Getting started
Open an image or start from a preset, place your first layer, and save the project as an .img file.
This page walks you from a blank tab to a saved project in five minutes.
#1. Launch the editor
Go to the studio home and pick Image Editor, or hit /tools/image-editor directly.
You land on the start screen with three choices:
- Blank canvas — pick a preset (1080×1080 IG square, 1920×1080 HD, A4 print, etc.) or punch in custom dimensions.
- Templates (growing library) — designed starters you can edit.
- Open image — drop a JPG / PNG / WebP / SVG, or open a previously saved
.imgproject.
Tip: dragging an
.imgfile directly onto the start screen restores your full project — every layer, every effect, every history step.
#2. Move around the canvas
| Action | Mouse / trackpad | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom | Wheel / pinch | + / - |
| Fit to screen | — | 0 |
| Pan | Middle-mouse drag | Space + drag, or H for hand mode |
| Switch to pointer | Right-click empty canvas | V |
Right-click on empty canvas toggles between pointer and hand. That's the fastest way to flick between selecting and panning.
#3. Add a layer
Pick a tool from the left rail (or use its shortcut):
T— text, click the canvas to add a labelS— shape, drag to draw a rectangle / ellipse / triangle / starB— brush, paint freelyI— icon stamp, pick from the Heroicons / Lucide libraryA— asset stamp, drop an image you've uploaded into the assets panelC— crop, drag a region and hit Apply to commit
When you create a layer, the right-side inspector panel shows everything you can change about it — color, font, stroke, gradient, effects.
Most tools support drag (size while creating) and click (stamp at default size). Hold
Shiftwhile dragging to constrain proportions; holdAltto draw from the center.
#4. Arrange layers
Open the Layers panel (bottom of the editor). You can:
- Re-order by drag.
- Toggle visibility / lock.
- Adjust per-layer opacity and blend mode.
- Group with
Ctrl+G, ungroup withCtrl+Shift+G. - Clip-to-below with
Ctrl+Alt+G(the layer is masked by whatever is beneath it).
See Layers and Groups for the full model.
#5. Save the project
Press Ctrl+S or use File → Save Project. The editor packages your work as an .img file — a ZIP with a manifest, the document JSON, and any image resources you've used.
Re-opening that file restores every layer, history snapshot, mask, and asset exactly. The format is versioned and migration-friendly — see The .img format.
#6. Export
For a flat output, use File → Export and pick:
- PNG — lossless, transparency preserved
- JPEG — smaller, no transparency, quality slider
- WebP — modern, balances quality and size
- PDF — single-page export (handy for posters and one-pagers)
Export options live in the export dialog — see Exporting.
#Next
- Canvas & zoom
- Layers
- Shortcuts — full keyboard book