Adobe has finally released a true Photoshop iPhone app — not Photoshop Express, not Lightroom, but Photoshop, the company’s marquee program that is virtually synonymous with photo editing. Did it take more than 20 years? Sure. But rather than lament the past, I’d rather dive into what all is inside this inaugural Photoshop iOS app. Don’t fret if you’re an Android user; you can expect to see a version ready for you later this year.
After spending the past few days getting to know the app, the most accurate and succinct thing I can say about it is this: It is entirely its own beast. The Photoshop many of us know and love — as a desktop app or on the web — is overloaded with tools and precise to the point of occasionally being temperamental. But when creating a mobile version of Photoshop, Adobe had the (admittedly tough) challenge of shrinking its professional, feature-crammed program down to a small screen and an even smaller editing menu. And, frankly, that really isn’t possible. Instead, Adobe had to reimagine what the program could be in an age where everyone can take decent photos on their phones and edit them there, too.
The end result does what it’s supposed to do — it’s actually pretty good in certain cases — but everyone from veteran pro users to beginners will have to spend some time getting reacquainted with Photoshop on their iPhones. But once you’ve got a feel for how it’s laid out, it does feel somewhat familiar to the Photoshop we all know and sometimes love. The mobile app is available free or you can upgrade to the premium plan for $8 per month — and if you’re already paying for the Photography, Creative Cloud or another Adobe plan that includes Photoshop, you’ll get access to the app, too.
These are the features that stood out to me, my tried-and-tested tips for finding your way around and everything I hope Adobe addresses in its next update.
Tips for using Photoshop on iPhones
Throughout my time using the app, I got a sense of déjà vu from my first time exploring Photoshop. I found myself stumbling through menus, searching for the right tool, adjusting nitpicky sliders and running into frustrating errors I eventually solved. The joys of creating!
If you feel like there should be more features then you might be missing some if you’re not opening every tool’s submenu. You have to keep tapping each option to reveal another row or panel of options. Given your iPhone’s limited screen real estate, it’s an understandable design choice but it makes for a tedious learning curve. Once you know where your go-to tools are housed, it’s less inconvenient.
Once you’re feeling more comfortable finding your way around, you’ll want to get familiar with tap select.
Understanding tap select
Tap select is the new, made-for-mobile selection tool that you’ll want to get to know quickly. It helps you isolate the regions of your project you want to edit. If you’re familiar with quick actions in the Lightroom mobile app, you’ll recognize the different ways it categorizes elements in the project: subject, background and sky. In Photoshop, it also pulls out other elements in the project tool.
It is by no means a perfect tool, though. In one memorable instance, the engines separated my colleague Imad’s glasses and eyes from the rest of his body. I guess I could’ve given him glowing red eyes, but I didn’t want to do that.
