pixelmator.jpgImage editing software Pixelmator was today updated to version 3.0, adding several new enhancements including OS X Mavericks support, new liquify tools, non-destructive Layer Styles, and a new image editing engine.

Pixelmator has been designed to take advantage of OS X Mavericks features like App Nap and Compressed Memory, making it more responsive and power efficient. The app’s new image editing engine is also designed to take advantage of multiple OS X technologies to make file manipulation faster than before.

Pixelmator 3.0 FX became dramatically faster and more powerful. Pixelmator’s development team took an extra step to build a truly modern and innovative image editing engine that takes advantage of the full power of OS X, by combining technologies like Core Image, OpenCL, OpenGL, 64-bit architecture, and Grand Central Dispatch, giving you the speed you need to keep pace with your creativity.

Layer Styles allow users to quickly apply shadows, gradients, outlines, and reflections to their images, while Liquify provides a new way to manipulate images. Layer Styles are non destructive, and the Liquify tools include Warp, Bump, Pinch, and Twirl.

pixelmator

Pixelmator 3.0 FX is the most advanced version of Pixelmator to date, introducing lots of new features and improvements, including the following:

- Layer Styles: Thanks to non-destructive Layer Styles, creating polished and advanced compositions is now so much simpler, faster, and more enjoyable
- Liquify Tools: Shape images in multiple ways—slightly twist an element, add an artistic detail, or completely distort an entire image
- New Image Editing Engine: The new state-of-the-art image editing engine harnesses the full power of the latest OS X technologies making Pixelmator feature rich, yet blistering fast
- OS X Mavericks support: Tags, Multiple-Displays, App Nap support and more

Pixelmator is only third-party app mentioned on Apple’s Mac Pro performance page, where it is used to demonstrate the new tower's blazingly fast performance.

Pixelmator 3.0 is a free upgrade for existing users, while new users can download the app from the Mac App Store for $29.99. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

macduke Avatar
157 months ago
I love getting these immediate MacRumors alerts in Mavericks!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CaptainPrice01 Avatar
157 months ago
For the price, Pixelmator is certainly one of the best image editing apps on the market. Also the new MacRumors notifications are awesome.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Old Muley Avatar
157 months ago
I've got both Pixelmator and Photoshop CS5. While PS is my go-to editing software, Pixelmator just keeps getting better and better. I foresee a day when I may even discontinue my use of Photoshop since I'm not going to pony up for the subscription.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymouse106 Avatar
157 months ago
Layer styles at last! Not really missing Photoshop at all.

P.S. I haven't had any problems mentioned above, except the awkward lack of a "crop to selection" feature. I use "crop off transparent pixels" to do the same thing but that does take more steps.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thejadedmonkey Avatar
157 months ago
I'm absolutely stunned at how fast the Pixelmator team is able to crank out these updates, it's really fantastic.

Now give me some useful resizing on export features so i can use it to easily create assets, and I'll switch over to it full time.

I keep getting errors trying to download the update. Apparently I'm not the only one, happening with a majority of the updates I have access to. Sucks...

For what it's worth, I updated iMovie 3 times on my computer this morning :p
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ValSalva Avatar
157 months ago
Great app. Every little improvement makes it a Photoshop replacement for more and more people.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...
iOS 26

Apple This November: iOS 26.2 Beta, Rumored New Products, and More

Thursday October 30, 2025 12:42 pm PDT by
Tomorrow is Halloween, and then November is upon us. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple next month, as the slower holiday season approaches. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. With beta testing now wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, November 3 or Tuesday,...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Revamped Siri on Track to Launch Next Year

Thursday October 30, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today said that a more personalized version of Siri remains on track to launch at some point next year, with the new set of features expected to debut on the iPhone as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April. "We're also excited for a more personalized Siri," said Cook, on Apple's earnings call for the third quarter of the 2025 calendar year. "We're making good progress on it,...