Everyone, not only professional retouchers and designers, occasionally encounters the need to process a photo beautifully. Are you wondering what program is the best to download and install on your computer for this purpose? It is easy to get confused with the variety of tools. So that you don’t have to waste time choosing the right one, we have gathered in one article short reviews on the best free photo editors for Windows, as well as mentioning noteworthy online services.
The best photo editors for your computer
The reviewed free photo editing applications are mostly oriented not toward professionals, but ordinary users who want to beautifully design photos for printing or publishing on the Internet. This does not mean that all of them are maximally simplified and limit the user to ready-made filters and effects, each mentioned editor supports precise settings of retouching and color correction, as well as many other useful features. So, if you’re in search of a user-friendly PC photo processing program, check out our top below.
Luminar Neo
Opening our top is one of the best picture editing software. Luminar Neo is a breakthrough in the world of AI technology for photo editing. Regardless of the photo genre, you will be able to turn it into a real masterpiece! A huge selection of tools and a simple and clear interface will be appreciated not only by professionals but also by beginners who have just begun to explore the fascinating world of photography. Enhance colors, edit portraits, stabilize the composition with SuperSharp AI, change the background – you can do it all, and more! With this software, you’ll unleash your creativity to the fullest.
Key Features:
- bringing out true colors;
- noise removal in the image;
- stunningly accurate tools for correcting portraits;
- focus stacking;
- removal of unnecessary objects, changing the background;
- light adjustments;
- sharpening;
- HDR merge.
Pros:
- unique AI tools for editing any image;
- professional and fast processing;
- user-friendly interface.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, there is no free trial. However, if you do want a refund, this feature is available within 30 days of purchase.
Fotor
Simple and handy photo editor with a basic set of functions for working with photos and pictures. Supports all popular extensions of graphic files. Suitable for those who are not often faced with the need to work with graphics and are not ready to understand the complex professional and semi-professional tools.
Key features:
- basic color correction;
- creating collages;
- easy photo editing;
- applying effects;
- touch-up facial retouching;
- text overlay on the picture.
Pros:
- free use with no restrictions;
- detailed instructions for customers on the official site.
Cons:
- few features for professional editing;
- users have commented on the “clumsiness” of the portrait retouching in their reviews.
GIMP
A free multiplatform photo editor used by professionals and amateurs alike. It contains tools for processing digital photos, raster and vector illustrations, and designing layouts for websites and printed products. Plug-ins, scripts, and add-ons can be installed to expand the integrated capabilities.
Key features:
- photo editing;
- work with vector and raster images;
- color correction;
- retouching;
- layout;
- imposing filters and effects.
Pros:
- multifunctionality;
- the flexibility of the interface settings;
- ability to expand supported functions and automation through plug-ins, scripts, and add-ons.
Cons:
- Complicated interface;
- no “one-click” editing;
- it takes time to learn the features and get used to the controls.
PhotoScape X
A versatile tool for anyone who often has to process graphics and animations. In addition to functions for working with color, light, detail, and other parameters of the images, this program can create Gif-animation, and make prints and collages. The built-in intelligent system greatly simplifies retouching – you can adjust the color balance in one click.
Key features:
- automatic and manual photo retouching;
- creation of animations;
- collaging;
- creating screenshots;
- imposing filters and effects;
- stickers and graphics.
Pros:
- multifunctionality;
- tools for any graphical task;
- user-friendly interface.
Cons:
- few filters and effects;
- automatic color correction works well only for images with high detail;
- file conversion is slow.
Darktable
A photo editor-cataloger aimed more at photographers than at amateurs or illustrators. Nevertheless, if you want it can be used in any direction of graphic processing. The interface is a bit unusual, so newcomers can not do without instructions. But it does have perfectly realized popular functions for retouching, processing, and color correction, with which you can save almost any underexposed or overexposed digital photo.
Key Features:
- retouching and color correction of images;
- file sorting;
- EXIF-data display;
- histogram display;
- working with tags and geotags.
Pros:
- makes it possible to catalog images;
- allows you to make color corrections.
Cons:
- unusual overloaded interface;
- few features.
Online photo editors
For simple editing – crop, adjust colors, impose text – is not always necessary to download and install a separate application on your computer. Some online photo editors can do just as well as desktop ones.
Canva
The service is a multifunctional and quite powerful tool for producing graphic content and basic photo processing. Its internal library has thousands of stickers, photos, frames, and effects that you can use to create unique collages, postcards, announcements, and more. Canva is most often used to create social media content, presentations, and promotional print layouts.
BeFunky
An online application where you can quickly adjust the color of a photo, tighten or diminish the brightness, assemble a collage from several images, or vice versa – cut a separate picture from the collage. In the basic version, there are manual settings for color correction and options for cropping and changing the resolution of the image. Everything else – changing the background, spot retouching, turning the photo into an oil painting, collaging – in the paid extended version.
We hope that among the reviewed software, services, and applications you will find one that can help you turn your pictures into photo masterpieces in each specific situation.
