Paint is one of the oldest programs we can find in Windows. This program has been in the operating system since 1985, as it arrived as part of the pre-installed software in Windows 1.0. Although it has gone through its ups and downs, today, 39 years later, it is still present in Windows 11. However, there is a version of this program that will soon disappear: we are talking about Paint 3D.
Paint 3D arrived in Windows 10 Creators Update in 2017 as a revamped version of Paint packed with new features to compete head-to-head with Photoshop. This new app included support for layered design, compatibility with transparency, support for PNG files, new features and tools… and, as its name suggests, the app was focused, above all, on 3D design, although it also allowed you to work in 2D like the classic program.
This application was born out of Microsoft’s obsession with 3D objectsWe remember that the company invested heavily in this technology, both in its operating system (we even had an exclusive folder for 3D files) and in Mixed Reality and its HoloLens.
The problem is that, apart from Microsoft, no one was interested in 3D objects, at least not in the way Microsoft proposed it. And, finally, it seems that the company has realized this.
Goodbye to Paint 3D
As we can read on Twitter, Microsoft has already realized that Paint 3D is not liked by users, and has finally decided to end its long agony. Thus, according to several sources on the Internet, This program will disappear this yearspecifically on November 4th.
The truth is that this was an open secret. In Windows 11, Paint 3D is no longer installed by default, and in Windows 10, Microsoft has recently made changes so that the app is not installed automatically. This way, users who want to use it can download and install it manually in order to use it. But this is going to end too.
As of November 4, 2024, Microsoft will remove the artistic drawing app from the Microsoft Store, making it impossible to download and install it on any computer. Users who have it installed will be able to continue using it without too many problems, but assuming that they are using an abandoned, unsupported app that can be dangerous.
Also, as we can see in the screenshot above, the current version of Paint 3D is broken. Therefore, Microsoft will most likely not even bother to update it.
Long live Paint
We remember a few years ago when Microsoft almost discontinued Paint in an attempt to boost the use of Paint 3D. Microsoft’s classic drawing program almost became history in a clearly obsessive move by Microsoft. Users mobilized all over the Internet, and finally Microsoft reconsidered.
The classic Paint app Not only will it be with us for many years to come, but Microsoft has even given it some features that were missing. For example, we can now use this drawing app with layers, and open PNG files with transparency in it, something that was not possible with previous versions of the program. We also have new pencils, brushes and erasers to work with our drawings.
Even the classic version of the program has now included functions with Artificial Intelligence. Therefore, we can only repeat: long live Paint.