If you need a good Photo Editor Program better than MS Paint, that comes with Windows, but simpler to use than Photoshop, Paint.NET comes to the rescue.
Paint.NET Photo Editing Program
For someone like me that are not working with pictures for a living I find myself needing a little bit more features than MS Paint, that are built into Windows, provides. Paint.Net provides those features, and it is fast, simple and it is free. Paint.NET supports: Crop, Resize, Gradient, layers, Photo Effects and much more.
5 reasons why Paint.Net is the right Photo Editor for you
- It has a lot of great features for a free Photo Editor.
- It is available in 10 different languages.
- It comes in a simple 3.5 MB installer.
- It can automatically take advantage of a 64-bit CPU if you have one.
- You can download a lot of Plugins if you need additional features.
Minimum System Requirements for Paint.NET
- Windows 7 (recommended), or Windows XP SP3, or Windows Vista SP1 (SP2 and Platform Update recommended)
- 800MHz processor (dual-core recommended)
- 512MB of RAM
- 1024 x 768 screen resolution
- 200+ MB hard drive space
- Optional: 64-bit mode requires a 64-bit CPU and a 64-bit edition of Windows
You can download your own version of Paint.Net for free. Before you install the program you might want to check out the Paint.Net FAQ
Be aware that Paint.NET depends on Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with SP1. If you don’t already have it installed on your computer it will automatically be installed.
Have you ever used Paint.Net? What do you think of it? Please leave me a comment below.
You know one of my biggest issues online right now is doing my on images or having the knowledge to edit them. I wish I could learn because ti’s expensive to get people to do this all the time.
Hi Brian
It is expensive to get people to do your images for you. That is why I do mine myself. I just made a new logo and favicon yesterday and I took me hours just to get small details the way I wanted them. However I think Paint.Net is easier to use then a program like Photoshop. Thank you for your comment and for sharing this post Brian 🙂
your very welcome, also the site looks great man! And the favicon is perfect for your blog theme!
Thanks Brian
Very happy for the feedback 🙂
Indeed, this tool is way easier than usual Photoshop due to quite user-friendly tools. Photoshop on the other hand is made for professional.
I love Paint.NET and have been using it since 2005, I have an assortment of favorite plugin packs that I use and recommend on my blog to increase functionality.
It is easier to use than GIMP, though it does not have the power of Photoshop or GIMP it serves well for almost anyone who needs casual image editing or photo manipulation.
Hi Justin
Thank you for your comment. I think that Paint.Net is the right program for a lot of people who need to edit some photos once in a while. With all the plugins available it is a pretty nice program.
Thomas, thanks for the advice.
I must check out paint.net, I’m using a mac at the moment and I find it so hard to find the right programs. Anything web based is always good because you can use it on any computer.
I hav tried pixlr in the past, but that’s just way too technical for me, and I’m a bit over paying for graphics every time I need something. Will definitely be checking paint.net wish me and my mac luck 🙂
Hi Rene
Not sure if I got you right, but Paint.NET is not available for Mac but only PC. If you got a PC too, I think you should give it a try.
I have tried using gimp, but it’s hard for someone who has no background in graphics. I will give it a try and hope it will save me some time and money. Thanks fror sharing!
Hi Hanns
I have heard about Gimp too, but never tried it myself. Hope you like Paint.Net better.
Thanks so much for this, Thomas. I have been using Piknic online but it’s closing in April. I didn’t want to invest in Photoshop, either for the expense or the learning curve. Sounds like Paint.Net is the program I was looking for.
I’m going to download it right now, after I share this article!
Hi Carolyn
Always glad to help my readers and online friends. I am sure that you will like Paint.Net
I generally use Photoshop for photo editing, though I’m not an expert. I usually search in Google how to make particular effect and then follow the instructions to complete the photo effects.
These tool looking really easy to use and it’s free of cost that’s certainly a plus point here. I’m going to download it right now. thanks for sharing this amazing tool.
There is nothing like cool, free, easy to use tools 😀
My brother is so into photo editing and he is going to love this. I hardly have anything to do with photo cropping!
Thanks for this; I know loads of people who will love this!
Hi Hajra
I am always glad to help. I love it myself when I find a new free tool to make my day easier.
Omg this is awesome just downloaded and so glad I have been avoid adding images to my site as they look rubbish when i do but this helps so much and really is easy you are a life saver.
Hi Ryan
Thank you very much. I am always glad that my readers can use my tips 🙂
Hi there Thomas, thanks for sharing this great software I can use to edit some of the photos I really like, to be honest before I am using the Adobe Photoshop CS5. I think that Paint.net is much easier to use than the old one that I am using.
Hi Kate
Photoshop is state of the art, but I am not able to use all the features that it offers. Paint.Net is advanced enough for me.
Hi there Thomas its been awhile since my last visit , so true that using adobe photoshop is so much difficult to use, specially its features.I think that I should follow your suggestion that Paint.net is so much advance and much easy to use. thank you for that.
