Do you need to edit images on your computer? In this mini-guide I have hand-picked the best free picture editing software available out there.

As you probably know, there are already many web-based image-editing services that let you edit your pics directly from your browser window. But what if you don't have an internet connection at your disposal?

In this mini-guide I have hand-picked the best downloadable free picture editing software. And what is best, some of these image editing tools are cross-platform, making them available for PCs, Macs and Linux type computers.

Here all the details:

Free Picture Editing Software

1. GIMP
   
   
   
   GIMP is a powerful free picture editing software released under GNU license. You can use GIMP to retouch your photos, create logos for your website, author your images, and much more. GIMP comes packed with advanced features like filters, layers, and everything you use in professional software like Adobe Photoshop. Available for Windows, Mac Os X, Linux, and Solaris.
   
   http://www.gimp.org/
   
   
   
   
2. GIMPshop
   
   
   
   GIMPshop is a modified version of the popular open-source picture editing software GIMP. Similarly released under the GPL license, GIMPshop is a valuable alternative to a more complex solution like Photoshop. In fact, GIMPshop modifies the layout structure of your images to closely match the popular Adobe software interface. It works on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
   
   http://www.gimpshop.com/
   
   
   
   
3. Phantasmagoria
   
   
   
   Phantasmagoria is a free Java-based image editor that runs on Windows, Mac Os X and Linux. It supports a wide range of image formats, and lets you easily edit and improve your images with a lot of effects. You can create graphics, including textures and highly-stylized text and, when you are done, you can export your pictures to Flickr.
   
   http://www.develderby.com/phantasmagoria/
   
   
   
   
4. ImageMagick
   
   
   
   ImageMagick is a free utility for converting, editing, and composing images. ImageMagick can batch convert all of your images in a matter of seconds, without having to manually process them in Photoshop, or another image editor. Besides changing file format, you can also flip, mirror, rotate, scale, adjust colors, apply effects, draw text and lines. Available for Windows, Mac Os X and Linux.
   
   http://www.imagemagick.org/index.php
   
   
   
   
5. PhotoFiltre
   
   
   
   PhotoFiltre is a free image editor software that helps you to edit and retouch your photos. PhotoFiltre has its main strength in its easiness of use. Sharpen, add brightness, contrast or crop your images is as easy as pressing a button. Very good for quick tasks where you don't need a more professional solution. Windows only.
   
   http://photofiltre.free.fr/frames_en.htm
   
   
   
   
6. Paint.NET
   
   
   
   Paint.NET is a free image editing software for Windows machines. Originally intended as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint software, Paint.NET is a complete solution whose features include support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and much more. Available in several languages.
   
   http://www.getpaint.net/
   
   
   
   
7. FastStone Image Viewer
   
   
   
   FastStone Image Viewer is a free image browser, converter and editor. Its features include image viewing, management, comparison, red-eye removal, emailing, resizing, cropping and color adjustments. The software also provides access to EXIF information, and supports all major graphic formats and popular digital camera RAW formats. Windows only.
   
   http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm
   
   
   
   
8. ActivePixels
   
   
   
   Active Pixels is a picture editor for Windows that lets you edit all of your pictures for free. Its interface reminds of Adobe Photoshop, and Active Pixels has many advanced features like layers, effects, freehand selection, and everything you would get in a professional editor. the software supports more than 100 image formats, Photoshop's native PSD included.
   
   http://idea-systems.net/
   
   
   
   
9. PhotoScape
   
   
   
   Photoscape is a free image editor for Windows that you can use to fix and enhance your photos. Its main features are resize, crop, adjust brightness, auto contrast, whitebalance, sharpen, blur, noise reduction, red eye removal, and a lot more. You can also batch edit your pictures, create animates GIFs, and capture your screen.
   
   http://www.photoscape.org/
   
   
   
   
10. Ript
    
    
    
