Can I use Microsoft Designer without AI?

Question

Can I use Microsoft Designer without AI?

Linda Falkner 20

I've been using Publisher for years to create crafts and bulletin boards for the Sunday school elementary department at my church. Now that it's being retired, I'm trying to learn how to use Designer. My problem is that Designer starts with an AI question of what do I want to design, and it doesn't get what I'm doing. Such as, I was trying to create a craft for the fall of Jerusalem/Babylonian exile, and it either gave me 'wheel of death', or it suggested pictures of burning buildings and a Pride parade (?). Can I use Designer without AI and just start with a blank 'piece of paper' and create my own thing.

Thank you for any help and advice you can give me.

Linda

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Answer 1

Microsoft Designer cannot be fully separated from AI, but it can be used in a way that is much closer to starting from a blank page and building a design manually.

Key points:

Designer is an AI-powered graphic design tool
- It is built around AI-generated images and layouts, using models like DALL-E to create visuals from text prompts.
- Its core experience encourages describing what to create so it can generate options for social posts, invitations, cards, and other designs.
References describe Designer as:
- A graphic design tool that “uses the power of generative AI to create eye-catching images with your words, craft next-level designs that pop, and edit photos like an expert.”
- Focused on AI-powered design generation and suggestions.
Ways to work with less AI involvement While AI is central, Designer also supports more manual workflows:
- Start from templates instead of prompts:
  - Use the search bar or Explore ideas to pick a layout (for example, a generic social post, card, or flyer) and then replace text, images, and colors manually.
- Create or edit images manually:
  - Under Create with AI, Designer can generate images, but once a layout or image is chosen, it can be edited like a normal design: add text, shapes, and other elements, and adjust layout.
  - Under Edit with AI, existing images can be uploaded and then edited with tools such as crop, rotate, background removal/blur, filters, and text. These tools can be used selectively, so designs can be built largely by hand.
- Designer also integrates with Word and PowerPoint, where designs or images created in Designer can be inserted and then further arranged manually in those apps.
Alternative tools closer to Publisher’s “blank page” model Since Publisher is being retired in October 2026, other tools may better match a fully manual, page-layout style workflow:
- Publisher itself (perpetual versions):
  - A perpetual, non-subscription Office suite such as Office Professional 2021 includes Publisher and can continue to be used after October 2026 on supported systems, though it will no longer receive updates.
- Other layout tools (outside Microsoft 365):
  - LibreOffice Draw and Affinity-based page layout tools are suggested in the context as alternatives for Publisher-style work, especially when precise manual layout is needed.

In summary, Designer always has AI in the experience, but designs can be built by choosing a simple template or AI-generated starting point and then manually editing it, rather than relying on AI suggestions for content. For workflows that require a true blank canvas and precise layout similar to Publisher, a dedicated layout tool such as Publisher (perpetual), LibreOffice Draw, or other page-layout software may be more suitable.

References: