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15 Best Free Photo Editing Software for Windows PC in 2023
Are you tired of scrolling through social media and feeling envious of others' amazingly beautiful photos? Don't let a lack of photography experience or editing knowledge hold you back. With the right free photo editing software, you can transform your pictures into works of art without spending a fortune.
We've done the research and gathered a list of the top 15 best free photo editing tools for Windows PC in 2023. These software options range from beginner-friendly to advanced, allowing you to edit your photos to your heart's desire. So why wait? Start sharing your memories on social media with confidence and join the photo editing revolution today!
- Top 3 Free Photo Editing Software Snapshot
- How to Choose the Best Free Photo Editing Software
- How We Test the Free Photo Editing Software on our List
- 15 Best Free Photo Editing Software for Windows PC in 2023
- Best Free Photo Editing Software Comparison Chart
- How to Edit a Photo
- Download the Best Photo Editing Software for Free
- Best Free Photo Editing Software FAQ
Top 3 Free Photo Editing Software Snapshot
1. PhotoDirector Essential - Best Overall
PhotoDirector Essential is the best free photo editing software available. It is an all-in-one tool for organizing and editing photos with an incredible mix of tools and unique features. Although it offers advanced features, PhotoDirector Essential remains very easy to use, with a variety of AI-powered tools to apply complicated-looking edits with a single click. Use AI to remove photobombers from images, restore blurry photos, or apply facial retouching to cherished portraits. PhotoDirector also has guided edits and plenty of tutorials to provide extra help when needed. Detailed Review >
2. Photoscape X - Best for Batch Editing Photos
Photoscape X is a free photo editing software with multiple functionalities, including a RAW image converter, photo viewer, screen capture device, and more. It comes with a range of ways for batch editing photos and color adjustment tools. Detailed Review >
3. Fotor - Best for Color Adjustment
Fotor is the best free photo editing software found online. It has a variety of color adjustments and color effects and is simple enough for first-time users to edit pictures with ease. Detailed Review >
How to Choose the Best Free Photo Editing Software
We’ve narrowed the field of suitable programs you can use to edit pictures, but how do you choose the very best free photo editing software for your needs? Below we have listed a few things to look out for in a free photo editor:
Overall Features
More is not always better. If you simply need free photo editing software to rotate and crop images, robust software with thousands of tools and design assets would be unnecessary. On the flip side, if you like to experiment with different filters and effects, you want free photo editing software that comes with those capabilities. The free photo editors on our list cover every type of need when it comes to editing photos, whether you need social-media-friendly templates, layer editing, text tools, or only the most basic tools. Explore the features for each to make sure the one you choose allows you to edit pictures the way you want.
Free Features
Of the free photo editing software on our list, some are completely free, some offer slightly pared-back free versions, and others are intended more as “try before you buy.” If you need a free photo editor, make sure the tools and features you use the most to edit pictures are available in the free version. If you are testing different platforms with the intention of purchasing in the future, make sure the premium version is within your budget before you spend time learning the free photo editing software.
Skill Level
It’s important to choose the best free photo editing software for your skill level. Even if you have aspirations of using professional software to edit pictures, you need to start out with a tool that is beginner-friendly. Otherwise, you could spend months trying to become familiar with a program and give up on your dreams of editing photos in frustration. And if you have more experience editing photos, don’t settle for a program that only offers easy, one-click solutions that allow little creative control.
How We Test the Free Photo Editing Software on our List
Why trust our opinion on the best free photo editing software? Below we discuss how we tested and ranked software to find the 15 best free photo editors.
Test Key Features
We edit pictures using all the key features of the software we review. We test the basic features found in every free photo editing software, so we can do a direct comparison. Then we try editing photos with the tools that make the software unique.
Compare Versions
When we test free photo editing software, we compare the free and premium versions to see what is included and what is reserved for only paid subscribers.
Analyze Reviews
We read as many critic reviews and user reviews as we can to get a good idea of how others view the free photo editing software. This helps us verify our tests. We use reviews from trusted sites to compile our rankings of the best free photo editing software.
15 Best Free Photo Editing Software for Windows PC in 2023
1. PhotoDirector Essential - Best Overall
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $3.33/month
PCMag Rating: 4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 5/5
Key Features
- AI-powered tools: Automatically enhance photos with AI-powered tools for professional-looking results with ease.
- AI facial recognition: Automatically find the people that mean the most in photos with AI facial recognition technology.
