As a photo editor with years of hands-on experience, I've relied on PhotoScape X as my go-to tool, never needing to switch to pricier alternatives. Why? It packs everything essential: over 1,000 filters and effects, 100+ tools, 200+ shapes, stickers, and figurines. Best of all, most features are completely free.
Contents:
1. Detach tools
2. Save cropped area
3. Change circular crop background
4. Add transparent background
5. Duplicate items
6. Working with layers
7. Quick menu
8. View original and compare
9. Save project
10. Use the color picker anywhere
11. Batch file renaming
12. Change editor theme
13. Use as photo viewer
Beautify your photos 
Every session uncovers new capabilities. To streamline your workflow, here are my top 13 PhotoScape X tips and tricks—features that reward a bit of exploration and practice.
Note: PhotoScape offers two versions—PhotoScape 3.7 for Windows XP, 7, Vista, or 8, and PhotoScape X for Windows 10+ PCs and Macs on macOS 10.10+.
On the editor screen, tools and effects appear on the right. Many are detachable for flexible positioning. Click the Detach icon in the upper-right corner of a tool panel. To reattach, click it again.
Notice how each icon is labeled below—this user-friendly design beats memorizing shortcuts or hovering for tooltips, a key reason PhotoScape X stands out for me.
PhotoScape X provides standard cropping options like preset sizes and circular/perspective crops. It also lets you save or copy the cropped area straight to the clipboard, saving precious time.
For circular crops, select from solid colors, gradients, or themes for the four corner backgrounds.
Enable the Circular Crop checkbox in the Crop section, then pick your background from the options.
Whenever a background option appears in effects or tools, choose Transparency instead of colors or themes.
For example, in the screenshot, I've applied it to a text layer mask.
Add stickers, images, shapes, or text effortlessly. To reuse the same object multiple times, simply click the Duplicate icon after placing the first one—no need to dig through menus repeatedly.
Adding multiple objects reveals the Layers panel on the left. Toggle individual layers by checkboxes to edit them separately. Check all to preview the combined result.
The Edit tab organizes options into sections, but with so many features, the Quick Menu provides one-click access to key tools.
Go to Edit > Quick Menu icon.
Switch to the original image anytime via the bottom icon. For before/after comparisons after applying filters, use the Compare icon or spacebar.
Like pro editors, save your work as a project file for later tweaks. Click Save > Save Project (or Alt+Shift+S).
The Color Picker works inside and outside PhotoScape X—perfect for sampling colors from websites, file explorers, or any viewer.
Tools > Color Picker. Adjust zoom on the magnifier and sample multiples with spacebar.
Efficiently rename multiple files: Tools > Rename, add files, and set your scheme.
Prefer light over dark? Settings icon (upper-right) > Theme > Light or Dark for better readability.
On Windows 10+ or macOS, set PhotoScape X as your default viewer—superior to the stock Photos app with modes like dual-view, favorites, and smooth navigation.
It evokes the spirit of Google's Picasa (discontinued in 2016 but still downloadable). Use the dual-mode icon for side-by-side viewing.
PhotoScape X's intuitive one-click features deliver pro results without complexity. These tips should supercharge your edits—happy editing!
