Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
If you just want to retouch images a bit, Photoshop is overkill. Check out Paint.NET, an open-source freeware editor with all the essential tools, including those for cropping, rotating, resizing, adjusting colors, and creating collages.
Paint.NET supports the most popular image formats--JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and others--but not superhigh resolution ones like RAW. However, you'll find such basic effects as Red Eye Removal, Emboss, Mosaic, and Oil Painting, and a few higher-end features such as Clone Stamp, Lasso Select, and Magic Wand. Like a full-fledged graphics package, Paint.NET even supports layers and an actions manager. The interface is very convenient, and the panels are semitransparent, so you won't need to hide them.
Version 3 fixes many old quibbles. Multiple-image editing is done through a convenient thumbnail manager in the upper-right corner of the app; blurry tool icons have been sharpened as well. Paint.NET is far better than Microsoft Paint, and given its free price, it's a no-brainer for anyone who does a lot of minor graphical tweaking.
Paint.NET:Publisher's Description
From dotPDN:
Paint.NET is free image editing and photo manipulation software designed to be used on computers that run Windows. It supports layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools.
More Products to Consider
-
Process your digital photos and create slide shows for sharing. -
View and edit most graphics formats simply and quickly. -
Manage, view, convert, and edit your images. -
Optimize your images and change their size. -
View, edit, print, or add frames to your photos. -
Create and edit photos using layers, effects, and other tools. -
Manage, edit, and share your photos. -
Capture and edit your images with various tools. -
Edit, enhance, and manipulate your digital photos or graphics. -
Hide files in a JPEG image. -
Rotate and resize more than one image at a time. -
Turn your picture into beautiful video. -
Organize, edit, and share pictures with this free photo manager... -
Rotate and resize more than one image at a time. -
Optimize your photos and turn them into paintings or funny cari... -
Print and convert HPGL and raster files. -
Edit and process your digital images. -
Create and alter photos and graphics manually or via scripting. -
Edit and process your digital images. -
Take a snapshot of anything on your computer screen. -
Edit and process your digital images. -
Edit and process your digital images. -
Edit photos, add photo frame, photo effects, and funny backgrou... -
Organize and manage scripts for each movie scene.
-
All versions:
4.2 starsout of 1,073 votes
-
Current version:
4.6 starsout of 36 votes
-
My rating:
Write review
-
"Excellent!!"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
Everything about this software is great !! Free, simple user interface and great tools.
Cons
Haven't found any yet
-
"really nice. replaced Paint"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
i make contact tables for myspace and was using paint before. i switched to this program and its so much easier and they look much better. this is like an upgrade to paint. you can do so many things that paint cannot do! i've never used photoshop, so i dont know how it compares, but its good enough for me. im sticking with this program.
Cons
only thing is, this program is difficult to figure out. if you're in need of a photo editing program like paint, this is a great choice, but you just need to stick with it and learn everything. its great after you figure out what the features do.
-
"Impressive"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
The product is truly impressive. So many options yet still very user friendly for what it does. Anyone can use this program with just a little experimenting but it doesn't lack complexity. There is more than meets the eye when using Paint.NET. I really enjoy the choices and ease of use as well as the ability to actually manually adjust each effect. You can take one effect only and make hundreds of different images out of it. Your creativity and time can build a masterpiece with Paint.NET.
Thank you Paint.NET team for the hard work. As a fellow developer I am exceedingly impressed.
Cons
NO CONS, it's FREE and beautiful. You can't beat it.
-
"nice program"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
lots of intuitive tools, I like the gradient tool.
Cons
It doesn't have good brush tools, you may need to get artweaver or other free ones
-
"."
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
.
Cons
.
-
"Can not get it to work."
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
Can't get MS to download the nessary program.
Cons
Can't get it to work.
-
"Brilliant"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
Pros: Nice and fast to install and run, only took 1 minute or so.
Easy interface, i found photoshop a little too complicated in some parts, but paint.net has an simple view and looks nice.
Cons
Cons: Haven't found any yet.
-
"Kindda lighter version of Adobe Photoshop"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
It give prove that FREEWARE is not always CHEEP quality. It is very useful for novice user to do image/photo editing with enough tools: layering, wand selection, image effect (blur, distortion, etc), and much more. Much much better than MSPAINT, but lighter than Adobe Photoshop.
-
"much better with MDI support"
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
lots of improvement than version 2, some of the painting tools are really creative.
Cons
Still can't be the best, missing lots of tools as a real paint program. However, you could get all these free ones and find the best fit (all of them have pros and cons): GIMP, artweaver, photobie, photofiltre.
-
"Nice program."
Version: Paint.NET 3
Pros
It's a good program but certainly not the best. But it does what it needs to do to a point.
Cons
There are better FREE programs out there.
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
Previous Versions:
