Organizing Your Paint 3D Projects: Folders

Paint 3D is a graphic design software that comes pre-installed in Windows 10 and is available for free on the Microsoft Store. It allows users to create and edit 3D models, 2D images, and drawings. One common issue with Paint 3D is that it does not allow users to specify the folder where they want to save their projects, which can make it difficult to locate saved projects. In this article, we will discuss how to move a Paint 3D project into a folder of your choice.

Paint 3D files are saved in the Pictures folder by default

Paint 3D is a free application developed by Microsoft that allows users to create, edit, and share 3D models. The default save location for Paint 3D files is the LocalState folder of the Microsoft Paint 3D package. This folder is typically located in the following directory: %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState.

When you open the LocalState folder, you will find your saved Paint 3D projects. To open a specific project, simply double-click on the project file, and it will launch in Paint 3D. If you wish to import a Paint 3D project into another program, you can export it as a different file format, such as a 3D model or a 2D image. To do this, open the desired Paint 3D project and click on the "Menu" button in the top left corner of the screen. From the menu, select "Export" and then choose the desired file format and save location.

It is worth noting that the default file location for Paint 3D exports is different from where the application saves its files. Paint 3D exports files to the Pictures folder on your computer or OneDrive by default. However, when saving files within the application, Paint 3D does not offer a "Browse" option to select a custom location. Instead, it saves files directly to the default location.

If you want to change the default save location for your Paint 3D projects, you can do so through the application's settings. Open Paint 3D and click on the Menu button (three dots) in the top-right corner. From the drop-down menu, select "Settings," then click on the "General" tab. Scroll down to the "Files" section and click on the "Change" button. Choose the new location where you want to save your files and confirm by selecting the "Select Folder" button.

You can change the default save location in settings

When you create a new project in Paint 3D, the program automatically saves it to your local hard drive by default. The default save location for Paint 3D files is the Pictures folder (C:\Users\UserName\Pictures\3D Objects). However, you can change the default save location in settings.

To change the default save location for Paint 3D files, follow these steps: Open Paint 3D and click on the menu button (three dots) in the top-right corner of the window. From the drop-down menu, select “Settings”. In the Settings window, click on the “General” tab. Under the “Default save location” section, click on the “Change” button. Navigate to the folder where you want to save your Paint 3D files and click on “Select Folder”. After following these steps, all your future Paint 3D files will be saved to the new default location.

If you want to save your projects to the cloud, you can save your Paint 3D projects to OneDrive, a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft. This is a great option if you want to access your files from different devices or share them with others.

Additionally, you can export your Paint 3D files as another format and save those instead. For example, you can save your project as a "3D Model" and change the file type to ".3mf". This file type works best when opening with Paint 3D and will retain the same appearance as when you were working on it.

Projects can be saved locally or on OneDrive

When you create a new project in Paint 3D, the program automatically saves it to your local hard drive by default. This means that your projects are saved in the local app data folder on your computer. To access this folder, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, then type %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState and press Enter. You can also go directly to the folder where your projects are saved by copying and pasting the following location: %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Projects.

However, if you want to save your projects to a specific folder on your computer, you'll need to export and save them as image files. To do this, click on the "Menu" button in the Paint 3D toolbar, select "Save as," choose "Image" under "Save as copy," and then select the desired image format (such as JPEG or 3MF). After that, you can choose the location on your computer where you want to save the file.

Additionally, you have the option to save your Paint 3D projects to OneDrive, a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft. This is a convenient choice if you want to access your files from multiple devices or share them with others. If you have enabled OneDrive backup, your files will be automatically saved to the cloud. Otherwise, you will need to manually save them to OneDrive.

It's worth noting that Paint 3D files have the .3mf extension, so make sure to look for this file type when searching for your saved projects. Knowing where your Paint 3D files are saved is crucial to ensure easy access and prevent the frustration of losing your work.

Use Windows key + R to find projects in the local app data folder

To find projects in the local app data folder, you can use the Windows key + R shortcut to quickly open the Run app. In the Run app text box, enter "%AppData%" (without the quotation marks) and click OK. This will take you directly to the AppData folder, which is typically hidden by default in Windows File Explorer.

The AppData folder contains important application settings, files, and data unique to the applications on your Windows PC. Each Windows user account has its own AppData folder, and it includes three hidden sub-folders: Local, LocalLow, and Roaming.

The Local folder is used to store data specific to a single Windows system, meaning the data is not synced between multiple PCs. On the other hand, the Roaming folder is used to store data that will be synced across multiple Windows systems. This includes storing settings like bookmarks, saved passwords, and more.

By using the Windows key + R shortcut and navigating to the AppData folder, you can efficiently access and manage your local app data, including projects related to various applications installed on your Windows PC.

Remember, you might not need to access the AppData folder frequently, but it can be useful when creating backups of your application data or troubleshooting specific application issues.

Exporting and importing files is simple and allows for easy sharing

Paint 3D allows users to export and import files in various formats, making it simple to share projects with others. This can be done by first clicking on the "Menu" button in the top-left corner of the Paint 3D screen and then selecting "Save As" from the menu that appears. From there, you can choose the desired file format, such as JPEG, PNG, GIF, PBX, or 3MF, and select the location where you want to save the file.

If you want to export your 3D project from Paint 3D to a format compatible with 3D printing, such as .STL or .OBJ, you can do so by following a few additional steps. First, download and install the 3D Builder app from the Microsoft Store. Then, open your 3D model in Paint 3D, click on "Save," and select "Save As." Choose the "3D Model" option and select ".3MF" as the file format. Next, navigate to the location of the saved file, right-click on it, and select "Open With > 3D Builder." Make any necessary adjustments to your model, then click "Menu" and select "Save As" again. Finally, choose ".STL" or ".OBJ" from the "Save as type" drop-down menu and select the desired location to save your file.

When saving your projects, it's important to note that Paint 3D will not overwrite existing projects with the same name. Instead, it will create a new project with the same name. Therefore, it's recommended to choose unique names for your projects to avoid confusion. Additionally, if you don't manually select a folder for saving your projects, Paint 3D will store them in a default internal folder: %LocalAppData%\­Packages\­Microsoft.MSPaint_\­LocalState\­Projects.

To import files into Paint 3D, you can simply open the desired file format, such as images or 3D models, directly in the program. Paint 3D supports various file formats, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, PBX, and 3MF. This makes it easy to continue working on projects that were started in other software or to collaborate with others by sharing and editing each other's files.

Overall, the ability to export and import files in Paint 3D provides users with a straightforward way to share their creations with others and work on projects across different devices or software. By following the simple steps outlined above, users can efficiently manage their projects and collaborate effectively.

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