Is Paint 3D Still Safe and Available in 2026?

ByBNW TEAM

Yes, Paint 3D is still safe to use in 2026, but only if you download it from a verified, virus-scanned source. Microsoft removed the app from the Store on November 4, 2024, so it no longer receives official updates. It has had zero new reported vulnerabilities in 2026, but the real risk today isn’t the app itself, it’s where you download it from. On thepaint-3d.com, I test the Paint 3d download file and scan every file before publishing it, so let me walk you through exactly what’s changed and what to check before you install it. 

Is Paint 3D Still Available in 2026?

Paint 3D was deprecated in August 2024 and pulled from the Microsoft Store on November 4, 2024. If you already had it installed before that date, it still runs perfectly fine on Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft doesn’t disable apps that are already on your machine. If you don’t have it installed, though, the Store won’t let you get it anymore, which is why so many people end up searching for a working installer elsewhere.

It’s worth knowing this isn’t just a Paint 3D thing. 3D Viewer, the companion app for opening 3D files, was deprecated in February 2026 and is scheduled to be removed from the Store on July 1, 2026, so Microsoft is clearly winding down this whole generation of 3D tools, not just Paint 3D on its own.

Why did it get cut in the first place? A mix of things: adoption never took off the way Microsoft hoped, the mixed-reality/VR push that Paint 3D was originally built around didn’t really land, and most people just preferred the classic Paint app for quick 2D edits. Microsoft has since redirected that development effort into Paint itself, which now has AI-powered editing tools on Windows 11.

Has Paint 3D Had Security Vulnerabilities?

Yes and it’s worth being upfront about this instead of just saying “it’s totally safe” and moving on.

Back in 2021, Paint 3D was affected by CVE-2021-31945, a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. In plain terms: if you opened a maliciously crafted 3D file, an attacker could potentially run code on your machine. Microsoft patched it at the time through a Store update. Security scanners like Nessus, Qualys, and Rapid7 still flag old, unpatched Paint 3D builds (anything from before mid-2023) as an RCE risk during vulnerability scans, so if you’re running a genuinely ancient install, that’s worth knowing.

The reassuring part: as of 2026, there have been zero new published vulnerabilities for Paint 3D. That doesn’t mean it’s risk-free forever since it’s no longer maintained, any new vulnerability that does surface in the future simply won’t get patched. But right now, the app itself has a clean record. If paint 3d is not working in your window so check it..

Why Does Downloading Source Matter More Than the App Itself?

This is honestly the part people overlook. Paint 3D being discontinued doesn’t make it dangerous, Microsoft doesn’t quietly turn a safe app into malware just by pulling it from the Store. The actual risk is almost entirely about where you get the installer from.

Since it’s no longer distributed officially, plenty of sites using Paint 3D in their name aren’t affiliated with Microsoft at all, and some bundle the installer with adware, modified files, or worse. That’s exactly why I don’t just tell you to trust this file, I show you the proof, right on my Paint 3D download page:

  • I personally scan every file before publishing it, using VirusTotal.
  • The current build hosted on ThePaint-3D.com came back 0 out of 65 antivirus engines flagging it as malicious.
  • You can view the live scan result yourself, check the SHA-256 hash against your downloaded file, and confirm nothing’s been tampered with.

That’s the standard I’d want if I were downloading it myself: not just a 100% safe badge, but a link you can click and verify independently. If you haven’t grabbed the installer yet, you can get the verified version from ThePaint-3D.com.

What’s Next The 3D Viewer Removal (July 2026)

If you use 3D Viewer alongside Paint 3D — say, to quickly open a .glb or .fbx file without launching the full editor — take note: it’s being removed from the Store on July 1, 2026. Same rules apply as Paint 3D: if it’s already installed, it keeps working; if you don’t have it yet, you’ll need to plan around that before the date passes, or use an alternative like Babylon.js Sandbox for viewing 3D content in a browser.

This is a good sign of where Microsoft is heading — the entire Windows 10 Creators Update-era 3D toolset is being phased out. If you’re building a workflow around Paint 3D long-term, it’s worth keeping half an eye on tools like Blender or Tinkercad, even if you’re not ready to switch yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paint 3D still safe to use in 2026? Yes. There have been no new reported vulnerabilities in 2026, and the app itself hasn’t become more dangerous just because it’s discontinued. The main risk comes from downloading it off an unverified site — always check for a visible, verifiable virus-scan before installing.

Can I still download Paint 3D from the Microsoft Store? No. It was removed from the Store on November 4, 2024. If it’s not already on your device, you’ll need to get it from a source that hosts the original, unmodified installer and shows proof it’s been scanned like the verified download on TheePaint-3D.com, where the scan results and file hash are public.

Will Paint 3D get security updates in the future? No. Since it’s discontinued, Microsoft won’t patch any new vulnerabilities that may be found. This is the main long-term risk to be aware of, not the app’s current safety record.

What happened to the 3D Viewer? It was removed from the Microsoft Store on July 1, 2026, following the same pattern as Paint 3D. Existing installs will keep working, but new downloads won’t be available after that date.

Is it risky to keep using Paint 3D long-term? Not immediately, but since it’s unmaintained, future Windows updates could eventually cause compatibility issues, and any newly discovered vulnerability won’t be patched. For casual, occasional use it’s still fine — for daily professional work, it’s worth having a modern alternative like Blender or Krita in mind.