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The 7 Best Ways to Open a PSD File Without Photoshop
Since PSD isn't an open format, you can only open it with specific apps. Adobe Photoshop might seem like the obvious choice, but you can use another tool if you don't want to pay for a monthly subscription.
Canva
Opening PSD files is one of many ways that photographers can use Canva. To do so, you simply need to create a new design before dragging and dropping the PSD file. Alternatively, select Upload > Upload files.
You can then edit the PSD file like a normal image in Canva by changing the color, adjusting your lighting, and anything else you deem necessary.
You can't export your file from Canva as a PSD. So, I recommend using the app for finishing touches, resizing your picture, or using the image in a design. Choose JPEG, PNG, or another relevant format to export when you're ready by going to the Share tab.
GIMP
GIMP is one of the free alternatives to Photoshop, and it's available across Windows, Mac, and Linux. PSD support is built right into this open-source solution, meaning that you don't need to worry about third-party plugins.
GIMP can process the individual layers of a PSD file. The downside is that some layers are unreadable to GIMP or may need to be rasterized so that GIMP can work with them.
- Go to File > Open.
- Find and select the PSD file.
- Click Open.
Saving over the PSD could ruin the file if you intend to open it back up in Photoshop later, so you should only use the tool if you plan to edit everything in GIMP.
Download: GIMP (Free)
Paint.NET
Paint.NET knows exactly what it wants to be: One of the best Microsoft Paint alternatives around, without being as bloated or intimidating to learn as GIMP or Adobe Photoshop.
But if you want to make it more powerful, you can install various third-party plugins. One of those is the PSD plugin.
- Download the PSD plugin.
- Extract the ZIP file's contents.
- Copy the PhotoShop.dll file.
- Navigate to the Paint.NET installation folder (the default location is C:/Program Files/paint.net).
- Paste the PhotoShop.dll file into the FileTypes subfolder.
- Launch Paint.NET.
With the plugin installed, you should be able to open PSD files without any problems. Note that even though Paint.NET can usually handle PSD layers just fine, you'll run into occasional issues because Paint.NET doesn't support all of Photoshop's features.
Nonetheless, Paint.NET is still a great alternative if you need to edit a PSD file and don't have Photoshop experience.
Download: Paint.NET (Free)
Photopea Online Editor
If you've never heard of Photopea before, you're in for a treat. This lesser-known web app is basically like an online alternative to Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. It's not as good—web apps rarely get close to their desktop counterparts—but it's still useful.
The layout is similar to Photoshop, too, so you'll feel right at home.
- Go to File > Open.
- Find and select the PSD file.
- Click Open.
Photopea can read individual layers, which is a level of feature you might not expect from a free web app. It's great, though, that it allows you to edit your PSDs without charge, no matter where you are. Just hop on with any computer.
With Photopea, you can also download and upload additional fonts, something few Photoshop alternatives do. You can also use Photopea on your iPad without the need to download an additional app.
Google Drive
It may seem weird to use Google Drive as a file viewer, but you absolutely can, and it works rather well. Like many other file types, PSDs are viewable through Google Drive on the web.
- Visit the Google Drive page.
- Click My Drive and select File upload.
- Find and select the PSD file.
- Click Open.
- Double-click the file to view it.
Google Drive is good for opening PSD files when you aren't on your own PC and can't install any other software. It's also easy to manage shared files on Google Drive, so it could be useful if you need a simple PSD viewer to share work with other people.
You can also share Google Drive files with non-Google users. Google Drive is a quick and efficient way to share PSD files.
Convertio
Convertio lets you convert PSD files into other formats like PNG and JPG, but unlike Canva, you can't edit your pictures. Nonetheless, this is an ideal tool if you've already finished editing or simply want to view a file.
- Click Choose Files.
- Navigate and select your PSD file.
- Select a new file format.
- Click Convert.
- Once the conversion is done, click Download.
The file conversion shouldn't take longer than a few minutes, and everything you convert will be stored online for 24 hours. You don't need to sign up for an account; the converter is free.
macOS Preview
If you're a Mac user, then you don't need to download any software at all—you have your very own PSD file opener built in. The Preview app will open PSDs quite easily.
- Find your PSD file and right-click it.
- Select Open With > Preview.
You can make small edits and save to different formats, but any PSDs you open in Preview will be flattened. So, you'll lose layer information in the file. Keep this in mind if you plan to edit the picture later; creating a duplicate might be a better idea.
These solutions definitely work, so if you're happy with them, go on and keep using them. But if you intend to do serious PSD editing in the future, you really ought to consider grabbing an Adobe Photoshop CC subscription plan instead. You'll also get better editing capabilities, many of which aren't available with free apps.
