How to Open a PSD File Without Photoshop (2024)

November 6, 2019 / #Photoshop

Do you have a Photoshop (.psd) file that you need to open but you don't have Photoshop? In this guide you will learn a few different ways you can open a Photoshop file for free without paying for Photoshop.

Preview on Google Drive

You can use this method no matter what type of operating system you have. Just upload your PSD file to Google Drive. You will be able to preview the file.

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Once you are previewing the file, you can take a screen shot and then open the screenshot file in a different program.

Here are some shortcuts to take screenshots on various operating systems:

Windows: Win+Shift+S
Mac: Command+Shift+4
ChromeOS: Ctrl + Shift + []]] (window switch key)

IrfanView (Windows Only)

InfranView is a free program you can download on Windows. It will allow you to display a PSD Photoshop file, as well as save it in a bunch of other popular formats. However, it does not support layers in Photoshop files so everything will be merged into a single layer.

Preview (Mac Only)

The built-in Preview program on MacOS can open Photoshop files. Just right click on the file, choose "Open With", then "Preview". Once the file is opened in Preview, you can export it to other formats by choosing "File", then "Export...". The Export menu has a dropdown menu where you can select the format. Just like IrfanView, layer information is not supported.

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GIMP

GIMP is a free, open source alternative to Photoshop. It can open PSD files and even preserves layer information. GIMP is the most powerful option on this list and will allow you to make other modifications to the file.

To open a Photoshop file in GIMP, first download and install GIMP.

Then, open the Photoshop file in GIMP. Just use the default settings to convert the file.

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You now have access to the image in GIMP, including all the layers! You can edit the image, or export it in any format. GIMP may not preserve all text information or layer styles.