The iPhone is an incredible device, and one of its many strong suits is its camera. With the latest models boasting some of the finest cameras in the industry, it makes sense that anyone who owns an iPhone would want to use their device to capture special moments.
But what good are these photos if you can’t do anything with them? Luckily, there are a wide variety of iPhone apps available for editing, organizing and sharing your photos. Whether you’re looking to add effects, color-correct, organize or share your photos, there’s a great app for you!
Here are our picks for the best photo apps for iPhone:
Best Apps For Photos On Iphone
With so many iPhone photo apps available, how do you know which ones to choose? To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best photography apps to improve your iPhone photos. Read on to discover the best photo apps for your needs.
Photo Apps
iPhone Photo Apps: Which Ones Do You Need?
There are many different types of photo apps available for iPhone. But there are only three types that you’ll need on a regular basis:
Photo editing app
Camera app
Photo sharing app
Photo editing apps and photoshop apps allow you to edit photos on iPhone after you’ve taken them. With just a few basic editing tools you can turn an ordinary photo into a stunning masterpiece.
Photo Apps
While the iPhone’s built-in Camera app is fantastic, sometimes it doesn’t give you enough manual control. For example, you can’t adjust shutter speed or ISO.
If you want DSLR-like control over the iPhone camera, you can download a third-party iPhone camera app.
Once you’ve shot and edited some amazing photos, you’ll probably want to share them with others. A photo-sharing app lets you showcase your photos to family, friends, and even strangers across the globe.
Read on to discover the 10 best picture apps for shooting, editing and sharing incredible iPhone photos.
- Best Photo Editing App: Snapseed
Powerful photo editing app with a huge range of tools
Wide range of professional editing tools, yet very easy to use
Exposure, color, and sharpness adjustments
Crop, rotate, straighten, and perspective correction
Selective adjustments, brushes, and healing tool
Black & white and vintage filters
Portrait enhancement, vignette, and lens blur
Double exposure, frames, and text
Price: FREE
Photo Apps
Snapseed is one of the best photo apps for iPhone. And it’s certainly the best photo editing app for beginners and advanced users alike.
Free photo apps are often sub-standard. But the free Snapseed app offers a high-quality photo editing experience.
If you only download one photography app, make it Snapseed!
This powerful photo editor takes care of almost all your image editing needs. It’s great for everyday photo editing, including exposure, color, cropping, and sharpening.
But it also has tools for advanced photo editing. These include brushes and selective editing which allow you to edit only certain parts of an image. And the healing tool lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos.
Photo Apps
Snapseed has a collection of preset “Looks” and filters. These provide a quick way to change the look and feel of your photos. You can convert photos to black and white with filters. Or enhance the colors and apply grungy or vintage looks.
The portrait tools are fantastic for smoothing skin and brightening eyes. It even has a head pose tool which adjusts the angle of your subject’s head in portrait photos.
Photo Apps
If you’re editing a batch of similar photos, the “Last Edits” option will save you time by applying the same edits to each photo.
Snapseed is an amazing photo app for all iPhone photographers. Once you start using Snapseed, it’s likely to become your go-to photo editing app.
Snapseed is available as a FREE download from the App Store.
Click here to learn how to use Snapseed to make your ordinary iPhone photos look spectacular.
- Best Filter App: VSCO
Stylish editing app with beautiful film-like filters
Subtle one-tap filter presets that mimic the look of classic film
Adjustable filter strength
130+ filters available via an annual subscription
Editing tools for cropping, exposure, color, and sharpness
Built-in camera app and photo sharing platform
Price: FREE (with a subscription fee for additional filters and tools)
Photo Apps
VSCO (pronounced “Visco”) is one of the best photo filter apps for iPhone.
VSCO filters allow you to change the look and feel of a photo with a single tap. They offer a quick and easy way to enhance your iPhone photos.
Many filter apps have garish colored filters that can ruin your pictures. But VSCO is different. VSCO filters are beautiful and understated, emulating the look of classic film.
And you can easily adjust the filter strength, allowing you to tone down the effect to create just the look you want.
Photo Apps
The filters are conveniently organized into different categories, such as Warm, Cool, Vibrant, and Black & White. You’ll also find filters suited to particular photography genres, such as Portrait, Nature, and Urban.
