PhotoGIMP
A Patch for GIMP 3+ for Photoshop Users
PhotoGIMP is a free patch that makes GIMP look and feel like Adobe Photoshop by remapping keyboard shortcuts, reorganizing the tool panel, and adjusting the window layout, no coding required, just extract a zip file.
PhotoGIMP is a free patch that changes GIMP's appearance and default settings to feel more like Adobe Photoshop. GIMP is a free, open-source image editor for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It can handle most of what Photoshop does, but uses a different layout and different keyboard shortcuts. PhotoGIMP bridges that gap for people switching from Photoshop who find GIMP's defaults unfamiliar.
The patch works by replacing and adding files in GIMP's configuration folder. It does not modify GIMP itself. What it changes: keyboard shortcuts are remapped to follow Adobe's official Photoshop documentation for the Windows version; tools are reorganized to match Photoshop's tool panel positions; window layout and panel positions are adjusted; canvas space is maximized by default; and a custom splash screen and app icon are included.
Installation is the same on all three platforms: install GIMP 3.0 or newer, open it once and close it so it creates its config files, download the PhotoGIMP zip for your platform, and extract it into your home folder (Linux) or paste the config folder into GIMP's settings directory (Windows and macOS). The zip files put themselves in the right place by matching GIMP's folder structure. Backing up your existing GIMP settings before installing is recommended, since the patch overwrites them.
On Windows, PhotoGIMP is also available via Chocolatey. The project is licensed under GPL v3.
Where it fits
- Apply PhotoGIMP to GIMP so your Photoshop keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+J, Ctrl+T, and Ctrl+E work the same way.
- Set up GIMP as a free Photoshop replacement on Linux with familiar tool positions and panel layout.
- Install PhotoGIMP on Windows or macOS to reduce the learning curve when switching from Photoshop to GIMP.
- Distribute the PhotoGIMP config files to give a team of Photoshop users a consistent GIMP environment.