Revision Date: 15 January 2023

Main Window

The Paint.NET user interface (UI) in the following screenshot has been divided into eleven areas:

1. Title Bar

   This shows the name of the image open on the canvas (or "untitled" if unnamed) and the Paint.NET version number.
   If the current file has unsaved changes, the file name will be preceded by an asterisk.

   

2. Menu Bar

   This area houses seven menus on the left and six utility icons on the right.

3. Tool Bar

   Immediately below the Menu Bar is the Tool Bar. This houses several buttons and controls for executing common commands and accessing various Paint.NET features. On the second rank, adjustable parameters for the active tool are shown.

4. Image List

   Each image that is open shows a thumbnail in the image list. These work much like the tabs in a web browser.

   Click on an image to switch to it. The thumbnail will become highlighted in the Image List and the associated image loaded onto the canvas.

   Tip

   In Paint.NET the images in the Image List can be reordered using drag-and-drop. Click, hold and drag the thumbnail to a new position in the Image List to relocate it.

   If an image unsaved changes, the thumbnail will have an asterisk placed in the top left corner.

5. Canvas

   This is where the image is shown and edited. All drawing, selecting and other editing actions occur here.

   Note

   The canvas and the surrounding grey area in the screenshot above are collectively called the Editing Window in these documents.
   The Editing Window can be partially filled (as seen above), completely filled (maximized) or the canvas may be zoomed in beyond the visible limits of the Editing Window.
   

   Note

   The size of the default/initial image ("Untitled") is 800x600 pixels scaled by the system DPI setting. E.g. at 150% DPI scaling the image will be 1200×900.

6. Tools Window 

   This window is where the Paint.NET tools are activated or chosen. The active tool is highlighted in the Tools Window.

   Hovering the pointer over a tool icon will display a tool tip for that tool.

7. History Window 

   Every editing action performed on an image within the current session is listed in this window. Closing Paint.NET or closing the image removes the entire editing history, clearing it entirely.

   It is possible to step forward and backward in the image editing History by using Undo, Redo or clicking on an entry in the History Window. Toggle between one entry and the previous one by clicking repeatedly on the same entry in the History Window.

8. Layers Window 

   Every image contains at least one layer. The Layers Window is the primary area for adding, removing, accessing and managing layers. Layer Properties can be accessed by double-clicking on a layer.

   Tip

   New to Paint.NET is the ability to reorder layers in the Layers Window using drag-and-drop. Click, hold and drag the layer to a new position in the Layers Window to relocate it.

9. Colors Window 

   This is the primary area for selecting and managing colors. It contains several controls for adjusting colors and opacity.

10. Status Bar

    This area is divided into several sections. On the left, it displays quick help and status information. In the center, it displays rendering progress (if required). On the right information on the image size, cursor location and units of measurement are displayed beside controls for the view size.

11. Utility Windows  ,  Settings & Help  

    The first four icons provide a quick method of resetting the position of the Utility Windows and toggling their visibility.
    Tools Window
    History Window
    Layers Window
    Colors Window
    The next icon opens Settings Dialog
    and finally is the Help icon which opens the Help Menu

Color Schemes

Paint.NET offers several color schemes. These are selected from the Settings Dialog ( + User Interface tab).