Guides to PSD files and photo editing
These guides cover PSD files, what they are and how to open one without Photoshop on any device, and the basics of editing: layers, layer masks, Curves and Levels, step by step in the editor. Next to them is our list of the Photoshop shortcuts the editor uses, grouped by menu.
How to open a PSD file without Photoshop
Ways to open a PSD on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and phones.
What is a PSD file?
What a PSD stores, how it differs from PNG and JPG, and how to open one.
How to use layers in a photo editor, for beginners
Add, rename, reorder, group and merge layers, with opacity and blend modes.
What a layer mask is, and how to use one
What layer masks and clipping masks do, and how to add, paint and apply a mask.
How to use Curves and Levels, and which one to pick
What Curves and Levels do, when to use each, and how to keep them editable.
Photoshop shortcuts you can use in your browser
Default Photoshop keyboard shortcuts in the editor, grouped by menu.
Do it in the editor
Prefer to get on with it? These pages open your file straight in the editor: open a PSD online, edit a PSD, convert PSD to PNG or PSD to JPG, turn a PNG into a PSD, convert HEIC to JPG and open a RAW photo. To weigh PhotopixPro against other editors, read how it compares with Photoshop and how it compares with Photopea.