- Photo animations: Create fun and creative animations with your photos using incredibly easy-to-use photo tools.
- Automatic slideshow creator: Quickly create dynamic slideshows with just a few clicks using an automatic slideshow creator.
Who It’s For
PhotoDirector Essential is the best free photo editing software because it empowers creators of all experience levels to edit pictures into studio-quality masterpieces. It combines Lightroom's photo processing and organization functions with Photoshop's powerful editing, enhancement, and altering tools. Guided modules lower the learning curve, which in turn will help you produce high-quality photo effects in just a few clicks.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editing software comes with AI-powered tools that beginners and pros alike can use to quickly make edits that used to take hours to accomplish. Remove pesky objects and people with AI object removal and content-aware fill - which automatically fills in the missing part of the picture once an item has been removed. Restore old photographs with one click, remove blemishes, whiten teeth, apply blur effects, and much more. There are also tons of guided edits that hold your hand through every advanced effect, such as editing photos with layers or transforming 360° photos into panorama shots.
Bottom Line
PhotoDirector Essential is the best free photo editing software on this list. It is very beginner-friendly but also has all the advanced editing tools for more experienced editors. Not to mention, it’s always at the forefront of the latest photo trends and technology because of regular updates.
Download the best free photo editing software now and see why PCMag said it gives, “Adobe a run for its money…”
2. Photoscape X - Best for Batch Editing Photos
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
AlternativeTo Rating: 4.2/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5
Price: Free
*Pro version available for $39.99
Key Features:
- Panorama tool: Create stunning panoramic photos with ease using a built-in panorama tool in the photo editing software.
- Spot healing brush: Quickly and easily remove blemishes, spots, and other imperfections with a spot healing brush.
- Filters and effects: Enhance your photos with various filters and effects that can be easily applied to your images.
- Light leaks: Add a touch of vintage charm to your photos with light leak effects that emulate the look of old film cameras.
Who It’s For
We think Photoscape X is the best free photo editing software for anyone who needs to edit multiple images at once. While you can batch edit pictures using any of Photoscape’s tools, it comes with dedicated tools for the most common batch tools, such as Batch Resize, Batch Rename, and Batch Format Change.
Why We Picked It
This is not just a free photo editor, but also a photo viewer, GIF creator, screen capture device, RAW image converter, and more. It comes with several automatic color effects for editing photos, such as a color splash tool, selective color adjustments, and a color replacement effect.
Bottom Line
In our research, we found most users chose Photoscape X because it is so quick to use. However, the confusing layout makes it difficult to find the tools you need, adding extra time when editing photos. We also found it lacking in format support, and it froze when handling RAW files. That being said, this is very robust for free photo editing software, and beginner-friendly, as long as you put in the time to learn the layout.
3. Fotor - Best for Color Adjustment
Image from Fotor.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Web Browser
GetApp Rating: 4.2/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $8.99/month for Pro and $19.99/month for Pro+
Key Features
- RAW file converter: Convert RAW files into a more usable format with a built-in RAW file converter in the photo editing software.
- 1-Tap skin retouch: Instantly improve skin tones and remove blemishes with just one tap using the 1-tap skin retouch feature.
- Batch processing: Process multiple photos simultaneously with batch processing, saving time and effort.
- Blur tools: Add depth and focus to your photos with various blur tools, including radial and tilt-shift blur.
Who It’s For
We found Fotor to be one of the best free photo editing software for its range of color adjustment tools. Most of the color adjustment tools are available for free, including adjustments for shadows, temperature, tint, brightness, and even a few color splash effects. All of these tools are easy to use and offer adjustment sliders for precise edits. For those who prefer a one-click solution, many of Fotor’s preset filters are also available for free.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editing software is easy to navigate, and a first-time user would have no problem finding the features they need. Every tool you click on has an informative box that pops up and explains what the tool is, and how to use it.
Bottom Line
We like that you can easily see which tools are free and which are Premium. You can also try out all of the paid features, you just can’t download the image when you are done. In our test of all the features, we were disappointed with the image cutout and object removal tools. While many of the free photo editing software on our list, such as PhotoDirector, offer automatic versions of these tools, Fotor requires you to manually select the object, which ends in patchy results.
4. Pixlr - Best for Beginners
Compatibility: Windows, Web Browser
G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.90/month
Key Features
- Design templates: Create stunning designs with a variety of pre-made templates, perfect for a variety of projects.
- Picture collage maker: Easily create picture collages with a built-in collage maker in the photo editing software.
