Windows Insiders Can Test a Minor Paint App Update

The redesigned Paint app for Windows 11 is terrible, but Microsoft is apparently working to make it a little bit better. Starting with the Dev Channel in the Windows Insider Program, of course.

“Today we are beginning to roll out an update to the Paint app for Windows 11 to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel,” Microsoft’s Dave Grochocki writes in the announcement post. “This update includes a good set of changes and improvements we think the community will enjoy.”

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What we’d enjoy is a truly modern version of Paint that supported Dark mode and normal keyboard shortcuts. But whatever. Here’s what we’re getting instead:

Updated dialogs. Microsoft has updated the Edit Color, Resize and Skew, and other dialogs in Paint to match “the style of the new Windows 11 design and fit in with the new Paint app backdrop.”

Various fixes. Microsoft has made various fixes, as well. When you shift-click on a color swatch, Paint will now correctly select that color as your secondary color. There is improved support for screen readers. And some other minor things.

Maybe someday we’ll get a truly great Paint app for Windows 11. Today is not that day.

 

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Conversation 7 comments

  • Sir_Timbit

    30 November, 2021 - 2:16 pm

    <p>I used to hope that maybe Microsoft would one day include Paint.net as a direct replacement for Paint. Now I’m glad they don’t as it would likely wither and die there.</p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      01 December, 2021 - 12:59 pm

      <p>Bundled apps are intended to be as simple as Notepad as a text editor (definite improvement over EDLIN, problematic with respect to EDIT in the Windows 95 console). Paint.Net is far too complicated for most users who don’t want to spend hundreds of hours learning to do simple things like annotating screen captures.</p>

  • zakand

    30 November, 2021 - 3:08 pm

    <p>“<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Windows 11 is terrible, but Microsoft is apparently working to make it a little bit better” </span></p><p><br></p><p>This is also an accurate statement, especially the “apparently” part. :)</p>

  • mattbg

    Premium Member
    30 November, 2021 - 3:30 pm

    <p>This is perhaps the most comprehensive article I will ever read on this round of Paint 11 updates.</p>

  • spiderman2

    01 December, 2021 - 3:26 am

    <p>LOL and people complained about UWP "wasted space", enjoy the huge wasted height of title bar + menu bar + ribbon. At least Paint 3D used the horizontal space that makes more sense as most of monitors are wider than taller</p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      01 December, 2021 - 1:35 pm

      <p>FWIW, some of us still use Paint from Windows XP because (1) we don’t use Paint (or anything like it) for much, (2) it still runs under more recent versions of Windows (real failure not to have built equality rather than greater than or equal to Windows version checking into it), and (3) it uses a traditional menu with keyboard shortcuts for more frequently used actions and toolbars which can be displayed or hidden as needed. Also, that old Paint handles rectangles with rounded corners correctly rather than the fubarred approach since Windows 7 (maybe Vista).</p>

  • miguelgigante

    Premium Member
    01 December, 2021 - 2:23 pm

    <p>I am curious what is so terrible about it. I have not used Windows 11 yet. But to me it looks identical to the old Paint but with a fresh coat of…err….paint. I think that for what it is, Paint serves a niche well. </p>

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