Not every photo task needs a large, complex and costly editor. This guide shows you how to download and install Pinta on Windows 10 and 11 from the official website.
Pinta is inspired by Paint.NET, so its layout feels familiar. It offers layers, effects and strong drawing tools in a small, fast app. This guide covers its features, system requirements, installation and a first photo edit.
What Is Pinta?
Pinta is a free, open-source image editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is more than a basic paint app, but far less stressful than a professional suite.
With Pinta, you can edit a photo, draw a poster, or build a social image with text and shapes. Its window is clean, with the canvas in the centre, and it is light enough to run well on older PCs.
Key Features
- Image editor core: Edit photos, drawings, posters and quick graphics.
- Layers and blending modes: Stack text, images and effects, and edit each part separately.
- Adjustments and effects: Brightness, contrast, sepia, blur, sharpen and artistic looks.
- Paint.NET alternative: A familiar, classic layout for Paint.NET users.
- Drawing tools: Pencil, brush, eraser, shapes, lines, gradients and a text tool.
- Unlimited history: Undo and redo freely as you work.
- Photo editing: Canvas and selections, plus crop, resize and rotate.
System Requirements
- Operating system: Windows 11 or Windows 10, 64-bit
- Processor: Any modern CPU
- Memory: 2 GB minimum, 4 GB recommended
- Storage: Around 150 MB of free space
- Display: 1024 x 768 resolution or higher
- Internet: Only needed to download the app
- Other: A mouse for precise drawing and selections
How to Download Pinta (Official Method)
Pinta is fully free, so never pay for it or accept a paid bundle copy. The official site links the Windows installer.
Official Website: https://www.pinta-project.com/
Step-by-Step Installation
- Visit the official Pinta website using the link above.
- Go to Downloads and choose the Windows installer.
- Save the installer to your Downloads folder.
- Double-click the installer and allow it to run.
- Accept the licence and keep the default options.
- Click Install, then Finish.
- Open Pinta from the Start menu.
Tip: On first launch, open a copy of a photo, not your only original. Test the layers panel, and save your edit under a new name.
How to Edit Your First Photo in Pinta
- Go to File, then Open, and choose a copy of a photo.
- Crop the edges to tidy the composition.
- Add a new layer, so your edits stay apart from the base photo.
- Use Adjustments to fix brightness and contrast with small changes.
- Add text or a shape on the top layer.
- Save a project copy, then export the final image as a PNG or JPG.
Is Pinta Free? Fully Free and Open Source
Yes, Pinta is fully free and open source. There is no paid version, no premium plan, no watermark and no time limit.
It is built by community volunteers, with no ads and no account sign-up.
FAQs
Is Pinta safe to download?
Yes, when you download it only from pinta-project.com. The code is public, so avoid random download sites.
How is Pinta different from Paint.NET?
Pinta is inspired by Paint.NET and offers a similar layer-based workflow. Unlike Paint.NET, which is Windows only, Pinta also runs on macOS and Linux.
Does Pinta support layers?
Yes. You can add, hide, reorder and blend layers, and change their opacity.
Which file types does Pinta support?
It opens and saves PNG, JPG, BMP and TIFF files. Use PNG for transparency and JPG for photos, and save a project copy so you can edit layers later.
Conclusion
Pinta is a smart free editor without a steep learning curve. Download it only from the official website, and work on copies of your photos while you learn its tools.
Official Website: https://www.pinta-project.com/
Related Guides
- GIMP for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows 11 (2026 Guide)
- Paint.NET for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows (2026 Guide)