What happened to my MS paint? Fonts are missing and replaced with circles/squares, is this something windows 11 has done again?

Question

What happened to my MS paint? Fonts are missing and replaced with circles/squares, is this something windows 11 has done again?

Dusty B.c 0

I'm a very big drawer and consistently like messing with MS paint in my spare time, Ultimately, once i have went back onto MS paint, its font has been replaced with this corrupted font that gives me the heebie jeebies. Have tried attempting to repair the app with the repair button inside Microsoft's settings and have looked up just by myself to only find other problems, not the one i was looking for.

What other ways can i repair this application without resetting it entirely? If it's the only option I understand that's what i have to do, i just have lots of art on here saved.
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Dusty B.c 0

Resolving App-Specific GPU Problems in Windows

If your GPU works fine in most programs but fails in one specific app, the cause is usually software-related—driver settings, app configuration, or GPU assignment—not hardware failure.

(irrelevant)

Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select your app, click Options, and set it to High performance (dedicated GPU).

If the app is missing, click Browse, locate its executable, and set GPU preference.

I found the program to add more easily clicking the "add Microsoft Store App" list.

Set Paint to High Performance and bingo!

Vikki-T 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-30T13:35:24.04+00:00

Hi Dusty B.c,

I’m really glad to hear that changing Paint’s graphics preference resolved the issue and that you can get back to your artwork and commissions.

Thank you for returning to confirm what worked and thank you to Tycoon for sharing the solution. Since the behavior changed depending on which monitor Paint was displayed on, the additional detail about the graphics setting may also be very helpful to others experiencing the same issue.

Wishing you all the best with your artwork and upcoming commissions!
Torrance Ferrell 15 Reputation points

2026-11-01T12:13:38.93+00:00

I used it on paint and it worked thou it tends to lag for a bit. I have another question thou, when will this bug get fixed cause I think photos also has it?

2 additional answers

Your answer

Vikki-T 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-30T13:35:24.04+00:00

Hi Dusty B.c,

I’m really glad to hear that changing Paint’s graphics preference resolved the issue and that you can get back to your artwork and commissions.

Thank you for returning to confirm what worked and thank you to Tycoon for sharing the solution. Since the behavior changed depending on which monitor Paint was displayed on, the additional detail about the graphics setting may also be very helpful to others experiencing the same issue.

Wishing you all the best with your artwork and upcoming commissions!
Torrance Ferrell 15 Reputation points

2026-11-01T12:13:38.93+00:00

I used it on paint and it worked thou it tends to lag for a bit. I have another question thou, when will this bug get fixed cause I think photos also has it?

Answer 1

Tycoon 15

I had the same issue and found this solution:

Resolving App-Specific GPU Problems in Windows

If your GPU works fine in most programs but fails in one specific app, the cause is usually software-related—driver settings, app configuration, or GPU assignment—not hardware failure.

(irrelevant)
Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select your app, click Options, and set it to High performance (dedicated GPU).
If the app is missing, click Browse, locate its executable, and set GPU preference.

I found the program to add more easily clicking the "add Microsoft Store App" list.

Set Paint to High Performance and bingo!

Dusty B.c 0 Reputation points

2026-10-29T22:37:43.6666667+00:00

THANK YOU!!!!
I appreciate you Tycoon!

(unnecessary note) I cant wait to start opening art commissions!

Answer 2

Hi Dusty B.c,

I can understand how frustrating this must be, especially when you use Paint regularly and have artwork you do not want to risk losing. The screenshot suggests that Paint is failing to display its interface text correctly. This could be related to the Paint app itself or to the Windows system fonts it uses, so I would not assume that optional language fonts are missing without first checking whether other apps are affected.

Since you have already tried Repair, I suggest updating Paint from Microsoft Store > Library > Get updates, installing any pending Windows updates, and then restarting your PC. You can also open an app such as Notepad or Settings to see whether the same symbols appear there.

If only Paint is affected and the updates do not help, back up your important image files and make sure there is no unsaved work before trying Reset or reinstalling Paint. Files that you have already saved outside the app should remain in their original folders, but keeping a separate backup is still a sensible precaution.

If the same symbols appear in several Windows apps, please let me know which ones are affected. That would suggest a broader Windows font or system-component issue rather than a problem limited to Paint. Thank you so much for your understanding.

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Dusty B.c 0 Reputation points

2026-10-29T22:03:16.45+00:00

New updates!
I reinstalled and its still the same problem but I found a weird solution,
what I figured out is (I have two monitors) and placing it on my first screen fixes the issue, but when placed on my second monitor, the text breaks. I'm not sure what's happening here..??

I have attempted updating it from the Microsoft store, no luck, and even reinstalling it, no clue.

I'm not sure if this is helpful information but i do have a laptop, in which some games that i play are unsure what monitor it is, which can be confusing sometimes.

Also it only happens within MS paint, everything else is fine