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- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7
- Date added: April 30, 2010
- Total Downloads: 5,319,810
- Downloads last week: 10,025
- Product Ranking: #7 in Image Editing Software
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- CNET Community
- This product is on 78 member lists. Add to my list Add to my Watch List
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 954 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on November 09, 2009
If all you want is a quick image retouch, Photoshop is overkill. Paint.NET, on the other hand, is an open-source freeware editor with all the essentials, including tools to crop, rotate, and resize images, adjust colors, and create collages. It supports common image formats--JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and others--but not high-resolution RAW files. There are enough basic and intermediate effects and features to keep image-tweakers happy, including a red-eye removal tool that has seen dramatic improvements. Unlike most free image editors, Paint.NET supports layers, history, and has an actions manager. The pleasing interface boasts semitransparent windows for ease of use.
Version 3.5 addresses many performance quibbles and offers some interface tweaks for the Aero-theme users, but fans of the "dancing ants" may not like the gray-overlay changes made to the selection tools. The useful tools under Effects on the menu bar have seen many additions since version 3, including surface blurs, dents, and crystalize.
The new version automatically downloads and installs the program's prerequisites, including the latest Microsoft .Net version and Windows Installer. It will update in the background now, too, so you can continue to use the program until it's ready to restart. Longtime users should notice that the program starts up about 20 percent faster, according to the publisher. Regardless of minor problems, Paint.NET is far more advanced than Microsoft Paint, and given its free price, it's a must-have for anyone needing to fix images.
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Publisher's description
From dotPDN:Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plug-ins.
What's new in this version:
Paint.NET v3.5.5 includes performance improvements, a smaller download size, and small bug fixes.More popular Image Editing Software downloads
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User reviews
- All versions: 4.3 starsout of 954 votes
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- 4 stars
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- 1 stars
- Current version: 4.4 starsout of 26 votes
- 5 stars
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- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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4 stars
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Works as advertised"
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: A little slow to load
Summary: Great piece of software
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5 stars
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"great avery good program"
Pros: easy to use negative
Cons: negative find nothing wrong
Summary: professional photographer
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4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Powerful free app with good doc support, EZ to learn."
Pros: I find that many advanced features commonly associated with pricey (Adobe, etc) software are also available in Paint.NET, making it a no-brainer. The website has good support where you can look up the specific tools/tasks you need right now.
Cons: Initially, the layers, etc. that provide some advanced capabilities can be a little confusing.
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4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Not bad a painting tool."
Pros: Definitely a good painting tool.
Cons: Lack of photo editing features.
Summary: Nice to have
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Very easy to use."
Pros: I didn't find anything negative.
Cons: Itis easy to use even at the age of 78.
Summary: The same as my cons.
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Best free program for retouching old photos"
Pros: I used to have this program and left it for GIMP after a CNET recommendation but I came back to Paint.Net because I do a lot of retouching old photos and it simply does an outstanding job of that. And with one touch too.
Cons: Gimp is better if you are in to special effects.
Summary: If you want to retouch or restore old photos this is the best of the free programs i have tried. If your thing is special effects try GIMP. This program is very easy to use and I have used it a lot. Highly Recommended.
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"Easy to use photo editor"
Pros: Numerous plug-in available; Switching between projects is pretty effortless
Cons: Auto enhance feature is not that good; Layer can't be changed by mouse dragging
Summary: Image manipulation is easily done due to the familiar interface, adequate number of effects and plug-ins. Switching between projects is done just by clicking a thumbnail at the top corner of the interface. However, the auto enhance feature is weak, producing a rather exaggerated effects on the pictures (e.g. brightness & contrast too high). The inability to drag layer with a mouse (use up & down button instead) is a minor inconvenience.
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5 stars
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"highest grade free software paint product quality"
Pros: very customizable`
Cons: framework software update needed
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4 stars
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"GOOD,BUT GIMP'S WAAY BETTER!"
Pros: FASTER THAN GIMP.QUITE A LOT OF FEATURES.
Cons: REALLY WEIRD REQUIREMENTS!NOT AS MANY TOOLS AS IN GIMP(PAINT.NET HAS 22 AND GIMP HAS 30+)TAKES TWICE THE DISK SPACE GIMP TAKES(200+ MBS)
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4 stars
Version: Paint.NET 3.5.5
"a little bit slow"
Pros: rich in settings. Powerful compared to classic MS Paint
Cons: why is is so slow ?
Summary: It offers much as other free tool - IrfanView, but Irfan is no more free for commercial use. Sad but true. Paint.net is cool little tool, but far too slow compared to IrfanView.
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