Pinta — The Complete Guide: A Simple Layered Image Editor on Linux, macOS and Windows
Pinta is modelled on Paint.NET, which makes it the natural choice for anyone on Linux or macOS looking for a simple editor in the same style. It opens quickly, understands layers and does not make you learn a whole system just to put an arrow on a photo.
Pinta
Pinta Project
A simple Paint.NET-style image editor with layers, effects and unlimited undo, also on Linux and macOS.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Crop, rotate and resize — prepare images for email or for a report.
- Layers — markings and text on a separate layer above the photo.
- Selection tools and magic wand — isolate an area to fix or hide.
- Clone and recolour — simple retouching and hiding details.
- Effects with live preview and unlimited undo — experiment without worry.
When it is enough
For marking defects on a site photo, annotating a screenshot from a design program, and blurring names or licence plates before sharing. Limitation: there is no RAW editing, colour management or complex masking — for that you need a heavier editor.
Related tools
For the original inspiration on Windows — Paint.NET. For a small editor with vector layers — LazPaint. For advanced editing — GIMP.
Paint.NET
dotPDN
A fast, simple image editor for Windows with layers — for cropping, marking up and preparing photos and figures for reports.
Get it from the vendor
LazPaint
LazPaint contributors (BGRABitmap)
A lightweight image editor with raster and vector layers, including a portable no-install version for Windows.
Get it from the vendor
GIMP
GIMP team
Advanced image editing — site photos, perspective correction, marking defects and preparing images for reports.
Get it from the vendor
Photopea
Ivan Kutskir (Photopea)
A Photoshop-style image editor in the browser with layers and PSD support, processing files on your own computer without uploading them.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
A light everyday editor for any operating system, for the tasks where GIMP is simply too much.