Microsoft Paint

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Also called paint, mspaint, ms paint

Microsoft CorporationSystem

The in-box raster editor. The process is mspaint.exe. Layers arrived late. It is not Paint 3D and not Paint.NET.

What you need to know

Paint is mspaint.exe. Paint 3D and Paint.NET are different apps.

Microsoft Paint is the in-box raster editor. Current Windows 11 Paint is a Store package still named mspaint.exe. Layers arrived late. Paint 3D is a different app. Paint.NET is third-party.

What is it?: The in-box raster editor
Same as Paint 3D?: No. Paint 3D is a different app
Same as Paint.NET?: No. Paint.NET is third-party

Feex says

If mspaint is the window, I treat it as Paint. I do not hunt Paint 3D settings and I do not download a third-party mspaint.exe. Paint.NET is a different install if you want that editor.

What is Microsoft Paint?

Microsoft Paint edits raster images. mspaint.exe on Windows 11 usually lives under WindowsApps\Microsoft.Paint. Paint 3D was Paint3D.exe. Paint.NET is paintdotnet.exe from a different vendor.

If you have never used it

If you need to crop a PNG or draw a box, Microsoft Paint is the in-box raster editor. Open it from Start > Paint. On current Windows 11 it is a Store app still named mspaint.exe. Layers arrived late in this app. Paint 3D is a different, retired-direction app. Paint.NET is a third-party editor.

What is it used for?

Crop, resize, and draw on a bitmap

Everyday PNG and JPEG edits. Photos.exe is the gallery viewer. Snipping Tool captures. Paint edits.

Layers on current Windows 11 Paint

Layers arrived late. Old guides that say Paint cannot layer are stale for current Store Paint. Paint.NET had layers for years.

Paste a snip and save

Win+Shift+S still captures in Snipping Tool. Pasting into Paint is a habit, not Paint 3D.

Who is it for?

Anyone who typed "paint" in Start
People who should not download Paint from a filename site
Users comparing this to Paint.NET or Photos

Current status

Microsoft Paint (1985) is a current raster editor from Microsoft Corporation. The vendor still points Windows users at https://support.microsoft.com/windows/paint.

How old is it?

Paint shipped with Windows 1.0 in 1985. Windows 11 Paint kept the mspaint.exe name and later added layers. Paint 3D was a separate Windows 10 app and is not this canvas. A 1990s 16-color screenshot is history.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Windows 11 Store Paint

Classic System32 Paint on older Windows

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Ships with supported Windows 10 and Windows 11. Current Store Paint is the Windows 11 package
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Low except large bitmaps
RAM demand: Follows image size

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
mspaint.exe	Paint window

Startup components

Paint starts when you open it. A Startup shortcut is something you added.

File locations

Common Microsoft Paint locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Paint_*\PaintApp\

File formats

PNGJPEGBMPGIFTIFF

Common problems

People search System32\mspaint on Windows 11

Store Paint moved. The image name stayed. A Downloads\mspaint.exe is not Microsoft.

Confused with Paint 3D or Paint.NET

Paint 3D was the 3D app. Paint.NET is dotPDN. This article is classic Paint.

Getting unstuck

Start > Paint. Do not download mspaint from a third-party exe site

Use the Store listing or Optional features. Paint.NET is a separate download if that is what you meant.

If Paint is missing, install it from the Microsoft Store or Settings > Apps > Optional features

Debloat scripts often remove the package. Paint 3D is a different listing.

Save as PNG if you pasted a snip and the JPEG looks dirty

Paint still does simple formats. Photos is the gallery if you wanted albums.

Alternatives

Paint.NET for extra tools. Photos for viewing. Snipping Tool for capture. Paint 3D is not the current recommendation.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	support.microsoft.com/windows/paint Official installer or vendor page
Help	apps.microsoft.com/detail/9dcs3rk0n1mh Vendor support
Official site	support.microsoft.com/windows/paint Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

Image size drives RAM. A huge bitmap wants more memory. Paint is not a GPU workstation.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Paint official site · Vendor product page
Microsoft Paint help · Vendor support
Microsoft Store: Paint · Current Paint package
Microsoft Support: Paint · End-user Paint help
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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