mspaint.exe
Also called mspaint, paint, microsoft paint
Microsoft Paint. On current Windows 11 it is often the Store Paint app still named mspaint.exe. It is not Snipping Tool and not Photoshop.
What you need to know
This is Paint. SnippingTool.exe captures. Photoshop.exe is Adobe.
mspaint.exe is Microsoft Paint. Windows 11 Store Paint kept the historic image name. Ending it drops unsaved drawings.
- Safe?
- Yes. It is Paint
- Same as Snipping Tool?
- No
- Should I end it?
- You lose unsaved pixels
What is mspaint.exe?
mspaint.exe is Microsoft Paint. Windows 11 Paint is a Store app that kept the historic executable name.
What does it do?
It edits raster images. It does not capture the screen. That is ScreenClippingHost.exe or SnippingTool.exe. It is not Photoshop.exe.
Why is it running?
You opened Paint, or a file association launched it. A copy that starts at logon is a shortcut you added, not a Windows service.
Is it safe?
Usually safe
The Microsoft.Paint package or System32 mspaint.exe on older Windows is Paint. An mspaint.exe next to a crack is not.
A legitimate copy normally runs from:
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Paint_*\PaintApp\mspaint.exe
- Windows 11 Store Paint
- Older Windows: System32\mspaint.exe
- Not Snipping Tool
Can I end it?
Closes Paint
Ending mspaint.exe drops unsaved pixels. It does not uninstall Paint and it does not close Snipping Tool.
Can I remove it?
Uninstall Paint from Apps
Uninstall Paint from Settings > Apps. Do not delete files under WindowsApps by hand. SnippingTool.exe is a different package.
Should it start with Windows?
On demand unless you pinned a Startup shortcut.
Normal resource behavior
These are contextual labels, not universal averages.
- CPU
- Low except large bitmaps
- Memory
- Follows image size
- Disk
- The file you save
- Network
- None for local paint
File information
| Executable name | mspaint.exe |
|---|---|
| Common legitimate path | C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Paint_*\PaintApp\mspaint.exe |
| Publisher | Microsoft Corporation |
| Signature expectation | Signed by Microsoft Windows |
Common problems
People search for System32\mspaint on Windows 11
Store Paint moved. The image name stayed.
Confused with Snipping Tool
Paint edits. Snipping Tool captures. Win+Shift+S is ScreenClippingHost first.
Troubleshooting
Diagnose before you change anything destructive.
Start > Paint if the exe path looks like WindowsApps
That is expected on current Windows 11.
Do not download Paint from a third-party exe site
Use the Store or Optional features.
Technical details
Technical details
| Image name | mspaint.exe |
|---|---|
| Product | Microsoft Paint |
Sources and verification
Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.
- Microsoft Support: Paint · Paint app
- Microsoft Store: Paint · Store package still named mspaint
- Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.
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