Microsoft Paint is a piece of computing history—the app that introduced millions of kids to digital art. On Windows, it's still a solid first drawing tool: dead simple, completely safe, and always available.

But here's the thing: it's 2025. Paint hasn't meaningfully evolved in decades, and the feature set that felt magical in 1995 now feels painfully basic. No layers, no pressure sensitivity, no effects, no tutorials. Kids can figure it out in 30 seconds, which is great, but they'll also hit its ceiling in about 30 minutes.

The mobile ports are even worse. The iOS and Android versions from third-party developers are riddled with intrusive ads that pop up while you're trying to draw—reviewers aren't exaggerating when they say it's nearly unusable. If you're on mobile, skip these entirely and grab something like Tayasui Sketches (free, actually kid-friendly) or Tux Paint (open-source, designed for children).

Bottom line: if you've got a Windows PC and a 4-7 year old who's curious about drawing on the computer, Paint is a fine starting point. But don't expect it to hold their attention for long, and definitely don't bother with the mobile knockoffs.