Microsoft also added Microsoft Photo in Windows 10 which is not bad, but it has very few editing features. A photo editing program must also be functional in managing image files, make them as easy to find as you would with an app on your phone, and obviously be simple in its basic editing tools, so you can make quick adjustments (for example to rotate upside-down photos or to crop an image or create a quick collage of multiple photos), make photo retouching, or add color effects and filters.These are programs to edit photos and images with basic tools such as those to have white balance, to correct saturation, contrast, and brightness, to adjust exposure, contrast, sharpness, to resize images, to add filters, optimize the colors and then also remove the background and work on multiple layers.
In this list, let’s see the 10 best free programs on Windows 10 for editing images and photos, with particular attention to the more simplified ones, not like Photoshop so to speak, but more suitable for quick retouching.
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1) IrfanView is the first program that I always recommend installing on every PC. This application is downloaded every day by thousands of people and it is a must for anyone you work with images on your computer but it is also for inexperienced users who use the PC for the first time. Irfanview, as I wrote in another article, is the best free program to browse and edit images and photos quickly, with also very immediate editing functions to use. You can resize photos on the fly, correct imperfections, crop parts of images, balance colors, convert image file formats, and much more.
To have all the Irfanview functions you need to download the program and then the Irfanview plugins.
2) PicsArt Photo Studio is a popular photo editing tool for smartphones, which is also available as a free app for Windows 10. PicsArt is a three-in-one tool, as it could be used as a photo editor, drawing tool, and collage maker. Like a photo editor, PicsArt offers a large variety of photo filters, various customizations, and photo manipulation options.
3) Pixlr is one of the most popular online photo editing web applications, which works well on any computer without downloading and installing anything. Pixlr offers two free versions: the simple version perfect for creating collages and photo compositions and the photo editor, with all the tools to optimize and adjust images. All functions and tools are easily found in the top menu or in the graphic menu on the left and are grouped into various categories. The quick edits are resizing, cropping, red-eye, focus, and auto-enhance. In the other categories, there are filters, effects, stickers, lettering, and image adjustment tools. This is a great, new, and modern program that everyone can use to edit photos on their PC.
Pixlr is one of the Best photo editing web apps to make photo edits online
4) GIMP is the historic open source and free version of Photoshop, always present in the lists of the best graphics programs. Some say it’s immensely better, others say it’s harder to use with a pretty steep learning curve (and Photoshop isn’t that simple already). The good thing is that is widely used all over the world and also in Italy, looking on the internet you will find video tutorials, instructions, and complete manuals to carry out most of the photo editing operations.
In another article, we also wrote about How2do la basic guide to using GIMP.
5) Paint.NET is similar to Gimp, much newer but much easier for edit images effortlessly and without manuals. Paint.net cannot be used with high-resolution images and it is not professional software but it is absolutely recommended and suitable as a home-made photo editing program by non-expert users.
In another article, we wrote a guide on how to correct colors in photos (hue, saturation, curves, and levels) with Paint.net or GIMP.
GIMP and PAint.net are also among the best free programs for photo editing and graphics
6) XnConvert is a program for editing groups of photos and images with automatic effects described in detail in another article, ideal for converting and editing various photos together.
7) PhotoPad is a free photo editor for Windows PC, easy to use and complete with all image enhancement tools for beginners as well as advanced features for professionals. You can easily crop an image, resize or rotate it, change colors, add effects, make automatic corrections, regional, add filters, insert text, and much more.
8) Chalk is an open-source program that has become today one of the most used by cartoonists and illustrators, of those that integrate very well with a graphic tablet or drawing pad, with a variety of unparalleled drawing tools.
9) RawTherapee is a great alternative to Adobe Lightroom, open-source, less difficult to use than GIMP, which presents itself as a tool for editing images with the RAW format, as well as JPEG, PNG, or TIFF. Its interface may look a bit complicated with the abundance of tabs and icons, but it contains everything you need to process photos as a pro would.
10) Surface, a free and light program with basic photo editing tools that can be considered one of the best Microsoft Paint alternatives.
In addition to these 10, we also add other less-known programs to edit photos to this list as: – Photofiltre is a simple program that works very well for replacing colors in images and bringing out colors in photos
– LazPaint is a little-known open-source program but very effective both in basic tools and in level support.
– Chasys Draw IES is another free and open-source image editor, which also works as an image viewer and converter.
– Photo Pos Pro, a powerful free tool with a simple and intuitive interface and all kinds of tools for complete photo editing suitable for any level of experience and numerous built-in filters and effects.
– PhotoScape X, an all-in-one photo editing software that allows you to enhance your photos using simple tools with great effect.
– Darktable is another open-source RAW photo editor recommended for photographers.
– InPiixio is a professional program also available in a free version, with a simple and modern interface, many basic photo manipulation tools, specially designed to help photo enthusiasts improve the look of their photos without having to work too hard.
– Photopea, the real Photoshop clone, free and online, suitable for basic and advanced editing.
– Polarr, another browser-based app, with a full selection of advanced photo editing tools packed into a minimalist and fully customizable interface. Polarr offers a wide selection of photo-realistic image blending modes, filters, and effects.
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