- Filters and effects: Enhance your photos with a variety of filters and effects that can be easily applied to your images.
- Skin retouch tools: Improve skin tones and remove blemishes with a range of skin retouch tools, perfect for portrait photos.
Who It’s For
Pixlr's lightweight free photo editing software works well for beginners and more experienced editors in need of a quick solution for editing photos. Without a fully-loaded editing suite to search through, you can easily locate tools like spot-healing brushes and stamps, or make minor adjustments to the photo's color and lighting. Pixlr's streamlined layout and minimalistic array of tools help simplify the process of editing photos for beginners.
Why We Picked It
The software supports layers and masks and features several essential tools for editing photos such as customizable brushes and visual effects. Advanced users familiar with Photoshop will find the software’s toolbars familiar.
Bottom Line
Though the program rarely crashes, ad-heavy banners and poorly navigable pages reduce the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the platform. You may also notice that the program renders slowly, resulting in frustrating, inconsistent movements of your mouse or touchpad.
Casual users may enjoy editing photos with small tweaks or creating collages within Pixlr's software, but if you need user-friendly free photo editing software with a more comprehensive array of tools, try PhotoDirector.
5. BeFunky - Best for Quick, Simple Edits
Compatibility: Web browser
G2 Rating: 4.2/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.99/month
Key Features
- Collage making: Easily create collages with a built-in collage maker in the photo editing software.
- Graphic design workflow: Streamline your graphic design workflow with a range of tools and features designed for professional designers.
- Unique filters: Enhance your photos with a variety of unique filters that can add a touch of creativity to your images.
- 1 million+ free stock images: Access over 1 million free stock images to use in your projects, including photos, graphics, and more.
Who It’s For
When considering the best free photo editing software, Windows users can't forget BeFunky. With ten photo editing modules, you can quickly browse through the software's editing interface to alter template layouts, upload images, and make minor tweaks.
Why We Picked It
The free photo editor offers many of the tools, features, and functions beginners need to enhance photos, manually adjust color and lighting, and create customizable collages or graphics. While the free version will only allow you to edit pictures with about one-third of the platform's tools, novice users may enjoy the simplified functionality.
Bottom Line
Proficient editors will likely wish for more options – and far fewer advertisements. Upgrading to BeFunky's premium subscription will unlock more tools to edit pictures such as cutout tools, background replacement, color replacement, and other highly impactful editing functions.
6. Darktable - Best for Professional Photographers
Image from Darktable.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
Shotkit Rating: 4.2/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
Key Features
- Retouching: Easily retouch your photos to achieve professional-looking results, with tools that can fix exposure, color, and more.
- Geotagging support: Add location data to your photos with geotagging support, making it easy to organize and categorize your images.
- Support for 21 languages: Use the photo editing software in your preferred language, with support for 21 different languages.
- Denoise: Reduce noise and improve image quality with denoise tools that can automatically remove unwanted grain and speckles from your photos.
Who It’s For
Darktable is an open-source and completely free photo editor. We think it’s the best free photo editing software for professional photographers because it offers support for tethered shooting and RAW image processing for over 400 cameras. It also has some photo management tools and handles up to 10,000 images.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editing software has professional-level color adjustment tools, hot pixel fixes, masking, and blending. Darktable allows you to edit pictures with precise control over all tools and effects. We also found it to be extremely fast, thanks to GPU-accelerated image processing and OpenCL support.
Bottom Line
While Darktable offers many learning tools like user forums, video tutorials, and instructional posts, it will take time for beginners to get familiar with the software. And even those familiar with Lightroom and other paid software will find the layout and groupings of some of the features confusing. Although BeFunky and Darktable have the same overall rating, we placed BeFunky on top because it is more beginner-friendly.
7. PhotoPad - Best for Resizing Images
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
G2 Rating: 4.1/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium versions available for $60 for Home, $70 for Pro, or $3.88/month for unlimited updates
Key Features
- Colorize tool for black-and-white images: Add color to black-and-white images with a colorize tool that can bring new life to old photos.
- Blemish remover: Quickly and easily remove blemishes, spots, and other imperfections with a blemish remover tool.
- Selection of clipart and fonts: Choose from a selection of clipart and fonts to add creative elements to your photos and designs.
- Passport photo tool: Create passport photos with ease using a passport photo tool.
