ADOBE PHOTOSHOP FOR MAC: BEST-KNOWN NAME IN PHOTO EDITING HASN'T LOST A STEP

Adobe first launched Photoshop exclusively for the Macintosh in 1990.

- BY MAHMOUD ITANI

Since then, the software has grown to become the default photo editor for creative professionals on all platforms. Today, the app is available on all major operating systems and continues to keep up with the latest industry trends—including the current Al boom.

While many rivals have put out alternative photo editing apps (fave. co/45ouvoM), very few brands have managed to gain a fraction of Adobe’s relevance in this space.

Nevertheless, Photoshop is expensive, and whether it's worth the recurring fees will depend on your personal budget and needs.

Adobe Photoshop is available on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Android, and the web. While all clients serve the same main purpose, the actual feature set differs based on the platform you're using. For example, some of the desktop tools are currently unavailable on mobile and on the web (fave.co/4mx7Sal). As such, this review focuses on the Mac version of Photoshop.

Using AI to generate a new subject in Photoshop.

GETTING STARTED

Unlike Adobe Lightroom (fave.co/4mNRBha), Photoshop is not available on the Mac App Store (fave.co/4oRHFV1). To install the macOS client, you'll first need to download the Creative Cloud app launcher (fave.co/3HUV5PW) from the web, which then automatically installs over half a dozen other Adobe apps for maintenance and such. It'll flood your Launcher (or App Library on macOS Tahoe) with unnecessary icons and overload your Mac with background processes that could drain the battery and impact its performance. It’s a nightmare. The alternative is using the web version of Photoshop, but it’s missing some features.