In addition to the filters, the app has a good set of editing tools for fine-tuning color and exposure.
Photo Apps
VSCO also includes a built-in camera app with manual controls. And it even has its own photo-sharing platform.
However, it’s the filters that really draw photographers to the VSCO app. So if you’re looking for an amazing filter app to enhance your images, VSCO is a fantastic choice.
VSCO is FREE to download from the App Store. It comes with a basic collection of 10 filters to get you started. And you can get access to the full set of over 130 filters by subscribing to VSCO X membership ($19.99 a year).
Learn how to use VSCO with our step-by-step tutorials:
VSCO Tutorial: How To Shoot & Edit Incredible iPhone Photos
How To Use VSCO Filters To Create Beautiful iPhone Photos
- Best Retouch App: TouchRetouch
Remove unwanted objects from your photos in seconds
An app dedicated to removing unwanted elements from your photos
Remove blemishes, power lines, and other distracting objects
One-touch fixes make objects vanish immediately
Handy line removal tool
Clone tool for duplicating or removing objects
Price: $1.99
Photo Apps
TouchRetouch is an app dedicated to removing unwanted objects from your iPhone photos. It only takes a few seconds to remove distracting objects that are spoiling your image.
It’s easy to get rid of elements such as litter, street signs, or a person. Use your finger to paint over the object or select it with the lasso. Then watch it disappear.
The app works by analyzing the pixels around your selection. It then replaces the selected object with pixels from the surrounding area.
Photo Apps
This app is great for removing imperfections in portrait photos. You can make pimples and skin blemishes vanish with a single tap.
The line removal tool is perfect for erasing power lines and telephone posts. You don’t even have to be precise. Mark a section of the line, and the app will remove the entire line.
Photo Apps
TouchRetouch is available for $1.99 on the App Store.
Learn how to remove objects from your iPhone photos in our TouchRetouch tutorial.
- Best Intermediate Photo Editing App: Afterlight 2
Full-featured photo editor with advanced tools and creative options
Exposure, color, and sharpening adjustments
Advanced tools such as curves, selective color, gradients, and blend modes
Dust and light leak overlays
Double-exposure tool for seamless blending of images
Add text and artwork using layers
Free filter packs by well-known mobile photographers
Price: FREE (with a subscription fee for full access to all features)
Photo Apps
If you want to move beyond basic image editing, Afterlight 2 is a great place to start.
It offers a wide range of editing tools, as well as artistic options. Despite its comprehensive set of tools, it’s very easy to use.
For basic edits, this app has the usual color, exposure, sharpness, and crop tools. But it also offers advanced editing features like curves and selective color.
Photo Apps
You can use filters and overlays to enhance the mood or add an artistic flair. Afterlight 2 comes with a basic set of filters, but you can download more filter collections for free.
The double-exposure tool lets you create unique combinations of photos. And you can add graphics to your images with the text and artwork tools.
Photo Apps
Afterlight 2 is FREE to download from the App Store. But if you want full access to all editing tools, you’ll need to pay a subscription fee ($2.99 a month or $17.99 a year).
- Best Professional Photo Editing App: Adobe Lightroom CC
Professional photo editor app with advanced editing tools
Powerful editing tools within a simple user interface
One-tap filter presets for quick edits
Advanced editing tools including curves and color mix tools
Selective editing, healing tool, and perspective correction
Get consistent looks by copying your favorite edits to entire albums of photos
Adobe Creative Cloud syncs edits between iPhone, iPad, computer and web
Price: Free (with a subscription fee for premium features)
Photo Apps
Adobe Lightroom CC offers a powerful set of tools for editing your iPhone photos.
You can edit a photo in seconds with sliders and one-tap filters. But it’s the advanced photo editing tools that make this app stand out.
Photo Apps
The curves, color mix, and split tone tools offer incredible control over color and exposure.
You can also apply edits selectively to certain parts of an image. And the healing tool makes it easy to remove unwanted objects from your photos.
Photo Apps
Adobe Lightroom CC is free to download from the App Store. But you’ll need to pay to upgrade to the premium features.
This unlocks the selective, healing and perspective tools within the app. It also lets you access your photos across all your devices via Adobe Creative Cloud.
If you use Lightroom to edit photos on your computer, this may become your favorite photo app for iPhone.
