Paint.NET, a popular free image editor we recently mentioned in our "Top 11 apps for Windows 11 users" article, has received a major feature update. Version 5.0 is now available for download from the official website, bringing numerous new features, improvements, and fixes. It also marks the end of support for Windows 7 and 8.1, two operating systems Microsoft killed on January 10, 2023. Now, Paint.NET 5.0 requires Windows 10 version 1809 and newer.
Key changes in Paint.NET 5.0 include GPU rendering for more tools and plugins, pressure sensitivity for pens and drawing tablets, embedded color profile support (Paint.NET currently does not support color management, which is something developers plan to fix in future updates), several new adjustment tools (exposure, highlights, shadows, temperature, and tint), new effects, and a brand-new plugins system with hardware acceleration support. Developers note that the old Paint.NET plugins will continue operating, but plugin makers should now aim their projects at the new system with its numerous benefits.
In addition to dropping Windows 8.1 and 7 support, Paint.NET is ditching the 32-bit x86 platform. From now on, installing Paint.NET is only possible on 64-bit systems (including ARM64) with Windows 10 and 11.
You can download Paint.NET 5.0 from the official website or within an existing installation (Settings > Updates > Check Now). Users can also purchase the app in the Microsoft Store to help developers continue supporting the project. Full Paint.NET 5.0 release notes are available on the official Paint.NET forums.