Microsoft Retires Internet Explorer, Paint 3D, Groove Music, and More: A Windows Migration Guide

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Microsoft has quietly closed another chapter of Windows history by retiring a clutch of familiar apps — Internet Explorer, Paint 3D, Movies & TV (storefront), Groove Music’s streaming service, and the legacy Mail app — each disappearance reflecting a larger strategy to consolidate services, cut maintenance overhead, and push users toward fewer, more unified experiences.

Background​

Microsoft’s pattern of retiring apps is both deliberate and pragmatic. Over the past decade the company has consolidated overlapping services (web browsers, music storefronts, media players, and simple productivity apps) into a smaller set of flagship products: Microsoft Edge, Outlook (new), and a tighter set of Store/Windows experiences. That strategy reduces fragmentation and packaging costs, but it also forces transitions for users, breaks some long-standing workflows, and raises questions about digital ownership and backward compatibility.
The timeline of the most salient retirements discussed here is clear: Internet Explorer was formally retired as a desktop browser in mid‑2022, with its compatibility mode living on inside Edge; Paint 3D was removed from the Microsoft Store in November 2024; Groove Music Pass streaming ended around the end of 2017 with playlist migration support to Spotify; Microsoft ended support for the classic Mail/Calendar/People apps on December 31, 2024; and Movies & TV storefront purchases and rentals were closed to new sales on July 18, 2025. These dates are not guesses — Microsoft and multiple independent outlets recorded these transitions, and community reporting has tracked their effects. (learn.microsoft.com, blogs.windows.com, theverge.com, support.microsoft.com, pcgamer.com)

Why Microsoft is pruning apps: consolidation, security, and economics​

Microsoft’s motives are a mix of technical and commercial logic.
  • Lower maintenance costs: Every app left in the product line requires updates, security patches, and QA across many Windows builds and hardware configurations. Consolidation reduces that surface area.
  • Better security posture: Older codebases accumulate vulnerabilities. Retiring an app, or replacing it with a modern, actively supported alternative, reduces long‑term risk.
  • Platform focus and partnerships: Where Microsoft can’t compete (for example, music streaming), it partners (Spotify) or removes the offering, shepherding users elsewhere.
  • Cloud-first strategy: The shift toward web-based services and Microsoft 365 means desktop apps that don’t integrate into Microsoft’s cloud strategy look less essential.
This consolidation yields benefits — fewer confusing duplicate apps, faster feature rollout in centralized products, and tighter integration for Microsoft 365 customers — but there are trade‑offs. Users lose small, focused utilities that were simple and reliable. Enterprises face migration costs when legacy workflows rely on retired features. And owners of DRM‑protected content worry about long‑term access if storefronts disappear.

Internet Explorer — the godfather retires, but legacy support survives in Edge​

A quick history​

Internet Explorer (IE) once dominated the web, bundled into Windows since 1995 and at times commanding more than 90% market share. Over time, modern web engines overtook IE in speed, standards support, and security, and Microsoft pivoted to Edge (first EdgeHTML, then Chromium‑based Edge) as its primary browser. The IE desktop application was officially retired for many Windows versions on June 15, 2022, and Microsoft has since channeled legacy compatibility into IE mode inside Edge so businesses can keep old intranet and line‑of‑business apps working. (learn.microsoft.com, blogs.windows.com)

What this means for users and admins​

  • For most consumers, retirement of IE is benign: Edge is the supported, modern browser.
  • Enterprises with legacy Internet‑Explorer‑dependent web apps should configure IE mode in Edge; Microsoft supports IE mode through at least 2029 and promises a one‑year notice before IE mode itself is retired. (learn.microsoft.com)
  • If an organization fails to plan, internal applications could break after browsers or OS updates disable legacy hooks. Admins should inventory IE dependencies and prioritize migration or modernization.

Alternatives and cleanup​

  • Migrate to standards‑compliant code or use Edge’s IE mode as an interim compatibility layer. For public browsing, modern Chromium or Firefox engines provide better performance and security.

Paint 3D — an ambitious experiment that never became mainstream​

What Paint 3D promised​

Launched with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Paint 3D aimed to democratize simple 3D creation — model quick objects, apply textures, and share creations — bringing a playful, low‑barrier entry into 3D design for students and hobbyists.

Why it failed to stick​

  • The core Windows audience largely kept using classic Paint for quick tasks and turned to professional tools like Blender for serious 3D work.
  • The consumer 3D/VR/AR market never reached the ubiquity Microsoft anticipated, and usage remained niche.
  • Microsoft quietly deprecated Paint 3D and removed it from the Microsoft Store in November 2024, recommending users adopt 3D Viewer or the updated Paint/Photos apps for simpler scenarios. (theverge.com)

User impact and alternatives​

  • If you used Paint 3D for casual 3D tinkering, switch to 3D Viewer, Blender, or other 3D tools. For quick 2D doodles, classic Paint or other lightweight editors remain available.
  • Any community projects or files created in Paint 3D should be exported to standard 3D formats (GLTF, OBJ) for long‑term access.