    Ript is a free image editor for Windows that you can use to create collages and photo collection easily. After you install it and launch it, you can add all of your images to the "pile" and edit them by rotating, resizing, flipping and also by adding text to them. You can then arrange your images like you were really disposing them on a real table to watch them all at once and, when done, you can save, print or email your creation.
    
    http://www.ript.com/
    
    
    
    
11. Imgares
    
    
    
    Imgares is a Windows-only image editing software. To start editing pictures in batch mode, just drag&drop your selected images and choose what you want to do: you can resize and rotate your photos, add text, change light and contrast, and also create AVI slideshows. Free to download and use.
    
    http://www.konradp.com/products/
    
    
    
    
12. Image Analyzer
    
    
    
    Image Analyzer is a free image editor for Windows that will give new life to your images. Just import an image any type of image and get access to basic editing features like resizing, brightness adjustment, red eye removal, or rotation. If you need more advanced features, Image Analyzer comes with additional plugins that you can install to fit your needs.
    
    http://logicnet.dk/Analyzer/
    
    
    
    
13. photo Drop
    
    
    
    photo Drop is a Mac Os X image editing software that allows you to create automatic tasks to modify a folder of images with a simple drag&drop. In a matter of seconds you can resize your images, convert them to a new format, flip horizontally, vertically, crop, and even rotate them. The software is completely free.
    
    http://www.aramk.net/photodrop/

Free Image Editing Utilities

1. Free Digital Camera Enhancer
   
   
   
   Free Digital Camera Enhancer is a free downloadable image editor that lets you enhance and improve your digital images. Its easy-to-use interface makes it really simple to fix an image just by moving five sliders: balance, color, midtones, enhance details, and de-noiser. Plus, you can also batch your enhancements for all your pictures.
   
   http://www.mediachance.com/digicam/enhancer.htm
   
   
   
   
2. Easy Thumbnails
   
   
   
   Easy Thumbnails is a free image editor that allows you to create thumbnails and scaled copies of your pictures. You can process your images individually, in groups, or in whole folders using a simple file selector and built-in image viewer. Just set height and width, and use slider controls to edit your images, rotate and adjust contrast, brightness, sharpness, and other attributes. For Windows machines only.
   
   http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/index.php
   
   
   
   
3. Mobile Photo Enhancer
   
   
   
   Mobile Photo Enhancer is a Windows picture editing software that you can use to enhance your mobile phone pictures. You can edit and adjust JPEG compression artifacts, vignetting (darkening of the corners around the image), color reproduction, contrast, sharpness and noise. Images can be saved in JPEG, BMP or PNG formats. Free.
   
   http://www.vicman.net/mobilephotoenhancer/index.htm
   
   
   
   
4. Shrink O Matic
   
   
   
   Shrink O'Matic is an AIR based image editor that lets you resize your images easily. After you install it, all you have to do is select the new size of the output image, select the format among JPG, PNG and GIF format, and then choose the image that you want to resize. Free to use.
   
   http://toki-woki.net/p/Shrink-O-Matic/
   
   
   
   
5. Inkscape
   
   
   
   Inkscape is vector graphics editor, similar to Adobe Illustrator. The service is based on the W3C SVG file format. Inkscape supports Creative Commons metadata, and many advanced SVG features like markers, clones, alpha blending, etc. It is very easy to edit nodes, perform complex path operations, trace bitmaps, and much more. Inkscape is available for Windows, Mac Os X and Linux.
   
   http://www.inkscape.org/

Other Free Picture Editing Software

• Mashable 35 Free Graphics Programs
• Cnet Image Editing Software
• ZDnet Asia image Editing Software
• About.com Top 10 Free Photo Editors for Windows
• Makeusof.com 10 Free Image Editing Programs for your PC

Originally prepared by Robin Good for MasterNewMedia, and first published on February 23, 2009 as "Free Picture Editing Software: Best Downloadable Image Editors - Mini-Guide".