Pixelmator Pro Gains Photos Editing Extension, New Zoom Tool, Updated Crop Tool and More - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Pixelmator Pro Gains Photos Editing Extension, New Zoom Tool, Updated Crop Tool and More

by

The team behind Pixelmator Pro today released a major update for the photo editing app, introducing useful new capabilities that make it easier than ever to edit your photos.

There's now a Pixelmator Pro editing extension for the built-in Photos app on the Mac, which includes all of the tools and features from the full Pixelmator Pro app.

pixelmatorproeditingextension
With the extension, you can make edits to your photos using the tools from Pixelmator Pro without having to leave the ‌Photos‌ app. This makes for a more streamlined editing workflow when you're working with images stored within the ‌Photos‌ app.

Pixelmator Pro documents are also now able to be saved to the ‌Photos‌ app, and iCloud sync is supported for Pixelmator Pro documents saved to ‌Photos‌.

Along with an editing extension for ‌Photos‌, today's Pixelmator Pro update adds a new Zoom Tool for zooming into and panning around images more easily. The Crop tool also now features a Delete mode, the ability to crop to custom pixel sizes, and redesigned crop presets.

There are a whole range of other smaller updates and tweaks in Pixelmator Pro, listed on the Pixelmator Pro website.

Pixelmator Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $39.99. The update is free for existing customers. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

macintoshmac Avatar
92 months ago
Pixelmator is a gift that keeps on giving.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
92 months ago
This was the outcome I anticipated ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/os-x-photos-app-not-just-an-app-its-a-platform.1840884/')when Aperture was dropped by Apple and they started from scratch with Photos.

The Photos app was a part of an all new platform, not just an app. The Photos app itself was for general users with more advanced editing within the app itself. For professional photo editing, Apple introduced an editing extension API, which Pixelmator is taking advantage of.

This comes close to replacing Aperture for most consumers and prosumers. With the Pixelmator extension you have something approximating Photoshop’s most used editing capabilities and virtually all of Lightroom’s. Well ahead of where Aperture left off.

What’s still missing is a way to manage very large events which can often go beyond 3000 photos for a wedding. An update to Photos to manage separate work and personal libraries would solve this.

What I said in 2015:



The Photos.app isn't just an app, it's a platform at the operating system level. With extensions featuring large in iOS and with devs already taking advantage, it's clear what this will mean for Photos on OSX.

Apple will build a very capable photos organizing and editing tool whose library any external app can access. If you're a semi pro, the native organizing and editing tools might be enough. If you need more, you can get an app or an extension that satisfies your additional needs.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/os-x-photos-app-not-just-an-app-its-a-platform.1840884/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheWatchfulOne Avatar
92 months ago
Pixelmator vs Affinity Photo?

Discuss! :)
Neither are made by Adobe. That makes both of them winners.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
92 months ago
Great update to an already outstanding app.

Screw Abode and their thirsty subscriptions and bundling.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors