Skip to main content

Pixelmator Pro brings simple, single-window interface to advanced photo edits

Introducing Pixelmator Pro
Pro-level image editing usually means hundreds of options divided into dozens of windows, panels, menus, and tabs, but the photo-editing community will soon have access to a professional-grade, artificially intelligent software with a minimalist interface. Announced Tuesday, Pixelmator Pro 1.0 is a Mac photo editor designed to mix high-end tools with a simpler interface.

Coming from the same company behind the $30 budget Pixelmator, Pixelmator Pro uses a single-window interface for non-destructive photo editing, according to the developers. Unlike the original, Pixelmator Pro includes a number of more pro-level features, including RAW support.

AI is behind a number of the program’s features, including a repair tool for removing unwanted objects quickly, matching the gap using data from the surrounding pixels. Images can also automatically be straightened by detecting the horizon in the shot. A quick selection tool is also powered by AI, along with a tool that automatically names the layers in the file.

Pixelmator Pro includes a number of non-destructive edits, which allows users to go back and modify edits without deleting everything that has happened since. The non-destructive tools include color adjustments, effects, styles and layout tools. The program is also equipped with a number of presets, allowing users to create their own custom quick edits by combining and saving multiple steps. The program also includes dual texture brushes and power-painting tools, as well as reshaping, text, type and vector options.

The developer says the program was designed exclusively for working with images on a Mac, resulting in an interface with a dark color scheme and a simple, one-window view, with full screen and split screen viewing options. The company says that workflow makes it easy for beginners new to photo editing, as well as users moving from another Mac program. Support for the Touch Bar and iCloud is also built in.

“Pixelmator Pro offers every tool you could ever need to create, edit, and enhance images on a Mac in a beautiful, user-centered interface,” Saulius Dailide, one of the Pixelmator founders, said in a statement “And with its GPU-powered, machine learning-enhanced tools, it’s truly one of the most advanced and innovative image editing apps on the planet.”

The new software is expected to launch this fall inside the Mac App Store. The company hasn’t yet released pricing information, but the original Pixelmator sells for a $30 download.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
How to remove location data from your iPhone photos
How to transfer photos from an iPhone to an iPhone

We all love making memories, and a great way to collect those memories is to take a quick snap of a gorgeous landscape, a party in full swing, or a particularly incredible meal. The Apple iPhone now also adds a location to your pictures, meaning it can collate those images together into a location-themed album, or show you all the shots you've taken in a specific location. It's a fun little addition, and it's one that adds a lot of personality to the Photos app.

Read more
‘Photoshopped’ royal photo causes a stir
The Princess of Wales with her children.

[UPDATE: In a message posted on social media on Monday morning, Princess Kate said that she herself edited the image, and apologized for the fuss that the picture had caused. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote, adding, "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."]

Major press agencies have pulled a photo of the U.K.’s Princess of Wales and her children amid concerns that it has been digitally manipulated.

Read more
Nikon sale: Get up to $700 off select Nikon cameras and lenses
nikon d780 review product  1

Crutchfield has a huge sale on many different Nikon cameras with some of the best camera deals that we’ve seen in a while. With nearly 30 different items in the sale, the best thing that avid photographers can do is take a look for themselves. However, if you want a little insight before you dive in, take a look at what we have to suggest below.

What to shop for in the Nikon sale
Nikon makes some of the best DSLR cameras around with our overall favorite -- the -- available for $2,197 reduced from $2,297. The camera is perfect for both photographers and videographers with a 24.5-megapixel full-frame image sensor. Its rugged magnesium-alloy body is weather-sealed against dust, dirt, and moisture so it’s great for all occasions. The Nikon EXPEED 6 image processor is optimized for low-light performance while maintaining long battery life with an autofocus sensor module with support for 51 focus points. You just need to add a lens to reap the benefits with features like the 273-point phase-detection AF system detecting and tracking subjects throughout the entire frame.

Read more