Andrew Heinzman
Since 2017, Microsoft has made several attempts to quietly kill off MS Paint. The company added it to its list of soon-to-die features, launched a relatively unknown replacement called Paint 3D, and sent out removal notices to Windows users until 2019. But it looks like MS Paint is in the clear. Not only will it appear in the official Windows 11 release, but it will feature a clean redesign.
Update, 8/19/21 10:34 am Eastern: Microsoft’s Panos Panay confirmed the MS Paint redesign in a Tweet on August 18th. While Microsoft hasn’t revealed any new features for Paint, it will support Windows 11’s system-wide dark mode.
While we don’t know if Paint is getting any new features in Windows 11, an image uploaded to Microsoft’s Unsplash account (shown above) shows that the software is alive and well. A new redesign simplifies its toolbar and removes the Ribbon that Microsoft added in Windows 7.
Microsoft chose to show off the new MS Paint with a tablet and stylus, indicating that the software may grow more touch-friendly. While pressure-sensitivity seems unlikely, the new Paint toolbar’s icons are nicely spaced, and all the colors in its palette are easily accessible, which should make fingerpainting or using a stylus a lot easier.
The redesigned MS Paint is not yet available in Windows 11 Insider builds. It could make its first appearance in a future Insider build or in the official Windows 11 release, which we expect to happen this fall.
