Paint.NET review

Paint.NET began as a college project mentored by Microsoft to replace the basic Paint app and is now maintained by Rick Brewster as image and photo editing software for Windows PCs. The download is free, and a Microsoft Store version can be bought to support development. It covers the edits most Windows users make every week: cropping, resizing, color fixes, red-eye removal, sharpening and simple layered compositions. The developer says the app is optimized for multicore CPUs, GPUs and NVMe SSDs and starts almost instantly. It opens modern formats such as HEIC, AVIF, WebP and JPEG XL, supports color management and accepts plugins. It is not a photographer's raw workflow tool: there is no catalog, and retouching depth is well below Photoshop or Affinity. For fast, free edits on a Windows PC, it is the easiest option on the list.

Who it is for

Windows users who need quick, light edits

Price

Free download; optional paid Microsoft Store version supports development.

Get it now (free download): Paint.NET 5.2
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Layers for image composition
• Effects for blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal and noise
• Opens PNG, JPEG, JPEG XL, AVIF, HEIC, WebP and more
• Full color management support
• Plugins add file types and effects

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free and built only for Windows
• Strength: Starts fast and is tuned for multicore CPUs and GPUs
• Strength: Simple interface for crops, resizes and fixes
• Weakness: Windows only
• Weakness: No raw-focused catalog or library
• Weakness: Fewer advanced retouching tools than Photoshop or Affinity

Key facts

• Price: Free download
• Platform: Windows only
• Current version: Paint.NET 5.2
• Developer: Rick Brewster

Where it ranks

Paint.NET is No. 5 in our Best Photo Editing Software for PC verdict.