Who It’s For
We found PhotoPad to be one of the best free photo editing software thanks to its image resizing and upscaling tools. PhotoPad uses AI-powered tools to resize images without loss of quality. It comes with a liquid resize effect that will change the aspect ratio of your image with no distortion, and a Super Resolution tool to upscale images losslessly.
Why We Picked It
PhotoPad has all the tools you’d expect from free photo editing software, including frames, color correction, crop, and rotation. It also has some you would only expect in premium software, such as a blur tool, drawing tools, and creative effects such as warp, paint, and embroidery.
Bottom Line
PhotoPad is very beginner-friendly and comes with lots of learning tools such as a help manual, video tutorials, user forums, and technical support reps. However, it has only very basic tools for editing photos and is not meant for experienced editors or photographers. We prefer our choice for the best free photo editing software, PhotoDirector, because it offers beginner-friendly tools, lots of learning tools, and advanced features.
8. Ashampoo Photo Optimizer - Best for Perspective Correction
Image from TechRadar.
Compatibility: Windows
CNET Rating: 4.1/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $15
Key Features
- Implosion/Explosion effects: Add a touch of drama to your photos with implosion and explosion effects that can create unique visual effects.
- Tonal curve adjustments: Fine-tune the tonality of your images with tonal curve adjustments that can adjust brightness, contrast, and more.
- Crop/Rotate: Easily crop and rotate your photos to perfect composition.
- 64-bit optimized: Enjoy faster and more efficient editing with 64-bit optimization, designed to take advantage of the latest hardware.
Who It’s For
If you are editing photos of landscapes or tall buildings with perspective distortions, give Ashampoo Photo Optimizer a try. This is the best free photo editing software for fixing vertical and horizontal distortions and straightening horizons. This program is quick and easy, and these edits can be made with a single click.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editor instantly enhances your photos by optimizing colors, contrasts, and exposure times for single images or multiple images at once. We like that it also has manual adjustments so you can edit pictures with precision. The UI is clean, and no tools are more than 2 clicks away, making it easy to find what you need.
Bottom Line
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer is one of the best free photo editing software for beginners to optimize their photos. This free photo editor allows you to edit pictures quickly, with super-fast importing and one-click solutions. In our test, we were grateful for manual sliders, because its namesake auto-optimization tool was hit-or-miss. It’s also missing advanced tools such as layer editing. We recommend PhotoDirector as a better quick and easy solution for editing photos. While both programs offer one-click optimizations and manual sliders, only PhotoDirector has advanced features.
9. Paint.NET - Best for Layer Editing
Image from Paint.net.
Compatibility: Windows
TechRadar Rating: 4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
Key Features
- Supports user-created plug-ins: Extend the capabilities of the software by using user-created plug-ins, offering a nearly unlimited range of features.
- Clone stamp: Remove unwanted elements from your photos with the clone stamp tool, which allows you to copy and paste pixels from one part of an image to another.
- Drawing tools for Bezier curves: Draw smooth, precise shapes and lines with drawing tools for Bezier curves, making it easy to create custom graphics.
- Powerful gradient tool: Add depth and dimension to your images with a powerful gradient tool that can create beautiful and complex color transitions.
Who It’s For
Paint.NET is one of the best free photo editing software for anyone who needs a free solution for multi-level image editing. Editable layers are typically reserved for paid software, but Paint.net offers this functionality for free. Even better, every edit to a layer is recorded, and you can go back and undo any change.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editing software also has adjustment tools so you can tweak brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, and curves. You can make an image sepia-toned or black-and-white, apply blur, or sharpen images. You can also edit pictures with perspective and tilting with the unique 3D Rotate/Zoom effect.
Bottom Line
This is not a replacement for more professional editing software like Photoshop, but Paint.NET is a good practice tool for beginners who want to learn more advanced editing techniques. Our one major complaint when testing this free photo editing software was with the text tools. You can’t make changes to the text once it is added - something that almost every other free photo editor will allow.
10. Photo Pos Pro - Best for Text
Image from fixthephoto.
Compatibility: Windows
TechRadar Rating: 4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $49.90
Key Features
- Background remover: Remove unwanted backgrounds with a background remover tool, making it easy to isolate and edit specific elements in your photos.
- RAW file support: Process RAW files with high-quality results, making it a great option for professional photographers.
- Frame and collage templates: Choose from a variety of frame and collage templates to add creative elements to your photos and designs.
- Red eye remover: Quickly and easily remove red eye from your photos with a red eye remover tool, perfect for portrait photos.
