Ep 84: Microsoft Designer vs Microsoft Create -A Freelancer’s Perspective on AI Powered Design Tool

Jennifer Fleury
Apr 30, 2026By Jennifer Fleury

https://youtu.be/bCamoV-DtbM

The Freelance Shift
Ep 84: Microsoft Designer vs Microsoft Create -A Freelancer’s Perspective on AI Powered Design Tool
https://thefreelanceshift.com

As a freelancer constantly balancing speed with professionalism, I've been exploring Microsoft Designer and Microsoft Create—two AI-powered tools that are often mentioned together but solve very different problems in my workflow. Microsoft Designer is all about turning ideas into visuals fast: I type "Professional LinkedIn post announcing a new training service" and within minutes get multiple layout options with images, typography, and design structure already in place, plus features like AI image generation and automatic resizing—it's what I reach for when thinking "I need this to look good and I need it fast." Microsoft Create (which I covered in a separate blog post at https://youtu.be/QGKHvGzPmAY?si=I9xujIvGbNI51jwy) feels completely different—it's template-based and structured, giving me pre-built formats for resumes, flyers, or presentations when I already know what I need and just want a strong professional starting point. Together, they've become complementary in my freelance work: Create handles structure and formatting for proposals and documents, while Designer handles visual creativity and speed for social posts and promotional graphics—and the real value isn't about replacing design skills, it's about removing friction so I can communicate clearly, present work professionally, and spend more time on the work that actually drives my business forward instead of getting stuck in the technical side of design.

Microsoft Create blog post: https://youtu.be/QGKHvGzPmAY?si=I9xujIvGbNI51jwy