How to Open a PSD Without Photoshop (We Tested One File in 3 Apps)
You can open a PSD without Photoshop in Photopea, a browser editor that reads layered PSD files, or in GIMP on your desktop. Both kept every layer editable when we opened the same 7-layer file. macOS Preview opens a PSD too, but only as a flattened picture. Affinity Photo and Procreate list PSD import; Figma doesn't.
Need a layered PSD from a flat JPG or PNG? Turn an image into layers → IntoLayers splits a flat image into a rebuilt background plus a separate transparent layer for each element, named and in place, and exports them as one layered PSD.
What we tested
A PSD is Photoshop's own file format. Unlike a JPG or PNG, it stores each layer separately, so a viewer can show the finished picture while an editor lets you work on the layers one at a time.
We exported one layered PSD from IntoLayers (a 7-layer bakery flyer, 896×1200) and opened the same file in each app on 2026-09-30, on a Mac running macOS 26.2, with Photopea in Chrome. For every app we checked five things:
- Layer count. Do all 7 layers arrive, or does the file open as one picture?
- Layer names. Do the names survive (Background, Price Text, Sourdough Bread Loaf and so on)?
- Position. Does each layer sit where it sat in the original?
- Transparency. Is the area around each element still transparent?
- Editing. Can you hide or move one layer without touching the others?
Every layer in this file is a pixel layer. That matters for the text: the headline and the price are images of text, not live type, so no app will let you retype them. More on that below.
Results: which apps open a layered PSD
In short: Photopea and GIMP open the layers, macOS Preview shows the picture only.
| App | Layers | Names, position, transparency | Edit one layer alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photopea (browser) | 7 of 7 | All kept | Yes |
| GIMP 3.2.6 (desktop) | 7 of 7 | All kept | Yes |
| macOS Preview / Quick Look | Flattened | — | No, view only |
| Affinity Photo 2 | Not tested by us | — | — |
| Procreate (iPad) | Not tested by us | — | — |
| Figma | No PSD import listed | — | — |
The first three rows are our own test. The last three come from each company's help pages, quoted further down.
How to open a PSD online in Photopea
Photopea runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install.
- Go to photopea.com.
- Choose File → Open and pick the PSD.
- Open the Layers panel on the right. Every layer is listed with its name.
In our test all 7 layers arrived with their names and positions. We switched off the eye next to Price Text and dragged the loaf away from its cutting board. The board stayed put, because it is a separate layer.
To save your changes, use File → Save as PSD. To get a flat image instead, use File → Export as and pick PNG, JPG, WebP, PDF or SVG. File → Export Layers writes each layer out as its own file.
How to open a PSD in GIMP
GIMP is a desktop editor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Choose File → Open and select the PSD. GIMP reads PSD directly; you don't need to import it.
- Open the Layers dock (Windows → Dockable Dialogs → Layers if it is hidden).
GIMP read our file as 7 layers, top to bottom:
| Layer | Offset (x, y) | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough Bread Loaf | 247, 275 | 378×259 |
| Wooden Cutting Board | 134, 372 | 629×255 |
| Bakery Brand Logo | 205, 71 | 487×159 |
| Promotion Title Text | 85, 677 | 729×169 |
| Price Text | 229, 865 | 440×156 |
| Event Details Text | 112, 1053 | 674×80 |
| Background | 0, 0 | 896×1200 |
Each offset matches where the element sits in the original flyer, and every layer kept its alpha channel. So the transparent space around the bread is still transparent. Save your work as a PSD again with File → Export As and a .psd file name. File → Save writes GIMP's own XCF format.
Can you open a PSD on a Mac without Photoshop?
Yes, but only to look at it. On a Mac without Photoshop, double-clicking a PSD in Finder opens it in Preview. Press the space bar on it and Quick Look shows the same thing: the finished picture, flattened. There is no layer list, and you can't hide or move a single layer.
Preview is enough to check what a file looks like before you send it on. To work on the layers on a Mac, open the file in Photopea or GIMP.
Can you open a PSD on Windows without Photoshop?
Yes. Photopea runs in any desktop browser, so the steps above are the same on Windows. GIMP also has a Windows version. We ran our test on a Mac, not on Windows, so we haven't checked how Windows itself previews a PSD.
What about Affinity, Procreate and Figma?
We did not test these three. Here is what each company's own help pages say.
- Affinity Photo 2 lists Adobe Photoshop (PSD) among the formats it opens, and its feature list promises "high-quality Adobe Photoshop PSD import." The page doesn't say what happens to layers or name any limits.
- Procreate on iPad imports PSD files. Its handbook (version 5.4) says the import keeps locked layers, layer groups, compatible filters and blend modes, and can rasterize vector and text layers on the way in.
- Figma's help article on importing files lists Sketch, Figma's own formats, PNG, JPG and PowerPoint. PSD is not on the list. Getting a PSD into Figma means going through a community plugin, which we haven't checked.
Sources: Affinity Photo 2 supported file formats · Procreate Handbook: file types · Figma: Import files
What doesn't carry over
- Text stays an image. The text layers in an IntoLayers PSD are raster images, not live text. You can move them, scale them or hide them in any of these apps. To change the wording, you hide the text layer and type new text on top.
- Viewers aren't editors. Preview, Quick Look and online PSD viewers show the picture. They don't let you change a layer.
- Files built in Photoshop. Our test file uses plain pixel layers only. A PSD a designer built in Photoshop, with smart objects, adjustment layers and layer styles, is a different test, and we haven't run it.
Which one should you use?
- You just want to see the file: Preview or Quick Look on a Mac, or any PSD viewer.
- You need to move, hide or swap layers once: Photopea, in the browser.
- You edit layered files regularly and want a desktop app: GIMP.
- You work on an iPad: Procreate's handbook lists PSD import, though we haven't tested it.
If the file you've been sent is a flat JPG or PNG instead of a PSD, none of these apps will split it for you. An AI layer tool rebuilds the layers; see how to separate an image into layers for the options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I view a PSD file without Photoshop?
Yes. On a Mac, double-click the file and it opens in Preview, or select it and press the space bar for Quick Look. Both show the flattened picture. To see and change the individual layers, open the PSD in Photopea in your browser or in GIMP on your desktop. Both opened all 7 layers of our test file with names and positions intact.
What program will open a PSD file?
Photopea (browser) and GIMP (Windows, macOS, Linux) open PSD files with their layers. In our test both kept all 7 layers editable. macOS Preview opens a PSD as a single flat image. Affinity Photo 2 and Procreate list PSD import in their help pages. Figma's list of import formats does not include PSD.
How can I convert a PSD file to JPG?
Open the PSD in Photopea and choose File → Export as → JPG. The export flattens all visible layers into one image, so hide any layer you don't want before exporting. The same menu exports PNG, WebP, PDF and SVG, and File → Export Layers saves every layer as its own file.
Can I convert a PSD file to PDF?
Yes. Open the PSD in Photopea and choose File → Export as → PDF. The same Export as menu also offers PNG, JPG, WebP and SVG. We checked that the option is there; we didn't test how the PDF handles hidden layers.
Can I open a PSD on an iPad or phone?
We didn't test mobile devices. On iPad, Procreate's handbook (version 5.4) says it imports PSD files and keeps locked layers, layer groups, compatible filters and blend modes. For phones, we have no tested answer.
Can I edit the text in a PSD without Photoshop?
Only if the text is a live text layer. In a PSD exported from IntoLayers, text layers are images of the text, so every app opens them as pixel layers. You can move, resize or hide them, but you can't retype them. To change the wording, hide the text layer and add new text on top in Photopea or GIMP.
