Microsoft has erased all memory of Paint 3D and its predecessor only gets better

You've probably played around with Paint if you've owned a Windows PC. I remember playing with Paint as a child because my PC wasn't powerful enough to run the games I wanted. Microsoft has shut down Paint 3D which was intended to replace drawing software.

Windows Latest has reported that Paint 3D is no longer available in the Microsoft Store. I've confirmed this myself and it appears to be completely missing. If you downloaded the software before November 4, you can still access it on your PC, but it will no longer receive any updates. The current version of the software is the last.

Paint 3D, as the name suggests, has 3D tools that allow you to create 3D images. Paint does not offer this. Unfortunately, Paint 3D's 3D tools are not up to the standard of Blender. Many people would prefer a more purposeful tool, like Blender. Some users also report slower bootup times, so if you want to do a simple edit or crop an image, you're better off using the standard Paint tool.

Paint, on the other hand has seen a few major updates in the last couple of years, including the ability to use AI for background removal, along with new brushes and tools to express a wider range of emotions. It also has tools for AI image creation. Although I'm not a fan myself of generative AI (artificial intelligence), the addition of an AI Image Creator is a powerful tool for many users. It's a more dynamic and diverse creation tool, which has subtly become a real competitor to GIMP or Photoshop for more casual image manipulation.

The compatibility of drawing tools has made it better over time. Windows tablets have Paint and it does most of what you want. It's always sad to see a project end, but this one was probably well-deserved.

Paint 3D is likely to be forgotten.