Image: Adobe Adobe has announced it is expanding its popular photo editing program, bringing Adobe Photoshop to smartphones. Until now, users could only access Adobe Photoshop Express on phones, but that app lacks many of the critical tools that make Photoshop so useful.
That changes with the company's latest app, however, with the aim of "bringing the ultimate image editing and design app to a new generation of creators. "
Adobe understands that many people exclusively use their phones for editing images or creating artwork. The new Photoshop mobile app brings "Photoshop's iconic image editing and design capabilities" to your phone, offering greater functionality than the Photoshop Express app. It will enable Photoshop's "tools for precise selections, targeted adjustments, advanced color corrections, expanded access to commercially safe AI with Firefly-powered generative AI tools, full format support for opening and editing any Photoshop document and more. "
Image: Adobe
To accommodate a robust set of tools, Adobe designed the new app from the ground up with an "accessible and intuitive interface" made specifically for phones. This interface, by necessity, looks very different from the desktop version, as phones have far less screen real estate (not to mention usually a different aspect ratio). There is no toolbar on the side of the app like the desktop version. Instead, Adobe concentrated things on the bottom of the screen with a simplified workflow, highlighting the most commonly used tools. There's also a small layer stack on the right side of the app.
The new app will provide access to unlimited layers, plus masking and blending modes.
Image: Adobe
One of Photoshop's most important features is the ability to edit non-destructively in layers. Layers were notably missing from the Photoshop Express app, so seeing those coming to the new mobile app is certainly nice. Users can access the standard Photoshop layer types, including adjustment layers, and create unlimited layers. Adobe also added masking and layer blending tools, with plenty of flexibility in how you select and edit individual items. Plus, those layers will remain even when you close the app, so you can keep changing things without starting the process over.
One new tool coming to the Photoshop mobile app is Tap Select. This tool will automatically select all the obvious subjects and objects in an image, providing a list of components you can edit selectively. Should Tap Select not get the objects you want, you can add to that list with the Lasso tool or use the Magic Wand.
With an expanded web platform and new mobile app, users can seamlessly switch between interfaces.
Image: Adobe
Adobe also expanded the web experience to help those who want more flexibility with where and when they edit. It promises a complementary user interface across web and mobile, making it easy to bounce between the two platforms. Adobe says that with "seamless integration between the mobile and web experiences, the new offering empowers creators to work on the same project across devices. " To accomplish this, Adobe made changes to the user interface of Photoshop on the web and expanded availability across Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Edge browsers. It also added Access to Firefly-powered features like Generative Fill, Generate Similar, Reference Image and updated selection models.
The new Photoshop on mobile app is available for iPhones as of today, with an Android version coming later this year. It's free to download and use, but premium features are locked behind a paywall. Additionally, while free plans will have access to a range of fonts and Adobe Stick assets, a subscription will unlock even more options. For those who want full access, you can opt for the new Photoshop Mobile and Web plan for $7. 99/month or $69. 99 annually. Adobe says that all current Photoshop paid plans that provide access to Photoshop on iPad and Photoshop on the web will also provide access to Photoshop on mobile.
. dpreview.com2025-2-26 17:00
