14 DAY TRIAL // The most recent Windows 10 Insider Preview build brought a message prompt that Microsoft hasn’t publicly announced but which reveals a historical change the company prepares to make in its operating system.
The famous Paint app that has been around for so long in Windows will no longer come pre-installed in Windows 10, instead being replaced by Paint 3D. This doesn’t mean that Paint will go away completely though, as it’ll be available in the Windows Store for those who still want to use it.
“This version of Paint will soon be replaced with Paint 3D. Classic Paint will then become available in the Store,” reads a message that shows up when clicking a new button called “Product alert” in the Paint app.
The change will take place with the release of the Windows 10 Redstone 4 update in the spring of the next year.
Switch originally planned for Fall Creators Update
Seeing the classic Paint app being replaced with a modern version is not at all surprising, especially because Paint 3D better fits Microsoft’s push for content that’s aimed at creators. Replacing Paint with Paint 3D was originally planned for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update after the modern app became available in preview builds, but Microsoft eventually decided to keep them both following user feedback.
Needless to say, having two different Paint apps in Windows 10 is a little bit confusing and it limits the impact the new 3D version can have for adopters of the operating system. On the other hand, Paint 3D is a much more complex app that includes several advanced tools, and this is one of the reasons many people prefer to stick with the classic app that offers only the basic options for drawing and photo editing.
It remains to be seen how painful this decision is going to be, but the good thing is that Paint will still be available for diehard fans even if it’s replaced by Paint 3D.