Microsoft debunks Paint death rumours

Microsoft has denied media reports that it is killing off its Paint application, which has been a feature of Windows for more than three decades, following the discovery that the software had been 'deprecated' from the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Launched as part of Windows 1.0 in 1985, Microsoft Paint - a licensed version of ZSoft's PC Paintbrush, rather than an in-house development - was designed to compete with Apple's MacPaint and bring Microsoft's nascent graphical operating system to feature parity with Apple's popular Mac OS. Initially supporting only single-bit black-and-white imagery and saving files in its own proprietary format, Paint was replaced by Paintbrush in Windows 3.0 adding support for the cross-platform Bitmap (BMP) and Picture Exchange (PCX) file formats and initial colour support. In the years since, the software - now back to being called Paint - has gone from the most basic image editor possible to featuring more advanced functionality including oil and watercolour brushes, pen input support, and improved text handling.

When news sites began reporting that Paint would be dropped from Windows 10 following the release of the Fall Creators Update later this year, then, it was unsurprising to find fans of the software up in arms about the loss of a three-decade Windows mainstay. Thankfully, though, it all proved to be a misunderstanding: While Paint will, indeed, be dropped as a default package from all new Windows 10 installs post-Fall Creators Update, it will live on in the Windows Store as an optional extra under its new name of Paint 3D.

'Today, we've seen an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint. If there’s anything we learned, it’s that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans,' explained Megan Saunders, Microsoft's general manager for the company's '3D for Everyone' initiative, in a blog post addressing the rumours. 'It's been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app. Amidst today's commentary around MS Paint we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, clear up some confusion and share some good news: MS Paint is here to stay, it will just have a new home soon, in the Windows Store where it will be available for free.

'Paint 3D – the new app for creativity, also available for free with the Windows 10 Creators Update - will continue to get new feature updates. In addition to the new 3D capabilities, many of the MS Paint features people know and love like photo editing, line and curve tools, and 2D creation are in Paint 3D. So, thanks for all the MS Paint love, keep the feedback coming via the Paint 3D app, and keep creating!'