This is a great program but still lacks a few features. For example, I could not find a way to rotate the image on angles rather than 90. Also, you can not edit the text you entered in another layer at a later time. It is saved as pixels. Positive things are : It is rather fast, easy to load and intuitive.. Freeee :))
Actually you can rotate other angles than 90 degrees. You just select the object first and select layers->Rotate/Zoom, but maybe that was not what you meant.
i think that Paint.Net is definataely the right program for those who need to edit some photos now and again
I want to pursue my photo editing dream. But Its quite expensive learning those skills. Thank you, I find the right place for me. Now I have hope.
I am using Adobe CS3. I have not used Paint.Net yet but after reading this post and comments I want to try it.
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Go ahead Saha. It might not be as advanced as Adobe CS3, but it can do a lot of the things that most people need and it is free of charge 🙂
This tool is completely new for me. But it really seems to be very useful and convenient! Thanks a lot for sharing this post, now I have strong desire to find out more about this tool
Adobe Photoshop is the best when it comes to photo editing. but this looks like a cool and a portable photo editor to me. nice post
Right now I just use MS Paint, Gimp or Pixlr for my photo editing Thomas. I’m not very experienced in this area I’m afraid but I find that these programs do what I need.
I heard about Paint.net some time back and it seems at the time I went to download it it took me to a different site. I was thrown off by that but if you recommend it I might have to give it another try.
Thanks for this Thomas and hope you enjoyed your weekend.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne
I guess it all about finding the program that fits your needs and then stick with that. I am not a master in Photo editing and I don’t want to use a lot of money for Photo software. In that way Paint.Net is perfect for me.
I also prefer Screenpresso free edition. I haven’t tried Paint.NET yet though.
I never use this program before.I must give it a try.
see, there’s always something new to learn about anything everyday.
Glad I read your post. Will try it once I get home. Unfortunately, downloading isn’t allowed here in the office.
I tried to used a lot of photo editor, and it didn’t satisfy me by editing my pictures. Well i probably going to used this kind of editing program, Thanks for this tips.
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Hi Alyssa
You should give it a try. The program is free and does not take up much disk space so you have nothing to lose.
I have tried using gimp, but it’s hard for someone who has no background in graphics. I will give it a try and hope it will save me some time and money.
I have tried using gimp, but it’s hard for someone who has no background in graphics. I will give it a try and hope it will save me some time and money.
OK this is a evolutionary idea.. But i like it! Photoshop is too complicated for me and GIMP is too mainstream. I will try PAINT out and who knows, maybe i will return to my child age !
Paint dot NET is the best photo editing program. So I will recommend it to all who are interested in photo editing.
A friend showed me this tool i can say that its good. the tool is not that complicated to use and does not require much memory, compared to photoshop. right now i found a new tool that runs on the browser.
I want to ask one thing that i want two features of MS paint AND microsoft picture editor in one software. Fist feature to auto correct option like picture editor which is best. Next to select a portion of photo and delete that one as of paint. In paint its very easy to edit a section of photo. The auto correct feature of paint.net is not as good as MS pic editor. or may i am not able to do that. Can you suggest how to do exactly as mspic editor or can suggest any other software to do the same.
Hi Lucky
I must admit that even I like Paint.Net a lot I do also use MS Picture Manager. For some things MS Picture Manager are just better/easier to use. I would wish like you that there was one app that was best for everything..
I downloaded this after your recommendation, and just wanted to say thank you! I am not completely computer illiterate, but found photoshop incredibly complex and was bored of asking my kids for help. Paint is — if anything, harder to use (i’m probably doing something wrong) but now I am able to do whatever i want to my images with reasonable ease 🙂
Hi Caroline
Glad you like my post and find it useful 🙂
With the Mac OSX, Preview has a built in photo editor that does 90% of what the casual photo editor needs. It doesn’t have clone or smudge tools, but it does crop, resize, and color adjust just fine.
If you need more, the GIMP photo editor is available for free for moth OSX and Windows. It is about 95+% of Photoshop and most people will never need anyth8ing more.
Hello Thomas, I totally agree the Paint.net is better than MS Paint, but for a free tool don’t you think GIMP is better overall? Or am I missing something here?
I must admit that I have not used GIMP much. For my usage Paint.NET does all I need. I have however heard a lot good about GIMP 🙂
GIMP’s interface is what I really like when compared with Paint.net. GIMP resembles Photoshop’s UI. For serious editors, nothing like Adobe’s Photoshop 🙂
I have used Photoshop but, Paint.net is best for portable.
I have been using paint.net on Windows. But now i have moved on to CentOS so I’m using GIMP. I havn’t used it so much yet, but the impression is that it’s equally good at least. Then GIMP is available on Windows too(?).
wow, howdy Thomas!
really, you are a pro IT manager! as Clipping Path, i have used Photoshop but, Paint.net is best for portable
Thanks and goodluck!
Thank you Nick.
Paint.Net really is great free software and great for portable as well.