1. How To Edit Photos In Mac Photos
2. How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos Apple
3. How To Edit Photos In Apple Photos
4. How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos App Iphone
5. How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos App Windows 10

Lots of Mac users use Photos for sorting and browsing photo collections. It syncs easily with your iPhone, recognizes faces, and even sorts your photos into Memories. What you might not know is that Photos is also now a decent tool for editing photos. Once upon a time Photos could only do superficial edits, but in the fall. To start editing, click twice on any image in the library, and click the button edit in the app’s toolbar. Another way to open an image in the Edit view is to select it and press the key Return. In the middle of the app’s toolbar you’ll see a tab; select one of the three.

Reading Time: 12 minutes read

When it comes to photo editing on iOS and macOS devices – the world is your oyster.

There are a number of different apps available for photography enthusiasts to sink their teeth into – and if you count yourself amongst that crowd, then you’ve certainly come to the right place.

Below you’ll find a breakdown of the best free and paid photo editors available on iOS and macOS devices.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced photographer, or only just starting your journey. We’ve carefully selected a list of apps to suit a wide range of capabilities behind the lens.

Scroll down to explore where you can find each app, along with the advantages and disadvantages associated with each.

The best free photo editors

If you’ve only just ventured into the world of photography, but are still keen to test the potential of your iPhone or Mac from a photo editing perspective – it might be worth checking out what the free apps have to offer before splashing the cash on the more advanced programs.

Here’s a few suggestions to get you started…

Canva

Canva is a multi-purpose design app that can be downloaded on mobile and desktop.

Also available directly from you web browser, the vast majority of Canva’s functionality is free (although you can pay for some additional features).

As far as actually editing photos, Canva is fairly limited compared to other apps on the market – although it’s very easy to upload images and work them into a variety of design templates ready provided.

This includes cards, flyers, social media posts .

Fotor

Much like Canva, Fotor is a multi-platform photo editing and graphic design tool which couldn’t be more straightforward to use.

Again, it’s fairly limited when it comes to the more technical elements of photo editing, but if you want to get a simple introduction into the basics – Fotor is a great place to start.

The standard photo editor feature is especially great for mobile users, as it’s a nice tool to play around with while you’re on the move.

And, with more than 300 million using the Fotor app worldwide – you have all the social proof you need right there to convince you to give it a try!

Snapseed

Given the fact that Snapseed isn’t available on Mac, you might be wondering why we’ve included it on our list?

Well, for starters – Snapseed is widely regarded as the best free photo editing app exclusively for mobile devices and images captured via mobile.

How To Edit Photos In Mac Photos

One of the main reasons why iPhone and iPad users speak so highly of Snapseed in app review forums especially, is that it takes up such little storage space in comparison to other free photo editors.

It’s also less limited in terms of functionality – with plenty of effects and creative frames beyond the basic editing tools. This makes it a great free option for beginners looking to hone their craft.

GIMP

GIMP is seen as the go-to free alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

This alone makes it a popular choice for people with a more advanced eye for photo editing – not least because they can access many of the equivalent tools that Photoshop users enjoy.

Of course, it doesn’t have everything that Photoshop has to offer – but when you look at the price tag (or lack thereof!) you won’t see many people complaining.

PhotoScape X

Photoscape X is an all-in-one photo editor, collage maker, animated GIF creator and printer.

It supports all the usual file formats – and much like Fotor and Snapseed, it enables you to carry out basic photo enhancements very easily and quickly.

However, unlike the apps we just mentioned, Photoscape enables you to perform batch edits for extra efficiency and also has a printing capabilities – enabling you to convert RAW image files into works of art in JPEG format, ready to come out of your printer.

The best photo editing software (paid)

If you’re willing to part with some cash to get the best from your photos – it’s worth remembering some paid-for programs might be more suitable for what you need than others, so invest wisely!

Here’s a list of apps worth looking at before you make up your mind…

Adobe Photoshop CC

Photoshop is one of the most widely used programs for creative professionals – let alone photographers.

Being Photoshop-savvy is a skill in itself. And that’s before you start trying to edit photos.

If you know your way around the program – the possibilities are endless. If you’re a beginner, you might want to consider Lightroom instead (more on that below).

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic/CC

Lightroom is a program that’s more specifically tailored towards photography.

While Photoshop is a designer’s dream, which enables you to completely change the elements within a photo – many photography enthusiasts tend to prefer Lightroom as it’s a more scaled-down and simplified tool.

Lightroom enables you to do the basics, even better. Lighting, contrast, definition – you name it.

And, once you’ve mastered Lightroom, you can always turn your hand to Photoshop later.

Affinity Photo 1.7

Affinity gives you many Adobe features, without the hefty monthly subscription.

You can literally buy the program outright, install it on your Mac or iPad – and benefit from the vast array of features provided.

