Image Editor
This free image editor runs entirely in your browser, so you can crop, resize, add text, apply filters, and work with layers without installing software or creating an account. There’s no signup and no waiting on uploads, because your files never leave your device. It’s a fast, private way to make quick edits to photos, screenshots, and graphics from any modern browser.
Layers, filters, crop, and export — powered by miniPaint (MIT). Nothing is uploaded to any server; edits stay on your device.
How to use the image editor
- Open or drag in an image. Click Open to browse for a file, or drag a photo, screenshot, or graphic straight onto the canvas. The image loads locally in your browser, so nothing is sent to a server.
- Edit with layers and tools. Crop, resize, paint, erase, add text, draw shapes, or apply filters and adjustments. Each element can sit on its own layer, so you can rearrange, hide, or fine-tune one part without disturbing the rest.
- Export your result. When you’re happy with the edit, save the canvas as a PNG, JPG, or WebP file. The download lands in your usual downloads folder, ready to share or reuse.
What you can do in this image editor
Despite running fully in the browser, this online image editor covers most everyday editing jobs. You can work with multiple layers, which keeps text, shapes, and pasted elements separate and easy to adjust. The crop tool trims away unwanted edges, and the resize controls let you set exact pixel dimensions for the canvas or the whole image.
A range of filters and adjustments lets you change brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, blur, sharpness, and more, so you can correct a dull photo or add a stylistic effect. The text tool adds captions and labels in the fonts available to your browser, and basic shape tools draw rectangles, ellipses, and lines for diagrams or annotations. When you export, you can choose between PNG for transparency, JPG for small photo files, and WebP for an efficient modern format.
Why a browser-based editor is private and convenient
This tool is powered by the open-source miniPaint project, which means the entire editor loads as code that runs on your own machine. There is nothing to install and no account to create. Because your images are processed locally, they are never uploaded to a remote server, so private screenshots, client work, and personal photos stay on your device.
Loading the editor in the browser also makes it convenient. Once the page has loaded, the core editing features keep working even if your connection drops, which is handy on the move or on a patchy network. It works the same across operating systems, so you don’t need a separate app for each computer you use.
Common quick tasks
Most people reach for a browser-based image editor to get a small job done quickly. The table below shows some frequent tasks and how to approach them here.
| Task | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Crop a screenshot | Open the image, select the crop tool, drag the box around the area you want, then apply and export. |
| Remove part of a background | Use the eraser or a selection tool to clear an area, working on its own layer so the rest stays intact. |
| Resize for social media | Open the resize or canvas-size option and enter the pixel width and height you need before exporting. |
| Add text to an image | Pick the text tool, click on the canvas, type your caption, then adjust the size, color, and position. |
| Convert a format | Open the file, then export and choose PNG, JPG, or WebP to save it in a different format. |
When to use this versus a dedicated app
This image editor is built for quick, practical edits: cropping, resizing, light retouching, adding text, annotating screenshots, and converting between formats. For those jobs it saves you the time and storage of a full desktop install. It is not meant to replace heavyweight professional software for complex retouching, large multi-layer composites, color-managed print work, or advanced masking. If your project demands those, treat this as a fast companion for the small tasks and reach for a dedicated application when the work gets heavy.
How this compares to popular online image editors
If you’ve searched for an online editor, you’ve probably seen names like Photopea, Pixlr, Canva, and Fotor. Those are powerful tools, and for deep, professional work they earn their reputation. This editor takes a different position: it’s a lightweight, private, no-signup option for the everyday edits that don’t need a heavy interface or an account. The table below lays out where it fits honestly, so you can pick the right tool for the job at hand.
| What matters to you | This editor | Typical online editors |
|---|---|---|
| Account or signup | None required | Often optional, sometimes needed to save or export |
| Where images are processed | Locally in your browser, never uploaded | Frequently uploaded to a server for processing |
| Layers, crop, resize, filters, text, shapes | Included | Included, often alongside many more features |
| Export formats | PNG, JPG, WebP | Usually a wider range, plus templates and presets |
| Best for | Quick, private edits with no friction | Template design, advanced retouching, larger projects |
The trade-off is simple. Feature-heavy editors give you more options and assets, usually in exchange for an account, server-side processing, or paid tiers for the best parts. This tool keeps the feature set focused on common tasks and keeps your files on your device, which is exactly what you want when you just need to crop a screenshot, resize an image, or add a quick caption without signing in anywhere.
How to crop and resize an image for social media
Every platform expects images at certain pixel dimensions, and uploading the wrong size leads to awkward cropping or soft, stretched results. You can hit the exact size you need in a few steps without any presets or templates.
- Open the image. Choose File ▸ Open and pick the photo or graphic you want to prepare.
- Crop to the right shape first. Select the crop tool, drag a box over the part you want to keep, and apply. This sets the aspect ratio so the resize step doesn’t squash the picture.
- Set exact pixels. Go to Image ▸ Resize and type the target width and height from the table below. Keep the aspect ratio locked so the image scales cleanly, then crop afterward if the shape needs trimming.
- Export. Use File ▸ Save As and choose JPG for photos or PNG when you need a transparent area, then upload the file.
| Platform & placement | Recommended size (px) |
|---|---|
| Instagram square post | 1080 × 1080 |
| Instagram / Facebook story | 1080 × 1920 |
| Facebook cover photo | 820 × 312 |
| X (Twitter) header | 1500 × 500 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 |
| LinkedIn shared image | 1200 × 627 |
How to erase or remove part of an image background
This editor removes backgrounds the manual way, which gives you precise control rather than an automatic guess. There is no AI button here, so you decide exactly what stays and what goes.
