Photopea is a web app, so all you have to do is point your browser to it to get started. Note that all of its features are available only in Chromium-based browsers; you can still use it in Firefox or Safari, but you might miss out on some capabilities. You need to give the web app permission to access your local photo folders, or you can connect your Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive accounts to access photos on those cloud storage services. Another consideration is that, for Photopea to fully work, you must disable any content blockers you use. It’s possible to use Photopea on your phone, as it features a responsive web design.
If you prefer the feel of an installed app over a website, you can install Photopea as a progressive web app (PWA). A handy full-screen icon at the top center of Photopea’s website removes the browser borders.
(Credit: Photopea/PCMag)
When you open Photopea, you clearly see how to get started, either by opening an image file or by choosing a file type and starting from scratch. You can also drag and drop image files onto the program windows. As in Photoshop, if you drag a picture on top of an existing image, you get a new layer with that image overlaid. You can even use Smart Objects, allowing you to edit multiple instances of an image simultaneously by adjusting the original.
Photopea lacks an import option since it’s purely an editor rather than a Lightroom-style workflow application. You can choose File > Open More, then choose among (in order) From Any Folder, From Storage, Open from URL, Take a Picture, and PSD templates.
(Credit: Photopea/PCMag)
Whenever you open an image of any kind, Photopea converts it to a PSD file. Photoshop lets you open and treat any image file in its original format, but when you make edits and use layers, it saves to PSD format.
If you create a new image from scratch, Photopea, just like Photoshop, provides a respectable selection of templates.
