Based on upstream documentation. These steps have not been independently tested in the desktop app; menu labels and behavior may differ by release.
After installation: verify the basics
- Launch without a document and check Help → About or the available version display. Record the installed version.
- Open a small PNG through File → Open. Add a layer or a small edit; save to a new filename.
- Reopen the saved copy and export a PNG. Check dimensions and appearance before using an important project.
Follow the first-project tutorial → · If the app will not start →
What to include when installation fails
Package filename, system version, CPU architecture, PhotoCraft version, and the exact error. State whether the installer failed or the installed app failed to launch; they are different stages.
Step by step
Choose a package for your distribution
DEB is a starting point for Debian and Ubuntu derivatives; RPM for compatible Fedora and RPM-based distributions. AppImage and Flatpak are other choices. Check the current release notes and architecture.
Install a Flatpak bundle
If Flatpak is available, the upstream README documents: flatpak install --user photocraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.flatpak. Replace the filename with the bundle you actually downloaded. Flatpak may also ask to install the required runtime.
Run an AppImage
Use your file manager’s permissions panel to mark the downloaded AppImage executable, then launch it. If it fails, run it from a terminal to capture the error rather than installing unrelated dependencies blindly.
Use File → Open on Wayland
Upstream documents a Wayland drag-and-drop limitation for the referenced release. Use File → Open or paste a copied image. Check newer release notes before assuming the limitation is still present.
Sources and further reading
PhotoCraft is in early alpha. Keep original files and test a copy before relying on it for important work.
Suggest a correction →