Is it possible to save settings for Microsoft Paint?

Question

After closing paint the last used settings went back to default. I want them to be saved. Like the selected Brush-Tool, Color, Line-strength, etc.

Either after every usage or I define one I use most. Maybe through the registry or by start parameters?

Solution 1

Paint is a pretty basic program, after searching the registry, the properties and and finding no guide on shell parameters, I'm reasonably sure this isn't supported.

Solution 2

Coming back to this question in december 2017, since Windows 10 Creators Update reset all settings in MS tools: MSPaint, WordPad, Explorer of course ... and I had to find a way to save settings on a not yet migrated box and restore them on updated one.

Basically, the solution for MSPaint in Windows 10 is based on REG.exe command.

Saving current settings is:

C:\> REG EXPORT HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Paint C:\My\Dir\MyMSPaintSettingsFile.reg

Restoring settings from file is:

C:\> REG IMPORT C:\My\Dir\MyMSPaintSettingsFile.reg

Since one may want to NOT save/restore recent files' list, some file handling may be required. I may soon post a CMD script about that.

This can also be applied to WordPad:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad

and to some extent to Explorer (saving the Ribbon and QuickAccess Toolbar):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Ribbon

It also worked pretty well on my Windows 7 box at work.

Solution 3

MS Paint does not support saving your preferences across sessions. The only things that are preserved across sessions are your last canvas size and the state of the window (size, location, maximised state).

Comments

[Brad Patton]

Take a look at some of the better free paint programs out there (eg Paint.Net getpaint.net and others).

[mgutt]

Paint.NET has the same problem.