• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Microsoft’s Probably Going to Kill MS Paint And People Are Sad

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
July 24, 2017, 10:43 AM ET
Courtesy of Chris Morris

MS Paint, one of the evergreens of Windows could be singing its swan song.

Microsoft has indicated that MS Paint, which has been a part of every Windows release since 1985, is on the way out. The company will put the rudimentary graphics program on the chopping block with the release of this fall’s Windows 10 Creators Update.

While Paint won’t be removed from the build, Microsofthas listed it as “depreciated,” which means the program is “not in active development and might be removed in future releases.”

The company seems to hope that the new Paint 3D tool, released as part of the April Creators Update, will take the original’s place. Fans, though, are not so happy about the news.

https://twitter.com/CounterPillow/status/889437791452622848

I still have a folder full of my MS Paint stuff from 100 years ago. It's the one thing I've made sure to keep across countless hard drives~

— Infernal Monkey (@infernal_monkey) July 24, 2017

https://twitter.com/JennyKayNZ/status/889435676193705984

In fairness, Paint was never an especially slick tool, but it is useful for quick screenshots and cropping. And the Internet has made an endless stream of really bad drawings with it, some of which inevitably went viral on sites like Reddit.

But it was a constant—always handy when you needed it—and simple enough for anyone to figure it out. So, if this is farewell MS Paint, thanks for the memes, the rudimentary usefulness, and the memories.

And say hi to Clippy for us in the digital afterlife.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.