Photoshop is definitely right about the PSD file format. It preserves the complete state of an image that hasn't been retouched yet, so you can close it and continue later. When working with images, you should always save a copy of the PSD file in case you need to make adjustments to the image later.
The problem is that PSD is not an open format. While PNG, JPG and BMP files can be opened in almost all image editing programs, PSDs can only be opened in certain programs that recognize this file format. Their best advice? Pay for a subscription to Adobe Photoshop DC.
Or use one of the many free options listed below. Are they as good as Adobe Photoshop? No, they are not. In fact, most of the apps listed below cannot process PSD files, they just display them as flat images. That's the cost of proprietary software. But if you need to view flat images, These options are worth trying.
You can also read: 7 Best Free Programs for Making Photo Montages
What are PSD files?
PSD is a layered image file format commonly used in Photoshop. It means «Photoshop document»This file format is also the default format when trying to save data in Photoshop.
Simply put, if the file is in PSD format, you can edit the individual layers of the image, unlike JPG or PNG formats, where you can only edit the image as a whole. PSD files, on the other hand, have to be converted into images and cannot be reactivated afterwards.
The best programs to open files in this format are, of course, Photoshop, CorelDRAW and Paintshop. As these are premium products, It is best to download a free program. So here is our first method to open PSD files without Photoshop.
8 Best Programs to Open PSD Files Without Photoshop
1.GIMP
GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, but you don't have to worry too much about that acronym. All you need to know is that it is Perfect for editing, viewing and even converting PSD files. The software is available for macOS, Windows and even Linux.
So obviously GIMP is one of the best tools on the market, hence our first contribution. The advantage is that it is free, so you don't have to spend money, unlike Photoshop.
There is also no need to install any plugins, as the application itself supports the PSD format. Here we explain How you can use it to open PSD files without Photoshop:
- Start the GIMP tool.
- Select the File tab from the menu bar and then select Open from the menu that appears.
- It will redirect you to a dialog box. Find your PSD file here and click on it when you find it.
- Then click the Open button.
The only drawback is that you won't be able to edit all the layers of the PSD file with GIMP. Fortunately, it's an open source tool, so you can get the source code to improve this process.
2.Paint.NET
Paint.NET is an image editing program similar to Photoshop, but with fewer features and performance. However, it is still a tool that can open PSD files without the need for Photoshop. Perhaps the best thing about this program is that It is very easy to use, unlike Photoshop or GIMP.
There are two things to worry about: it is much less powerful than the tools mentioned above, and you need to install plugins to open PSD files. Here is how you can do it:
- Download the plugin to open PSD files in this link.
- After download, extract the contents of the ZIP file.
- Copy the file named 'dll' from the content.
- Navigate to the Paint.NET installation folder, which should be on your C: drive under Programs.
- Add the copied file to FileTypes.
- Start Paint.NET and drag the PSD file into the program.
You can do a lot more with Paint.NET if you have the right plug-ins. In our case, you have met the requirements to be able to open PSD files with Paint.NET.
3. XNVIEW
XNVIEW is another free program, but this time it's an image organizer. Simply put, it's a tool for managing collections of images. You can't edit them as easily as with the first two tools, although there are features that allow you to do so, such as filters, effects, and rotation.
Although it is less popular than the others, it supports more than 500 formats and can export 70 image formats. You also have three options to download the toolMinimum requires the least amount of memory, so it is recommended to choose it instead of Standard or Advanced.
That's all you need to know. The process of opening PSD files without Photoshop is the same as in GIMP because you don't need to install any third-party plugins like in Paint.NET.
4. Google drive
You may wonder why Google Drive is listed here, but it's actually one of the best options for opening PSD files without Photoshop. First, Google Drive is known as a file viewer, and not just for the formats we normally use.
It also includes the PSD file format. Being supplied by Google, it is a very robust product, and updates to this tool are constantly being produced. The only difference is that you first have to learn how to use it. Fortunately, you can learn all that with this tutorial:
- Log in to one of your browsers.
- Open Google Drive.
- Login to your account if you haven't already.
- From the Google Drive page, go to My Drive on the left.
- Click the New button or load files in the upper left corner of the panel.
- In the dialog box that opens, navigate to the location of the PSD file.
- Select the file and Click Open.
This allows you to open PSD files without Photoshop, but with Google Drive. However, you should keep in mind that this method can be used online, so you don't need a place to store or install the tool, which is an advantage of using such a tool.
5. Photopea online
Photopea Online is another of our online solutions. As with Google Drive, all you need is a stable internet connection. So, Photopea has fewer features and is less powerful than its desktop counterparts, but it is still useful. Here's how to use it:
- Go to the Photopea website.
- The platform looks like a normal installed program. Select File from the menu bar, then Choose Open from the options that appear.
- Navigate to the location of your file and click Open.
Since it's free and you can use it anytime as long as you have internet access, the possibilities are endless. Plus, it can read most of the layers in your PSD file, so it's a win-win situation.
6. IrfanVer
IrfanView is similar to XNVIEW, and allows you to view and convert files in simple steps. The only difference may be that IrfanView only supports popular formats and does not have as wide a collection as XNVIEW.
However, You can open PSD files without Photoshop. Furthermore, IrfanView also supports PSD files that have been flattened. Of course, this cannot be done without first converting them. Another similarity with XNVIEW is the way of using it. Lastly, it is very lightweight, so you won't need much disk space to install it.
A few additional features will allow you to get the most out of the software. On the other hand, this tool can only be used on Windows.
7. Go2Convert
Go2Convert may not be the tool you are looking for, but it is still one of the best options to open PSD files without Photoshop. As the name suggests, it is a tool to convert files from one format to another. Luckily, PSD is one of the formats supported by this tool.
However, don't expect too much from it. With this program you can only convert files, but not open them directly. Here's how to use Go2Convert:
- Start Go2Convert.
- Click the Select File button.
- A dialog box will appear. Navigate to the location where you want to save the PSD file.
- Select the file and click the Open button.
- Click the Upload Now button.
- Once the file is uploaded, you will see the formats you can convert it to. Now you can edit the image as you like, such as resizing or compressing it.
This way, you can convert the files as well as edit the image after the conversion is complete. However, the editing functions are very simple, such as rotating, resizing, etc. Lastly, You can also convert PSD files to other formats. After conversion, you should be able to open files that used to be PSD files normally.
8. PSD Viewer
The last item is the PSD Viewer, which can be used online similar to Google Drive and Photopea Online. You can access the website by clicking on this link link.
On the site you can convert your files. Unlike Go2Convert, simply converts the file without any editing. Moreover, you can use the site without changing it too much. So, you can use PSD Viewer to open PSD files without Photoshop:
- Access the PSD Viewer page by clicking the link above.
- Click the Select button file in STEP 1.
- Navigate to the file location. Then, select the file and click Open. Make sure the file size does not exceed 100 MB.
- In STEP 2, select file format to which you want to convert the PSD file.
- Once you have selected the file format, click Convert.
- In STEP 3 you can specify the width and height of the file to be converted.
- Once you have configured these parameters, click the Upload button.
Now you just have to wait for the PSD file to be converted and uploaded to your computer. The file should be located in the folder downloads of the browser you are using. This should be enough to open PSD files without Photoshop.
Conclusion
This completes our list of tools to open PSD files without Photoshop. While you can't use all of them, you'll only need one of them to solve most PSD file opening problems. But even though Photoshop is a paid product, that doesn't mean you can't get it.
If possible, We always recommend using Photoshop, as it is the most suitable program for opening PSD files. This way, you will have no problems when using this format. In any case, I hope this article has helped you find the right tool for you.
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My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.