Of course, there are some limitations which may frustrate the more experienced photo editors out there – but we’d argue that it’s a more than worthwhile investment for beginners looking to sharpen their skills.

PhaseOne Capture One Pro 12

As reflected in the price, Capture One Pro 12 exists on the market to directly compete with Photoshop.

However, a more fair comparison is probably Capture One Pro 12 vs Lightroom – with Capture One arguably having the upper hand over Adobe as far as colour management and adjustment is concerned.

That being said, files created in Photoshop and Lightroom can be seamlessly transferred across other Adobe programs – while Capture One Pro 12 is limited to PhaseOne applications which don’t have the same functionalities.

DxO PhotoLab 2.3 (OpticsPro)

Depending on which version you decide to buy, there are a range of different tools across OpticsPro which make it worthy of a mention here.

While you can compare Capture One Pro 12 to Lightroom, OpticsPro is comparable in many ways to Photoshop – in the sense that it’s a useful program for manipulating image elements.

One thing to bear in mind however, is that OpticsPro only supports some RAW files – with Fujifilm being a notable exception.

Why should you edit your photos?

The answer to this is simple.

You take pride in your work!

And, with all the programs we’ve just listed – the potential to improve the quality of your shots is immense.

Sure, most digital cameras nowadays capture amazing still photographs on their own – but there is always room for improvement.

The only thing to watch out for is ‘over-editing’ your photos. Once you become invested in the tools it’s easy to get carried away!

What is the best photo editing software for you?

Always start basic and work your way up.

If that means playing around with some of the more basic apps at no cost – then go for it. Then you can progress into the more advanced software features for photo editing and manipulation.

If you have a bunch of edited photos lying around doing nothing, then we might be able to help.

Motif enables you to make the best use of all your most treasured photographs. You can easily convert your edited photos into beautiful photo books, calendars and cards that you’ll cherish forever.

All produced at your own fingertips.

So, what are you waiting for? Download our free app extension for macOS or iOS and start creating today.

• January 02, 2020
• 18 min to read

Most free photo editors available on the App Store are quite basic, offering just a limited number of filters and allowing you to easily and quickly liven up your photos before posting them on social media.

But if you’re an aspiring or professional photographer, you probably need a more powerful app with a broader set of tools to use your creativity to the fullest. Besides, you probably use your Mac for photo editing because working on a large screen makes it possible to adjust the slightest details.

1. Apple’s Photos (Built-in app)

Apple’s Photos app is included for free on all recently released Macs. It does a good job at organizing your photos, but its collection of photo enhancement tools leaves much to be desired. Hopefully, our selection of the best free programs for photo editing on Mac will help you choose the right app to suit all your creative needs.

2. Luminar (7 days trial)

Luminar is another full-featured photo editor that’s popular with both Mac and Windows users. It can work as a standalone app as well as a plugin for such popular programs as Apple Photos.

Luminar uses Artificial Intelligence to enable sophisticated yet quick photo enhancements. Among these AI features are Sky Enhancer, which adds more depth and detail to the sky in your photos while leaving other areas untouched; Accent AI, which analyzes a photo and automatically applies the best combination of different effects to enhance your image; and Sun Rays, which allows you to place an artificial sun and adjust the lighting to your liking or make the sun rays already in your photo look even more incredible.

Luminar has over 60 filters you can apply to your photos to enhance them in a moment. Luminar also provides a set of powerful tools for cropping, transforming, cloning, erasing, and stamping, along with layers, brushes, and many more incredible features. Luminar supports the Touch Bar on the latest MacBook Pro, making photo editing even more effortless and pleasing.

How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos Apple

3. Photolemur 3 (Free Version with watermark)

Photolemur is a relative newcomer on the photo editing market but it has all the chances to win the favor of beginner photographers and hobbyists. Running on Artificial Intelligence, Photolemur is a completely automatic photo enhancer, meaning that it does all the editing for you in no time. It has the simplest interface, with only a few buttons and sliders to adjust the enhancement to your liking and view the before and after results.

All you need to do is choose a photo (or a few) that you want to improve, drag and drop or import them using the Import button, and let the program make enhancements. After it’s done, you can compare the edited version with the original image by using the before–after slider and, if you want, adjust the skin tone or even enlarge the eyes using additional sliders. Pretty easy, huh?

Photolemur also offers a number of impressive styles to touch up your photos and give them a sophisticated and professional look. With this app, you don’t need to stuff your head with photo editing nuances and terms. Just run Photolemur and watch the magic happen!

4. Aurora HDR (14 days trial)

As you probably can tell from the name, Aurora HDR is designed to help photographers enhance their HDR photos, making them even more detailed and beautiful. It’s an ideal tool for editing your photos, with an extensive collection of more than 20 tools including details, tone, mapping, color, glow, and vignette. Each tool has its unique selection of controls to adjust its effects.