- Best Creative Editing App: Enlight
Photo editor app with creative and artistic tools
Selective control over exposure, color, and details
Filters, two-tone gradients, light leaks, and vignettes
Black & white, paint, and sketch effects
Double-exposure, tilt-shift, and photo montages
Drawing tools, text, borders, and frames
Crop, rotate, straighten, and perspective correction
Clone tool for removing unwanted objects
Masking tool for seamless blending of effects
Price: $3.99
Photo Apps
Enlight is an all-in-one photo editing app with a great range of creative and artistic tools.
Whether you want to perform a simple edit or create an artistic masterpiece, you can do it all with Enlight.
Artistic tools let you turn a photo into a sketch or drawing. You can personalize your photos using brushes, design elements, text, borders, and frames. And you can arrange your photos into a collage.
Photo Apps
The mixer tool lets you create double-exposure images. And you can use the tilt-shift tool to create fake-miniature photos.
The mask tool is one of the most useful features in Enlight. It lets you apply any effect to only certain parts of your image. It’s great for blending different effects into your photos. Or use it to create a black and white image with a flash of color.
Photo Apps
In addition to the creative tools, you’ll find the usual basic editing tools, as well as preset filters.
But it also has curves and split tone options for advanced fine-tuning. And the target tool lets you make selective adjustments to your photos.
Photo Apps
If you’re looking for an all-round photo editing app with a focus on creativity, Enlight is for you!
Download Enlight for $3.99 from the App Store.
Learn how to use Enlight with our step-by-step video demonstrations.
- Best Texture App: Mextures
Add textures, grain, and light leaks for unique creative edits
Grit, grain, grunge, and vintage film textures
Analog light leaks and beautiful gradients
Layer several effects for unique blends
Fine-tune images with editing tools and filters
Use preset formulas to apply quick edits
Create your own formulas and save them for later use
Price: $2.99 (with in-app purchases for additional effects)
Photo Apps
Mextures is an incredible app for adding beautiful textures to your iPhone photos. It also includes other effects such as film grain, light leaks, and gradients.
You can stack an unlimited number of effects to create a completely unique edit. Each layer is adjustable, so you can alter the opacity and blending mode to achieve the look you want.
Photo Apps
If you’re new to Mextures, you can start by using the wide range of preset “formulas.” You can save and share your own formulas, and even import formulas from other Mextures users.
Mextures also has a set of standard editing tools and filters. You can use these to fine-tune the exposure and color of the final image.
Photo Apps
If you want to create beautifully unique edits, Mextures is the app for you.
Mextures is $2.99 on the App Store. Extra presets are available as in-app purchases.
Learn how to enhance your photos with textures in our step-by-step Mextures tutorial.
- Best Camera App With Manual Controls: Camera+ 2
Camera app with manual controls and a range of shooting modes
Camera app with shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and manual focus controls
Slow Shutter mode for shooting long exposure photos
Portrait mode for blurring the background
Macro mode for capturing close-up photos
Option to shoot in RAW format
Built-in photo editor
Price: $2.99
Photo Apps
Camera+ 2 is a powerful camera app with an integrated photo editing suite. It offers manual iPhone camera controls, including shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus.
It also has a range of shooting modes for different situations. Macro mode is perfect for capturing close-up macro photos of insects and flowers.
Slow Shutter mode helps you take stunning long exposure photos.
Photo Apps
Portrait mode blurs the background of your photos, allowing you to shoot professional portrait photos with your iPhone. This is similar to the Portrait mode in the built-in iPhone Camera app.
(Note that you can only use Portrait mode in Camera+ 2 on iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max).
Another great feature of Camera+ 2 is the ability to separate the focus and exposure points. This makes it easy to focus on one part of the image, but expose for a different part.
Photo Apps
The handy editing suite offers tools to improve exposure, color, and clarity. Or you can use the one-tap filters to quickly change the look and feel of your photo. The layers feature lets you stack several different filters for a unique look.
Photo Apps
Camera+ 2 is available for $2.99 on the App Store.
Learn how to shoot and edit stunning iPhone photos in our Camera+ app tutorial.
