Microsoft confirms it's not killing off Paint after outpouring of support

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Arjun Kharpal - CNBC




Microsoft is not killing off its Paint app in the next update of Windows 10, the company said late on Monday, after fears that the iconic software could be ditched.

The U.S. technology company recently released a list which labeled Paint "deprecated", meaning it was considering removing the app when the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update gets released later this year.

Fans on social media decried the potential death of Paint, which has been in existence for 32 years.

But Microsoft released a blog post shortly after to clarify that Paint would not be completely removed, but instead made available via the Windows Store for free.

"Today, we've seen an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint. If there's anything we learned, it's that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans. It's been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app," Megan Saunders, a general manager at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post on Monday.

"Amidst today's commentary around MS Paint we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, clear up some confusion and share some good news: MS Paint is here to stay, it will just have a new home soon, in the Windows Store where it will be available for free."

Paint was introduced with the first version of Windows, called Windows 1.0 in November 1985. It was originally a licensed version of PC Paintbrush which was made by ZSoft Corporation.

In the beginning, it supported 1-bit monochrome graphics, and it wasn't until Windows 98 that users could save images in the well-known JPEG file format.

Last year, Microsoft unveiled Paint 3D, a new version of the classic software. It is much more advanced, allowing users to create three-dimensional images. This is currently part of Windows 10.