I have been using GIMP for more than 20 years. Even though smartphones today can handle many image-editing tasks that were once only possible on a computer (and sometimes even better), I still prefer doing certain things with GIMP. Breaking down a goal into different layers and coordinating them is still a lot of fun. https://t.co/j19Y0qqmQx

After 20 years, GIMP finally fixed everything people disliked about it

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/gimp-finally-fixed-everything-people-disliked/ 4 (https://www.makeuseof.com/author/yadullah-abidi/) PublishedJul 12, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT

Yadullah Abidi is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Delhi and holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. With over a decade of experience in Windows and Linux systems, programming, PC hardware, cybersecurity, malware analysis, and gaming, he combines deep technical knowledge with strong editorial instincts.

Yadullah currently writes for MakeUseOf as a Staff Writer, covering cybersecurity, gaming, and consumer tech. He formerly worked as Associate Editor atCandid.Technology (https://candid.technology/author/yadullah/)and as News Editor atThe Mac Observer (https://www.macobserver.com/author/yadullahabidi/), where he reported on everything from raging cyberattacks to the latest in Apple tech.

In addition to his journalism work, Yadullah is a full-stack developer with experience in JavaScript/TypeScript, Next.js, the MERN stack, Python, C/C++, and AI/ML. Whether he’s analyzing malware, reviewing hardware, or building tools on GitHub, he brings a hands-on, developer’s perspective to tech journalism.

If you’ve been using Linux for a while, or if you’ve dabbled in open-source image editors, you likely have a complicated relationship with GIMP. It’s by far one of the most popular free, open-source image editors that anyone will recommend, but it always comes with an asterisk — it’s not Photoshop.

You canmake GIMP feel like Photoshop using a free patch (https://www.makeuseof.com/patch-makes-gimp-feel-like-photoshop/), but that doesn’t solve its core quirks and frustrations. But with version 3.0, its first major release in seven years, most of those problems are finally fixed.

The feature that confused everyone is finally gone

GIMP 3.0 ditches floating selections in favor of a far more intuitive workflow

GIMP with a picture of an iPhone open For years, hitting Ctrl + V in GIMP didn’t just paste your image; it also created something called a floating selection. It was a strange in-between state that confused beginners and annoyed veterans. You couldn’t do anything else until you either anchored it or promoted it to a new layer. The program would feel like it’s stuck, and new users would panic.

The fix was on the roadmap for years, and with version 3.0, it’s finally gone. Hitting Ctrl + V now just creates a new layer — the way every other image editor on the planet has always handled it. No fuss, no confusion, no annoyance, just paste behavior working as it should.

Non-destructive editing changes everything

Edit, experiment, and revise without permanently altering your original image

GIMP on Macbook ProCredit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf In GIMP 2.10, every filter you applied was permanently baked into the layer. If you applied a curves adjustment, then added a blur, and then wanted to change the curves, you had to undo everything in sequence. It was a fully destructive workflow by default, which put GIMP at a significant disadvantage compared to Photoshop or even Darktable.

GIMP 3.0 introduces non-destructive layers for most GEGL-based effects. Whether you’re applying a hue-saturation adjustment, a blur, a drop shadow, or anything else, they all stack as individual, editable entries on the layer. You can toggle them on or off, reorder them, double-click to tweak the settings, or delete them entirely, all without undoing other changes.

As an added bonus, these NDE filters are saved in the XCF format too, meaning you can close the project, come back later, and still edit them just fine. For anyone doing photo retouching or composite work, this finally makes GIMP a viable option.

Working with multiple layers finally feels natural

Multi-layer selection eliminates one of GIMP’s biggest workflow frustrations

Layer filter effects in GIMPCredit: Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf Previously, GIMP didn’t allow you to select multiple layers the way you would in every other layer-based editor. You had to manually link layers together to move them, and even that was awkward, not to mention a heap of added effort that other editors just didn’t force you to do.

That’s now fixed. GIMP 3.0 now supports full multi-layer selection with standard keyboard shortcuts. You can select a batch of layers, move them together, transform them, and organize them into named layer sets. You can even search for layers by name in large, complex projects.

The interface finally feels like it belongs in 2026

Cleaner design, better usability, and a much smoother editing experience overall

Image of GIMP with PhotoGIMP layout.Credit: Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf GIMP used to run on GTK2, a UI toolkit so outdated that it predates widespread HiDPI monitors. If you ran GIMP on a 4K display, the toolbox icons would look like they were designed for a CRT monitor. Wayland support was practically non-existent, dark mode was a patchwork hack at best, and tablet input handling forced designers to look for other options.

The entire program has now moved to a much more modern GTK3 stack. This brings Wayland support, proper HiDPI scaling, a CSS-based theme system allowing users to build and share custom themes properly, and significantly better graphics tablet support. Font handling was also overhauled so GIMP correctly identifies fonts in the same family rather than showing them with confusing ID numbers. There’s even a new welcome dialog on startup that lets you set your icon style and UI theme right away, something that previously required hunting for the preferences menu.

Photoshop users have fewer reasons to complain

Better PSD compatibility and improved color management make switching far less painful

GIMP and Photoshop icon together.Credit: Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf Color space management was one of GIMP’s weakest aspects, and for a photo editing tool looking to rival the behemoth that Photoshop is, that was just not going to work.GIMP may outperform Photoshop in certain areas (https://www.makeuseof.com/areas-gimp-outperforms-photoshop/), but if you’re losing information while working on images, all that extra power is useless.

Thankfully, GIMP can now work natively in wide-gamut RGB color spaces like Adobe RGB without converting everything to sRGB and losing information. Full CMYK editing still isn’t here yet, but CMYK export works. This means you can now create RGB images and export them as CMYK TIFF, JPEG, JPEG XL, or even PSD files.

PSD support in GIMP also gets a major upgrade. The program now loads JPEGs and TIFFs that contain Photoshop-specific metadata like clipping paths, guides, and layers. If you’re working with designers on the other side of the fence, life just got a lot easier.

There’s still room to grow

GIMP has come a long way, but a few rough edges remain

GIMP 3.0 is a massive upgrade, but it’s still far from finished. The default window layout is essentially the same as it was 20 years ago. Full CMYK editing mode and non-destructive transforms are still on the roadmap for future releases. And the development pace, while promising (considering GIMP 3.2 is targeted within a year), is slow enough to keep optimism at a distance.

Regardless, the new release adds a lot more usability, and makes GIMP an even stronger contender to Photoshop or even other open-source tools like Krita or Darktable. The core frustrations that annoyed an entire generation of Linux users have been addressed, and the foundation is solid for future improvement. After 20 years of GIMP being good enough, it’s finally just good.

GIMP logo

GIMP

OSWindows, macOS, LinuxDeveloperSimon BudigPrice modelFree (open-source)

GIMP gives you many of the features Photoshop has but without the hefty pricetag, and GIMP is open source, so you can see every change and requirement needed.