Photoshop definitely got it right with the PSD file format. It saves the complete land of a still-existence-edited image, so you can close downwardly and resume piece of work later.

The trouble is that PSD isn't an open format, as it tin only be opened past certain apps that know the file format. Your all-time bet? Pay for an Adobe Photoshop CC subscription program.

But if you don't want or can't afford that, and so how can y'all open PSD files? In that instance, you lot could endeavor 1 of the costless options we've found for you. Carry in mind, though, most of the following apps can't actually edit PSDs—they tin only view PSDs as flattened images. If flattened image viewing is all you need anyway, and then these options are well worth trying.

ane. GIMP

PSD file open in GIMP

GIMP should be your starting time stop when trying to open and edit a PSD file for gratuitous. Not merely is information technology the best free alternative to Photoshop, but it's bachelor across Windows, Mac, and Linux, and then you tin can learn information technology one time and utilise it on all of your systems.

And if information technology wasn't clear, yep, PSD support is built correct into the app. No need to fiddle with 3rd-party plugins or anything.

  1. Get to File > Open.
  2. Find and select the PSD file.
  3. Click Open.

The prissy thing almost GIMP is that it can actually process the individual layers of a PSD file. The downside is that some layers are unreadable to GIMP, or demand to be rasterized so that GIMP can piece of work with them. Saving over the PSD could ruin the file if you intend to open it back up in Photoshop later.

GIMP is open-source software, which comes with several benefits (like being able to peek at the source code whenever you lot want). The all-time fashion to open up a PSD file is by getting an Adobe Photoshop CC subscription plan, but GIMP is good if y'all want a gratuitous culling.

Download: GIMP (Free)

ii. Paint.NET

PSD file open in Paint.net

Paint.Cyberspace knows exactly what it wants to be: one of the best Microsoft Paint alternatives around, without being as swollen or intimidating to learn as GIMP or Adobe Photoshop. It'southward correct smack in the middle.

Only if you want to make information technology more powerful, you lot can—by installing various third-party plugins. And if you're going to exercise that, there'due south 1 plugin that you lot absolutely should use: the PSD plugin.

  1. Download the PSD plugin.
  2. Excerpt the ZIP file's contents.
  3. Copy the PhotoShop.dll file.
  4. Navigate to the Paint.Internet installation folder (the default location is C:/Program Files/paint.cyberspace).
  5. Paste the PhotoShop.dll file into the FileTypes subfolder.
  6. Launch Paint.Net.

With the plugin installed, you should be able to open PSD files without a hitch. Note that even though Paint.NET can usually handle PSD layers just fine, you'll run across occasional bug because Paint.Cyberspace doesn't support all of Photoshop'south features.

Download: Paint.Cyberspace (Free)

3. Photopea Online Editor

PSD file open in Photopea online editor

If you've never heard of Photopea before, y'all're in for a treat. This bottom-known web app is basically like an online alternative to Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. It's obviously not every bit practiced—spider web apps rarely get close to their desktop counterparts—but it's all the same useful.

The layout is like, then y'all'll feel right at home. Want to open up a PSD file? It's piece of cake.

  1. Go to File > Open.
  2. Find and select the PSD file.
  3. Click Open.

And the cool thing is that Photopea tin read individual layers, which is a level of feature you lot might not await from a costless web app. Information technology's groovy, though, allowing you to edit your PSDs without accuse no matter where you lot are. Just hop on with any computer.

iv. XnView

PSD file open in XNView

XnView is a freeware epitome organizer that lets y'all browse and order your image collections in various ways, equally well as process them using bones image-editing tools like color palettes, filters, effects, and rotations.

The great thing about this lesser-known app is that it can read over 500 formats and export to over 70 formats, and so not only is it useful for viewing images, but also converting them.

  1. Go to File > Open up.
  2. Find and select the PSD file.
  3. Click Open.

When downloading, you tin can cull between three setup types: Minimal, Standard, and Extended. Minimal requires the least amount of disk space and is all you demand to open PSD files. No need for add together-ons, plugins, or anything like that.

Download: XnView (Complimentary)

v. IrfanView

PSD file open in Irfanviw

IrfanView is similar to XnView in that its chief utilise is as an image viewer and converter. It may not back up every bit many formats as XnView does, but it supports all the of import ones—and that's all that really matters, right?

While IrfanView can hands render flattened PSD files, information technology tin't edit or salvage them unless you kickoff export to a unlike format.

  1. Become to File > Open up.
  2. Notice and select the PSD file.
  3. Click Open up.

We recommend keeping this app on your organization. Use it as your master epitome viewer, and you lot'll never be disappointed past it. The all-time part is it's extremely lightweight and fast. Plus you lot can further raise IrfanView with some neat plugins.

Download: IrfanView (Free)

six. Google Drive

PSD file open in Google Drive

It may seem weird to use Google Drive equally a file viewer, but you admittedly can—and it works rather well. Like many other file types, PSDs are viewable through Google Drive on the spider web.

  1. Visit the Google Drive folio.
  2. Click My Drive and select File upload.
  3. Find and select the PSD file.
  4. Click Open.
  5. Double-click the file to view it.

When would you ever employ Google Drive for this? Possibly when y'all aren't on your own PC and tin't install any other software. It's also piece of cake to manage shared files on Google Drive, so it could be useful if y'all demand a simple PSD viewer to share piece of work with other people.

7. Convertio

Convertio screenshot

This last choice is not a way to view, open up, or edit PSD files. It'southward just a mode to catechumen PSD files into other formats like PNG and JPG. If that's the entire reason why you wanted to open up PSDs in the starting time place, then you might likewise skip the middle steps.

  1. Click Choose Files.
  2. Navigate and select your PSD file.
  3. Select a new file format.
  4. Click Catechumen.
  5. Once the conversion is done, click Download.

Uncomplicated and straightforward. Cypher more to it.

8. macOS PreviewPSD file open in macOS Preview

If you're a Mac user, then you lot don't need to download any software at all—y'all have your very ain PSD file opener congenital in. The Preview app will open PSDs quite hands.

  1. Detect your PDF file, and right-click it.
  2. Select Open With > Preview

And that's all at that place is to information technology. Yous can make modest edits and save to different formats, but any PSDs you open in Preview will be flattened, and then yous'll lose whatsoever layer information in the file.

Why Not Utilize Adobe Photoshop?

These solutions definitely work, so if yous're happy with them, go along and keep using them. But if yous intend to do serious PSD editing in the future, yous really ought to consider grabbing an Adobe Photoshop CC subscription plan instead.

It's particularly worth it if you're a photographer—no matter what your skill level is. There'due south so much you lot tin practise to edit your images, a lot of which isn't possible with free apps.