generates images, icons, wallpapers, stickers, clip art and avatars from a written description. - **Design from templates and sizes:** Starts designs at set sizes for social posts, ads, flyers, brochures, invitations, postcards and Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint headers. - **Image editing:** Edit image, remove background, frame images and generative erase are listed on the home screen. - **Create from prompts:** Suggestion prompts show how to fill in subject, setting and style slots to steer a result. - **Microsoft 365 link:** Microsoft's support page names Designer among the apps whose AI usage is tracked against a Microsoft 365 plan. ## Good for - Making social posts, cards and invitations without design software - People who already have a Microsoft 365 plan - Quick background removal and simple image edits ## Worth knowing - The pricing and free allowance could not be confirmed from pages readable here, so no plans are listed. - Microsoft says AI benefits are for the subscription owner only and cannot be shared with others. - Image generation usage is capped by plan: Microsoft's table lists standard usage on Personal and Family and extensive usage on Premium and Pro. - A Microsoft account sign-in is required to use it. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.4 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. Microsoft Designer makes images, posts and cards from a prompt and edits photos in the browser after a Microsoft sign-in. Its AI use is tied to Microsoft 365 plans, and the free allowance and prices weren't readable. - **Value for money: C.** No price is published for Designer alone, as AI use is tied to Microsoft 365 plans. - **Free plan and trial: C.** Listed as free to start, but the free allowance wasn't confirmed on the pages we could read. - **Features: C.** Prompt images, templates, background removal and generative erase. Image generation is capped, with standard use on Personal and Family and more on Premium and Pro. - **Ease of use: B.** It lives inside a Microsoft account many people already have. - **Platforms and integrations: B.** Web, with links into Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word and SharePoint. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Microsoft's own pages on 12 November 2026. Its home page returned little text here, so the grades follow the listing. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among AI image and video generators - Microsoft Designer's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 106 of the 168 other AI image and video generators we grade, and level with 25. - It stands best on ease of use (B, above 119 of 168) and worst on features (C, above 6). The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/ai-images ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** To replace Microsoft Designer you would be making an image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. - You could make: Templates: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: An image model, which you can rent by the picture but not make. - You could not: It plugs into other products, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint among them. - You could not: AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint **Tags:** Image generation, AI features, Templates ## Alternatives - [Adobe Firefly](https://toolgpa.com/tools/adobe-firefly): Adobe's image, video and audio generator, with partner models. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/adobe-firefly-vs-microsoft-designer) - [Magnific](https://toolgpa.com/tools/freepik): Formerly Freepik: AI image, video and audio tools plus stock library. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freepik-vs-microsoft-designer) - [Fotor](https://toolgpa.com/tools/fotor): Photo editor and AI image and video generator with credit plans. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fotor-vs-microsoft-designer) - [Picsart](https://toolgpa.com/tools/picsart): Photo and video editor with AI generation and design tools. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/microsoft-designer-vs-picsart) - [Pixlr](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pixlr): Browser photo editors with AI image, video and audio tools. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/microsoft-designer-vs-pixlr) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://designer.microsoft.com/ - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/ai-credits-and-limits-for-microsoft-365-subscriptions Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-designer Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).