Works with Windows 10 build 21354 and later builds only.
Microsoft Paint or the Paint program has been part of the Windows operating system for over two decades. Although it has not received any updates post the release of Windows 7 (ribbon UI for Paint was introduced with Windows 7), it is still one of the most used photo editing software in the Windows world.
Paint is a basic image editing tool—no doubt about that. Tens of programs, including some good tools like Paint.net, Krita, and GIMP, exist as free alternatives to Paint. Plenty of commercial programs exist as well. However, since Paint is offered with Windows 10, most users use it for basic image editing. In fact, the Photos app in Windows 10 offers many more options than the decade-old Paint.
With Windows 10 build 21354, Microsoft has replaced the classic Paint program with the Paint app. Do not be excited! No new features are added to the Paint app.
Now that Paint is an app and is available via the Store, like any other app, you can now uninstall or reinstall the Paint app if you wish to do so.
Nevertheless, it is a good move as PC users who do not use Paint can now remove it, and users who have issues with it can reinstall it.
In this guide, we will see how to uninstall or reinstall the Paint app in Windows 10.
IMPORTANT: You can uninstall or reinstall Paint only in 21354 or later builds of Windows 10. To check the build number, type winver.exe in the Start/taskbar search box and press Enter key.
Uninstall the Paint app in Windows 10
Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to Apps > Apps & features page.
Step 2: In the installed apps and programs list, look for the Paint entry. Perform a click on it to reveal the hidden Uninstall button.
Step 3: Click on the Uninstall button and then click on the Uninstall button again when you get the confirmation to remove the Paint from your Windows 10 computer. Simple as that!
Reinstall the Paint app in Windows 10
Step 1: Follow the steps mentioned above to uninstall Paint from your PC.
Step 2: Open the Store app, search for Paint and then click on the Get/Install button to download and install the latest version of the Paint app.
Reset or repair the Paint app in Windows 10
If the Paint app is not opening or working correctly, you can reset the Paint app before reinstalling it. Here is how:
Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features page.
Step 2: Click on the Paint app’s entry to see the Advanced options link. Click Advanced options.
Step 3: Scroll down the resulting page to see the Reset section. Click on the Reset button to reset the app. You can click on the Repair button to repair the same.
