When I started being active on social media, I noticed that people were going the extra mile to make their photos look good every time. I got interested in how they were doing it, and I discovered that they have been using photo editing mobile apps.

I discovered the Pixlr app, a free and easy photo editor mobile app. Pixlr offers over two million combinations of free effects, filters, and overlays to create stunning photos. All the photos edited on Pixlr can be shared seamlessly across various social media and messaging platforms. 

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Learn more about the Pixlr app and its features below. Check how Pixlr is easy to use to create visually pleasing photos with its tools. Discover also how to install Pixlr to your mobile device.

  • Introducing Pixlr
  • Starting with the Pixlr App
  • Creating a Project on Pixlr
  • Utilizing the Other Tools on Pixlr
  • Using the Brush Tools on Pixlr
  • Choosing Filters for My Photo on Pixlr
Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Pixlr

Introducing Pixlr

The phone camera quality was not top-notch years ago, so people relied on photo editing apps to enhance their raw pictures. After using social media, I felt that compelled by the trend to use photo editing apps to ensure that my posts are great.

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Lifewire

I have been using the Pixlr app for several years now. When I installed the app back then, it was called Pixlr Express. I trusted the Pixlr app because it is generally free and easy to use. This makes it ideal for users like me who do not have a lot of knowledge about photo editing.

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Pixlr boasts that users can create over two million combinations of the app's available free effects, filters, and overlays. It also offers photo collage templates so that I can combine my best photos into one collage.

The Pixlr app also provides selfie-enhancing features like blemish removal and many more. There are also trendy features such as color splash effect, focal blur, etc. Pixlr proves that it has a long list of features and tools to create stunning photos every time. 

Installing the Pixlr App

I trusted the Pixlr app upon discovering it because it promised that I could enjoy its features even if I did not have photo editing skills. Inmagine Lab launched the Pixlr app in November 2012, which eventually gained popularity.

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Pixlr has been downloaded more than 50 million times with millions of active users. The Pixlr app is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The Pixlr app uses the freemium model, making most of the features free to use. 

However, there are also in-app purchase items and premium subscription plans on Pixlr. The Pixlr app is compatible with AndroidOS 6.0 and up and iOS 10.0 or later devices. 

Starting with the Pixlr App

Pixlr asked me to accept its software license agreement when I installed the app. It also asked me to read the Software License Agreement through the link to its official website. 

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Ask4files

Aside from the Software License Agreement, the app also wanted me to grant permission to access different features of my mobile device. First, it asked for my photos and media files located in my internal and external file storage.

Pixlr also sought permission to access the camera to take pictures and videos. In addition, Pixlr needed my Wi-Fi connection information and, device ID & call information. Lastly, Pixlr asked for my location (precise and approximate). 

Moreover, the Pixlr app intended to do the following on my mobile device: receive data from the internet, control vibration, view network connections, have full network access and prevent the mobile device from sleeping. 

Exploring Pixlr’s Home Page

One of the striking features of Pixlr is its vivid and visually pleasing user interface. Pixlr relies on a colorful and bold background. 

The app’s Home page is simple as there are four main options: Camera, Photos, Collage, and Templates. The Camera option opens my phone’s camera to snap a photo in real-time to be used for editing. The Photos lets me choose any image from the phone’s gallery.

If I want to create a collage on Pixlr, I need to tap the Collage option. I spend time browsing the Templates tab to look for the perfect format or layout that fits my photos and design in my mind. There is also the Settings menu on the Home page, found in the upper left corner of the screen.

Creating a Project on Pixlr

It is easy to start a project or do photo editing on the Pixlr app. I only need to choose whether I want to take a photo using the camera directly from the Pixlr app or select from my phone’s gallery. 

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Get App

After selecting or taking a photo, Pixlr processes the image to be put on the canvas. Pixlr displays all the features and tools I can use to edit the image. These tools are found below the image, so the changes will be seen instantly on the photo as I use the tool.

There are five main categories of features that I can utilize on the Pixlr app: Tools, Brushes, Filters, Frames, and Texts. Each category has specific tools to ensure that I will be able to create a stunning photo. 

Using the Basic Tools on Pixlr

Like any other photo editing app, I can enjoy the basic photo editing tools on Pixlr. I can easily crop and rotate the image to ensure that it will fit the size requirements of the social media platform where I intend to post it. 

It is also possible to adjust the elements of the photo on Pixlr. I can adjust the exposure, temperature, contrast, brightness, vibrance, highlights, shadows, saturation, lightness, and hue using the slide menu bar.

There is also the eraser tool that can remove objects in the photo. It is possible to adjust its size to ensure that I can erase even minute detail.

Utilizing the Other Tools on Pixlr

In addition to the basic tools on Pixlr, I can find more tools on the app. Pixlr supports automatic changes and enhancements of the photo through its auto fix and auto contrast features. I do not need to manually adjust the photo elements as Pixlr cando it for me in an instant. 

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download

Pixlr also has the double exposure feature where I need to choose another photo. The app provides a slide menu to adjust the second photo’s opacity. There are specific filters for the second photo’s application, such as darken, multiply, color burn, lighten, screen, etc. 

As mentioned, the Pixlr app has the focal blur feature. There are three options to blur the image: normal, circular, and linear. The first one blurs the entire image, while the last two blur only a specific part of the image. 

It is also allowed to sharpen and smoothen the image on Pixlr.

Putting Color Splash on the Image

One of the most popular trends in photo editing is the color splash effect. Pixlr has a color splash wherein you can choose a specific part of the image to paint with a selected color. 

There are two options for color splash, which are tolerance and tint. I would choose the color I want to splash on the image on the tint option. I only need to tap the part of the image that I want to be painted in the chosen color. 

Using the Brush Tools on Pixlr

Interestingly, the Pixlr app offers brush tools that allow me to lighten and darken specific areas of the photo. The brush can be customized in terms of size and intensity. 

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Google Play Store

It feels like I am manually coloring the photo by making a part lighter or darker. In this case, it will be easier to lighten a certain area that had poor lighting or darken an area with too much light.

It is also possible to doodle on the image to customize it further on Pixlr. I liked that I could add small and simple art or drawing to the image.

Adding Text to the Image

It is common to find photo editing apps with the text tool. On Pixlr, I need to type the text that I want to add to the image. Then, I can choose the font style from the categories like sans, novelty, dotted, retro-future, handwritten, etc. 

I can select the color of the text from the color picker. After that, I can now set the text on the image by dragging it to where I want it to be. I can also change the font size by pinching the text.

Choosing Filters for My Photo on Pixlr

There are three options for the filters on Pixlr: effect, overlay, and style. The effect options have over 20 specific filters that I can choose from. Some of my most used effects are greg, jean, lucas, peter, and tom. 

Pixlr - Learn How to Use and Download
Image Source: Apple App Store

There are also pre-set overlays available on Pixlr. I can try using the following: metal, paint, rain, rainbow, scratches, shine, street, stripe, and many more.

I can also stylize the photo with these filters: pencil, silk, dapple, polly, silk, watercolor, poster, etc.

Adding a Frame on Pixlr

To complete the photo, Pixlr suggests that I use a frame. More than 30 available borders on the app such as black, dirt, film, flowery, ground, grunge, polaroid, old, peri, pinstripe, pint, round, rustic, sand, scan, etc.

There are also limited stickers that I can use on the Pixlr to complete the look of my photo.

Conclusion

The Pixlr app offers a long list of tools and features for photo editing. Users can easily enhance a photo by using the color splash tool, adding text, choosing filters, adding borders, etc.