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.
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 Entirely leaving classic apps as they were means apps remain outdated.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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