Selection tools cannot work in MS Paint

Link Hwang 0 Reputation points
2026-07-20T01:43:02.36+00:00

The selection tool in MS Paint isn't working. Every time I try to select something, the app freezes.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings
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  1. Hendrix-V 16,350 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-22T04:22:59.3566667+00:00

    Hi Link Hwang,

    If MS Paint only becomes unresponsive when using the Selection tool, the issue may be related to a specific image, display rendering, or a user-profile setting rather than the Selection feature itself.

    You can try these quick checks:

    1. Open Paint and test the Selection tool on a new blank image.
    2. If it works normally, check whether the issue only occurs with a particular image file.
    3. Update or reinstall the graphics driver from your PC manufacturer's support website.
    4. Test Paint from a different Windows user account to see if the behavior is profile-specific.

    These steps can help narrow down whether the problem is tied to a specific file, your current Windows profile, or the graphics environment.

    If the issue continues, please let us know more information as suggested by the Independent Advisor and we'll be glad to help you investigate further. Thanks for your effort.


    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. John DeV 167K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-07-20T02:32:36.6633333+00:00

    Hi, good day!

    To help me narrow down the exact cause, could you tell me

    • When was the last time it worked properly?
    • Have you made any changes to your computer recently?

    Let's try to Repair or Reset the Paint app

    Press Start then search Paint

    Right click it then select App settings

    Click Terminate > Repair > Reset

    I look forward to receiving your update and I'm willing to collaborate with you till we resolve the issue. Do keep me informed by clicking "Add comment" below.

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