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5 Reasons to Get Photoshop Express on Your Phone

Adobe has developed many Photoshop apps, but none are as popular as the desktop version (Photoshop CC). That said, maybe it’s time for this to change, at least for one of Adobe’s apps: Photoshop Express.

In this article, I’ll tell you five reasons why I recommend you give Photoshop Express a try.

Download Photoshop Express

Adobe decided to introduce three different apps to cover the full range of editing that Photoshop can offer: Photoshop Fix, Photoshop Mix, and Photoshop Express. In this article, I’m going to talk about Photoshop Express, and why I believe it’s worth downloading.

1. It’s free

Unlike the desktop version of Photoshop, you don’t need a Creative Cloud subscription in order to use Photoshop Express.

You can download the app for free, and you’ll get access to all the features and updates.

You do have to create an Adobe account, though (one that also allows you to use a limited version of Lightroom Mobile).

Photoshop Express New Features

2. It’s social

A very important thing for a photo editing app is the social aspect. You want to snap and share photos with ease.

Adobe took this into account when designing the cropping tool. With Photoshop Express, you can crop your images using the array of predetermined sizes for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Etsy, and most other major social networks.

For example: When cropping for Facebook, you can choose from the Page Cover, the Event Cover, the Profile Cover, the Profile, or the Ad.

Photoshop Express Social Media Crop Sizes

Of course, you can then share your photo directly from the app. From there, you can also add a watermark, send the image to Creative Cloud if you are a subscriber, send the image to a printer, and more.

3. You control size and compression

Unlike many other editing apps, Photoshop Express lets you choose the size and quality of your file before saving or sharing it.

You can set a default JPEG Quality and a default Image Size in the Preferences of the app. To set this up, tap on the menu (in the top-left corner). Then go to Preferences and then Save Options.

Saving Size and Quality

You can also change size and quality in the final stage of your saving or sharing process. Before you choose the destination of your image, click on the settings below the thumbnail (so you can modify them).

4. You can work with RAW files

A RAW file is like a digital negative. It saves the information from the shot prior to processing; that way, you have much more to work with when you’re editing, and the quality will be superior.

Of course, this means that the file size will be bigger, so keep an eye on your storage space. If you have a camera, you probably know that each brand has its own RAW files. For example, Canon uses CRW/CR2/CR3, while Nikon uses NEF/NRW. A standard and open-source RAW format is a DNG file, which is what you get if you shoot using Lightroom Mobile.

Post processing RAW Files in Photoshop Express
On the left, you can see how a RAW file is clearly marked in the gallery. That one was shot using the camera from Lightroom Mobile. On the right, you see the post-processed version of that file (edited using Photoshop Express).

5. You can do all your post-processing

Last but not least, the editing capabilities of Photoshop Express are top-notch. After all, the app was created by a company that has been leading the post-processing market for decades.

That said, Photoshop Express won’t reach the level of editing that you can do with the desktop version of Photoshop. That’s why there are three apps.

However, if you consider that Photoshop Express is free and won’t take up all your phone storage space, it’s actually very good.

Photoshop Express post production
Snapshot made with a Redmi Note 8, later post-processed in Photoshop Express.

Also, Photoshop Express includes many presets for looks, effects, stickers, frames, etc. That way, you can do some serious post-processing, or you can just create fun posts for your social media feed.

Conclusion

With so many editing apps on the market, it’s difficult to make a choice; sometimes you end up downloading a different app for each purpose.

However, Photoshop Express has proven to be an all-purpose and well-rounded app.

And if you have an iPhone, you’ll get some additional features.

Share in the comments if you decide to try Photoshop Express, and let me know what you think.

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Ana Mireles
Ana Mireles

is a photographer and artistic researcher. She has been awarded and exhibited in Mexico, Italy, and the Netherlands. Through theory and practice, she explores the cultural aspect of photography, how it helps us relate to each other, the world, and ourselves. She has also a passion for teaching, communication, and social media. You can find more about her and her work at her website or acquire some of her works here.

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