- Best Professional Camera App: ProCamera
Powerful camera app with DSLR-like controls
Full-featured camera app with a clean and simple user interface
Easy to adjust shutter speed and ISO
Advanced white balance setting
On-screen histogram to help with exposure
HDR and LowLight modes for tricky light conditions
Option to shoot in RAW, TIFF, and HEIF formats
Price: $5.99 (with in-app purchases for HDR & Low Light modes)
Photo Apps
ProCamera gives you incredible control over your camera settings. If you’re looking for a DSLR-like experience with your iPhone camera, ProCamera is the app for you.
The clean and simple interface makes it easy to adjust settings like ISO and shutter speed. And the on-screen histogram helps you get the perfect exposure in your shots.
The advanced white balance setting lets you fine-tune the color tint and temperature.
Photo Apps
ProCamera has some handy settings for shooting in awkward light conditions. The anti-shake setting ensures you never get a blurry shot.
The LowLight modes help you take better photos in dark conditions. And HDR mode is perfect for creating better exposures in high-contrast scenes.
HDR and LowLight+ modes are only available as extra in-app purchases. But you can try them out before you buy to see if you like them.
Photo Apps
As well as JPEG capture mode, you can also shoot in RAW, TIFF, and HEIF formats.
ProCamera is $5.99 on the App Store. Extra shooting modes are available as in-app purchases.
Click here for an in-depth tutorial on how to shoot photos with the ProCamera app.
- Best Photo Sharing App: Instagram
Photo sharing app with editing tools and filters
Largest photo sharing platform with over 800 million users
Share your photos and build an Instagram following
Discover inspiring images from photographers all over the world
Edit your photos right before sharing them
Good selection of color and black & white filters
Editing tools for exposure, color, sharpness, and more
Direct messaging facility for private conversations
Photo Apps
Instagram is the best photo app for iPhone photographers who want to share their pictures. It’s the ultimate blend of photography and community.
Within seconds you can share your images with millions of people. And by posting high-quality photos, you’ll soon build a following of people who like your work.
Instagram is perfect for discovering inspiring photos from a huge range of genres. And it’s easy to connect with like-minded people through comments or private messages.
Photo Apps
Hashtags let you search for certain types of photo, such as landscapes or silhouettes. You can even find photos taken in a particular location.
The Instagram app also has a good selection of editing tools. So you can enhance your photos right before you share them.
There’s a range of filters for changing the look and feel of your image. And editing tools let you improve exposure, color, and sharpness.
You can also crop, rotate, straighten, and correct perspective. And you can add a vignette or tilt-shift effect.
best photo editing app for iphone
With so many options to choose from, what are the best photo editing apps for iPhone this year?
Whether you’re looking for free photo editing apps or you’re willing to pay for advanced features, this guide will help you discover the top options.
The iPhone camera is an amazing tool for photographers, but you’ll need to edit the photo to get the most out of it.
Thankfully, the photo editing tools available for iPhone in 2022 are powerful, easy to learn and a lot of fun to use.
(Many of the apps below are also available for iPad and Android smartphones too.)
Here’s our selection of the best photo editing apps you should install on your smartphone today.
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Table of Contents
11 Best iPhone Photo Editing Apps in 2022
- Snapseed
snapseed
Best for: everyday photo editing | Android & iOS | Price: FREE
Android, iOS
Wide range of editing tools
Simple to use
Free photo editing app
Selective adjustments
Double exposure
Snapseed is the best free photo editing app for iPhone. It has multiple adjustment tools that you can use in auto mode or manually.
You can do selective editing as well, thanks to its masking tool and some advanced edits such as Curves and Healing.
There are many one-click solutions too that allow you to easily change the looks of your picture from grunge to black and white and others. It also has some special effects, such as double exposure and HDR.
Finally, you can also add frames and text to your images. Once you’re done, you can export or share your projects.
- Adobe Lightroom
lightroom
Best for: photo editing and management | Android & iOS | Price: free version (limited) or full version $9.99
Advanced editing tools
Creative cloud
Camera app
Apply presets
Create your own presets
Supports raw files
Adobe Lightroom mobile is a portable version of the one used on desktop computers – it has all the tools, and you can sync your presets, images, etc. This is only possible if you have a paid Adobe subscription because there isn’t a free Lightroom for desktop – check this guide for how to buy Lightroom.
However, even the free Lightroom mobile version is very powerful – you can use it for capturing, organization, sharing and many of the editing features.
