15 Best Free Photo Editing Software for Windows PC

If you are a photographer, you will need a photo editor for PC. By adjusting variables such as exposure, white balance, and color when editing, you can make your already great photos even better.

The most powerful photo editing software will help you add an image, highlight important objects and turn a mediocre photo into something spectacular. There are many alternatives to image editing software, ranging from well-known systems like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to simple yet effective ones like Canva.

15 Best Photo Editing Software and Apps for PC (Free Download)

gimp
Skylum Luminar
Windows 10 Photos
PhotoLine
Aurora HDR
CaptureOne Pro
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Photoshop
Inpicio
DxO Photo Lab
Corel PaintShop Pro
Pixel
Paint.net
Photo Pos Pro
Canvas

1. rigmarole

GIMP is the best free photo editor for PC. It’s chock-full of image editing features you’d expect to see in more expensive software.

GIMP is a free and open source image editor with a large community of users and developers who have created many plugins to extend its functionality. Many of them are pre-installed, while others can be downloaded from the official dictionary.

Functions

Each action requires a unique environment, and GIMP allows you to customize the look and feel to suit your preferences.
Using GIMP, you can easily fix many imperfections in digital photos.
GIMP is a great tool for advanced photo retouching. Use the clone tool to remove unwanted items, or use the new restore tool to quickly fix small details.
GIMP comes with one-of-a-kind multi-input support right out of the box.
Tablets are available with pressure and tilt sensors, as well as USB and MIDI controllers.
JPEG (JFIF), GIF, PNG, and TIFF are among the supported file formats, as well as special purpose formats such as those with multiple resolutions and color depths.
The design allows the plugin to extend the capabilities of the GIMP format.

Price

Gimp Photo Editor for PC is a free and open source program.
To learn more about Gimp, visit Gimp.

2. Skylum Luminar

Skylum Luminar is a photo editor for PC that allows you to edit photos completely automatically. It’s perfect for beginners, hobbyists, and those who don’t have time to edit.

Photolemur uses artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze photos and make complex edits. The software also automatically enhances portraits by smoothing skin, removing imperfections, enlarging eyes and whitening teeth.

Functions

Batch processing allows you to import and restore multiple photos at once – this is one of the most valuable tools.
Innovative technologies open up completely new possibilities for expressing your thoughts.
You can focus on your creative story while the AI does the tedious work.
Whether you’ve been a photographer for a few years or a few decades, you’ll get fantastic results in no time.
After using the LuminarAI template, all these photos will look like they were taken during the same photo session.
This technology allows you to achieve amazing results even when working with low-resolution photographs.
PhotoXpanse technology allows you to apply 3D effects to the image, creating a more immersive and atmospheric story.
With an AI engine trained on gigabytes of professional images, you can get professional results in seconds.

Price

Skylum Photo Editor for PC offers both free and paid versions.
The paid version starts at 39 euros.
Contact Photolemur Skylum for more details on plans and features.

3. Windows 10 Photos

Windows 10 has a built-in photo editing program called Photos. It is mainly used for displaying images and the Microsoft Photos app consists of several useful features.

With this software, you can organize your images into collections, galleries and folders. Crop, rotate, filters to enhance photos, and basic light and color adjustments are among the editing tools available in Photos.

Functions

The multi-view option allows you to compare multiple photos and movies in one application window.
Hide toolbars so you can see your photos in full without distractions.
Crop and resize photos, adjust lighting and color, sketch, and apply filters and other effects.
Enjoy the albums and movies automatically created for you, edit and save the ones you want.
Remix videos to change the face and feel by combining images, music and styles.
Browse your collection for automatically tagged people, places, and more.
OneDrive lets you view pictures, movies, and albums from all your devices in one place.
Navigate to other photos and videos in that location using the filmstrip.
Take a photo of your desktop or lock screen background.
Quickly trim video clips for use on YouTube or other social media platforms.
Create new movies with music, filters, text and other effects from images and video clips.
You can add 3D effects to the video, such as a swarm of bees, thunder, or a fireball.

Price

The photo editing tool is free with only one condition.
Your computer must be running Windows 10 or later.

4. PhotoLine

Photoline is a bitmap editing program with several unique features not found in other programs. It supports various color spaces.

For high quality scanned images, use the 32 bpc setting. Photoline, like Affinity Photo, supports Photoshop plugins.

