By Photo editor editorial team · Last verified [date] · Current release [tag]
Open and export
- File, Open a trusted photo.
- Zoom to 100 percent before fine retouch.
- Crop or heal as needed.
- File, Export As into a folder you control.
Related: first run, layers and export, image editor.
Quiet checklist
Confirm App Installer or plan the official setup.exe door first. Keep one sample export in a folder you control. Prefer the same update door later so shortcuts stay honest. Skip Softonic-style wrappers that rename the setup before the official file arrives.
Editorial stamps inject the live release tag from the build feed when present. Body copy still says the current release rather than freezing a screenshot number. Licence text stays on gimp.org COPYING for GIMP.
Licence and update habits
Upstream licence text is GPL-3.0 family on the official site. Winget locale language matches that free software story for the desktop Windows build. Prefer one install door per PC so Start Menu shortcuts stay honest after upgrades.
When App Installer is missing, install it from Microsoft, reopen Terminal, and retry the documented command. When fleet policy wants a manual setup.exe, take it from the same official downloads line winget already wraps.
Stop if a page asks you to disable SmartScreen for an unknown publisher before the official package arrives. Return to gimp.org/downloads or the documented winget identifier instead of stacking repair utilities.
Sample then deepen
Keep the first photo editor pass short. Open a disposable JPEG, crop once, and Export As. Change layers only when the sample needs a second pass you can undo. Large composites can wait until one export looks right.
Related cluster pages cover releases, GitHub source overview, download-safe habits, for-this-computer mapping, vs Picsart, image editor wording, and AI photo editor prompts. Home keeps the Windows install command with a Copy control.
When something fails
If GIMP is missing from Start, confirm the setup finished and avoid downloading a second renamed installer. If export looks wrong, reopen the project file rather than stacking JPEG on JPEG. Safety and first-run guides deepen those checks without inventing competitor prices.
Frequently asked questions
Which formats?
JPEG and PNG are common starts. XCF keeps layers as a project. Prefer winget id GIMP.GIMP or the current gimp-*-setup.exe from gimp.org/downloads. Confirm App Installer when winget is missing, then retry the same command on Windows. Skip Softonic-style wrappers that rename the setup.
Which Windows file should I take?
Take the current gimp-*-setup.exe from gimp.org/downloads, or use winget id GIMP.GIMP. Prefer winget id GIMP.GIMP or the current gimp-*-setup.exe from gimp.org/downloads. Confirm App Installer when winget is missing, then retry the same command on Windows. Skip Softonic-style wrappers that rename the setup.
Which Windows file should I take?
Take the current gimp-*-setup.exe from gimp.org/downloads, or use winget id GIMP.GIMP. Prefer winget id GIMP.GIMP or the current gimp-*-setup.exe from gimp.org/downloads. Confirm App Installer when winget is missing, then retry the same command on Windows. Skip Softonic-style wrappers that rename the setup.