Movies & TV (storefront) — purchases and rentals pulled; playback preserved (for now)​

What changed​

On July 18, 2025, Microsoft stopped selling and renting movies and TV shows through the Microsoft Store and Xbox storefronts. The purchase UI was removed, leaving only access to previously purchased content. Microsoft recommends customers look to services like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, or Movies Anywhere (where supported) for future purchases. Independent reporting described this move as sudden and part of a wider industry trend away from platform‑specific digital storefronts. (pcgamer.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Why it matters​

  • Digital ownership anxiety: When a vendor closes a storefront, users worry about access to previously purchased DRM‑protected content in the long term. Microsoft currently still allows playback and HD downloads of past purchases on supported devices, but no refunds or migrations are automatically offered. (pcgamer.com)
  • Migration options: Where available, Movies Anywhere can consolidate purchases across participating vendors; otherwise, users should back up any allowed downloads and confirm playback options on other devices.

Practical guidance​

  • If you own content in Movies & TV, confirm you can still play and (if permitted) download those files on your Windows or Xbox devices.
  • Back up any non‑DRM files immediately.
  • If your purchased content is DRM‑locked to Microsoft’s storefront, document titles and check whether participating services (e.g., Movies Anywhere) can accept transfers in your region.
Warning: The long‑term survivability of DRM‑protected libraries depends on vendor commitments. The safest strategy is to maintain multiple backups of any content you legitimately own outside of a single vendor ecosystem.

Groove Music — a streaming experiment surrendered to Spotify​

The timeline​

What began as Zune Music → Xbox Music → Groove Music ultimately ended its streaming ambitions in late 2017. Microsoft announced on October 2, 2017, that Groove Music Pass streaming would be discontinued and that users could transfer playlists to Spotify; streaming and music storefront functionality ceased by the end of 2017/January 1, 2018. Microsoft continued to support playback of owned content and OneDrive‑stored music for a while afterward. (blogs.windows.com, theverge.com)

Why Groove lost​

  • Groove could not match Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming services on catalog size, device reach, or social features.
  • Microsoft concluded a partnership with Spotify was a more practical outcome than competing head‑on.

Consequences and alternatives​

  • Streaming users were guided to migrate playlists to Spotify; local music management continued in the Groove/WMP ecosystem long after.
  • For local playback, users moved to Windows Media Player, VLC, Nora, or other third‑party players. For streaming, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music are the obvious replacements. (support.microsoft.com, en.wikipedia.org)

Mail (Mail & Calendar & People) — minimalism replaced by a unified Outlook​

What happened​

Microsoft ended official support for the legacy Mail, Calendar, and People apps on December 31, 2024. After that date, those apps could no longer send or receive messages; Microsoft directed users to the new Outlook for Windows and provided guidance to export and migrate local data. Microsoft’s support pages and community reporting documented the timeline and migration advice. (support.microsoft.com)

Why Microsoft made the move​

  • Reduces duplicate client maintenance and pushes users toward a single, unified mail and calendar experience integrated with Microsoft 365.
  • The new Outlook promises richer features, deeper cloud integration, and the ability to roll out updates more rapidly via the Store.

What users should do now​

  • Export local mail and contacts from Mail/People (Microsoft docs outline the steps). (support.microsoft.com)
  • Install Outlook (new) from the Microsoft Store or use Outlook.com for web access.
  • If you prefer third‑party clients, export your data to standard formats and import into Thunderbird, Mailspring, or another client. Community resources have step‑by‑step guides to assist the transition.

The bigger picture: benefits, risks, and recommended user actions​

Notable strengths of Microsoft’s pruning strategy​

  • Security and performance: Fewer legacy apps means fewer unpatched codebases and a smaller attack surface.
  • Faster innovation: Concentrating development effort on flagship products allows Microsoft to iterate more quickly.
  • Clearer product map: Consumers and enterprises get a more predictable set of supported experiences.