Functions

PhotoLine is a multifunctional image and graphics editor.
Not only can you edit and optimize photos for the web, but you can also create print-ready PDFs.
The text “Demo”on the picture restricts saving the GIF format.
You can only save uncompressed TIFF files.
PhotoLine displays a registration notice on startup and periodically.
Other features include:
- CMYK and Lab support, up to 32 bits per channel.
- ICC profiles are used for color control.
- Lossless image.
- Digital images can be processed.
- Fix it, retouch.

Price

Photoline photo editing tool has both free and paid versions.
The paid version costs about 59 euros.
Download or buy this tool from Photoline.

5. Aurora HDR

HDR photography is the focus of Aurora HDR. Using artificial intelligence, the software automatically equalizes and blends multiple exposures to create a single tonemapped image.

Aurora creates a tone map that helps you get exceptional results by giving you more data to work with. Aurora HDR includes over 20 essential tools for fine-tuning your HDR photos.

Functions

Sophisticated tool automatically detects noise in HDR photos.
It intelligently removes it while maintaining the high quality of each element.
A smart AI-powered slider that lets you add stunning depth and features to your image.
A simple yet effective approach to improving the clarity of your HDR photos is to increase localized contrast only where needed, rather than affecting the entire image.
Get the best possible brace fusion as well as an exceptional level of color enhancement.
Aurora HDR optimizes raw photos, supports the most popular cameras, and automatically enlarges every pixel.
With a powerful bulk processing engine, you can create many gorgeous HDR photos at the same time.

Price

Aurora HDR photo editor for PC is free for 30 days.
Buy this photo editor for PC from Aurora HDR.

6. Capture One Pro

CaptureOne Pro is a professional photo retouching and color grading software for PC. It is a powerful and distinctive tool in its own right, allowing users to professionally manipulate photos, perform color grading and perform photo editing, among other things.

Capture One Pro has presets that make color grading much faster. It is worth noting that the photo editor is the best option for photographers using Phase One cameras.

Functions

With Capture One Pro, you can edit camera files from all popular manufacturers.
Our new multi-image technologies give you even more creative freedom.
Stay on top of tasks and files with sophisticated management tools, from single photos to thousands of shots.
Customizable interface and high performance ensure a smooth photo editing process.
These new time-saving solutions will help you transform your workflow.
Process RAW files with the highest resolution and sharpest details.
Individual lens profiles help reduce distortion and light attenuation.

Price

CaptureOne Pro photo editor for PC offers a 30-day free trial
Contact CaptureOne Pro for more information on features and plans.

7. Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom’s clean and simple interface helps you focus on the most important aspects of your image. Drop-down options let you quickly make edits, add keywords to photos, and more.

The Develop module contains all your basic and professional photo editing capabilities. Split toning, effects, lens correction and other basic edits can be used to enhance your shot.

Functions

Easy-to-use sliders give you complete control over the quality of light and color in your photos.
The Crop and Rotate tools will help you find the perfect size and aspect ratio for your work.
You can brighten images and change focus to draw attention to the subject or remove distracting elements from the image.
Tone curves can be used to brighten up images, and the color mixer can adjust color attributes.
Include some eye-catching effects.
Clarity and Dehaze can add texture to landscapes and soften objects, while Clarity and Dehaze can add or remove a sense of mystery.
Select and enhance specific areas of your image.
Using Lightroom presets for photo editing saves time and improves consistency.
You can straighten out crooked lines and make sure everything on the horizon looks decent.

Price

Adobe Lightroom photo editor for PC offers a free trial for seven days.
Adobe Lightroom starts at $10 per month.
Contact Adobe for more information about Adobe Lightroom.

8. Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop has several default workspaces designed to get rid of extra tools you don’t need for your project. Because they highlight the most useful tools for the job, these workspace presets are a terrific introduction to Photoshop.

A personalized workstation with only your favorite tools. This improves editing speed and streamlines your workflow.

