After Paint 3D, you won’t be able to install 3D Viewer on Windows 11, as Microsoft wraps up the last bits of the “Windows 10 Creators Update.”
In an update to its support document, Microsoft confirmed that it’s removing 3D Viewer from the Windows Store. This means you won’t be able to download or install 3D Viewer anymore, but it’ll continue to work if it’s already installed, at least for a little while.
“3D Viewer is deprecated and will be removed from the Microsoft Store on July 1, 2026,” Microsoft confirmed.
The company recommends using third-party 3D software for viewing 3D art created on Windows. But can you keep using 3D Viewer?
In our tests, Windows Latest observed that 3D Viewer still works on Windows 11, but it’s likely that a future server-side update will soon break the app for everyone. For example, after Microsoft announced that it’s retiring Windows Maps, an update later broke the app, and pushed users to Bing.com
Not the first time Microsoft killed products it once hyped
Before Copilot, there were a bunch of “obsession eras” for Windows, and one of those eras was the “3D era,” where Microsoft pitched Windows 10 as an OS for creators or artists. In fact, Windows 10 received two big updates called “Creators” and “Fall Creators” Update, but as always, Microsoft suddenly decided to give up on its two-year-long efforts.
As part of the Windows Creators Update, Windows shipped with Paint 3D, 3D Viewer, Remix3D, and a bunch of “3D” features. Microsoft also added 3D objects to File Explorer and bet big on Windows Mixed Reality efforts. Unlike Copilot, Paint 3D was well-made, and it actually had a purpose.
However, the approach backfired after Microsoft tried to force people to adapt to the change, which is also exactly what Microsoft is doing with Copilot. Not everybody is a creator, especially a 3D creator, but Microsoft still felt it was the right decision to replace MS Paint with Paint 3D. The plans were later dropped after social media outcry.
Fast forward to 2024, Microsoft confirmed that it’s deleting Paint 3D, which was once supposed to replace MS Paint.
I am not a 3D artist, and I’m not advocating for bloat in Windows 11, but this approach once again shows that Microsoft has a pattern where it picks its favourite product, tries to bake it into everything, then either dials it back or quits after some years or even months.
Microsoft is also deprecating legacy printer drivers
In addition to 3D Viewer, Microsoft confirmed that it’s deprecating legacy printer drivers, which won’t affect most consumers, but it’s still worth noting.
In an updated roadmap, Microsoft says Windows 11 no longer supports V3 and V4 printer drivers if you installed the January 2026 optional (KB5074105). This means older printers that still use the V3 or V4 driver won’t connect or work after the update. In that case, you’ll need to upgrade your printer (buy new hardware) or ask the OEM for help.
Over the past few years, Microsoft dropped support for several Windows apps or features, including WordPad, Legacy DRM services, Suggested Actions, and Cortana, among others.
