This guide walks you through every core feature of Paint 3D, from first launch to final export. Whether you need to sketch on a flat canvas, build 3D objects, or save your work in formats like PNG, JPEG, 3MF, or GLB, each step below uses exact menu paths and tool names so you can follow along without guessing. Paint 3D was discontinued by Microsoft in November 2024, but it remains installed on many Windows 10 and 11 machines and is still available through the Microsoft Store archive.
Downloading and Launching Paint 3D
Paint 3D shipped pre-installed on Windows 10 (Creators Update and later). If your system does not have it, you can search “Paint 3D” in the Microsoft Store. After Microsoft’s November 2024 discontinuation, availability may vary by region.
- Click the Windows Start button and type Paint 3D in the search bar.
- Select Paint 3D from the results to launch the app.
- On the welcome screen, click New to start with a blank canvas, or click Open to load an existing file.
- To open a specific image, click Menu > Open > Browse files, then navigate to your PNG, JPEG, BMP, or 3MF file.
The app opens with a white 2D canvas centered on screen. The toolbar runs across the top, and your active tool options appear in a right-side panel.
Understanding the Paint 3D Toolbar
The top toolbar contains eight primary tabs. Each tab opens a dedicated panel on the right side of the screen with controls specific to that tool category.
Brushes
Eight brush types (Marker, Calligraphy Pen, Oil Brush, Watercolor, Pixel Pen, Pencil, Spray Can, Eraser) with opacity and thickness sliders. The primary drawing toolset for both 2D and 3D surfaces.
2D Shapes
Predefined flat shapes: circle, square, rounded rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, star, heart, arrows, and more. Each shape supports fill color, outline color, and line thickness adjustments.
3D Shapes
Geometric primitives (cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, torus, doughnut) plus 3D doodle tools that let you draw freeform shapes and extrude them into three dimensions.
Stickers
Decals, textures, and custom sticker uploads that wrap onto 2D or 3D surfaces. Includes preset emoji-style graphics and geometric patterns.
Text
2D flat text and 3D text options. Choose font, size, bold, italic, underline, and color. 3D text can be rotated and repositioned in the 3D workspace.
Canvas
Controls the canvas dimensions (width and height in pixels), transparency toggle, and the option to resize the canvas to fit your content or show/hide the canvas entirely in 3D view.
Effects
Scene lighting and color filter presets. Effects apply to the entire scene, including environment lighting direction and intensity for 3D objects.
History
A visual timeline slider that lets you scrub backward and forward through every action taken in the current session. Useful for reviewing edits or recording a timelapse replay.
Basic Drawing with Brushes on the 2D Canvas
The 2D canvas is where most projects begin. Flat drawing in Paint 3D uses the same Brushes toolbar that works on 3D surfaces, but without depth or rotation.
- Click the Brushes tab in the top toolbar.
- Select a brush type from the right panel. Marker is a good default for bold, opaque lines.
- Adjust the Thickness slider to set stroke width (1px to 100px).
- Adjust the Opacity slider if you want semi-transparent strokes.
- Click the color swatch to open the Color Picker. Choose a preset color, use the eyedropper to sample from the canvas, or enter a custom hex value.
- Click and drag on the canvas to draw. Release to end the stroke.
To fill enclosed areas with a solid color, select the Fill tool (bucket icon) from the Brushes panel, pick your color, and click inside the enclosed region.
Switching to the 3D View
Paint 3D’s defining feature is its ability to combine flat 2D drawing with three-dimensional objects on the same canvas.
- Add a 3D shape or 3D text to your scene (click 3D Shapes in the top toolbar, then select a primitive).
- Click the 3D View button located at the far right of the toolbar area to enter the 3D workspace.
- In 3D View, hold the right mouse button and drag to orbit around your scene.
- Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
- Click any 3D object to select it. Drag it to reposition. Use the rotation handles (curved arrows around the selection box) to rotate on X, Y, or Z axes.
- Use corner handles on the selection box to scale objects proportionally.
The 2D canvas still exists as a flat plane behind your 3D objects. You can toggle between editing 2D and 3D elements freely within the same project.
Saving and Exporting Your Work
Paint 3D supports multiple file formats depending on whether your project is 2D, 3D, or both.
Saving Your Project
- Press Ctrl+S to save. On first save, Paint 3D prompts you to choose a location and format.
- To choose a specific format, click Menu > Save As.
- Select Image to export as PNG, JPEG, GIF, or BMP (2D only, flattened).
- Select 3D Model to export as 3MF, GLB, or FBX (preserves 3D geometry, textures, and materials).
- Select Video to export a turntable animation of your 3D scene as an MP4 file.
Format Selection Guide
| Format | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | 2D Image | Graphics with transparency |
| JPEG | 2D Image | Photos, smaller file size |
| 3MF | 3D Model | 3D printing, re-editing in Paint 3D |
| GLB | 3D Model | Web display, game engines, AR viewers |
| FBX | 3D Model | Professional 3D software (Blender, Maya) |
Keyboard Shortcuts for Paint 3D
These keyboard shortcuts speed up your workflow significantly, especially during longer editing sessions.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+N | New project |
| Ctrl+O | Open file |
| Ctrl+S | Save |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo |
| Ctrl+Y | Redo |
| Ctrl+X | Cut selection |
| Ctrl+C | Copy selection |
| Ctrl+V | Paste |
| Ctrl+A | Select all |
| Delete | Remove selected object |
| Ctrl+Shift+C | Crop canvas to selection |
| M | Switch to Magic Select tool |
Continue Learning Paint 3D
With the basics covered, explore specific tools and techniques in the guides below.