The Adobe Lightroom photo editing app also features a built in camera, with any photo saved automatically to the cloud if you’re a subscriber to one of the Photo plans. This makes it super-easy to work across devices, with all your edits kept in sync.
Once you get the full version, you get access to the selective edits, geometry tools and the healing brush. This is one of the best photo editing apps for iPhone that allows you to work professionally because it communicates with all the Adobe apps in the Creative Cloud ecosystem.
You’ll also find lots of tutorials inside the app to improve your skills, and you can access the Lightroom community for inspiration via the Discovery section.
- Pixelmator Photo
pixelmator
Best for: photo editing and management | iOS | Price: $7.99
Supports raw files
30+ color adjustments
Repair tool
Machine learning
Photo browser
ML Enhance feature for auto adjustments
Nine presets groups
Batch editing
Pixelmator Photo is a desktop-class photo editor app, and it supports raw formats from over 600 cameras. The included photo browser has a pleasing filmstrip design, and it works in sync with your iPhone’s native Library from the Photos app.
So, not only is it one of the best photo editing apps, but it’s also a great photo manager. You can use the ML Enhance feature for the smart auto-adjustment for quick edits. You can later fine-tune your image, or you can do everything on your own using all the non-destructive photo editing tools.
The app offers a machine-learning denoise tool to reduce noise and image-compression artefacts automatically. You can also choose from more than 30 color adjustments and nine unique preset groups to give your images a creative touch.
- Adobe Photoshop Express
ps express
Best for: general photo editing | Android & iOS | Price: FREE
Creative Cloud
Multiple editing tools
Enhanced vignette
Split-Tone
Blend modes
Eye correction
Remove unwanted objects or blemishes
Photo filters
Up until recently, Photoshop Express was only a part of the Photoshop family for iPhone photography together with Adobe Photoshop Fix and Photoshop Mix.
Currently, Adobe decided to merge all three photo editing apps in a more powerful version of Photoshop Express. If you have any of the other two apps, you can continue to use them – but they are not in the app store anymore.
Photoshop Camera is still a separate editing app that allows you to change the looks of your picture before you make it.
If any Android users are reading this article, know that things haven’t changed on the Google Play Store, where you can still download all three apps – at least for now.
Among the many adjustments you can make to edit pictures, you can select multiple objects to apply edits selectively or make cut-outs. You can also add blur or remove noise, make a perspective correction and even do makeup transfer for your beauty pictures.
Adobe Photoshop Express allows you to use professional editing tools and fun features for your social feed. For example, you can retouch facial features for a perfect portrait, but you can also turn your face into a cartoon.
Adobe Photoshop Express is one of the best photo editing apps for iPhone, and you can use it together with other apps from the Creative Cloud.
- PicsArt
picsart
Best for: fun photo & video editing | Android & iOS | Price: free with ads or $55.99/year
photo collage maker
all-in-one photo editor
fun filters
create stickers
recreate edits
edit images collaboratively
video editor
PicsArt it’s an all-in-one app. It has tons of photo editing options, a huge range of creative tools, and it’s also a video editor.
The editing options include exposure and color correction, background removal, blur background with an AI smart selection tool, selfie retouching tools, straighten images, multiple photo filters, etc.
You can also use grids for picture collages and templates and scrapbooking using frames, stickers (60+ included and the possibility to make your own), use the drawing tool and more. Your edited photos can become memes and Instagram stories easily.
The video editor has an intuitive interface that allows you to add music – your own or from the in-app library, trim and crop your videos, use the smart video merger, and apply filters.
The free app version has ads that can become annoying – but you can use all the functions. For a free-ad experience, you need a Gold membership that you can pay weekly, monthly or yearly.
It’s one of the most expensive but also one of the best photo editing apps. You can use the 3-month free trial to decide whether it’s an investment you want to make.
- VSCO
vsco
Best for: filters & photo sharing | Android & iOS | Price: free (limited) or full version $19.99
Photo editing features
200+ filters
Video editing
Social media
Media blender
VSCO is one of the best photo editing apps for iPhone with a social media community. It’s the perfect app to share your images and get inspiration without worrying about likes.
It has the same features as other editing apps, plus a huge range of filters developed by influencers and professional photographers.
With VSCO, you can also edit video and give free rein to your creativity by layering images, video, and shapes.
Most of the filters the app offers are paid, but you can still use it as a free photo editor with ten included presets – and you can participate in the community.
