These free photo editors are the best of the best and will get you just as good results as the expensive Adobe Photoshop.
Top 10 Best Free Video Editing Software in 2018 for Mac Users Many people are looking of free Mac video editing software since they have tons of videos and are eager to edit the videos either for better presentation or preservation.
The free photo editors below have tons of features and tools that you let you change or enhance your photos in just about any way you can imagine. You can also customize the interface of many of the programs so you can get the perfect working environment for you.
This list includes free photo editors that you have probably heard of as well as some hidden gems that for sure are worth checking out.
If you're looking for more options for free photo editors, maybe a free online photo editor will have what you need; you can use one in your web browser without having to download the software. To edit photos on your phone or tablet, a free photo editing app is what you need. If you only want to resize some photos, there are resources for that, too.
GIMP
What We Like
Similar to Photoshop in interface and capabilities.
Add-ons, including those created for Photoshop, add great functionality.
Generate files in all common image formats.
What We Don't Like
Interface not as sleek or pleasing as Photoshop.
Can be a bit buggy.
Lacks layer grouping, adjustment layers, and some other common Photoshop elements.
GIMP is likely the most popular free photo editor program. It's full of professional features and provides a very friendly and flexible interface.
The toolbox, layers, and brushes panes of GIMP are separated from the main canvas so you can truly adjust how you want to work without losing any of the features you need access to.
Various input devices are supported, add-ons can be installed to extend GIMP's functionality, and file formats like TIFF, PSD, PNG, JPEG, and GIF are supported.
There are tutorials on the GIMP website if you need help along the way. You can learn about layer masks, asset folders, brushes, and more.
GIMP works with Windows (10 down through 7), Linux, and Mac operating systems.
Paint.NET
What We Like
Lots of plug-ins available.
Clean, easy-to-use interface.
Good choice for intermediate users.
What We Don't Like
Windows only.
Lacks some advanced and commonly used features, such as burn and dodge.
Similar to GIMP, Paint.NET provides the ability to move its window panes around to customize the interface to your liking. Paint.NET also provides plug-ins to support new file formats and add new effects.
Included are layers, effects, and a whole host of basic and advanced things like a clone stamp, pencil, text maker, and paintbrush tool.
Several image file formats like BMP, JPEG, TGA, and DDS are supported.
Inkscape
What We Like
Cross-platform compatibility.
Large, active community; lots of help and tutorials available.
Excels at detailed drawing and line-specific editing.
What We Don't Like
No PMS or CMYK color support.
Sizeable learning curve.
Rendering can take a while.
Inkscape is a vector graphics editor, more akin to Illustrator as opposed to a photo manipulation package, but still has a lot of useful features.
The interface can be a bit cluttered but that's only evidence of the vast number of tools it includes. Nearly all the tools you'll be using often are planted along both sides of Inkscape for easy access.
Circles, arcs, 3D boxes, ellipses, stars, spirals, and polygons can be created using Inkscape. You can also draw straight or freehand lines.
Tons of file types are supported both when opening and saving. Among many other useful features, you can work with layers, apply a huge number of filters to a picture, and use spell check along with the text tool.
Like most photo editing programs, Inkscape supports extensions.
Inkscape works with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Windows users can also download a portable version that's perfect for editing straight from a flash drive.
Adobe Photoshop Express
What We Like
Familiar interface for Photoshop users.
Control intensity of tool effects.
What We Don't Like
Limited format support.
Flash-based web access only.
Adobe has the free Photoshop Express program that you can use as a Photoshop alternative if you don't want to pay for their full software. Of course, it is missing some of Photoshop's features, so it's not as functional, but it still does a lot.
When you first open the Photoshop Express image editor, you can load an image from your computer or take a new one directly from your webcam. Once a photo is open in Photoshop Express, the menus on the left make it really easy to access all the one-click options like filters, crop tools, image corrections, the red eye remover tool, and more.
This photo editor also has borders, a spot healing brush for one-click touch-ups, effects like grain and fade, and a noise reducer. There's also a button you can click to quickly see the original photo for comparison with your edits.
Something really great about this image editor that you won't find in some similar programs is that with nearly every tool, you have full control over the intensity. This means you can slide a bar left or right to decrease or increase a tool's effect to get it just right.
Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Android, and iOS users can install Photoshop Express.
Krita Desktop
What We Like
Quick access to full-screen mode.
Particularly well-suited for comics and manga.
Lots of well-designed tools and brushes.
What We Don't Like
Cluttered interface.
Tool settings not easily accessible.
Lacks some features of other programs.
Krita Desktop is really easy to work with and is certainly an advanced image editor. Like some of these other programs, you can work with layers in addition to many other tools located in a floating toolbox off to the side of the program.
There are plenty of other features available as well, such as brushes and blending modes, advanced selection, and masking tools, drawing aids, filters, symmetry tools, and effects.
