3 Ways to Open .PSD Files without Installing Adobe Photoshop
.PSD extension file stands for Photoshop Document and is related to the Adobe Photoshop application. The .PSD file works only in the Adobe Photoshop as it stores many imaging options available in Photoshop.
So if you like editing the images but do not want to spend lots of bucks on the software then this tip is surely for you and also because the following tools do not occupy huge memory as compared to Adobe Photoshop.
Method 1:
Paint.NET
We have written about this image editor before and it is a really cool image editor. But by default this can not edit the .PSD files. For that you will be requiring a plug-in that will make this tool to open and edit the .PSD files.
• First download and install Paint.NET
• Now download the psdplugin, unzip and copy the PhotoShop.dll to the “FileTypes” folder in the Paint.NET directory. By default it should be in C:\Program Files\Paint.NET\FileTypes.
Now you can open PSD files.
Method 2:
IrfanView
IrfanView is a small, free and fast image viewer/converter that can open .PSD files easily.
Method 3:
GIMP
GIMP standing for GNU Image Manipulation Program is a free image retouching tool that supports .PSD files by default.
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June 27th, 2009 at 12:34 am
As usual ,you not only provide great content but also great resources.Before I burnt out 2 computers and fried the motherboard on this one [obviously replaced and upgraded ],I had all 3 of the above .These new versions are a lot easier to install.Thank you very much.Regarding Irfanview, it is always one of the first programs I install after a crash of Windows or similar occurances.
October 17th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Hey dud this trick was really cool! But do u have any shortcut for rotating the images (Horizontal or Vertical) in picasa 3. if yes then soln?????!!!!
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:03 am
i used the second method – IrfantView and it works great…No need of PS… tnx
March 9th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Thanks very much. Great solutions.
March 19th, 2010 at 10:03 am
fist of all thanks to everyone I had download the Irfanview and it’s work very good no need to instal Photoshop to view the PSD Exetension files.thaks very much my problem is solved.
March 20th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
HELLO MY PROBLEM IS MY FIELS ARE NOT OPEN IN HIS DIRECTOREY OF d: e:
THERY ARE JUST OPEN IN DESKTOP WHAT IS THE PROBLEM
April 13th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Just today I found out that IrfanView will view PSD files. Paint.NET is terrible, GIMP and Paint Shop Pro still misinterpret a lot (I use both), but IrfanView is very true in how it displays the images. Too bad it can’t separate the layers, but at least it gives something accurate from which you can crop pieces.
May 26th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Really cool thing i got here about how to psd file with out downloadind photo shop.thanks
June 8th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
great work
June 21st, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I searched in Google “How to open PSD files” and got your’s among the top result and by visiting your website i got my answer. You deserve to be in the top.
September 27th, 2010 at 12:02 am
There is another way: download adobe photoshop 30 day trial.
You cannot easily edit text layer with GIMP, all the font info is lost.
September 27th, 2010 at 4:36 am
You cannot edit text layers in Paint.net either:
http://psdplugin.codeplex.com/
“The filetype plugin does not include every feature in the PSD file format. Only those elements in PSD that have counterparts in Paint.NET are implemented. For example: Text layers, layer effects, and vector masks do not exist in Paint.NET. PSD files with these features may load using the plugin, but a number of elements will be missing.”
October 7th, 2010 at 12:29 am
I am using a free pds viewer and slideshow i obtained from http://www.wenovo.com/freeware/png-psd-viewer-freeware.php
It is a PSD Viewer and PNG File Viewer too. I find a good way about it.
January 6th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Thanks for the information. I used Gimp and it worked great.
March 22nd, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Paint.net has got to be the worst download package. It came with so many other garbage programs. Man, what a pain uninstalling everything else it came with.
April 12th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
We can also open PSD file in ACDSee & save as JPG.
May 21st, 2011 at 10:36 am
Thank you very much, it worked like a charm with IrfanView, only problem I had was that it took a lot of time to open it, the psd file was quite large.
Thanks again!
July 15th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
hey thank you so much for Irfanview…
August 1st, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Thanks for the information. It totally worked without having to pay for a system or downloading adware, spyware or a virus. Two thumbs up
August 7th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Hey.. thank you. You made my day
I already had Paint.net and that little plugin just made the software better. Totally appreciated….Cheers
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Thanks for this tip – worked a treat
January 18th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Irfanview worked perfectly for me. Thanks for the useful tip!
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:18 am
Thanks it really worked. Paint.net is awesom and I get to finish my school projects
April 22nd, 2012 at 2:26 am
All three methods are no good.
1. Paint.net and Gimp does not support vectors, effects or other blending. Most PSD-files will not look as intended.
2. Irfanview does not support layers.
Does anyone know of a viewer that can do both layers and all the effects?