If you want to try the paid membership before buying, you can use the 7-day free trial.
- Carbon
carbon
Best for: Black & white photos | iOS | Price: free version (limited) or full version $19.99
58 B&W filters
B&W effects
Grain textures
Dust textures
Light leaks
Bokeh textures
Grunge textures
Carbon is the best photo editing app if you like black and white photography. You can make beautiful monochrome pictures without any photo editing knowledge, thanks to its minimal design.
Simply tap over any of the 58 black and white filters and choose the one you like best. You can also add textures and borders to your photos.
Once you’re satisfied, you can add hashtags and share your creations right from the app.
- TouchRetouch
touch
Best for: remove unwanted elements | Android & iOS | Price: $2.00
Object removal
Line removal
Mesh removal
Blemish removal
TouchRetouch is a photo editing app is dedicated to remove unwanted objects. This isn’t a one-trick pony that you’ll rarely use. Instead, you can use it for portrait photos to remove blemishes and create smooth skin, also for your travel photos removing tourists in the back, etc.
You can do these things with the healing tool of many editing apps. Still, TouchRetouch has a very powerful algorithm because it’s specially developed for this feature – you can even remove the mesh from in front of detailed backgrounds.
The results are surprisingly accurate, so for only 2 bucks, it could be an essential photo editing app to add to your tool set.
- Mextures
mextures
Best for: 1-click editing | iOS | Price: $1.99
Edit in layers
Grain overlays
Film presets
Light leaks
Gradients
If you don’t want to spend much time fine-tuning lots of features to adjust every picture you take manually, Mextures is one of the best photo editing apps you can get.
It comes with more than 150 textures you can easily apply to your photos. Each one is added in a separate layer so you can customize the opacity and choose one of the 12 blending modes.
You can add virtually unlimited layers and come back to adjust each of them as many times as you want because it works non-destructively.
Also, you do have some photo editing features if you prefer to take matters into your own hands. You’ll find tools to adjust the exposure, saturation, contrast and other basic tools.
You can save your workflow and duplicate your edits in other photos or share them with other users. In the same way, you can import formulas from other users and use them in your photos. All in all, this is a fantastic photo editing app.
- Superimpose X
superimpose
Best for: Photo composites | iOS | Price: $4.99
Up to 24 layers
Collage tools
Editing tools
Double exposure
Warp
16 adjustment layers
Shadow creation
Text effects
Export as PSD
Superimpose X is one of the best photo editing apps to create photo composites and visual art. This app allows you to create amazing works of art composed of multiple images using masks and layers.
You can work with up to 24 layers and combine them using any of the 18 blending modes and controlling the opacity – it also has 16 different adjustment layers.
You can use separate masks for each layer and save them on a masking library. Multiple masking tools make your selections more precise, and an automatic AI tool helps you mask people out.
You can use the built-in shadow creation tool to make your compositions more realistic. Of course, it also has all the editing tools you’ll expect from a photo editor app.
To finish your graphic work, you can add text that can be manipulated with zoom, blur, warp, and more. If you want to keep the layers outside the app, you can export your projects as PSD.
- SKRWT
Best for: perspective correction | Android & iOS | Price: $1.99
Perspective correction
Lens correction
Auto-crop
4-point manual manipulation
Mirroring tool
SKRWT is the best photo editing app if you’re into architecture photography, real estate or interior photography.
SKRWT is specifically developed to correct horizontal and vertical lines distorted by perspective. It even corrects lens distortion even if you didn’t take the photo with your iPhone – it works with images from DSLRs, drones, GoPro, etc.
SKRWT has two in-app extensions – 4PNTS and MRRW. Using 4PNTS, you can manually adjust your photo by dragging each corner separately. MRRW offers four mirror effects to control the symmetry in your photos.
How do Professionals Edit Photos on iPhones?
Depending on what iPhone photo editing app is being used, there are many ways a pro could edit their photos.
To keep things simple, since every iPhone owner has the Photos app, here are the basic steps when editing an image:
Update to the latest iOS – with iOS 13, Apple redesigned the photo editor, giving it a wider range of editing tools to touch up your photos and videos. To ensure you have the latest iOS version, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Work with raw images – if you work with JPEGs, you’ll have very little room for post-processing, while raw files have much more information. Since the iPhone 12 lineup, there’s a native raw file called ProRaw – if you have a previous iPhone, you’ll need to use a third-party app to photograph in raw.
