R.I.P. Microsoft Paint, 1985-2017
Jul 24, 2017
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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A part of my childhood just died. Microsoft Paint was never the pinnacle of photo editing software. But there was a time when it was the most popular image application out there (because it’s all that most of us had access to). It’s the first form of painting or editing application many of us experienced when we first acquire a Windows PC. It certainly was for me.
This venerable application, though, is facing its end. The next Windows 10 Fall Creators Update sends Microsoft Paint into the “deprecated” category. While it doesn’t yet share the same “Removed” category as other long standing applications such as Outlook Express, it does mean no more updates.
While it was never really taken as any kind of serious application, it’s been there so long that it’s practically part of the Windows furniture. And I’ll be sad to see it gone, despite the fact that the first time I’ve loaded Paint in the last 10 years was to make the image at the top of this post.
It’s been there since the very beginning, arriving in 1985 with the release of Windows 1.0. My first interactions with it were on Windows 3.0 on my 286 in 1992, and it couldn’t even save a JPG file until 1998.
Paint never really stood a chance against applications like Photoshop or Affinity Photo. That being said, there are those out there who regularly use MS Paint for their editing needs. It has picked up quite a legion of dedicated fans over the years.
We even featured a popular viral video here on DIYP a couple of years ago with Visual Effects created using Microsoft Paint. That video had a lot of people fooled, and there are even a few tutorials on YouTube showing various techniques.
Although Paint has advanced over the years, it was never very extensive. And that was part of its charm. It was a good, fun, simple application. A great introduction to drawing on a computer for kids and adults alike. It is a shame to see that it’s on its way out.
There’s been no word yet on exactly when Microsoft Paint will be completely removed, but its days are most definitely numbered.
Goodbye, Microsoft Paint. It was fun while it lasted. Say hi to Clippy for us!
Update: Popular Microsoft Paint digital painter Jim’ll Paint It has now made an official statement on the demise of Microsoft Paint via Facebook.
[via The Guardian]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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21 responses to “R.I.P. Microsoft Paint, 1985-2017”
This upsets me.
MS Paint on Windows 3.1 made me realize I wanted to be a graphic designer. RIP
who is clippy? the 95 game?
Hahahhaha… This makes me laugh so hard how people react to this. This piece of shit software was only good to take screenshots because Windows still doesnt have an advanced screenshot tech like Mac OS has.
Tip to Win users: Use Greenshot program for easy screenshotting.
Snipping tool works best for me. Mind you I only screengrab for quotes in a gaming news thing I make.
Thats pretty good too but I cba to open it and then save the file to desktop and what not. Too many clicks. ?
Greensboro for screen capture and paint.net for image manipulation.
I use Paint.net even though I have PS and LR CC. Paint.net is open source and that is why it lives on and if Microsoft took and open sourced Paint it would have survived. But like YouTube’s video editor, their is going to be less free on line and more phone apps to take over. (one click/swipe it’s done…share).
Kenny Brown A sad day in the art world for you Ken.
Damn
Im sure you could install an old version if you really wanted.
Take away an occasional useful tool and replace it we garbage for children.
Microsoft have lost touch with the common man. When they’re in bankruptcy court in 5 years, I’ll remind you of this moment.
Looks like I will have to break down and purchase Lightroom. Damnit.
Just like Microsoft Bob, classic of its time.
WHY DO THEY DO THIS
Nic Munsch
Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!
Paint is the quickest and easiest way to make notes on screen shots good enough for email. Just hit print-screen, paste into paint, make notes and copy/paste into an email. I use it all the time. Shame.
Paint isn’t dead, it’s now part of Paint3D which was announced last year and has been part of Creators Update since March…
How about a less melodramatic title?
To be fair, It’s just being deprecated, not removed… you still have the option of installing it
It didn’t go away. It was updated / replaced with Paint 3D in the new creators Windows update