Microsoft is about to push more Universal apps in place of their good old Win32 counterparts. This time it is Microsoft Paint, which was completely replaced with the UWP-based application "Paint 3D".
Advertisеment
Once you install the recently released Windows 10 build 14971, you won't find the good old Paint app any more. Some users who install it using the build upgrade procedure, confirm that the classic Paint is gone. Instead, its place is taken by Paint 3D.
Tip: see how to restore the classic Paint app in Windows 10 Creators Update:
Get Classic Paint back in Windows 10 Creators Update
While you can find a file named mspaint.exe in the system32 folder, that file is only a stub. It is a wrapper which launches the modern version of Paint. Microsoft left it for compatibility reasons.
In my case, I did a clean install using an ISO image I built from ESD files and the Paint app was there until the first launch of Paint 3D. Once I launch Paint 3D, the classic app is gone.
Win32 programs which launched classic Paint for image processing tasks will be automatically redirected to the new app. The user will have to learn the new app and there is functionality missing in it which only classic Paint had.
While this can be considered an acceptable change for those who use Windows 10 only on touch screen devices, those using a mouse or a keyboard might not be happy with this change. They will not benefit much from the new app as its UI is hard to understand and overall, the Modern app has limited features.
So, what do YOU think of this change? Do you welcome the new app and find it an acceptable Classic Paint replacement?
Support us
Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:
If you like this article, please share it using the buttons below. It won't take a lot from you, but it will help us grow. Thanks for your support!
Advertisеment
Horrible. This UWP stuff is getting more obnoxious every release.
Too many UWP apps, yeah.
Another big step by Microsoft towards total loss of its Windows customers and ultimate death of Windows the operating system
Customers have no choice. Linux still have issues with hardware. Apple costs a lot, especially in my country.
This is why the PC sales slumps within the past 5 years and the popularity of smartphones are increasing even when the smartphone boom ended.
No. I don’t like this change at all… I’m a big fan of old paint, I used it everyday several times a day for quick little things, like processing screenshots, etc. Is there any workaround? Any hack that will bring the old Paint back?
See here: Get Classic Paint back in Windows 10 Creators Update
Added to the article.
thanks for that article, it is a relief.
You are welcome.
Microsoft, please stop the UWP insanity… I absolutely hate any and all UWP applications so far. I have a desktop OS, not a table OS.
All they want is their own ecosystem like google and apple have. Also they need Store to deliver and sell apps. That’s why they push UWP so hard.
UWP is not keyboard friendly, so it is a joke to a power user. The End.
Win32 apps are back in Windows 11 and they are updated, and Paint 3D is removed in Windows 11 :D
In the Settings app > System > Apps and features, it is possible to uninstall the UWP app Paint 3D Preview and restore classic old Paint. (works for me)
Thank you very much. Confirmed. It works.