One thing worth mentioning is that, with the press of the Tab key, you can maximize the canvas to fit your entire screen, getting rid of all the menus and tools so you can have a huge space for working without any distractions.
Krita Desktop works with Windows (7 and newer), Linux, and Mac (10.12 and newer). There's also a portable version for Windows.
InPixio Photo Editor
What We Like
Broad format compatibility.
User-friendly interface.
What We Don't Like
Trial version applies watermarks to images.
Windows only.
The string has to be entered into the interface and the output string can be obtained immediately. You can also see How to Install MD5 Hash Generator? Hash tag app for mac. Decryption of hash is tough when a complicated string is entered and multiple lines can be entered.
This free photo editor from InPixio is designed for simplicity, but that doesn't mean it's void of helpful features. The program itself is easy to understand and navigate, and you can do everything from add frames and designs to crop, change the brightness, and more.
With the one-click presets and frames, a before and after view, and easy-to-access editing tools, you can finish editing in no time and even share your picture directly on Facebook or Flickr from the Share menu.
If you like how you've edited something and want to apply those same edits to another photo, it's as easy as making a custom preset.
Lots of image file types can be opened in this program, and if saving to your computer, you can pick from JPG, PNG, TIFF, JXR, and WDP.
If you need help using this photo editor, you can refer to their online tutorials.
Some features are only available in the premium version; those are marked off in the program with a large 'Premium' banner.
InPixio Photo Editor runs on Windows computers, iPhone, and iPad.
Pixia
What We Like
Compatibile with common file formats.
Open files directly from clipboard, camera, and scanner.
Rich enough in features to satisfy advanced artists.
What We Don't Like
Interface is outdated.
Windows only.
Pixia has an outdated and unappealing interface, but the functions and tools aren't at all undesirable for a free photo editor.
Layers and layer masks are supported, as well as creating shapes, selecting objects, and common photo editing tasks like changing the color adjustment and tone balance, color filling, and selecting from different paint brushes.
All the standard image file formats can be opened with Pixia including those with Photoshop's PSD extension. Images can even be opened directly from the clipboard, a camera, or a scanner.
Artweaver Free
What We Like
Full-featured and easy to use.
Supports layers.
Good variety of brushes and effects.
What We Don't Like
Photoshop plugins and screen playback work only with premium version.
No Mac version.
Artweaver manages to include tons of useful image editing tools in an easy to use program. It has a tabbed interface to avoid clutter, supports using pen tablets, and works with some of the most popular image file formats, such as JPEG and PSD.
Standard editing tools like a crop, text, paint bucket, and gradient tool, among others, are included, but Artweaver also lets you save and replay events, use brushes, create and work with layers, customize the layout of the palettes, and import images directly from a scanner or camera, among other things.
The screen mode can be changed from regular to fullscreen to have even more room to edit images.
PhotoScape
What We Like
Easy to use.
Compatible with both Windows and macOS.
What We Don't Like
Lacks functionality typical of other programs.
Can be slow.
Only PhotoScape X still gets updated.
PhotoScape has several sections at the top of the program where you can open different tools to perform different actions. Viewer, Editor, Combine and Animated GIF are just some of PhotoScape's sections.
The editing feature has dozens of frames to choose from, each with the option to round the corners and adjust the margin and frame line settings of the frame.
You can also add objects and text and crop an image freely or use one of several presets (e.g., 16:9, Legal Ratio, and US business card ratio).
Macbook tool kit. The ATKMAC2 is Silverhill Tools largest tool kit for iDevice and Mac products. Including 21 pieces, it is a useful kit that helps with doing many of the routine tasks associated with ownership of Apple products. ATKMM2 Tool Kit for Mac Mini Computers 2014, 2015, 2016, for teardown opening repair of your mac including Hard drive Logic board removal, power supply, fan, antenna and more. By Silvehrill Tools. $8.99 $ 8 99 Prime (4-5 days) FREE Shipping. 3.9 out of 5 stars 17. Forensic tools for your Mac In 34th episode of the Digital Forensic Survival Podcast Michael Leclair talks about his favourite tools for OS X forensics. He presents a wide list of forensic tools, which can be used for solving common problems, such as imaging, file.
Some more tools included in PhotoScape is a red-eye remover, clone stamp tool, spot remover, paintbrush, and, among others, an effect brush (like grayscale, blur, darken, and brighten).
With each tool you select, a description of what it does and how to use it is displayed to the right, which is very helpful and not usually a feature included in programs like this.
PhotoScape is available for Windows 8–XP while PhotoScape X is for Windows 10 and macOS.
Unfortunately, another program attempts to install during setup, but you can easily skip this by deselecting it.
CinePaint
What We Like
Very powerful, despite being free.
Works with images and videos.
What We Don't Like
No Mac version.
Infrequently updated.
CinePaint's interface is very mundane, colorless, and boring, but that doesn't mean the tools aren't useful because they are.
Layers are supported so you can overlay images on each other, change their blend mode, and edit their opacity. You also get a selection tool with CinePaint, among many other common tools.
