Microsoft is really pulling the plug on 3D printing

3D Builder and Paint 3D are irrevocably fading into oblivion

A few days ago, I published a long, elegiac article about 3D Builder—a super simple and super efficient 3D modeling application by Microsoft that is now being phased out.

However, it turns out that this isn’t just about that specific app; it’s part of a much broader strategy aimed at withdrawing from consumer 3D printing altogether.

Not only is 3D Builder disappearing—its clumsy successor, Paint 3D, is also being phased out.

Paint 3D, which was intended to eventually replace Microsoft Paint, is no longer part of Windows. While it can still be manually downloaded and used from the Microsoft Store, its days are numbered.

Microsoft has just announced that the app will be officially discontinued on November 4, 2024. As of now, Microsoft has no active projects in consumer 3D printing, similar to all other leading Big Tech companies.

This marks the end of an era in the history of desktop 3D printers and is a sign of the times. Large corporations are moving away from 3D printing, focusing instead on other current trends (like AI, whose bubble is just starting to burst).

I encourage you to read the article on 3D Builder, where these topics are discussed in great detail.