Always back up the original image – even if Photos allows you to revert your edits, it’s better to have a copy of the original file before you start editing. This is useful if you want to keep both versions or edit the same photo in different ways.
Straighten – the first thing you want to do is straighten your photo and adjust the perspective if it needs it.
Crop – often, when you adjust the perspective, some pixels remain empty, or other parts go out of the frame. With the crop tool, you can reframe your photo to your liking. Both tools are in the same menu – you’ll also find the tool to rotate, flip, etc. You can also crop your images to change the aspect ratio – for example, make it a square 1:1 format to use as a profile picture or upload to Instagram.
Adjust the light – the next thing you want to do is edit anything related to light and exposure. Here, you can control the highlights and shadows, adjust contrast and brightness, etc.
Adjust the colors – once you’re happy with the exposure settings, you can move on to edit colors.
Use depth control and lighting if it’s a photo taken in portrait mode – if your image is not on Portrait mode, you won’t have these editing tools. However, Portrait Mode allows you to control the background blur and lighting effect.
Add a photo filter (optional) – once you’re done with your manual edits, you can finish your photo editing by adding a filter. This is useful for maintaining a consistent style or adding a creative touch.
Save – when you finish editing your photo, click Done. This will save your image in the Library, and it will replace the original photo – that’s why I advised you to keep a copy. If you change your mind later, you can always remove the edits because the Photos app works non-destructively.
How Can I Make My iPhone Take Better Photos?
Before you even get to using photo editing tools, there are several steps to take to ensure your iPhone takes better photos.
Update to the latest iOS – iOS 13 includes Photographic Styles, Macro mode, Scene Detection, Mirrored Selfies and more. Depending on your iPhone model, you could take advantage of these new features to take a better photo.
Clean your iPhone camera lens – a smudged lens is the biggest cause of blurry iPhone photos. Wipe yours on your shirt before each shot to keep it clean.
Keep it steady – lock your elbows into your body while holding your iPhone to ensure your shot is as steady as possible. This will help keep every photo sharp.
Use a remote – did you know you can use the volume switch on your iPhone earphones to take a photo? This can help with keeping the phone steady and also help you take a less awkward selfie.
Shoot in raw – not all iPhone models support ProRaw – the native format for raw images. If this is your case, you can download a camera app to shoot in raw. From the photo editing apps recommended here, you can try Adobe Lightroom Mobile.
Enable grids to improve your composition – all iPhones have a grid with the rule of thirds to help you improve your composition skills. Also, you can download a camera app with other grids to learn the golden spiral, triangles, etc.
Lock the focus point – tap and hold on the main subject to lock the focus point. This way, you’ll be sure to have sharp images.
Adjust the exposure – you can darken or brighten your photo’s exposure before taking it by moving the yellow slider up or down.
Use the correct shooting mode – inside the camera app; you’ll find different shooting modes. To make the most out of your iPhone, you should take advantage of these tools. For example, if you want a bokeh background use the Portrait mode to get lens blur – if you’re working in low light, use Night mode, and so on.
Try live photos – using live photos, your iPhone registers a series of images in sequence that can be animated as a GIF or a short 1.5-second video. This feature is helpful to improve your photos because it allows you to choose the best frame and save it as a still image – you’ll never have a portrait with closed eyes again.
Clean up your storage – having thousands of photos in your iPhone camera roll is the norm, but you can usually improve the performance of your phone overall if you delete some or all of the photos – here’s how.
Of course, once you’ve nailed the photoshoot, you can move on to improving your post-processing skills. In this article, we selected the best photo editing apps for you to choose from.
iPhone Editing Apps: FAQs
How can I get rid of blemishes on my iPhone photos?
Unfortunately, the native photo editor Photos doesn’t offer blemish removal. So, you’ll have to download a third-party app. Some of the best editing apps to get rid of blemishes are Snapseed, TouchRetouch, Photoshop Express and Lightroom – although many others have this feature.
What is the best filter app for iPhone?
VSCO is also one of the most popular filter editing apps because of its social media feature. However, if you’re not interested in the community part of it – Mexture is one of the best filter-based photo editor.
Conclusion
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