Aurora HDR enables you to work with brushes, layers, and masks, and provides a number of automatic AI tools for recognizing and removing noise, enhancing colors, lighting, and details, improving clarity, and adding contrast to dull areas while leaving other areas untouched.

Aurora HDR does a great job dealing with difficult lighting situations and creating full-of-life images while being easy to use.

5. Pixelmator (Trial 30 Days)

Pixelmator is a photo enhancer beloved by many Mac users, as it offers a good combination of a modern and simple interface, the ability to work on multiple layers, and powerful features that take photo editing to a whole new level. With so many editing tools, brushes, and effects, you can enhance your photos to your liking. You can choose between two versions of Pixelmator – standard and pro – depending on your needs. The standard version is great for basic photo editing with its selection of essential tools and filters, while the pro version is packed with extra brushes, tools, and effects that let you push your creativity to new boundaries. You can decide which version is suitable for you according to what features you’re looking for in a photo editing app.

6. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 (Trial link)

Photoshop Elements isn’t as affordable as other photo enhancers for beginner photographers. But luckily there’s a trial version available, so you can check it out before deciding whether this app is worthy of your money. Photoshop Elements acquired many powerful features from Photoshop, only Elements is simplified for amateur photographers and enthusiasts. It includes a good number of effects and filters, plus automated editing options for improving lighting, color balance, and exposure, and even opening closed eyes and reducing the effects of camera shake.

In addition to all of these awesome features, Photoshop also offers editing modes for beginners, intermediate users, and experts. Beginners will probably prefer Quick mode, as it focuses on essential tools to quickly enhance your photos by improving color, lighting, and other basic settings. Guided mode provides intermediate users with step-by-step guidance with more professional features like artistic effects, skin tone correction, and background replacement. Expert mode gives you full access to the app’s really powerful editing features and is ideal for creating stunning images.

7. Affinity Photo (Free Trial)

Affinity Photo’s interface may seem overwhelming at first, especially for novices, but when you come to grips with it you’ll find that the app is just what you’ve been looking for. Its numerous professional tools, effects, and filters encourage you to get creative with your photos. Among the coolest features Affinity Photo has to offer is a before and after view to compare the original photo with its edited version.

Affinity Photo works with 15 file types, including common ones like PDF, PSD, JPG, and GIF as well as some less popular ones. The app amazes with its abundance of basic and top-notch editing tools, allowing you to tweak your photos using all possible kinds of instruments. Affinity Photo allows you to edit HDR photos, apply artistic filters and effects, play with masks and layers, and create breathtaking compositions by combining several images in one. If you find its interface a bit much and are afraid of getting lost in all those advanced tools, you should probably look for something more suitable for your level. But Affinity Photo is worth mastering.

8. Google Photos

Google Photos is a popular cloud storage service for photos and videos. It can’t boast countless masterly tools like other photo enhancers that we review in this article, but it includes some fundamental features like filters, color adjustment sliders, and transformation tools.

How To Edit Photos In Apple Photos

Although Google Photos may not be that helpful when it comes to editing photos, it does a pretty good job at storing high-resolution images and videos with 15GB of free online storage, compared to iCloud’s mere 5GB (which you can upgrade to 50GB for a monthly fee). If you’re planning to go on a trip and take plenty of photos, then it might be smart to sign up for Google Photos to use that extra storage space when you come back.

9. PhotoScape X (Free)

A relatively new photo editing app, PhotoScape X has been gaining popularity with many Mac and PC users since its release in 2008. Its interface is simple but unconventional, with a number of tabs running along the top of the window. Each is responsible for a specific stage of editing. The Viewer tab allows you to browse and organize your photos. After you pick a photo, you can switch to the Editor tab, which includes a broad set of instruments, filters, and effects and a useful feature that enables you to compare the adjusted photo with the original.

The next tabs, including the Batch tab, mainly concentrate on editing and renaming multiple photos at once. The GIF tab allows you to easily create an animated GIF from a group of selected photos.

The downside of PhotoScape X is a lack of selection tools, so all changes are applied to the whole image rather than to a selected part.

10. Gimp (Free)

How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos App Iphone

Gimp is a free open-source photo editing app that has been on the market for over 22 years and is available for Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Unlike many free apps, Gimp doesn’t have any ads or in-app purchases. Its grey interface might seem a little old-fashioned and it may be a bit sluggish when it comes to complex effects, though.

How To Edit Photos With Macos Photos App Windows 10

Gimp offers a vast collection of advanced tools that hardly any free photo editor can boast. It has numerous enhancement options such as clone and heal brushes, layers and channels, accurate selection tools, a number of transformation instruments, and, of course, color adjustment controls. Gimp is one of the most powerful tools for enhancing photos and is beloved by so many users for its price (free) and versatility. But if you can’t come to grips with Gimp’s interface, it may be worth paying some cash for a more user-friendly program.