It’s the go-to app for most users with preliminary needs. Microsoft once even considered discontinuing this app but, due to its immense popularity, decided against it. That said, Paint or Paint 3D are excellent tools with a sizable user base that can contract issues occasionally. So, you may need to fix Paint or Paint 3D when it is not working. Here, we have come up with a few workarounds; let’s take a look.

Fix Paint or Paint 3D Not Working 0n Windows 11

While Paint and Paint 3D are iconic, lightweight, and built-in applications, the apps rarely get into any issues. But once in a blue moon, the Paint app can face problems. It can stop working, and when it happens, you need to be ready to get it fixed immediately. So, let’s fix Paint or Paint 3D not working on Windows 11.

1. Reboot Your Computer

Rebooting the computer is the most straightforward fix, but it can eliminate all sorts of bugs or errors on Windows OS. Sometimes, the system fails to allocate necessary resources to specific applications, as too many are already open and consuming resources. So, before even considering getting into deep troubleshooting steps, reboot the PC. First, close the application if it isn’t already closed. Then, click the Power icon in the Start Menu and choose the Restart option. The problem will likely get fixed after the restart. If it didn’t, there is a more significant issue, and you can use the rest of the fixes from this list.

2. Run MS Paint as Administrator (Only for MS Paint App)

You may need to use a Windows Admin account to run MS Paint. Sometimes this happens because you are trying to launch MS Paint from a guest account. So, you have to launch the Paint app with Administrator privilege.

  1. Click the Start icon on the Taskbar.
  2. Type Paint.
  3. Right-click the Paint app option from the list and choose Run as Administrator.
    Doing this will launch the MS paint app admin rights, and hopefully, the app will start working flawlessly as usual.

3. Uninstall New Fonts

It may seem irrelevant, but changing fonts in Windows OS is known to cause issues with Paint and Paint 3D applications, especially if you have installed new fonts from an unknown source. In this scenario, only uninstalling that font can fix the issue. Here’s how to do it.

  1. Press Win +I keys on your keyboard to open Windows Settings.
  2. Go to the Personalization tab and choose Fonts.
  3. Select the newly installed fonts; you need to remove them.
  4. After that, click the Uninstall button. 
  5. Select the Uninstall option again for confirmation.

4. Virus or Malware Issue

Even when it comes to the problem with the Paint or Paint 3D app, we cannot rule out viruses or malware issues. It is best to confirm your computer is free of them. So run a deep scan Windows Defender or use the installed 3rd party antivirus. If the scan says your PC is okay, proceed to the next fix. If it finds objectionable programs, remove them. After that, check if removing them fixes the issue with Paint or Paint 3D. If it doesn’t fix the problem, don’t worry. There are more solutions available; at least your computer is safe.

5. Microsoft Safety Scanner Tool

You can use Microsoft Safety Scanner Tool to fix Paint or Paint 3D not working on Windows 11. This is also a malware-related fix, and Microsoft Scanner Tool is one of the best options to eradicate it.

  1. Download Microsoft Safety Scanner Tool on your PC.
  2. Use it to scan and fix your computer. After the scan, try launching Paint and Paint 3D.

6. Microsoft Store Cache

The problem with Microsoft Store Cache is that it can create conflict with the built-in applications. This doesn’t happen frequently, but when it does, resetting Microsoft Store is the only way out.

  1. Press Win + R to launch the RUN dialogue box.
  2. Type wsreset.exe in the box and hit Enter. A command prompt window will appear on the screen, then disappear automatically. After that, launch and try to use Paint and Paint 3D.

7. App Update

Microsoft releases regularly scheduled updates for applications that introduce new features, performance improvements, and more. You may not know apps like Paint and Paint 3D receives regular updates. So, if you are using an outdated version, problems are imminent. So, you should immediately update Paint and Paint 3D from the Microsoft Store.

8. Repair the App

Yes, you read it right. Windows provides the option to repair the built-in applications. It’s an excellent way to remove issues. So, if nothing has worked till now, you should follow the steps below.

  1. Press Win + X to launch the Power User Menu.
  2. Choose the Installed Apps option from this list.
  3. You must scroll down to locate the Paint or Paint 3D app on the list.
  4. After that, click the three-dot icon.
  5. Choose the Advanced options.
  6. Finally, click the Repair button to initiate the process.  If the issue is still there after the app repair, you can reset it. Microsoft recommends users reset the application in case of any problems. Remember, resetting the app will erase app data and restore the application to its initial state.

9. Update Windows OS

Leaving Windows OS or any other OS without updating is never recommended. Initially, it may seem unnecessary, but down the line, it can cost the operating system’s performance entirely. The OS can run slow, bugs and errors can start running rampantly, and apps can go haywire. Updating the OS can eliminate different bugs and errors; it may also fix the problem with the MS Paint app. So, it is best to keep the operating system up-to-date.

  1. Press Win + I on the keyboard to launch Windows Settings.
  2. Click Windows Update on the left side.
  3. Click the Check for Updates button. Windows will start checking for the latest updates. After detecting them, the updates will be listed. You have to download and install the updates and restart the computer afterward.

10. Use SFC to Fix MS Paint or Paint 3D

If MS Paint is still troubling, you can run SFC to fix the issue. Using SFC or System File Checker is a convenient option for Windows users. It can find a lot of problems irrespective of the version of Windows OS.

  1. Click the Windows icon on the Taskbar to open the Start menu.
  2. Type Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click the Command Prompt option and choose Run as Administrator.
  4. Type the following command in the command prompt window and hit Enter.

11. Use DISM to Fix MS Paint or Paint 3D

DISM stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management. It checks Windows images for underlined issues and fixes them if necessary. This procedure doesn’t affect the app data. Follow the below steps to run a DISM scan.

  1. Click the Windows icon on the Taskbar.
  2. Type Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click the Command Prompt option and choose Run as Administrator.
  4. Type the following commands in the command prompt window and hit Enter.

12. The Registry Hack (For Paint)

There’s a registry hack you can try if you are still having trouble fixing Paint not working.

  1. Press Win + R to launch the RUN dialogue box.
  2. Type regedit and hit Enter.
  3. Now, go to the following location deep inside Windows Registry.
  4. Now, you have to delete the registry key. So, please make a copy and save it on the desktop or anywhere you like. Then, delete it from the Windows Registry.
  5. After that, reboot your computer. Relaunch the Paint app. The registry key should generate automatically. But if it doesn’t restore it from the saved copy.

13. Uninstall and Reinstall MS Paint

Only use this procedure if you have no other options left. Removing Paint is difficult as they are built-in application. You cannot just open Control Panel and click the Uninstall option. You can only do it via Command Prompt using specific commands. So, check out the steps below.

  1. Click the Windows icon on the Taskbar.
  2. Type Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click the Command Prompt option and choose Run as Administrator.
  4. Type the following commands in the command prompt window and hit Enter to remove MS Paint.
  5. Run the following command to add MS paint back again.

Start Drawing with Paint or Paint 3D

Paint and Paint 3D are iconic Windows applications. They are instrumental if you are starting a career in photo editing. Mastering these tools will help in the future when you are working with more advanced tools like CorelDRAW and Adobe Photoshop. And in learning these tools, if you ever encounter any problems, you have our guide to help you with it. Therefore, use the above working fixes to get Paint or Paint 3D working on your Windows 11 PC.

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