Who It’s For
Photo Pos Pro is one of the best free photo editing software for its stunning text effects. It comes with an array of font styles and effects, including text over path effects, and textures such as gel, chrome, metal, etc. Photo Pos Pro isn’t just a free photo editor, but also a program for graphic designers, with painting and drawing tools in addition to text.
Why We Picked It
This free photo editing software has 2 modes - Novice and Expert. Beginners can choose the Novice mode for easy one-click solutions, while experts can enjoy manual editing tools. It comes with some fun special effects, such as dispersion, pencil sketch, motion effects, and a unique “pop-out of picture” effect.
Bottom Line
We like that Photo Pos Pro has options to edit pictures for any skill level. However, the Novice mode lacks many important features for editing photos such as layer editing, and the Expert mode has a steep learning curve. They are also very different in layout, so you can’t switch back and forth easily between the two. We prefer the functionality of PhotoDirector, where there is one easy-to-use mode, and every tool has both automatic and manual options.
11. Movavi Picverse - Best for Object Removal
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Google Play Rating: 4.4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $49.95/year or $69.95 for a lifetime license
Key Features
- Crop/Rotate: Easily crop and rotate your photos to achieve the perfect composition.
- AI restoration: Restore old or damaged photos with AI restoration tools that can automatically fix exposure, color, and other issues.
- Effects and filters: Enhance your photos with a variety of effects and filters that can add a touch of creativity to your images.
- Sharpness adjustment: Improve the sharpness of your photos with sharpness adjustment tools that can automatically or manually enhance clarity and detail.
Who It’s For
Movavi Picverse has built its reputation on one key function: quickly and easily removing unwanted objects from your pictures. With this free photo editing software, you will get quality results with no editing residue. The software also offers a simplified alternative to AI-powered background removal: users can upload images into the platform and then clip and insert elements from one photo onto another.
Why We Picked It
Movavi also provides users with a few photo adjustment options. It allows you to manually edit pictures by tweaking the color, brightness, contrast, and saturation of your photo. You can also apply Magic Enhance for one-click edits, or add text, titles, and captions for fully customized photos.
Bottom Line
While beginners can cut distracting or disruptive elements from their photos, even the most inexperienced users may feel that Movavi Picverse's actual editing features fall short of expectations. The free photo editing software features limited sorting and organizational tools that don't match free photo editors using AI-powered processing technology. You can upgrade to the Photo Studio package for more options, but that requires a monthly subscription.
12. InPixio Photo Studio - Best for Frames
Image from inPixio Blog.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Capterra Rating: 4.1/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $49.99/year for Studio, $59.99/year for Studio Pro, and $99.99/year for Studio Ultimate
Key Features
- AI sky and background replacement: Replace skies and backgrounds with ease using AI sky and background replacement tools.
- Denoise tool: Reduce noise and improve image quality with denoise tools that can automatically remove unwanted grain and speckles from your photos.
- Photo montage tools: Create photo montages with photo montage tools that can blend multiple photos into a single image.
- Object removal: Remove unwanted objects from your photos with object removal tools, making it easy to clean up cluttered scenes.
Who It’s For
InPixio is a free photo editor known for its one-click AI editing solutions. It is one of the best free photo editing software for its collection of over 100 beautifully-designed frames. There are frames for any number of occasions and holidays, and the frames can be customized by color and size.
Why We Picked It
The frames are included in the program’s limited free version, along with filters, textures, and vignettes. All of InPixio’s tools are automatic, but you can edit pictures in manual mode for more precise control. Crop, adjust brightness and contrast, and add text with this free photo editor.
Bottom Line
InPixio Photo Studio reserves most of its tools for the paid versions, but if you simply need to edit pictures by cropping, adjusting, or adding a frame or filter, then the free version will work for you. InPixio’s premium versions still pale in comparison to many of the free photo editors on our list. It just doesn’t have many tools.
13. Canva - Best for Graphic Design
Image from Canva.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Web Browser
PCMag Rating: 4.5/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5
Price: Free
*Premium version available for $119.99/year
Key Features
- Free cloud storage: Store your photos in the cloud with free cloud storage, making it easy to access your images from anywhere.
- Meme creator: Create memes with a meme creator that can add text and graphics to your photos to create shareable content.
- Brand kits: Create professional-looking designs with brand kits that can provide you with templates, logos, and color schemes for your brand.
- Background remover: Remove unwanted backgrounds with a background remover tool, making it easy to isolate and edit specific elements in your photos.
