# Microsoft Paint and Photos Add Invisible GUID Watermarks to Local Images

Microsoft's Paint and Photos apps now embed invisible watermarks containing a GUID into images, even when files are created or edited locally. This means users may unknowingly include a unique identifier in their images. The move raises privacy concerns and highlights how software increasingly adds hidden metadata that could be used to trace content origins.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Technology
- [Hacker News](https://xusheng.dev/posts/reversing/mspaint_invisible_watermark/main/) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:28:04 +0000