Significant risks and user pain points​

  • Data portability and DRM: Storefront closures risk making purchased content harder to access in the long run. Movies & TV’s storefront shutdown is a prime example. (pcgamer.com)
  • Loss of simple, low‑friction apps: Many users valued the lightweight simplicity of apps like Mail or classic Paint; replacements are often more feature‑rich but also more complex.
  • Enterprise compatibility headaches: Some businesses still rely on dated web technologies and internal apps that worked only in IE; relying on IE mode is a temporary fix, not a long‑term solution. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical checklist for Windows users and administrators​

  • Inventory dependencies: Identify users, scripts, or systems tied to apps being retired (IE, Mail, Movies & TV, etc.).
  • Export and back up: Immediately export local email, calendar and contact data; back up any non‑DRM media files you own. (support.microsoft.com, pcgamer.com)
  • Plan migrations:
  • For email: Move to new Outlook, Outlook.com, or a third‑party client; import exported mailboxes.
  • For media: Use cross‑platform services (Movies Anywhere where supported) or local backup for purchased videos.
  • For legacy web apps: Migrate web apps to modern standards or run them in Edge IE mode with a plan to replace them within the support window. (learn.microsoft.com, pcgamer.com)
  • Test before you flip the switch: In enterprise environments, pilot migrations with a subset of users to find breakages before organization‑wide changes.

Case studies and real consequences​

  • When Microsoft retired Internet Explorer in 2022, some corporate intranet apps broke until admins configured IE mode or modernized those apps. That costly cleanup underscores why IT teams must plan ahead rather than hope for indefinite compatibility. (learn.microsoft.com)
  • Groove Music customers benefited from a migration option to Spotify, which left many users unbothered — but that outcome depended on Microsoft’s partnership approach rather than an automatic transfer of ownership. The ease of migration to Spotify was unusual; not all retirements offer user-friendly paths. (blogs.windows.com, support.microsoft.com)
  • The Movies & TV storefront shutdown highlights an uncomfortable reality: even purchased digital video assets can become fragile when vendors change strategy. Microsoft currently allows playback of past purchases, but long‑term access depends on the vendor’s infrastructure and DRM arrangements. Users with significant purchased libraries should preserve any allowed downloads and document library contents immediately. (pcgamer.com)

A cautionary note about unverifiable claims​

Some narrative claims — for example, projected dates for future retirements beyond officially stated timelines, or promises about conversion tools that haven’t been formally launched — can be speculative. Whenever a claim cannot be corroborated by Microsoft documentation or reputable independent reporting, treat it as provisional and proceed cautiously. If a migration depends on a third‑party offering or a region‑specific service (like Movies Anywhere), confirm availability and compatibility in your country before relying on it.

Final analysis: consolidation is sensible — but users deserve smoother exits​

Microsoft’s app retirements signal a company choosing scale, security, and a consolidated product map over a sprawling catalog of niche utilities. For many mainstream users the changes improve consistency: Edge replaces IE for everyday browsing, Outlook consolidates email and calendar, and Spotify/other streaming services handle music. Those moves are logical.
However, the cost of that logic lands on users who relied on the little apps for their simplicity or on organizations with legacy dependencies. Microsoft’s pattern is pragmatic for the company, but it places the burden of migration, archival, and compatibility on customers — which can be expensive, time‑consuming, or technically difficult.
To reduce disruption:
  • Act early: Export data and test new apps.
  • Treat DRM purchases as potentially transient: Back them up where permitted and document holdings.
  • Plan enterprise modernizations: Rewriting or containerizing legacy web apps is far cheaper than emergency remediation later.
These retirements are a reminder that in a cloud‑driven world, software availability is a managed commodity — powerful, convenient, and sometimes fleeting. Users and IT teams that treat changes as inevitable and prepare in advance will pay the lowest price when Microsoft shutters another door and opens a newer, more consolidated one.

Quick reference: key dates and takeaways​

  • Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retired for many Windows 10 builds on June 15, 2022; Edge’s IE mode supported through at least 2029. (learn.microsoft.com, blogs.windows.com)
  • Paint 3D removed from the Microsoft Store and deprecated in November 2024; users steered to 3D Viewer or other 3D tools. (theverge.com)
  • Groove Music Pass streaming service discontinued at the end of 2017 (Groove streaming support ended Jan 1, 2018); playlist migrations to Spotify were provided. (blogs.windows.com, support.microsoft.com)
  • Support for Windows Mail, Calendar, and People ended on December 31, 2024; Microsoft directed users to the new Outlook for Windows and provided export/import guidance. (support.microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft stopped new purchases and rentals in the Movies & TV storefront on July 18, 2025; previously purchased content remains accessible for now, but refunds and transfers are limited. (pcgamer.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Microsoft’s pruning will continue to create winners and losers: winners who gain tighter integration and modernized tooling, and losers who must migrate data or contend with broken workflows. The practical takeaway for Windows users is simple and durable: inventory your dependencies, back up your data, and migrate early — because when Microsoft says “retired,” it usually means the old app will soon be gone for good.
Source: MakeUseOf RIP to these 5 Microsoft apps
 
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