What Is IrfanView. Uses, Features, Reviews, Prices

IrfanView , named after its creator Irfan Skiljan , has been a leading image viewer for many years. Unlike many other free software programs, IrfanView has continued to release updates, adding features and a variety of editing tools.

You don't need to be a graphic designer to use IrfanView . The program is easy to use and includes detailed FAQs and documentation for more advanced editing techniques.

It comes with keyboard shortcuts for resetting, which you can customize if you have a favorite tool you want quick access to. Let's take a closer look at this valuable program.

What is IrfanView

IrfanView is a lightweight image viewer that is really easy for beginners, but with enough features to be considered among professional designers.

You can view over 100 different image formats with IrfanView, plus it has excellent editing features and its functionality can be extended with free plugins.

The developer's goal is to provide both beginners and professionals with a simple, functional and powerful image viewing program that they can rely on, without having to pay expensive licenses for it.

The software has been known as the world's first Windows image viewer program , offering support for multiple animated GIFs, multi-page TIFFs, and multiple ICOs.

If you're looking for a free image editing tool, IrfanView software might be just what you're looking for. Years ago, IrfanView was used strictly as an image viewing tool. Today, it has extensive editing capabilities.

Both beginners and professionals will find that IrfanView provides considerable help for image editing.

What IrfanView can be used for

This image viewer program has several editing features that allow you to edit certain image formats, just like professional image editing software.

However, the editing features are still somewhat limited to certain file types, which is still fine if you just want to create some changes to your images without having to pay money for it.

Image editing features include painting options, Adobe Photoshop filter compatibility , watermarking, color depth changing, and effects.

1. Additional Add-ons

While the core software is already powerful enough to allow you to view, edit, and convert your images, there are additional features you can add to the software by adding various plugins.

IrfanView supports the installation of additional plugins to enhance the software's functionality and thus make the software even more useful for your image editing needs.

Some plugins are created by third-party developers, while others are created by software developers. Each plugin has its own functionalities that you can use according to your needs.

2. Toolbar Masks

This software has been around for years, even when Windows was still a fairly new operating system. However, it hasn’t received many updates to its user interface over the years. As a result, the user interface still looks old and outdated.

Fortunately, there are features you can use to change the look of the toolbar. There are several skins to choose from, with different designers for each skin, which can help you make the software look more modern.

Toolbar skins change the toolbar icons in the software, allowing you to have a more modern user interface for this powerful image viewing program.

3. Batch Image Conversion

IrfanView is not only good for reading and editing image files, it's also excellent for converting your image files to other formats. You can convert an image to another format with this software in just a few clicks.

The process is hassle-free and there are no complicated steps involved in doing so. Moreover, it also supports batch conversion, allowing you to convert multiple image files at the same time.

This way, you can save time when converting your favorite images and you don't need to perform the conversion process manually.

4. Basic design

In addition to allowing users to view and edit images, IrfanView also allows them to read and save a variety of video, graphics, and audio files. In total, the total number of supported formats and extensions is 115 graphics file formats plus 17 video/audio file formats.

However, some plugins are required to view certain file types. This free visualization tool is natively compatible with Windows operating system only.

5. Support

In addition to providing support for over 130 file extensions, the software also offers multi-language support, Adobe Photoshop filters support for a very popular slideshow, the ability to save SCR/EXE files, the ability to burn files to CD and DVD, and the ability to draw shapes on the screen.

A full installation of IrfanView with all its features and add-ons takes up considerably less space (10 MB) than many competing image viewers. Fortunately, the software is easy to install. All you have to do is find a mirrored site, download the executable file, click on the file, and install it.

6. Image editing

IrfanView has a variety of image editing options. It is also capable of directing images to be opened through existing external graphics editors such as Photoshop.

Open an image and you will see a status bar that provides the initial size in pixel dimensions as well as the bits per pixel. The program displays a lot of information such as zoom, image number in the folder, file date/time, etc.

Editing is made easy thanks to the program's clean and simple interface. Simply click on the toolbars and menu to access editing options.

You can rotate, apply watermarks, adjust filters, add brightness, modify color depth, flip, alter canvas size, or create picture frames with your custom colors and sizes.

It doesn't have exceptional painting abilities, however, this is a lightweight player and viewer that serves a different purpose. It's fast, easy to use, and can handle many graphic file formats.

The best part after creating a screensaver or slideshow is this: you can run them as standalone executables on other Microsoft Windows computers, which do not have this program installed. This says a lot about this free image viewer.