Functions

High-quality Photoshop brush sets help you perfect your freehand strokes and calligraphy.
Make the lines and shadows exactly the way you want. You can bring your digital designs to life with pencil, ink, and charcoal brushes.
Experiment with different tools, from watercolor brushes to splatter effects, and browse through thousands of presets.
Create a unique set of tools with custom Photoshop brushes that you can use to create any kind of effect.
With the Selection Brush tool, you can select and simply change the selection area, and then use it to completely remove the object.
To make the cutout smoother, use fill options such as color adaptation and rotation adaptation.
Before displaying the photo, use Content-Aware Fill on a new layer to make things easier.
Make changes using the content-aware fill features, and then apply them by choosing Current.

Price

Adobe Photoshop is the best photo editor for PC.
Photoshop is free for a seven-day trial period. To learn more about features and plans, contact Adobe Photoshop.

9. Inpicio

InPixio was created to help photographers enhance their images effortlessly. Contains many handy photo editing tools.

InPixio is a fantastic app for editing images and creating unique montages. InPixio also comes with several presets.

Functions

Remove your full background or change it to look like you are somewhere else.
Change the sky on the images to make them more colorful. Create the environment you want for your photography, whether it’s a sunset or a bright day.
The selection tool has an intelligent color detection feature that helps with photo retouching.
Remove unnecessary details, people, objects or landscape elements from your images. The pointer can be used to select the shape of an object.
Edge smoothing lets you intelligently smooth elements for a smoother transition.
In less than a second, you can improve the quality and color of your photos.

Price

Inpixio has two versions: Basic and Professional.
These versions start at $50 and $60 respectively.
Contact InPixio for more details on plans and pricing.

10. DxO Photo Lab

DxO PhotoLab is a good alternative to a photo editor. It easily converts RAW photos to JPG and is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.

This photo editing and organizing system has a highly customizable user interface. DxO PhotoLab is a suite of processing and restoration tools designed for professional photographers.

Functions

Using advanced measurements taken on DxO objects, DxO PhotoLab corrects for any possible lens imperfections.
By increasing the sensitivity of the control points, you can get even more precise control.
Control Lines is a new selection tool that expands the possibilities of the Local Adjustment Palette.
Editing EXIF and IPTC information makes it easy to update, organize and find photos.
On Mac Apple Silicon, the processing time is four times faster, and on Windows it is 1.5 times faster.
The quality is second to none in terms of lens correction, demosaicing and noise reduction.

Price

DxO PhotoLab photo editor for PC offers its professional version, which starts at $165.
To learn more about plans and features, visit DxO PhotoLab.

11. Corel PaintShop Pro

Corel PaintShop Pro includes everything you need to take your photos to the next level without breaking the bank. You can choose from dozens of textures, backgrounds and brushes, and the program is constantly updated with new features.

The latest version of Corel PaintShop Pro adds a new Photographer workspace specifically designed for photographers. This simplified workspace simplifies the editing process by providing the best image editing tools in an easy-to-understand way.

Functions

Using composition rules, the rule of thirds, and the golden ratio, you can easily crop parts of a frame to change focus.
Using various advanced correction tools, you can make changes to your photos.
Use a few selection tools to isolate the area you want to highlight, then refine the selection with the Refine brush.
The RAW Lab in PaintShop Pro lets you manage and store metadata in RAW files and fix problem areas.
Scripts reduce repetition and speed up complex photo editing tasks.
Batch processing allows you to modify several photos at once, such as adding a watermark, a frame, or simply resizing them.

Price

Coral has two versions of Paintshop Normal and Ultimate.
The prices of both versions differ and start at $170.
For more information on pricing and other features, visit Coral Photoshop Pro.

12. Pixel

Pixlr’s free lightweight photo editor is perfect for individuals and more experienced editors for basic edits . Experienced Photoshop users will likely be able to navigate through the application’s toolbars.

The program only happens once. For absolute beginners, Pixlr’s simplistic style and simple selection of tools make the editing process a breeze.

Functions

Pixlr lets you animate any design with just a few clicks.
Use the professional-looking animation presets or delve into the intricacies of the timeline.
Simple graphics cannot capture your viewers the way a video can.
With one click, AI background removal is so fast and so easy.
Remove the background from portraits, selfies and profile pictures in minutes.
With our built-in ready-made collage templates, you can create photo collages online for free.
With a range of innovative photo filters, you can turn your images into stunning visuals.
Explore Pixlr’s easy-to-use tools, templates, components, and fonts to expand your creativity.

Price

Pixlr has both free and paid versions; get a quote from Pixlr.
Download and install this photo editor for PC from Pixlr.

