Paint has been part of Windows for decades, yet in 2026 Microsoft faces a choice: reinvent it, retire it, or let it quietly linger

Microsoft Paint is about to get an update that tweaks the interface of the popular app. Microsoft is adding the option to collapse the toolbar within Paint.

The new feature is in testing among Windows Insiders. With it, you can choose to hide the toolbar automatically. You can also set Paint to always show the toolbar, which is the default view of the app.

While Windows 11 Build 26220.7523 is for Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels, the update to Paint is for Dev and Canary Insiders. Since there's some overlap, the change to Paint is in the blog post for the build:

"With Paint version 11.2511.281.0, we’re introducing the collapse toolbar feature in Paint. To get started, open Paint and click the chevron icon at the bottom-right of the ribbon to enable Automatically hide toolbar. Once the toolbar collapses, use the Show toolbar button to bring it back and switch tools. To hide it again, click the Hide toolbar button or anywhere outside the toolbar. When you’re ready to return to the default view, click the chevron icon and select Always show toolbar."

Some would call this an overdue change. Others would prefer Microsoft not tweak its classic apps.

What to do with Paint and other old apps

When it comes to classic apps like Paint, it's easy to upset users. There has always been a battle between balancing legacy support and older apps with new features and modernized interfaces.

At one point, Microsoft planned to replace classic Paint with Paint 3D. But Paint 3D has since been deprecated.

Paint 3D came during a different time when Microsoft and other tech giants were obsessed with virtual reality and mixed reality rather than AI. While the "metaverse" isn't a hot topic anymore, Paint 3D failed for other reasons.

Many prefer the simple and familiar interface of the classic Paint app. Fan outcry prevented Microsoft from deprecating classic Paint and instead caused the company to sunset Paint 3D.

But even changes to classic Paint have drawn criticism. Cocreator in Paint, which can generate images using AI, makes more sense than adding Copilot to Notepad. But the addition still saw mixed reactions.

In contrast, the addition of layers to Paint was welcomed by many. Adding support for project files is also a positive, at least in my view.

This may be a situation in which Microsoft cannot please everyone. Entirely leaving classic apps as they were means apps remain outdated. But changing Paint can cause pushback.

Microsoft appears to have settled on making meaningful changes to Paint while keeping the core focus of the app.

What should Microsoft do with classic apps, such as Paint? Is it better to leave these apps alone or modernize them? Let us know in the comments!

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