How to Add Borders to an Image Using Microsoft Paint

How to Add Borders to an Image Using Microsoft Paint

Sometimes subtle changes to an image can make it look different. This is how adding a border to an image changes its appearance and separates it from the background. It helps when you plan to use this image on a website, business brochures, or social media. The idea is not to let the background of the image overlap with the actual background of a website or social network.


Add borders using the Microsoft Paint feature image

There are many ways to add borders to an image, from free online tools to mobile apps. Windows users can make the most of native tools like Microsoft Paint to add borders to an image.

Adding Borders to an Image Using Microsoft Paint

An often overlooked tool in image editing is Microsoft Paint. However, the tool offers free and easy to use features. And adding a border to an image is pretty straightforward. Here is how it works:

1. Use shapes for borders

This involves using the shapes in Microsoft Paint to draw borders around the image.

Step 1: Press Windows key + S to start Windows search, type To paint in it and press Enter to launch the app.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 1


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 1

2nd step: Click on the File tab in the upper left corner.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 2


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 2

Step 3: Select the Open menu.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 3


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 3

Step 4: Browse the image you want to import and click the Open button.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 4


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 4

Step 5: After importing the image, in the Shapes tab, select the Rectangle. Once you’ve selected the rectangle, your mouse pointer should change its appearance.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 5


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 5

Step 6: To the right of the Shapes tab, click the Outline tab and select Solid Color.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 6


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 6

Step 7: To the right of the Outline tab, click the Size tab to choose a preferred thickness for your rectangle.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 7


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 7

Step 8: Place the mouse cursor at the top left of the imported image and draw a rectangle filling all the edges of the image and you should have a border.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 8


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 8

2. Change the border color

Typically, when you click a shape in Microsoft Paint, the default outline color is black. However, if you prefer a different color, you should change the outline of the shape before you draw your border. You cannot change the border color after it has been drawn around the image and saved.

There are two ways to change the border color. You can use the default colors or create a separate color by following the steps below:

Option 1: Default colors

Microsoft Paint provides a palette containing different shades of primary colors. You can easily select any color for your border by doing the following:

Step 1: Repeat steps 1 through 3 under the heading titled Using Shapes for Borders.

2nd step: Under the Colors tab, there should be two tabs labeled Color 1 and Color 2. Color 1 represents the outline color of a shape, while color represents the color of the shape’s fill. In this case, select Color 1.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 9


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 9

Step 3: Select your preferred color from the color palette and the fill in the Color 1 area should change.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 10


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 10

Step 4: Draw your rectangle around the image and your border should be the color you selected.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 11


Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 11

Option 2: Use the color picker

If the default colors in the palette differ from the ones you prefer to use, you can create your color by doing the following:

Step 1: Repeat steps 1 to 2 highlighted in option 1 above.

2nd step: Click Change Colors located next to the color palette.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 12


Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 12

Step 3: In the Red, Green, and Blue fields, enter your color scheme numbers and select OK.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 13


Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 13

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Step 4: Draw your rectangle around the image and your border should be the color you selected.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 14


Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 14

3. Use an image as a border

If solid colors don’t work for your borders, you can also use images to provide texture or patterns to your borders. Here is how it works:

Step 1: Create a copy of the image to use as a border. This is to avoid ruining the original image.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 15


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 15

2nd step: Paste it with a new name to make it identifiable as a copy.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 16


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 16

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 1


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 1

Step 4: Lay out the Paint canvas to make sure it is large enough.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 19


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 19

Step 5: Click the arrow under Paste and select Paste From.

Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 17


Add borders using Microsoft Paint step 17

Step 6: Select the image to paste and click Open.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 18


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 18

Step 7: Once the image is imported into Paint, it should be surrounded by dotted lines. Place the mouse cursor over the dotted line at the edge to get a sizing arrow.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 20


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 20

Step 8: Drag the image to cover the top of the Paint canvas. The size should be like what you have for a typical border.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 21


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 21

Step 9: Repeat steps 5 through 8 again, but this time place the border of the image on the left, right, and bottom of the canvas, and you should have a full border.

Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 22


Add Borders Using Microsoft Paint Step 22

Mosaic of an image

Besides adding borders to an image, you can use Microsoft Paint for other things. This includes the image mosaic to add effects to the images. The best way to experience the capabilities of the Paint application is to use it constantly.

Last updated on June 3, 2021

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