After 22 years, you can finally download Paint.net from the URL 'Paint.net'
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Simon Batt
Published May 31, 2026, 1:45 AM EDT
Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech.
Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics.
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Summary
Paint.net's dev, Rick Brewster, finally secures Paint.net domain after a 22-year struggle.
The original owner's malicious redesign of the website triggered copyright and anti-squatting action, winning Brewster the domain.
The new Paint.net site will replace GetPaint.net; old links will be redirected during migration.
When I used Windows, Paint.net was my go-to app when I needed an image editor that was more powerful than Paint, but didn't need all the bells and whistles that GIMP or Photoshop had. Despite this, I was always peeved that you couldn't actually download Paint.net from the website 'Paint.net'. You had to go to the GetPaint.net website instead, which always felt weird.<br>For the past 22 years, the owners of the domain 'Paint.net' refused to hand it over to the app's developer; at least, unless they paid a huge fee. However, the people behind the Paint.net domain made a critical error, allowing the developer of the Paint.net app to finally secure the URL he has been fighting to get for years.
The author of Paint.net finally secures the URL 'Paint.net'
It took over two decades of struggling
As spotted by Neowin, the man behind the app, Rick Brewster, posted on X about his newest acquisition. After 22 years of vying for it, he has finally managed to finagle the Paint.net URL out of the hands of its previous owners. As such, you'll soon be able to actually download Paint.net from 'Paint.net,' and the old GetPaint.net will point to the new one.
So, how did Brewster manage it? Well, as he explains in the replies, the original owners of the website either didn't want to sell it to him, or asked for "lots and lots and lots of money." After 22 years, in December 2025, the owners made a fatal mistake: they redesigned the Paint.net website to look like the actual download page for the app, thus making money off Brewster's work with bad links and ads.<br>Brewster brought down the law against the owners, claiming that their actions consituted copyright infringement and domain squatting by profiting off someone else's work. Brewster managed to win, and with the aid of a lawyer, secured the Paint.net domain for himself.
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You can actually see Brewster's work over on the new Paint.net website. At the time of writing, he's still moving everything over, so there's not a lot to see yet. However, once he's done, Paint.net will act as the main site and GetPaint.net will become a redirect, because, as Brewster puts it, "There are 22 years of links out there that still need to work."
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