Microsoft to keep Paint program after 'outpouring of support' from fans

— -- Microsoft said it would keep developing its Paint program on Monday amid fears that the 32-year-old application might be killed off in the next Windows 10 update.

Last week, the tech firm placed Paint on a list of "deprecated" applications, meaning it was no longer "in active development and might be removed” from future versions of its flagship Windows 10 operating system.

Fans of the iconic app were outraged and took to social media to voice their anguish.

But Microsoft downplayed the concerns in a statement late Monday, noting that the component would not be removed completely.

"Today, we've seen an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint. If there's anything we learned, it's that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans," Megan Saunders, Microsoft’s general manager of the 3D for Everyone initiative, wrote in a blog post Monday. “It's been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app.”

The company said Paint will no longer be a default part of Windows going forward, but it will make it available for free on its app store.

But that means some office workers might have to go through their system administrators gain access to the app.

"Amidst today's commentary around MS Paint we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, clear up some confusion and share some good news," Saunders wrote. "MS Paint is here to stay, it will just have a new home soon, in the Windows Store where it will be available for free."