Features of Irfan View

Don't let its slightly outdated appearance fool you. IrfanView is one of the best free image viewers you can find.

Let's look at its best features.

• Wide selection of filters and effects: A filter or effect can make a huge difference to the look of your photos or images. You can add the filter to the entire image or select a specific location on the image where you want the filter to take effect.
• Create slideshows: With this software you can make slideshows of multiple images, to make it easier to display your photos. And here's another important point, you can run this slideshow on machines that don't have the program installed.
• Add a watermark: Prevent others from using your work and images without your permission with custom watermarks. You can add watermarks to individual images or multiple images at once.
• Works with most graphic formats: IrfanView not only works with over 100 different image and video formats, but can also convert files to other formats.
• You can create images: There are several ways to create new images in IrfanView. You can stitch multiple images together to create a panoramic effect, split an image into mosaics, or draw freehand using the brush and shape tools.
• Scan documents and turn them into images: If you have a scanner, you can load it directly into IrfanView.
• Greater possibilities with free add-ons: IrfanView supports plugins. This means that if you need a feature that doesn't come built-in, you may be able to find a plugin that will get the job done.

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Advantages

• IrfanView is completely free.
• It is a software that takes up very little space, and is very fast.
• View almost all existing graphic file formats, including PSD files.
• Capable of saving in almost all existing file formats.
• Simple and easy to work with interface.
• You can run your IrfanView creations on computers without the software, which is really amazing.

Disadvantages

• Its visual appearance seems dated.
• It's not as intuitive as we would like.

Plans and prices

IrfanView is completely free and does not feature any kind of paid plan. You can download IrfanView from its official website.

How and where to download IrfanView

• Go to the official site of IrfanView.
• You will see in the center of the page two download options, the 32-bit version and the 64-bit version. If you are not sure which version is best for your computer, type “About your PC” in the Windows search bar and click the result.
• A page will open where you can see your system's features. There you can see if your Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit.
• Press the corresponding download button and the installation file will be automatically downloaded to your computer.
• Once the download is complete, click on the file to run the installer.
• Choose the destination folder where you want to install IrfanView, or just keep the default option and click "Following".
• A page with the latest updates will appear. Click on “Next" to continue.
• If your computer uses Windows, XP, Vista, 7 or 8, you will have the option to associate different format extensions with IrfanView. Windows 10 has a default setting that you cannot change. When you are done, click “Next".
• IrfanView is ready to install. Press the “Next” and then when the installation is complete, click “Ready".

Done! You have now installed IrfanView on your Windows PC.

For operating systems other than Windows, there are no native versions. However, IrfanView can be run with the help of another program:

IrfanView for Mac :

• Download the ZIP version of IrfanView on your Mac.
• Unzip it and then run it with the help of WineBottlerWith this program you can run almost any Windows environment software on your Mac. Highly recommended.

IrfanView for Linux :

• Download the ZIP version of IrfanView on your Linux PC.
• Unzip it and then run it with the help of WineWith this program you can run almost any Windows environment software on Linux.

Opinions of users who have used IrfanView

Let's look at some opinions from users who have already downloaded IrfanView and used it in their projects.

• Vinod B:

“The editing toolbar is actually a double column of 4-inch by 1-inch icons that can be moved to any corner of the screen and provides simple icon-based controls for changing the functions embedded in the cursor.

This simplifies the memory of the few standard functions we need to edit a photo or graphic . Also in IrfanView, the function to embed another image within an existing image is extremely easy to use and simple.”

• Suraj K:

“The best part about IrfanView is its simplicity and easy availability of components. IrfanView is completely free and available for download from its official website. I think it fits very well with most of the tasks you need to perform when preparing images for the web, including:

• Take screenshots.
• Trim.
• Resize.
• Very limited image editing.
• “Save in a file format that doesn’t require much space.”

 

• Ameer H:

“IrfanView is such a good piece of software that I sometimes find it hard to believe that it’s free. No hidden costs, no trials, and no pro version – it’s completely free! It opens any image format you throw at it, and if it can’t, there are numerous plugins on their website that can expand the software.”

• Mark M:

“IrfanView has been my primary image viewer for YEARS. There is almost nothing it won’t open, and year after year, updates and add-ons have only made the software better.

IrfanView is also a great piece of software for batch processing or renaming images, resizing/cropping, rotating, and adjusting image colors. Also, while not extensive, the included effects are very useful for manipulating images.

It also doesn't hurt that it's Freeware and has been well-updated and supported for so many years. This kind of longevity for an application, without becoming bloatware, is rare and appreciated. It does what it does extremely well, uses very few resources (overall), and hasn't changed its core functionality.”