Who It’s For
Canva is the best free photo editing software for making graphic design projects for social media. It comes with customizable templates for every popular platform. You can also create photo projects such as calendars, invites, flyers, and memes. If you have no graphic design experience but need to create marketing materials or social media posts for your brand or company, this is the free photo editor for you.
Why We Picked It
Start with a photo, then browse Canva’s thousands of filters, frames, graphics, stickers, and text options to add some flair. This free photo editing software also has an image enhancement tool that can brighten and sharpen images in one click, or you can fix individual elements with adjustment sliders.
Bottom Line
There are millions of design assets available in the free version, although Canva saves the best stuff for premium subscribers. While it’s a great tool for graphic design, it has very limited tools for editing photos. If you need a program to edit pictures and graphic design tools, try PhotoDirector. It has millions of design assets including social media templates and tons of pro-level tools to edit pictures in every way imaginable.
14. Adobe Express - Best for Social Media
Compatibility: Web Browser
TechRadar Rating: 4/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5
Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $9.99/month
Key Features
- Crop tool: Easily crop your photos to achieve the perfect composition with a crop tool.
- Background remover: Remove unwanted backgrounds with a background remover tool, making it easy to isolate and edit specific elements in your photos.
- Photo collage maker: Create photo collages with a photo collage maker that can combine multiple photos into a single image.
- 2GB of free storage: Store your photos with 2GB of free storage, making it easy to access your images from anywhere.
Who It’s For
Visit the website for Adobe Express, and you are greeted with templates to create any kind of social media post - such as YouTube banners, TikTok ads, Instagram posts, and Facebook Stories. It also has an instant resize tool that is perfect for busy influencers who need to repurpose one post for many platforms. Spring for the Premium version and you’ll have access to branding kits and a content scheduler as well.
Why We Picked It
Adobe Express is an all-in-one free photo editing software, graphic design tool, video editor, and PDF editor. The free photo editor even includes a limited amount of Adobe Stock images and Adobe Fonts. But we like it most for its polished and fully customizable templates.
Bottom Line
This free photo editor helps non-designers create professional-looking social media posts. Although Adobe Express is similar to Canva, we placed Canva on top because it offers more photo editing tools. Adobe Express also lacks support for layer editing, and only accepts JPG format.
15. GIMP - Best for Advanced Users
Image from Gimp Workshop on YouTube.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
G2 Rating: 4.3/5
Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5
Price: Free
Key Features
- Tone mapping: Improve the tonality and dynamic range of your photos with tone mapping tools that can adjust exposure, brightness, and contrast.
- Original artwork creation: Create original artwork with tools designed for digital painting and illustration.
- Graphic design elements: Enhance your designs with a variety of graphic design elements, including brushes, shapes, and textures.
- Parametric brushes: Achieve greater control and precision in your digital painting with parametric brushes that can be customized to fit your needs.
Who It’s For
GIMP – also known as the GNU Image Manipulation Program – is a free photo editor that features a surprisingly well-rounded amassing of complex and basic tools to edit pictures that rival those of Photoshop and similar paid programs. The base software comes well-stocked with advanced features like layer editing functions, masking, color management features, and effects.
Why We Picked It
For even more functionality, you can download free plugins created by other GIMP users. Further, the software's customizable layout and ongoing developments ensure that it stays on pace with other free photo editors.
Bottom Line
While you can access the platform's wide array of tools, GIMP falls short in one significant area: user optimization. The loaded interface often feels overwhelming, and beginners and intermediate editors may struggle to find solutions for complicated editing techniques. Additionally, GIMP offers little help for its users outside of the community discussion panels.