The first thing you'll notice when you use CinePaint is that when you're opening a photo to edit, you're unable to preview it to know that you're selecting the correct one, which is too bad.
Painting software has come a long way in recent years, and there are now superb programs available completely free that offer a realistic simulation of watercolors, oils, pastels, charcoal, and more.
These free tools work well with a mouse, but are even better with a stylus or touchscreen for direct control over your virtual brushes and pens.
Some of the latest painting software also lets you work in three dimensions, creating your own models and then applying your own textures and paint effects. You can combine these with 2D sketched elements to create scenes, and even print them in 3D.
Here, we’ve picked out the very best drawing software for Windows. Some of these tools are designed for serious illustrators, while others are better for keeping children occupied without the mess of real painting. There’s something for everyone – the only limits are your imagination and skill.
Best Paint Tools For Windows
1. Krita
Top-quality free painting software, completely free for all artists
Krita is professional-quality painting software created by a team of artists with the noble aim of putting top-notch creative tools within reach of everyone.
You can use Krita for any kind of drawing and illustration, but it's particularly great for comics and manga. There are panel templates, halftone filters, and perspective tools in addition to the usual brushes, fills and pens. Each brush is totally customizable, and you can save your bespoke brushes to use again later.
Right-clicking anywhere on the canvas in Krita will bring up a selection wheel that lets you pick a new tool and select a colour in seconds – a system that's much easier than trawling through menus and settings
Krita was created by artists for artists, and it shows in the dozens of thoughtful little touches that make it easier to create great paintings. There are handy drawing aids for creating straight lines, vanishing points and smooth shapes. You also get layers, masks, various transform tools, HDR support, and advanced selection functions.
Krita is an incredibly powerful painting program, and it's yours to download and use completely free.
2. Artweaver Free
Realistic traditional media, with a huge selection of brushes
Artweaver Free enables you to create beautifully realistic digital paintings by taking input – from your mouse, a stylus or, if you have a touchscreen PC, from whatever you feel like tapping the screen with – and applying ultra-realistic brush effects.
In addition to familiar brushes such as conte brushes, calligraphy pens and airbrushes you also get a huge range of patterns and pens, enabling you to produce very complex images with the minimum of effort. It’s layer-based too, so you can build up your masterpiece in layers without losing the ability to change anything.
Artweaver Free designed for artists of all ages, but we’ve found it particularly useful for children. Kids love experimenting with all the different brushes, and we love not having to clean up any mess afterwards.
3. Microsoft Paint 3D
Kid-friendly art software for making and painting 3D models
Free Paint App For Macbook Pro
Like the classic version of Microsoft Paint (which is was originally intended to replace), Paint 3D offers a small selection of drawing tools for doodling on a flat canvas. However, the real fun happens when you click the 3D Objects button. Here you can pick a model to import (current choices include people and animals), or better yet, draw your own shape and ‘inflate’ it to turn it into a three-dimensional model that can be rotated and viewed from different angles.
You can choose a finish for your shape (options include matte, gloss, dull metal, and polished metal), paint its surface, and apply lighting effects. There’s no way to control the thickness of the 3D effect, so your object will always resemble something created with Puff Paints, but it’s great fun for kids of all ages.
Multiple models can be positioned at different depths and combined to create a scene, and you can even bring doodles into the real world if you have access to a 3D printer.
4. Microsoft Fresh Paint
Another child-friendly app from Microsoft, with convincing brushes
Fresh Paint is another art app from Microsoft – this time designed to replicate the feeling of putting brush or pen to paper.
The interface really goes to town with skeumorphism, with a plastic palette of colours that splatter when you dip your virtual brush, showing which shade you’re currently using and making a pleasing splat. You can wash the bristles in a cup of water before picking a different color, or use one immediately after another to blend them together on the brush.
Fresh Paint can simulate watercolors, gouache, and all kinds of other material. As the name implies, you can interact with your work as though it’s not yet dry, smearing it and mixing colors together on the canvas.
Experienced artists will be able to achieve great results with tools that behave like their real-life counterparts, while kids and novices will make an equally realistic mess.
5. MyPaint
Open source software for artists with time to master a new tool
MyPaint is the brainchild of artist Martin Renold, who was frustrated by the limitations of his Wacom tablet’s proprietary software and decided to take matters into his own hands. Today, the open source software is an accomplished tool for serious artists.
Its background as a Linux app means MyPaint works a little differently to most Windows apps, and it’ll take a little while to master its interface, but it’s well worth the effort if you’re a hobbyist illustrator and Krita’s focus on comics means it doesn’t quite fit your needs.
MyPaint works best when used with a graphics tablet, but you can also use it with any other input device, including touchscreens.
There’s the usual selection of customizable brushes, plus support for layers, and a handy scratchpad for creating sketches. You can also download and install additional brush packages created by other users – a perk of the source code being publicly available.
- Take a look at our roundup of the best free photo editors