GIMP Download for Free – 2023 Latest Version

Written by: Shauli Zacks

GIMP (short for GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an open-source image editor that is great for editing and designing images. Some of the basic features include cropping, retouching, and resizing images. It also has text tools and different fonts and text styling for creating marketing or promotional materials.

How to Download and Install GIMP

1. Click on the Download button on the sidebar, and a new tab will open to the GIMP download page.
2. Choose your preferred language and then click Next, and GIMP will be installed on your computer.

How to Uninstall GIMP

If GIMP doesn’t have the tools you need, or you just want to try out a different photo editing software, check out the free alternatives below. To uninstall GIMP, follow these simple steps.

1. Enter Add or Remove Program in the Windows search bar.
   
2. Scroll through the list of installed programs until you find GIMP and click uninstall.
   
3. After confirming that you want to remove GIMP, the program will be uninstalled. You will need to restart your computer to complete the uninstallation process, but this doesn’t have to be done right away.

GIMP Overview

GIMP is a free, open-source photo editing software that rivals more expensive programs like Adobe Photoshop. It has the professional tools to go up against any digital editing programs and plenty of tutorials and user-guides to help you get started.

With GIMP, you can retouch images or use the tools to design images, logos, newsletters, brochures, and more. It uses a similar layer-based design made popular by Photoshop, which makes it easy to edit different components, go back to through the editing history to make changes, add masks, gradients, and move elements around without affecting the rest of your image. In addition to the built-in tools, GIMP is compatible with more than 100 plug-ins that will extend the software functionality.

Overall, GIMP is one of the best photo editing software programs available compared to both subscription-based and free software. 

GIMP is a customizable photo editing program

I was very impressed with the variety of tools that are readily available with GIMP. There are several different brushes, all of which can be customized to change the brush stroke’s size and the density of the coloring, tools that will automatically enhance the pictures, and great filters for adding that final touch to perfect the image. Several helpful plug-ins come installed in the software and there are others that I was able to download for free and easily upload to the software.

The GIMP workspace is laid out well and very user-friendly. You can easily rearrange the order of the tools or remove or hide the tools you don’t need, and the same can be done with the panels, layers, and history sections. Lastly, GIMP is an open-source program, which means that if you want to add any elements or editing tools or personalize your working space, you will need some coding knowledge if you want to do this.

Gimp features

• Customizable Docks: The workspace is broken up into different segments called Docks. You can customize the docks’ order, which tools are included in each one, and even the color.
  
• Fix Distorted images:  You can easily fix image distortions by using a transformation tool that can change the perspective. There are filters that can fix distortion caused by poor lighting. Numerous digital photo imperfections can be easily compensated for using GIMP. Fix perspective distortion caused by lens tilt simply by choosing the corrective mode in the transform tools. Eliminate lens’ barrel distortion and vignetting with a powerful filter but a simple interface.
• Retouch Images: If there are irregularities on the image, such as a line that shouldn’t be there or someone was blocking something, you quickly fix this using the Healing Tool.
• Draw Freehand: You don’t need to be an artist to draw pictures on GIMP. In addition to paintbrush tools, it also has different shapes, lines, and customizable lines, which can help give your drawing a polished look.
• Convert files to different formats:  If you need to convert your jpeg or png file to a different format, GIMP can help with that as well. Simply upload your image, where it will automatically be saved as GIMPs .xcf file. Then you can export it as psd, gif, png, jpg, xhtml,  bmp, pdf, mng, pcx, ps, svg, tiff, tga, xpm, and many others.
• Design banners with text: GIMP has all the tools needed to create professional banners for ads, newsletters headers, or that you can print and hang in the office. There are many different font choices and ways to style the text to fit with your design easily.
• Create animated GIFs: GIFs are all the rage today, and whether you want to create a funny GIF, use it to create a “how-to” tutorial, GIMP has the transitional tool and editing software to turn any video clip into a GIF quickly.

Free Alternatives to GIMP

• Adobe Photoshop: The gold standard of digital photo ending software, you can see how to get Photoshop for free for 30 days, which is great if you just need to use it for a quick project or two. Photoshop is a layer-based editing program, which is great for editing both small and large projects. It comes with hundreds of tools that can handle everything from adjusting the color, adding texture or filters to magic wands,  and excellent text tools.
• Pixlr: Available for desktop and mobile devices, Pixlr has a similar layout as GIMP but not nearly as many editing tools. It’s an ideal software if you need an easy to use program with some basic tools. Similar to GIMP, Pixlr is open-source and free.

FAQ

Is GIMP free?

Yes, GIMP is 100% free, provided that you follow the steps listed at the beginning of this article and download it from the official GIMP website. However, under terms of the General Public License, it’s legal for anyone to sell GIMP on their own website, as long as they include the source code and any changes they made to it.  

Is GIMP safe?

I tested the GIMP download on VirusTotal, and it was clean from all viruses, malware, and spyware. That being said, the program is open-source and works with third-party plug-ins. Before installing a plug-in, check it out, either in the GIMP forum or by scanning it with your antivirus program to make sure it’s clean. It’s also important to only download GIMP from the official site or a reputable site. Otherwise, you run into the disk of a bad actor, adding malicious code to GIMP and using it to exploit your computer and access your data.

How often is GIMP updated?

There are minor updates or software Patches that are released every few months, and you can easily install the latest updates. Typically speaking, there are two reasons for updates.

1. A bug is discovered and needs to be fixed.
2. There are enough minor improvements to justify a major release.

Can I change the workstation’s setup based on my preferences?

Yes. One of the best features of GIMP is that it is highly customizable. You can set up the docks in any order you prefer, and rearrange the tools, so the ones you use often are easily accessible.

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