13. Paint.No

Paint.NET was created as an alternative to Microsoft Paint by a student at the University of Washington. Now it is aimed at those who are looking for a free image editing program that is easy to use and provides high quality output.

The application offers a simple and user-friendly interface, including hotkeys. Because of its simplicity, Paint.NET can run smoothly on less powerful computers such as laptops.

Functions

Every feature and part of the user interface has been designed to be intuitive and easy to use without assistance.
Paint.NET has undergone significant changes to become the fastest graphics editor available.
Layers are the backbone of complex image composition and are usually found only in expensive or complex professional applications.
Paint.NET offers an active online forum with a welcoming, enthusiastic, and ever-growing community.
Updates are free and include new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes.
Many special effects are included to refine and enhance your photos.
There are other settings to help you change the brightness, contrast, color, saturation, curves, and levels of an image.
Paint.NET includes simple tools for drawing shapes, including an easy-to-use curves tool for creating splines or Bezier curves.

Price

Paint.NET is a free photo editor for PC.
Download and learn more about this photo editor for PC from Paint.Net.

14. Photo Pos Pro

Photo Pos Pro is a valuable tool with a user-friendly and simple interface and many features. The software comes with a variety of tools for thorough photo editing at any skill level.

There are also dozens of built-in filters and effects for you to experiment with. Layers and masks are supported in Photo Pos Pro, giving you complete control over the editing process.

Functions

Photo Pos Pro supports filters, layers, masks, curves, scripts, effects, brushes and other essential professional tools.
Many photo file types, including RAW FILES, are supported by software, scanners, and digital cameras.
Tools and features for advanced image enhancement and editing.
Rich Text Tools, Special Effects, Selection Tools, Layers & Masks are all tools for computer graphics design.
Batch operations, as well as the ability to customize the software.
Other features include.
- Backgrounds can be removed, erased or replaced.
- Delete everything you don’t need.
- Improve the quality of your images.
- Collages and frames
- More advanced photo effects.
- Text effects that are simply amazing.

Price

Photos Pos Pro photo editor for PC offers both free and paid version.
The paid version starts at just $42 or gets a lifetime license for $35.
For more information on pricing and features, visit Photo Pos Pro.

15. Canvas

Canva is a drag-and-drop graphics editor with dozens of pre-made layouts for visual design. Canva is well known for its design work, but the guys have also developed a separate tool.

Canva doesn’t do well with photo editing. Canva is the best free web app for these design challenges.

Functions

Start bringing your best ideas and efforts to life with thousands of professional templates, photos and quality content to choose from.
Invite others to collaborate on edits, or set up Canva Pro for your entire team to manage brand assets, provide feedback, get approvals, and scale visuals.
Enjoy seeing how your efforts impact the real world, whether it’s presenting, downloading, scheduling, sharing or printing.
Use group folders to keep organized, store brand content, and manage content.
Canva lets you plan, create, schedule, and post social media posts in one place.
Collaboration between countries, corporations and departments in real time.
Built-in comments for real-time communication, collaboration, and suggestion resolution.

Price.

Canva photo editor for PC offers three pricing plans Free, Pro and Enterprise.
The price of this photo editor starts at $120.
Contact Canva for more pricing plans and features.

Conclusion

While free photo editors are available, paid software provides a lot more options. Subscription programs are more likely to provide consistent updates and feature enhancements. Compare all the features and prices of all the featured photo editors for PC and choose the one that suits you best.

FAQ

What is the best photo editing app for PC for free?

GIMP is pretty much considered the best free image editor currently available. The software comes with a variety of tools ranging from basic actions to high end features.

How to edit text in an existing image?

You can change the appearance and content of any type of layer. A style layer in the Layers panel and a Horizontal or Vertical option in the Tools menu to adjust its text. For example, make changes to the font or color of the options bar.

What is the best free photo editing software for PC?

GIMP. This is the best free photo editor for comprehensive image editing. Ashampoo photo optimizer. Canvas. Edit photos and templates in the browser like a pro. Fotor, Photo Pos Pro, Paint.NET, and PhotoScape are other tools available.

How can I remove text from an image?

The ScanWritr eraser tool can be used to remove text from images. ScanWritr allows you to edit a file by simply uploading it. Fill out a document, sign it, review it, then export it by removing unwanted text or background.