Pixelmator has been updated for Mac to include support for the new HEIF image standard in macOS High Sierra. Once users have updated to Pixelmator 3.7, they'll also be able to make full use of the new Photo app integration available in Apple's latest desktop operating system.

Screen Shot 3
In macOS High Sierra, it's possible to open a photo in a third-party app right from within the Photos Library using the "Edit With..." menu option, after which Pixelmator should appear following the update. Subsequently, any edits made within Pixelmator will be automatically saved back to the Photos library.

Added support for the new HEIF image standard includes the ability to import photos from iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone X, which save in the more efficient compression format by default. You can find out more about HEIF here.


Other improvements in the 3.7 update to Pixelmator include enhanced support for Photoshop PSD files, an improved Repair Tool, and a return of the ability to drag image assets from Photos and Safari directly into Pixelmator.

Pixelmator is available to buy on the Mac App Store for $30.

Top Rated Comments

green86 Avatar
98 months ago
Wow, where can I get that picture they are working on for my wallpaper!

And side note: I'm really surprised there isn't more P3 high color space backgrounds...

And on topic, I'm really happy the Pixelmator team is still going strong. It is great to have such a nice, Apple-focused, non-subscription based app available.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamjackson Avatar
98 months ago
Pixelmator has kept me from paying Adobe $9.99 a month for the last 3 years. Thanks team! I only need image editing half an hour a month at most and would gladly pay an upgrade to Pixelmator 4 when it comes out to support this team and their hard work.

I own a copy of Lightroom non-subscription and use that every day.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
98 months ago
Wonderful news. Pixelmator is a fantastic app.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mixel Avatar
98 months ago
Oh jeez. Pixelmator pro is coming? I've just recently thrown my hat in with Affinity Photo after decades of Adobe stuff. If pixelmator pro's getting a similar featureset I'm going to be spoilt for choice.

Saying that I doubt Pixelmator's iPad version is as feature complete as Affinity's? One thing I LOVE about Af:P is how its so easy to move a working file between iPad and desktop without compromises.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechZeke Avatar
98 months ago
Oh jeez. Pixelmator pro is coming? I've just recently thrown my hat in with Affinity Photo after decades of Adobe stuff. If pixelmator pro's getting a similar featureset I'm going to be spoilt for choice.
The stronger the Pixelmator and Affinity teams get, the less consumers and professionals a-like have to deal with Adobe's BS.

Wonderful news. Pixelmator is a fantastic app.
I have used it to create stuff my for hobbies, clubs, and school projects. For my basic needs, I've definitely gotten my money's worth.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProwlingTiger Avatar
98 months ago


Lightroom is primarily a cataloging and library software - very different to Photoshop. Photographers often only need global adjustments, filters and spot healing tools. Photoshop is much more than that.
I totally understand that, professional photographer myself. That was my guess, I just wanted a bit of clarity.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
Apple Bristol Current

An Apple Store in the UK is Permanently Closing Later This Year

Monday April 14, 2025 7:33 am PDT by
Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight. Apple Bristol in 2023 Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Waiting for the Perfect MacBook Pro? 2026 Might Be the Year

Thursday April 10, 2025 4:19 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...