The best free photo, image and drawing tools
You do not need an expensive suite for most everyday image jobs. The free tools below stitch panoramas, convert and resize thousands of images from the command line, read and edit photo metadata, add thumbnails for more formats in Windows Explorer and give you simple canvases for sketching, including one designed for children. Each links to its verified page on this site.
7 apps from our catalog
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Stitch overlapping photos into seamless panoramas, with automatic control points and precise manual tuning.
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Open Source
A fast command-line image processor for converting, resizing and batch-editing images in scripts and servers.
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Read, write and remove metadata such as EXIF, GPS and IPTC in photos and many other file types.
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A Windows Explorer extension that shows thumbnails and previews for many image formats Windows does not support itself.
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Free
An infinite-canvas drawing app for quick sketches, diagrams and brainstorming, with a pen-friendly interface.
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A simple macOS paint program in the spirit of the classic Windows Paint, for quick edits and doodles.
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A colourful, easy drawing program for children with sound effects and fun tools.
Common jobs and the right tool
- Batch resize or convert: with GraphicsMagick,
gm mogrify -resize 1600x1600 *.jpgshrinks every JPEG in a folder in place, so work on copies. - Remove location data before sharing:
exiftool -gps:all= photo.jpgwith ExifTool removes GPS tags and keeps a backup of the original. - Panoramas: load a series of overlapping shots into Hugin and let its assistant align them.
- See thumbnails of unusual formats in Explorer: install SageThumbs.
GraphicsMagick and ImageMagick
GraphicsMagick began as a fork of ImageMagick and focuses on a stable command set and speed; most everyday commands look similar in both. If a script or tutorial uses convert or magick, the GraphicsMagick equivalent usually starts with gm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free panorama software?
Hugin is the best-known free, open-source panorama stitcher and works on Windows, macOS and Linux.
How can I see and edit EXIF data for free?
Use ExifTool. Running exiftool photo.jpg lists all metadata; options let you change or remove fields.
Is there a free drawing app for kids?
Yes, Tux Paint is designed for children and is free and open source.
Are these tools safe for my original photos?
Commands that edit files in place, such as mogrify, overwrite them, so always test on copies first. ExifTool keeps an "_original" backup by default.
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