Best Free Photo Editing Software Comparison Chart
| Software | OS | Beginner-Friendly | Advanced Features | AI Tools | Organizational Tools | Free Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhotoDirector Essential | Windows, Mac | Yes | Tons of advanced effects and tools like layer editing, color adjustments, blur tools, chroma key, 360-degree editing, animation effects, panorama stitching, and more | Yes | Yes | |
| Photoscape X | Windows, Mac | Yes | Blur tools, brushes, photo stacking, special effects, masks, panorama stitching | No | No | Download |
| Fotor | Windows, Web Browser | Yes | Tilt-shift, blur tools | No | No | Download |
| Pixlr | Windows, Web Browser | Yes | Advanced color tools, dispersion/liquefy effects, layer editing, masks | Yes | No | Download |
| BeFunky | Web Browser | Yes | No | No | No | Download |
| Darktable | Windows, Mac, Linux | No | Advanced color adjustment tools, hot pixel fixes, masking, and blending. | No | Yes | Download |
| PhotoPad | Windows, Mac | Yes | No | Yes | No | Download |
| Ashampoo Photo Optimizer | Windows | Yes | Manual color temperature adjustments | Yes | No | Download |
| Paint.NET | Windows | Yes | Layer editing, special effects | No | No | Download |
| Photo Pos Pro | Windows | Yes | Yes - In Expert Mode only (Special effects, motion effects, path text effects, layer editing) | No | No | Download |
| Movavi Picverse | Windows, Mac | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Download |
| InPixio Photo Studio | Windows, Mac | Yes | No | No | No | Download |
| Canva | Windows, Mac, Web Browser | Yes | No | No | Yes | Download |
| Adobe Express | Web Browser | Yes | No | No | No | Download |
| GIMP | Windows, Mac, Linux | No | Layer editing, masks, advanced color adjustments, brushes and drawing tools | Yes | No | Download |
PhotoDirector Essential
vs
OS
Windows, Mac
-
Beginner-Friendly
Yes
-
Advanced Features
Tons of advanced effects and tools like layer editing, color adjustments, blur tools, chroma key, 360-degree editing, animation effects, panorama stitching, and more
-
AI Tools
Yes
-
Organizational Tools
Yes
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How to Edit a Photo
Here’s how to edit a photo’s colors using PhotoDirector. Download it by clicking the link below and follow along:
- Click Import in the bottom left of the screen, then click Photos.
- Choose the photo you would like to edit and click Open.
- Click on Adjustment from the top menu to bring up color adjustment tools.
- When you are done editing photos, click Create in the bottom left.
From here you can change your photo from color to Black and White, or adjust white balance, tone, shadows, sharpness, saturation, and more.
Using PhotoDirector’s Guided Tools makes editing photos with advanced tools and adding visual effects effortless and straightforward. Anyone can master them in a matter of minutes.
Here’s how to edit pictures with effects using PhotoDirector’s Guided Tools:
- Click Import in the bottom left of the screen, then click Photos.
- Choose the photo you would like to edit and click Open.
- Click on Guided from the top menu.
- Scroll through all the categories and decide how you would like to edit your photo. For this example, we will choose Sky Replacement.
- Select which sky template you would like to use to replace your photo’s sky. It will automatically replace it for you.
- Use the Sky Replacement Settings to make any adjustments.
- Save as a New Photo File or New Video/GIF File if you used an animated sky.
This will bring up the collection of guide modules designed to make advanced photo editing and creating spectacular effects a snap.
For more information on editing photos with PhotoDirector, go to the full tutorial here.
Download the Best Photo Editing Software for Free
Whether you enjoy snapping photos on your phone or have built a career as a professional photographer, you should demand the best from your free photo editing software. Creating extraordinary Photoshop-like effects doesn't rely on having the most expensive, complex photo editing software around.
PhotoDirector is the best free photo editor that allows you to animate photos, remove unwanted objects, change backgrounds, and edit with amazing special effects. There are even beautification tools like body-slimming, skin smoothing, and teeth whitening. With so many editing tools and effects, PhotoDirector is surprisingly easy to use, with guided edits and tutorials when you need them.
No matter how much experience you have, PhotoDirector makes it easy to edit pictures with basic tools or advanced visual effects. From one-click corrections to AI-powered sky replacement and more, PhotoDirector guarantees an unmatched editing experience.
Download PhotoDirector by clicking the link below and get started for free today!
Best Free Photo Editing Software FAQ
1. What features should I look for in free photo editing software?
The top ten features you should look out for in the best free photo editor are:
- User-Friendly
- Organizational tools
- Color correction and filters
- Layer editing
- AI-powered tools
- Content-Aware editing
- Photo animation
- Beautifying tools
- Color effects
- Light effects
For a free photo editor that checks all of these boxes, try PhotoDirector.
2. Should I pay for photo editing software?
Whether you pay for editing software or stick with a free photo editor is completely dependent on your needs and what kind of edits you want to make. If you’re making simple adjustments like cropping, rotating, or flipping, then a basic free photo editor should be fine.
If you want to add photo effects or layer photos, you will benefit from paying for quality software. Some free photo editors like PhotoDirector Essential offer advanced features, but it is an exception to the rule. There is also a paid version of PhotoDirector that includes a 4,000,000+ stock library and lots of extra creative assets.
