Paint.NET has been updated and according to its author no longer needs .NET installed. See https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118660-paintnet-43-is-now-available/, "no more .NET to install!". It also now has portable zips for download, but not in PortableApps format.
Given these updates, is it possible to create a PortableApps installer for Paint.NET?
Many thanks
Unfortunately, it's a bit worse. The new approach will work on a fully updated Windows 8.1, 10, and 11 machine. It won't work on Windows 7 SP1 without manually downloading Platform Update for Windows 7 which requires admin rights and a reboot. It won't work at all on Windows 7 SP1 or 8.0.
I think the publisher went through all this to support ARM, which seems a bit odd since Windows on ARM is basically useless at the moment.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
...but three steps back. OK, thanks. We wait and hope.
--
JP Coetzee
The Paint.NET github repo now provide official portable version (zip file) with explanation.
https://github.com/paintdotnet/release/releases
Available format : x86 platform, x64 platform, arm64 platform.
Note : For Win 7 and 8/8.1, you need to previously manually install .NET 6.0 framework if they are not up-to-date (the link to do so is also provided).