Microsoft’s Paint app is finally receiving tabs in 2024, three years after the company gutted its ribbon interface in September 2021. The redesign prioritized minimalism over organization, leaving users without the ability to manage multiple images efficiently—a glaring omission for an app that’s been a Windows staple since 1985. The delay stems from Microsoft’s vision of streamlining Paint into a simpler tool, though user feedback eventually pushed them to restore missing functionality alongside modern features like layers, AI art generation, and dark mode. The full story reveals how public outcry shaped Paint’s unexpected evolution.
Microsoft’s venerable Paint app is getting tabs in Windows 11—a feature that seems overdue until you realise the UI redesign already ditched ribbon tabs two years ago.
The confusion is understandable. Paint’s September 2021 redesign fundamentally changed how the app presents tools. Out went the familiar ribbon interface borrowed from Office. In came a streamlined XAML-based UI with drop-down menus replacing the File, Home, and View tabs.
Paint’s 2021 overhaul replaced Office-style ribbons with a streamlined XAML interface, fundamentally reimagining how users access drawing tools.
What users now see is a cleaner toolbar where everything sits directly under the menu bar, tools spread across the canvas without nested hierarchies. No more hunting through ribbon sections—just grab your brush or pencil and start drawing.
This design philosophy represented a deliberate departure from the ribbon era. Microsoft centred the canvas in September 2023, adding rounded corners and semi-transparent elements that align with Windows 11’s visual language. The Home tab’s contents got promoted to the main interface, making every tool immediately accessible.
It’s the kind of simplification that feels obvious in hindsight but required rethinking decades of accumulated interface baggage.
The app’s journey reflects Microsoft’s occasional genius for listening to users. Remember July 2017, when Microsoft announced Paint’s deprecation for the Fall Creators Update? Public outcry reversed that decision faster than you can select the fill bucket tool.
Paint 3D got axed instead, quietly removed from clean installs in March 2021. Meanwhile, legacy Paint migrated to the Microsoft Store in April 2021, ensuring regular updates independent of Windows releases.
Recent additions pushed Paint beyond its vintage limitations. Layers and transparency support arrived in October 2023, fulfilling requests that stretched back years. An AI art generator and background removal tool dropped for insiders in September 2023—features that would have seemed science fiction when Paint debuted with Windows 1.0 Alpha. Paint also supports image formats including BMP, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and single-page TIFF.
Dark mode rolled out across Canary, Dev, and Beta channels between June and July 2023, adapting to system themes while introducing a dedicated settings page. The initial September 2021 release only supported light mode, which frustrated early adopters until the update arrived.
Zoom improvements brought finer slider controls, custom values, and fit-to-screen options. Transparent PNG support finally arrived. Image Properties dialogs got redesigned to match Windows 11’s aesthetic.
Keyboard shortcuts and access keys received accessibility improvements. Each update iterated on making Paint functional for 2024 without abandoning the stripped-down simplicity that defined it.
Whether “tabs” means document tabs for multiple images or a return to ribbon-style organisation remains the question. Given Microsoft’s track record of certainly correcting based on feedback—monitored through Feedback Hub under Apps > Paint—the answer will likely split the difference.
Paint survived deprecation through user demand. It evolved from store-updated curiosity to genuinely capable image editor. Adding tabs completes a renovation project that started when Windows 11 itself was merely an August 2021 tease.
Final Thoughts
The introduction of tabs in Paint is a significant upgrade for Windows users, reflecting a long-awaited modernization of legacy applications. This improvement aligns with the multi-window efficiency seen in browsers like Chrome and Edge. While it may not lead to a Paint renaissance, it certainly enhances the user experience by preventing taskbar clutter from multiple images.
If you’re looking to make the most of these new features or need assistance with your Windows applications, the Moreton Bay Computer Repairs team is here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out! Click on our contact us page to get in touch with us today.
