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Paint Cannot Save this File: How to Fix this Error for Good
Learn what you need to do get Paint working again
3 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Paint is an accessory included in almost every Windows platform, but it doesn’t always save files.
For some Paint users saving changes to images, the desktop app has returned an error message stating: Paint cannot save this file. Save was interrupted, so your file has not been saved.
Then you can’t edit or save the picture open in the image editor when that error message pops up. These are a few ways you can fix the Save was interrupted error.
How can I fix the Paint cannot save this file error?
1. Use Windows Picture and Fax Viewer (Photos)
This issue is more frequent for pictures with the Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) that have file sizes between 63 KB and 66 KB.
Microsoft has an official Picture and Fax Viewer fix, or workaround, that’s more specifically for fixing the issue for EXIF images in Windows XP.
Note that Picture and Fax Viewer in XP is essentially Photos in more recent platforms.
2. Unblock the Image File
The official fix is primarily for Paint in Windows XP, but it might still work with Photo Viewer. However, the Save was interrupted error is certainly not limited to XP. Paint users have also had the same issue in more recent Windows platforms with various image file formats.
Unblocking the image is an alternative potential fix. That’s especially the case if you’ve imported or downloaded the file.
Then the file-saving error could be due to Alternative Data Streams blocking the picture file if you have an NTFS (New Technology File System) hard drive. This is how you can fix blocked image files.
Those are two fixes for Paint cannot save this file error. It’s worth noting that Microsoft is replaced Paint with Paint 3D in Windows 10, but the app is back in Windows 11.
Similarly, ifPaint 3D is not saving picturesbecause something went wrong, check our detailed guide to fix it.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.
Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.
He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.
In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.
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Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.