- Open the image with File ▸ Open.
- Select the area to remove. Pick the magic wand (auto-select) tool and click a background region of even color; it selects similar adjacent pixels. For irregular areas, use the lasso to draw around them, or switch to the eraser for hands-on cleanup.
- Delete the selection. Press Delete to clear the selected pixels. If the image has no transparency yet, remove the background fill layer or work on a layer of its own so the cleared area becomes see-through rather than white.
- Refine the edges. Zoom in and use a small eraser to tidy stray pixels around the subject, repeating the wand-and-delete step on any leftover background patches.
- Export as PNG. Save as PNG with File ▸ Save As so the transparency is preserved; JPG would fill the cleared area with white.
How to add text or a watermark to an image
Captions, labels, and simple ownership watermarks all use the same text tool, and keeping them on their own layer means you can reposition or delete them without touching the photo underneath.
- Open your image and select the text tool from the toolbar.
- Click and type. Click where you want the text, type your caption or name, then set the font, size, and color in the tool options.
- Make a watermark. For a watermark, lower the layer’s opacity so the text sits faintly over the image, and drag it to a corner. Keeping it semi-transparent makes it hard to crop out cleanly.
- Position and export. Move the text layer until it looks right, then save with File ▸ Save As. Because text lives on its own layer, you can hide or edit it before exporting.
How to convert an image to PNG, JPG, or WebP
Switching formats is really just opening a file and saving it again in the format you need. PNG keeps transparency and sharp edges, JPG gives you the smallest file for photos, and WebP balances quality and size for the web.
- Open the source file with File ▸ Open in any common format the editor reads.
- Choose Save As. Open File ▸ Save As and pick PNG, JPG, or WebP as the output type.
- Set quality if asked. For JPG or WebP you can adjust a quality slider; higher keeps more detail, lower shrinks the file.
- Download. Save the file and it lands in your downloads folder in the new format, ready to use.
Frequently asked questions
Is the image editor really free?
Yes. The tool is free to use with no signup, no subscription, and no watermark added to your exports. It is built on open-source software, so you can keep using it for as many edits as you like.
Are my images uploaded, and is it private?
Your images are not uploaded. Everything happens locally in your browser, so the files you open never leave your device. That makes it a good fit for screenshots, client materials, and personal photos you’d rather not send to a server.
Does it support layers?
Yes. You can place text, shapes, and pasted elements on separate layers, then reorder, hide, or edit each one independently. Working in layers makes it easy to change one part of an image without affecting the others.
What formats can I open and export?
You can open common image formats such as PNG, JPG, and WebP, among others your browser supports. When saving, you can export to PNG, JPG, or WebP depending on whether you need transparency, a small file size, or a modern efficient format.
Can I use it offline?
Once the page has loaded, the core editing features continue to work even if your internet connection drops, because the editor runs in the browser rather than on a server. You only need a connection to load the page the first time.
Is it a Photoshop alternative?
It’s a capable alternative for quick edits, annotations, and format changes, and a free, no-install way to handle everyday tasks. For heavy retouching, advanced masking, or professional print work, a dedicated desktop application is still the better choice.
Does it work on mobile?
The editor runs in modern mobile browsers, so you can make basic edits on a phone or tablet. The experience is most comfortable on a larger screen with a mouse or trackpad, where precise tool work is easier.
What is miniPaint?
miniPaint is the open-source, browser-based image editing project that powers this tool. It provides the layers, tools, filters, and export options you see here, all running locally in your browser.
Is this the same as Photopea or Photoshop?
No. Photopea and Photoshop are full-featured editors aimed at advanced, professional work, and they’re excellent at it. This tool is a lighter, private alternative for everyday jobs like cropping, resizing, light adjustments, and adding text. It covers the common ground without an account, but it isn’t trying to match those programs feature for feature.
Can it open PSD files?
This editor is built around standard web image formats such as PNG, JPG, and WebP rather than Photoshop’s PSD format, which it doesn’t support natively. If you need to open or keep layered PSD files, a dedicated editor like Photopea or Photoshop is the better fit. For everyday raster images, this tool handles opening and exporting the common formats directly.
Is there a limit on how many images I can edit?
No. There’s no cap on the number of images or edits, no daily quota, and no watermark added to your exports. Because the editing happens locally in your browser, you can open, adjust, and export as many images as you like, completely free.
How do I resize an image without losing quality?
Start from the highest-resolution original you have and scale down rather than up. Use Image ▸ Resize, keep the aspect ratio locked, and enter the smaller target size. Downscaling stays crisp because the editor is removing pixels the new size doesn’t need. Enlarging beyond the original dimensions is what introduces softness, since the tool has to invent pixels that were never there.
How do I make a transparent PNG?
Clear the area you want to be see-through using a selection tool or the eraser, making sure there is no solid background layer filling it in. Once the area shows the checkered transparency pattern, export with File ▸ Save As and choose PNG. PNG supports an alpha channel, so the transparency is kept; saving as JPG would replace it with white.
Can I crop an image to a specific size or ratio?
Yes. Use the crop tool to set the shape, then go to Image ▸ Resize and type the exact pixel width and height you need. For a precise ratio, crop roughly to the proportion first, then resize to the final dimensions so the result matches the target size without distortion.
Does it add a watermark or reduce quality on export?
No watermark is ever added to your exports. Quality is in your hands: PNG and WebP can save losslessly or near-lossless, while JPG uses compression you control with a quality setting. Choose a higher quality value to preserve detail, or a lower one when you want a smaller file.
Related design tools & guides
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