When editing photos for work, school, or personal projects, many people look for tools that are both simple and professional. The Affinity photo editor is one such option, giving users a way to enhance, retouch, and design images without heavy software. It is often used by photographers, designers, and even beginners who want high-quality results without a complicated process.
This article explores everything that you need to know about this tool for content creation.
What is Affinity photo editor
Affinity photo editor is a photo editing software designed for professional and personal use. It helps users retouch images, adjust colors, remove backgrounds, and create detailed graphic designs. The tool is known for its smooth performance, simple layout, and affordable pricing compared to other editing programs. Photographers, designers, and hobbyists often use it to achieve high-quality results.
Main capabilities of Affinity photo editor
Working with images becomes much easier when you use a tool that has all the advanced features in one place. The Affinity photo and video editor is designed to match professional needs while staying simple enough for everyday use. Here are some of its core capabilities:
- Built for a pro workflow
The Affinity photo editor is designed to handle heavy editing projects without slowing down. It supports large files, advanced color formats, and smooth editing across devices. This makes it reliable for professionals who work with detailed images daily.
- Flawless photo retouching
With the Affinity free photo editor, you can remove blemishes, smooth skin, and enhance image details easily. Its retouching tools are precise and fast, helping photographers and designers bring out the best in their photos. Even small adjustments look natural, which makes the results professional.
- Full RAW development
The Affinity photo editor supports full RAW file editing, giving photographers complete control over exposure, contrast, and color. This means you can adjust photos directly from your camera without losing quality. It works well for those who need to fine-tune every detail of their images.
- Vast brush library
Artists and designers benefit from the wide brush collection in the Affinity photo video editor. From natural painting effects to digital textures, the brushes cover all creative needs. Each brush can also be customized, giving more control over design styles.
- Unlimited layers and effects
The Affinity photo editor makes complex editing simple with unlimited layers and advanced effects. You can add text, overlays, filters, or blending modes without worrying about restrictions. This feature is useful for both graphic designers and casual editors who want more freedom.
- Precise selections made easy
The Affinity free photo editor includes smart selection tools that let you isolate subjects or objects with accuracy. This makes background removal, color correction, or object adjustments much faster. Even tricky edges like hair or fur can be selected smoothly with its advanced tools.
How to use Affinity photo editor on Windows or macOS
Using the Affinity photo editor on Windows or macOS is simple once you install the software. It is designed with a clean layout that makes editing easy for both beginners and professionals. You can organize projects with layers, apply effects, and export images in multiple formats. The process ensures smooth editing whether you are retouching photos or working on creative designs. Here is how to get started with this tool:
- STEP 1
- Download and install
Purchase the Affinity photo editor for Windows or macOS, then follow the on-screen instructions to install it. After setup, launch the program to begin your editing journey.
- STEP 2
- Start editing with layers
Open your image and use the layers feature to organize adjustments and edits. The Affinity photo editor lets you add unlimited layers, making it easier to manage effects and design elements.
- STEP 3
- Export your final image
Once editing is complete, export your project in formats like PNG, JPG, PSD, or TIFF. Affinity also includes an Export Persona for saving images in multiple versions.
When to use Affinity photo editor
Choosing the right editing tool depends on the type of work you do, and the Affinity photo editor fits well in many different situations. It can be used for personal, professional, and creative projects without needing multiple apps. Based on different needs, here are the times when this editor becomes most useful:
- Personal photo projects
The Affinity photo editor is perfect for enhancing family pictures, travel shots, or special moments with ease. You can retouch details, adjust lighting, remove imperfections, and create stunning results that look polished and professional every time.
- Social media content
For creating posts, stories, or thumbnails, the Affinity photo editor review shows that it helps maintain a consistent and creative look on social media platforms. You can add filters, overlays, stylish texts, and branding elements to make your content stand out.
- Marketing campaigns
Businesses can use the Affinity photo editor to design posters, banners, and product images that attract attention quickly. Its unlimited layers, blending modes, and design effects make campaigns visually strong, delivering results that leave a lasting impression.
- Blog and website images
In an Affinity photo editor review, users often say the software improves the overall look of their sites effectively. You can resize images, sharpen details, match website colors, and create graphics that make blogs more professional and appealing.
- Creative portfolio work
Artists and designers rely on the Affinity photo editor to build strong portfolios with high-quality visuals. From digital painting to photo manipulation and advanced graphic effects, it supports experiments that highlight creativity, originality, and professional design skills.
