When Microsoft previewed Windows to InfoWorld magazine in 1983, two years before the now-ubiquitous operating system was first sold, the company showcased just one application: a pared-down painting program.

Now, more than three decades, billions of dollars and dozens of iterations later, Microsoft plans to stop developing that iconic Paint program, nudging it a step closer to death.

Microsoft announced last week that it will stop actively developing Paint starting with a fall update to Windows 10, its flagship operating system. As a result, Paint could be removed altogether in future updates: The once vital component is now vestigial.

In a statement, Microsoft played down the news, noting that Paint will continue to be available for free download and many of its features will remain in other places, including Paint 3D, a three-dimensional drawing application it unveiled last year.