IrfanView Alternatives. Top 5 of this year

If you think IrfanView is not suitable for your project, we can present you the following 5 softwares so you can compare them and decide which one to choose.

1. Photoshop

When it comes to image editing, Photoshop is one of the best options. However, its functionality as an image viewer is limited.

What sets Photoshop apart from other image editors is that it works with layers, so any filters, text or distortion you edit will not affect the original copy. Although it is usually expensive software.

Photoshop is undoubtedly the industry standard for creating and editing graphics and photos, which is why it is the first alternative we give you. Photoshop has a free trial version available on its official site, lasting for seven days, after which it becomes a paid version.

This version of Photoshop is available for Windows and MacOS.

2. The Gimp

GIMP is the famous and well-known GNU image manipulation program. It is open source and considered one of the most powerful free image editors in the world.

It is available on a variety of operating systems, such as Linux and macOS, and can be expanded with a wide variety of plugins. GIMP has a customizable interface.

Although it doesn't look very fancy, it does the job very well. What's most liked is that Gimp is completely free to use and is by far the best image editing software you can get, acting as a great upgrade to the default MS Paint that comes pre-installed with Windows.

It contains more image editing tools compared to the basic ones in Paint, while offering image cropping and scaling capabilities without damaging the original quality.

It allows easy conversions from one image format to another while preserving the original quality and also allows you to remove any compression so that the image comes out looking the way you want.

3. Serif Affinity Photo

With only a few years in development, Serif Affinity Photo software has made a strong entrance, proving it can compete with the industry giants. Its customizable interface is elegant and powerful, and there are many features that might make even the most die-hard Photoshop fan consider switching.

One of the most unique features is “Personas,” which are specific environments within the app that are used when performing certain actions, such as editing photos, liquifying, developing raw images, and exporting.

There's non-destructive editing, adjustment layers, vector drawing, powerful selection tools, masks/layers, and much more. And it's available for both MacOS and Windows.

4.PaintShop Pro

From the creators of Corel Painter, this image editing program, PaintShop Pro , is an affordable alternative with a great set of features.

Along with many of the standard tools, PaintShop Pro has layers/masks, plugins and scripts, batch editing, some social networking features, and a built-in learning center.

PaintShop Pro has evolved over the years, and has become a strong competitor in the field. The large number of tools it has is designed to meet the needs of all levels of learning, from beginners to professionals.

PaintShop Pro has a free 30-day trial version and is available for Windows only.

5. Pixlr

Besides being a very capable image editing program, Pixlr is the only alternative on this list that can boast of being cross-platform, mobile and even a web application.

There are plenty of effects and blending tools, layers and influence masks, and a variety of selection tools. You have the option to try the software for 30 days completely free, and then upgrade to the paid version, which is quite affordable.

FAQ

There are some frequently asked questions about IrfanView, and we wanted to bring them here so you can learn a little more about the program.

1. Is IrfanView free?

Yes. There is no cost to use IrfanView , but be sure to download it directly from its official website, as detailed above.

2. Is IrfanView safe?

There are no known viruses or malware associated with IrfanView. However, as with any web application that allows plugins from external sources, you should ensure that you do not load a plugin containing a malicious file onto your device.

You should always scan the plugin with reliable antivirus software for added protection.

3. How do I set IrfanView as my default image viewer?

Type “Default apps” into the Windows search bar and press the Enter key. Look for the Photo Viewer option. If you don’t have a default app currently set, press the + icon.

Otherwise, click on the current default app. You will see a list of programs on your device that can view images, find IrfanView in the list and tap on it.

Now, whenever you open an image file, it will open with IrfanView.

4. Can IrfanView open PSD files?

While IrfanView can open Photoshop files, they are flattened. This means you can't edit specific layers, but any changes will affect the entire file.

It's something to consider.

Conclusion

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In the end, IrfanView is an excellent graphics viewer and editor. It reads an incredible number of file types, loads a variety of external plugins, and has a well-organized layout.

IrfanView's abundance of positives certainly outweighs its few negatives.

When it comes to providing the best image viewing experience, IrfanView offers something that other free image viewing programs simply can't.

It is a robust image viewing, editing, and converting tool that you can get, with the functionalities that are on par with some good professional image viewers out there. You can view almost all image formats using this software, and you can also give the software more features by installing additional plugins.

Not only that, you can also read audio and video files, which makes this software not only good for image viewing but also makes it useful for multimedia playback. Versatility at your fingertips.