Pricing plans for Affinity photo editor
When choosing between Affinity's creative apps, each program serves a different purpose depending on your needs. Whether you want to design graphics, edit photos, or create professional layouts, these tools are available at the same one-time price. Here's a quick comparison to help you decide which one fits your work best.
Affinity's apps give you professional tools for design, photo editing, and publishing at a fair one-time price. Each program focuses on a specific creative need, making them reliable for long-term use. Alongside these, another tool worth mentioning for quick and modern editing is CapCut, a versatile editor for videos and social media content.
A fast and easy photo editor for PC users: CapCut desktop video editor
The CapCut desktop video editor is a fast and easy tool for PC users who want to manage both photos and videos in one place. It fits well for creators looking to add motion and style to their projects while keeping the process simple. This makes it especially helpful for social media content, marketing visuals, and personal creative work.
Key features
Here are some key features of the CapCut desktop video editor that make editing faster and more creative for different projects:
- AI-powered photo generation
Instantly create new visuals with AI tools, useful for unique social media, marketing campaigns, or digital creative projects.
- Editable image backgrounds
Replace or adjust backgrounds easily, perfect for product photos, professional profile pictures, or clean presentation designs.
- Add unique text templates
Use stylish text templates and an AI font generator to design eye-catching titles, captions, or promotional graphics for online branding and campaigns.
- Color grade your images
Enhance mood and tone by applying color grading with AI color correction, ideal for branded visuals, cinematic effects, or vibrant creative edits.
- Supports various import options
Import files in multiple formats, making it easier to edit across devices, media types, or professional workflows, ensuring seamless compatibility.
- AI-based image retouching
Improve skin tones, lighting, and details automatically, saving time on portrait photography, lifestyle edits, or fashion visuals.
- Precise masking tool
Isolate objects or areas accurately for selective edits, useful in advanced creative, commercial, or advertising design projects.
- Get 8K image output
Export high-quality visuals that look sharp on websites, social media, print materials, or professional digital portfolios.
How to edit images on PC with CapCut
To edit images on PC with CapCut, first download the desktop version from the official CapCut website. Click the download button below, choose your operating system, and follow the setup instructions. Once installed, launch the editor to start editing right away.
- STEP 1
- Import the image
Open CapCut on your PC, go to "Image editing" > "New image", then switch to the "Upload" tab to add the picture you want to enhance.
- STEP 2
- Enhance and refine the image
To make your image stand out, start by going to the "Frames" tab, browsing through the library, and selecting the frame you like. Add your image to the chosen frame for a unique appearance. Next, tap the image to open the editing tools, click "Adjust", and select "AI color correction" to let CapCut enhance the colors automatically. You can also use the sliders to manually adjust brightness, hue, and saturation for a more balanced look.
- STEP 3
- Download and share
Once your edits are complete, press "Download all" at the top-right. Pick "Download" to save the image to your device or "Copy as PNG" for other use. To share instantly, select the social icons for Facebook or Instagram.
Conclusion
The Affinity photo editor is a reliable choice for anyone who wants professional editing tools at a one-time price. It helps with photo retouching, creative designs, and advanced workflows without being overly complex. Whether for personal projects, business campaigns, or creative portfolios, it delivers consistent results. For those who also want quick and flexible editing for both images and videos, the CapCut desktop video editor is a useful companion.
FAQs
- 1
- What is the latest version to download Affinity photo editor?
The most recent release is version 2.6.0, launched on February 25, 2025. It includes performance upgrades and useful new features for smoother editing. Users get free updates within the version 2 series until version 3 arrives. For handling both photos and videos in a creative workflow, the CapCut desktop video editor is a great companion.
- 2
- How to customize the workspace in Affinity photo editor?
You can personalize your workspace by rearranging panels and saving layouts under Window > Studio > Add Preset. The toolbar is also customizable through View > Customize Toolbar, making tools easier to access. These changes let you build a workflow that matches your editing style. For quick content creation with extra video support, the CapCut desktop video editor is worth adding.
- 3
- Is Affinity photo editor on Mac compatible with M1 chips?
This results in faster performance and smoother handling of large or complex files. Users often notice better responsiveness compared to older Intel-based Macs, especially during demanding editing sessions. For multimedia projects that combine images and video, the CapCut desktop video editor works perfectly alongside it, making workflows simpler.