Paint- Save as Default, to be JPEG instead of PNG?

pacificSurf · May 3, 2025

Anyway to do this by default?

Apparently there used to be a trick with a blank image file that you set as a JPEG and use that as an icon target location each time paint is opened. That no longer works because paint is not a regular dot exe that you can go to the properties and change the file path location or whatever.

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎4/‎2/‎2025
OS build 26100.3775
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.66.0

surface laptop 7 lunar lake

Helmut · May 3, 2025

Not a good idea as JPEG is lossy and every time you save you loose a bit of quality.

They are actually trying to be helpful making the default PNG.

Levitate11 · May 3, 2025

You could check out this. I haven't tried is and I don't know if it will correct the problem you have: How to Get Windows 10 Classic Paint in Windows 11

pacificSurf · May 3, 2025

Helmut said:
Not a good idea as JPEG is lossy and every time you save you loose a bit of quality.

They are actually trying to be helpful making the default PNG.

True, but thats why I want Jpeg, its smaller file size, and my frequent use case of screenshots are fine for JPG.

Levitate11 said:
You could check out this. I haven't tried is and I don't know if it will correct the problem you have: How to Get Windows 10 Classic Paint in Windows 11

Thanks, I'd rather keep the latest version of paint, but I will check it out if I cant find a solution otherwise.
winhelponline.com I assume is safe to download reg & zip files from?

gunrunnerjohn · May 4, 2025

I use IrfanView, I haven't used Windows Paint for a long time. IrfanView also has lots of plugins and features to do all sorts of manipulation of your images. I'll even build a slideshow in a single .EXE if you want to do a canned show.

dacrone · May 8, 2025

pacificSurf said:
True, but thats why I want Jpeg, its smaller file size, and my frequent use case of screenshots are fine for JPG.

Thanks, I'd rather keep the latest version of paint, but I will check it out if I cant find a solution otherwise.
winhelponline.com I assume is safe to download reg & zip files from?

go to:

Code:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\WindowsApps"

right click "mspaint.exe" > Create Shortcut

leave that window open

open Paint > leave blank image > file Save As > "Paint.jpg" (choose jpeg)
Save this somewhere you won't mess with it

go back to your AppData window

right click > "Paint.jpg" > Properties > mark as Read Only and Apply; go to Shortcut tab and change target to

Code:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\mspaint.exe "C:\Path\to\Paint.jpg"

cut that shortcut and paste it in:

Code:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

now when you open "Paint" in your start menu, it will open the blank Read Only image. you can make whatever changes and when you go to save it will Save As (since it is read only) and automatically have JPEG selected

pacificSurf · May 16, 2025

dacrone said:
go to:

Code:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\WindowsApps"

right click "mspaint.exe" > Create Shortcut

leave that window open

open Paint > leave blank image > file Save As > "Paint.jpg" (choose jpeg)
Save this somewhere you won't mess with it

go back to your AppData window

right click > "Paint.jpg" > Properties > mark as Read Only and Apply; go to Shortcut tab and change target to

Code:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\mspaint.exe "C:\Path\to\Paint.jpg"

cut that shortcut and paste it in:

Code:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

now when you open "Paint" in your start menu, it will open the blank Read Only image. you can make whatever changes and when you go to save it will Save As (since it is read only) and automatically have JPEG selected

Thanks so much! No luck on my first attempt, did I mess something up along the way?

dacrone · May 16, 2025

pacificSurf said:
Thanks so much! No luck on my first attempt, did I mess something up along the way?

So, your "mspaint-Shortcut" in your AppData Start Menu Programs folder is what you want to open, not Paint itself.

Unpin Paint from your taskbar
Open Start > All Apps > and scroll down to "mspaint - Shortcut" (what yours is named in your video... or you can rename it; doesn't matter)
Pin that 'Paint' to your taskbar

What it'll actually do is open that Read-Only .jpg (because you edited the Target line of the shortcut) and, as you cannot overwrite it, that will give you JPG in the dropdown automatically (as it is a .jpg) due to it auto-redirecting to 'Save As'.

pacificSurf · May 18, 2025

Ah, I see. got it!

So is this what is should look like now? I removed stock paint icon from taskbar and added the shortcut. Its the one with no icon.

But when I click the shortcut (the blank icon on taskbar), yes it does open paint and opens that blank JPG file. But then adds normal paint icon also while open, regular paint icon shows up on the task bar while in use. I assume that's the correct normal behavior?

dacrone · May 20, 2025

Doesn't do that on mine. Only the Paint icon shows on the taskbar in a single instance. I can't replicate that issue...

Paint- Save as Default, to be JPEG instead of PNG?

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