On this page (8 sections)
- Where to download PhotoCraft (official links only)
- Install PhotoCraft on Windows
- Install PhotoCraft on macOS
- Install PhotoCraft on Linux
- Use PhotoCraft in the browser (web version)
- Install the whole ArtCraft suite with the Launcher
- Troubleshooting: quick answers for alpha software
- Frequently asked questions
Where to download PhotoCraft (official links only)
PhotoCraft (the open-source Photoshop alternative by the ArtCraft team) is free to download, and every official build is announced in one of four places.
- getartcraft.com/apps/photocraft is the official product page and the best starting point.
- github.com/storytold/photocraft is the source repository: the clean-room Rust codebase and the issue tracker.
- github.com/storytold/photocraft/releases is where installers are published with their release notes.
- getartcraft.com/download is the official hub for the rest of the ArtCraft suite.
Builds exist for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus a web version entry point. Only download from the official links above: this independent guide does not host or mirror installers.
That is the whole PhotoCraft download story: four official places and no mirrors. The PhotoCraft install steps for each platform are below.
Official downloads only
Installers are published on the GitHub releases page and linked from getartcraft.com. If a page asks you to pay for PhotoCraft, leave it.
Install PhotoCraft on Windows
To download PhotoCraft for Windows, take the installer from the official releases page and run it, then follow the screens as they appear.
- 1
Download the installer
Open the official releases page and download the build listed for Windows.
- 2
Run it
Open the downloaded file. If Windows asks for permission to make changes, confirm it.
- 3
Follow the installer prompts
Accept the defaults unless you have a reason not to.
- 4
Launch PhotoCraft
Start the app when the installer finishes.
If Windows blocks the file or the install stops partway, delete it, download again from the official links, and check the GitHub issue tracker.
Install PhotoCraft on macOS
To download PhotoCraft for macOS, get the build listed for macOS from the official releases page and open it. macOS adds one prompt of its own.
- 1
Download the macOS build
Pick the macOS entry on the releases page.
- 2
Open the installer
macOS may ask you to confirm that you want to open an app from an unknown developer, which is normal for software that does not come through the App Store.
- 3
Follow the installer
Continue through the installer screens and follow them to the end.
- 4
Launch PhotoCraft
Open the app when the installer is done.
If you would rather not click through that prompt, stop and download the file again from the official source.
Install PhotoCraft on Linux
To download PhotoCraft for Linux, read the release notes before the file list. The official releases page is the source of truth for what each package is, and formats differ between distributions, so this guide does not guess.
- 1
Read the current release notes
Open the official releases page and read what the notes say about the Linux builds.
- 2
Download the matching file
Choose the build the notes describe for your distribution or package format. If none matches, wait for the next release.
- 3
Install it the standard way
Use the usual install method for that package type, then launch PhotoCraft.
If a build will not install, check the releases page for a newer one before filing a report.
Use PhotoCraft in the browser (web version)
There is a web version entry point alongside the desktop installers, so you can try PhotoCraft in a browser without installing anything. Start at the official product page or the download hub.
If you are weighing browser editing against the desktop app, the PhotoCraft vs Photoshop comparison covers the differences that matter.
Install the whole ArtCraft suite with the Launcher
The ArtCraft Launcher is the recommended way to install the suite: it installs the full set of apps and auto-updates them. Each app also has a standalone installer.
ArtCraft Launcher
Installs the whole suite in one pass and keeps the apps updated.
Standalone installers
Want PhotoCraft only? Take its own installer and add the other apps later.
The suite covers seven free, open-source Rust apps, from PhotoCraft for image editing through VectorCraft, FilmCraft, LightCraft, PdfCraft, EffectCraft and DesignCraft.
Get the Launcher from getartcraft.com/download, and read our guide to the ArtCraft suite first.
Troubleshooting: quick answers for alpha software
Most install questions have the same two answers: the issue tracker and the release notes.
Where to report a bug
Bugs go to GitHub Issues. Search first, then describe what you did and which build you installed.
Where to see what changed
Release notes live on the releases page, and they usually explain a tool that behaves differently than it did last week. PhotoCraft is in early alpha (as of October 2026) — features are evolving fast.
What early alpha means in practice
The listed features, from layers and masks to brushes and real PSD read and write, are moving targets. Keep your own copies of important files and expect the interface to shift between builds.
Once it opens, our PhotoCraft tutorial covers the basics in order, and the PhotoCraft Hub home page has the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
Is PhotoCraft free to download?
Yes. PhotoCraft is free and open source under the Apache-2.0 license, so there is no subscription and no paid tier, and downloading it from the official links costs nothing.
Is there a PhotoCraft web version?
Yes, there is an official web version entry point alongside the Windows, macOS and Linux installers. Start from the official product page or the download hub.
Which file do I download?
Download whatever the official releases page currently offers for your operating system, and read that build's release notes before installing. Published files change between alpha releases, so this guide does not list file names.