
To find the installation folder you can right-click the shortcut of Paint.NET, click on properties, and then read the location from the target line. Sometimes Paint.NET may have installed in a non-default location. Finding out your Paint.NET installation folder But note that some plugins might require a different approach, so always read the instructions that came with the plugin.

You can find the plugins at the official Paint.NET forums: Plugins - Publishing ONLY! Installing pluginsĪfter having downloaded a plugin you will usually need to extract it, this can either be done using the build-in tool in Windows or a free program such as 7-zip. When the plugin files are extracted you usually move them to the Effects folder of Paint.NET, which is often located at: C:\Program Files\\Effects Plugins are often distributed in zip files as dll files. Some plugins even have installers.One of the great things about Paint.NET is the many plugins that are available, though it may still be preferred that at least some of the features that the plugins provide, will at some point be integrated in Paint.NET.


You can download packs of the most popular plugins that center around certain themes (e.g. To give you an idea, the community-supported PDF document which lists all the plugins is 95 pages long! If that sounds too daunting, don't worry.

They include Photoshop like layers, a vast number of special effects, unlimited undo/redo, an array of tools for drawing shapes, and importantly for many users, near-endless plugins. Dig a little deeper, however, and it's packed with features that make the app shine. The main screen looks very similar to the Microsoft app. If you're coming from Microsoft Paint, one of the biggest things you'll want is familiarity, and Paint.NET has it in abundance. If you're only a light user, it's even a valid alternative to full suites like Photoshop and GIMP. Paint.NET started life as a student project back in 2004, but it's since grown to become one of the best free image editors on the Windows operating system.