3. What is the best paid photo editing software for Windows PC?
- PhotoDirector 365 (paid version)
- Adobe Photoshop
- Skylum Luminar 4
- DxO PhotoLab
- Adobe Lightroom
If you want to edit pictures with paid software, check out our article about the Best Paid Photo Editing Software on Windows for an in-depth look at each.
4. How much does photo editing software cost?
Prices can vary quite a bit. Some editing software are purchased with a one-time fee, while others offer subscriptions that are charged monthly or annually. We included a comparison chart with prices in our Best Photo Editing Software in 2023 article to help you better understand the cost.
5. What is the best photo editor for free?
PhotoDirector Essential is the best free photo editing software available. You can use it for free as long as you want, and even have access to the premium features found in PhotoDirector 365 for 30 days. This free photo editor has advanced features with plenty of manual tools to make precise edits. It is also beginner-friendly with automatic, AI-powered options for those with less experience editing photos.
6. What is the easiest free photo editor?
PhotoDirector Essential is the easiest free photo editor. It has a clean, intuitive user interface, guided edits, and lots of tutorials and blogs on the website with step-by-step instructions for every feature.
7. Is there a free version of Photoshop?
No, Photoshop has a 7-day free trial, but after that, it is $20.99 per month.
8. What is the closest thing to Photoshop that's free?
PhotoDirector Essential is the closest thing to a free version of Photoshop you can find. Check out our blog 13 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives With Similar Features for more information.
9. What is the best photo editor for beginners?
PhotoDirector is the best way to edit pictures for beginners. It comes with AI-powered tools that let beginners make professional-looking edits with one click. Its tools and features are easy to find and very user-friendly.
10. Does Windows have a free photo editor?
Yes, Microsoft Photos is a free photo editing software that comes pre-installed on Windows 10 and 11 devices. Similar to Apple Photos, it has basic tools to edit pictures, such as crop, rotate, a handful of filters, and HSL adjustments. You can also draw on images.
But if you need free photo editing software with cool special effects, and the ability to make photo projects such as slideshows and collages, we recommend trying third-party software, such as PhotoDirector.
11. What are the 5 basics of photo editing?
The 5 basics of editing photos are:
- Cropping - Cropping an image can help your subject stand out, improve the composition, and cut out unnecessary or distracting parts of your photo.
- Color Balance - Color Balance can be used to fix an image and make it appear more natural, or as a way to change the mood of an image (for instance, to make it warmer or cooler).
- Brightness and Contrast - Adjusting the brightness and contrast of your images will fix lighting that is too low or too bright, and increase or decrease shadows.
- Filters - Adding instant presets to your images can turn them into a work of art, or make them look vintage. They are also an instant way to change color, balance, brightness, and contrast!
- Re-sizing - If you plan to print your images, then keep them full-size. If you plan to upload them to a blog or social media page, you need to resize your images. Saving every photo full-size will cause you to run out of storage space very quickly.
12. Is editing photos hard?
Editing photos isn’t hard if you have the right tools. A user-friendly free photo editor with one-click tools and handy adjustment sliders will allow you to look like a professional with little effort! We recommend PhotoDirector as the easiest way to edit pictures.
13. How do I get better at editing?
Get better at editing photos by downloading PhotoDirector for free and practicing. PhotoDirector has online tutorials for every feature with simple step-by-step instructions.
14. How can I edit my photos professionally for free?
While there are many free photo editing tools available, one excellent option for editing your photos professionally for free is PowerDirector Essential. PowerDirector Essential is a comprehensive video editing software that also includes powerful photo editing tools.
With PowerDirector Essential, you can easily adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and other aspects of your photos. You can also use the software's advanced AI-powered tools to remove unwanted objects from your photos, enhance sharpness, and more. Additionally, PowerDirector Essential includes a wide range of effects and filters, allowing you to easily add a professional touch to your photos.
Furthermore, PowerDirector Essential is incredibly user-friendly and easy to learn, even if you have no prior experience with photo editing software. It also offers a variety of tutorials and resources to help you get started and master the software quickly.
PowerDirector Essential is an excellent option for editing your photos professionally for free. Its powerful features, user-friendly interface, and extensive tutorials and resources make it a top choice among free photo editing software.
Related Articles:
- Best Photo Editing Apps
- Photo Effects
- Photo Editors Reviewed
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