HP Photosmart Essential logo

HP Photosmart Essential

By Snapfish Free Editors' Rating

Editors' Review

Download.com Staff Oct 4, 2009

HP Photosmart Essential provides a simple set of tools for editing and sharing photos. While not offering a ton of options and functions, the program does a fine job of sticking to the basics.

We were surprised by how simple and professional-looking the program's interface was and it was clear the designers put a lot of effort into it. That was even before we watched the brief tutorial videos that showed us everything we needed to know. The program reminded us of many other photo editors, though with only a handful of tools, like color, lighting, resizing, and cropping. The changes provided slight alterations, but not a complete overhaul of a shot. Frankly, we appreciated how this program avoided throwing a number of complicated masks, filters, and alteration tools, because it kept us focused. The program also provided ways to e-mail pictures or even place them on a sharable folder that your friends can access online. On top of all this, the program offers a feature to download tools to make cards and calendars with our photos. The program offered no frills, but its interface and simple results were enough to convince us that this is good for photo fans.

HP Photosmart Essential is a freeware program. It comes as a compressed folder, installs desktop icons without permission, and left folders behind after uninstall. While this program doesn't offer a galaxy of editing options, its basic setup is good enough for us to recommend it.

Full Specifications

What's new in version 3.5

Version 3.5 has new Photo Book artwork styles, full control of your Photo Book fonts including type, size, and color, option to print a draft version of your Photo Book, CD/DVD printing support on 64 bit operating systems, and improved performance and reliability.

General

Release August 17, 2009
Date Added November 28, 2008
Version 3.5

Operating Systems

Operating Systems Windows, Windows XP, Windows Vista
Additional Requirements None

Popularity

Total Downloads 532,043
Downloads Last Week 42
Report Software

Related Software

Paint.NET logo

Paint.NET

Free
Paint.NET
Pixlr logo

Pixlr

Free
Pixlr
Screenpresso logo

Screenpresso

Free
Screenpresso
PicPick logo

PicPick

Free
PicPick

User Reviews

3.2/5
72 User Votes
5 Star
4 Star
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star

Developer's Description

HP Photosmart Essential software provides consumers a fast and easy way to organize, edit, print, share, and creatively use photos all in one place. This software features an entirely new and engaging user interface and personalized home page that brings photos to life and ensures success with simple web-like navigation and integrated screen help. Users can quickly find photos by date, tag, or folders--even mark as favorites or search by name, make quick edits including automatic red-eye and manual pet-eye fix, use one click Photo Fix to correct color and lighting, and enjoy lab quality prints, projects and seamless sharing with Snapfish.

Version 3.5 has new Photo Book artwork styles, full control of your Photo Book fonts including type, size, and color, option to print a draft version of your Photo Book, CD/DVD printing support on 64 bit operating systems, and improved performance and reliability.

Promo image for CNET Shopping

Get the best price on everything

Shop your favorite products and we’ll find the best deal with a single click. Designed to make shopping easier.