Just hours after social media broke out in mourning over the imminent demise of Windows mainstay MS Paint, Microsoft announced that it wouldn't be killing off the 32-year-old art program after all.

Paint was earmarked to be "deprecated" in an upcoming update for Windows 10, meaning it would no longer be actively developed as a part of the operating system. While this is still the case, Microsoft now says it will offer the software as a free download should anyone want to keep using it.

Paint's time as a default Windows Tool is up, but it will still be around if you need it. Credit:Microsoft

"If there's anything we learned, it's that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans. It's been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app", the company said in a blog following the internet outcry.

"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.".