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Liam’s Desktop UX Brief: Whether you are touching up vacation snapshots or building social media graphics from scratch, GIMP 3.2 gives Linux users a genuinely powerful photo editor without spending a dime. In this walkthrough I will show you how to install it on Ubuntu 26.04, navigate the redesigned interface, and master the core editing tools that matter most for everyday photo work.
What Is GIMP and Why Should You Use It
If you have ever searched for a free alternative to Photoshop, GIMP almost certainly appeared in the results. Short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, GIMP has been the go-to open source photo editor for over two decades. You can learn more about the project on the official GIMP website. The project reached a major milestone with GIMP 3.2, released on March 14, 2026, and the latest stable build as of this writing is 3.2.4, published on April 19, 2026.
What makes 3.2 special is not just a version bump. Building on the GTK3 port and Wayland support that arrived with GIMP 3.0, this release introduces non-destructive editing through Link Layers and Vector Layers, a completely revamped MyPaint Brush engine with 20 new brushes, SVG export for the first time, a Vibrance filter, and improved CMYK Total Ink Coverage handling for print workflows. In plain terms, GIMP finally feels like a modern editor that can hold its own against paid alternatives for most common tasks.
I have been testing GIMP 3.2.4 daily since it dropped, and I can tell you the performance improvements alone make the upgrade worthwhile. If you are running Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon), you already have access to GIMP 3.2.2 in the universe repositories, and the Flatpak or Snap channels offer the very latest 3.2.4 build. This guide covers all three installation paths so you can pick the one that fits your workflow.
Insight: GIMP 3.2.4 includes over 150 bug fixes since the 3.2.0 release. If you encounter any of the issues described in older tutorials online, chances are they have already been resolved in this version.
GIMP is ideal for photographers, hobbyists, content creators, and anyone who needs to edit images without a subscription. It runs natively on Linux, Windows, and macOS, but this article focuses on the Linux experience because that is where I spend most of my time and where GIMP truly shines.
How to Install GIMP on Ubuntu 26.04
There are three main ways to install GIMP on Ubuntu 26.04, and each has its own tradeoffs. I will walk through all three so you can decide which suits you best.
Method 1: Flatpak (Recommended)
Flatpak gives you the latest stable release directly from Flathub, and it is the method I recommend for most users. You get automatic updates, sandboxed dependencies, and always the newest version.
fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt install flatpak fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP
That last command launches GIMP. From this point forward you can also launch it from your application menu, or create a desktop shortcut if you prefer.
Method 2: Snap
Snap is pre-installed on Ubuntu 26.04, so the setup is slightly faster. The snap package is maintained by the GIMP team and typically tracks the latest stable release closely.
fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ sudo snap install gimp fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ gimp
Note that the snap version may lag behind the Flatpak release by a few days or weeks depending on when Canonical approves the build. If you need the absolute latest patch release, Flatpak is your best bet.
Method 3: APT (Default Ubuntu Repo)
Ubuntu 26.04 ships GIMP 3.2.2 in the universe repositories, which you can install with the standard apt command. This is the simplest option and integrates cleanly with your system package manager.
fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt update fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt install gimp fosslinux@ubuntu:~$ gimp
The tradeoff is that you will not automatically receive 3.2.3 or 3.2.4 updates until the next point release of Ubuntu unless you enable a PPA. For most users this is perfectly fine since 3.2.2 is a stable and fully featured build. For a deeper dive into GIMP installation on Ubuntu, I recommend checking out our detailed GIMP installation guide for Ubuntu 26.04 which covers troubleshooting and additional configuration options.
Understanding the GIMP Interface
When you first launch GIMP 3.2, you will see the default single-window mode, which keeps everything in one cohesive window rather than floating panels. This is a huge usability improvement over the old multi-window setup and makes GIMP feel much more like a conventional desktop application.
The interface is divided into three main areas. On the left you have the Toolbox containing all your editing tools, from selection brushes to transform tools. In the center is the Canvas where your image lives, and you can zoom, pan, and rotate the view freely. On the right are the Dockable Dialogs which include panels for layers, channels, paths, undo history, brushes, and more.
You can rearrange these dockable dialogs by dragging their tabs, combine multiple dialogs into a single panel, or detach them into floating windows if that works better for your setup. The whole interface is customizable, which I appreciate when switching between photo retouching work and graphic design tasks.
The GIMP 3.2 single-window interface with the sample photo loaded
Pro Tip: Press the Tab key at any time to hide or reveal all panels. This gives you a clean full-screen view of your image, which is perfect for detailed inspection or presentation.
Opening and Saving Images in GIMP
To open an image in GIMP, go to File and then Open, or simply drag and drop an image file onto the canvas. GIMP supports a wide range of formats including JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, HEIF, PSD, and RAW files through the appropriate plugins.
One concept that trips up many beginners is the difference between Save and Export. When you hit Save (or Ctrl+S), GIMP saves the project in its native XCF format, which preserves all your layers, masks, channels, and other editing data. This is your working file and you should save frequently. However, XCF files cannot be opened by most other image viewers or uploaded to social media.
To save a flattened image in a standard format like JPEG or PNG, you need to use File and then Export As. GIMP will prompt you to choose a format and set quality options. I have developed a habit of keeping my XCF master file and exporting a JPEG copy for sharing, which ensures I always have the full editing history intact.
The XCF format is GIMP’s equivalent of Photoshop’s PSD. It stores every layer, path, guide, and effect in a non-destructive way. If you ever need to revisit an edit, the XCF file is where you start.
Worth Knowing: GIMP can open and save PSD files with layers, channels, and paths intact. If you collaborate with Photoshop users, this makes file exchange straightforward without losing any editing structure.
How to Crop and Resize Photos in GIMP
Cropping is one of the most common photo editing tasks, and GIMP makes it straightforward with the Crop Tool. Press Shift+C to activate it, then click and drag a rectangle over the area you want to keep. Everything outside the rectangle will be removed when you press Enter.
The Crop Tool has several useful options in the Tool Options panel. You can enable Fixed aspect ratio to crop to a specific ratio, such as 16:9 for widescreen or 1:1 for Instagram. You can also enable Highlight to darken the areas that will be cropped out, which helps you visualize the final composition before committing.
Resizing works differently from cropping. Go to Image and then Scale Image to change the overall dimensions of your photo. You can specify the size in pixels, inches, centimeters, or other units. The chain icon next to the width and height fields controls aspect ratio locking. When the chain is linked, changing one dimension automatically adjusts the other to maintain proportions.
I generally recommend resizing down rather than up. Enlarging a small image introduces interpolation artifacts and reduces sharpness. If you need a large output, start with the highest resolution source you have available.
Adjusting Brightness, Contrast, and Colors
GIMP offers several tools for adjusting the tonal and color properties of your images, and knowing when to use each one is key to getting professional-looking results.
The simplest option is Brightness-Contrast, found under the Colors menu. It provides two sliders that do exactly what they say. This is a good starting point for quick adjustments, but it applies the same change uniformly across the entire tonal range.
For more precise control, Levels is an excellent next step. The Levels dialog displays a histogram of your image’s tonal distribution and lets you set the black point, white point, and midtone gamma independently. Pulling the black point slider inward clips the darkest pixels to pure black, which can add punch to flat-looking photos. The midtone slider adjusts overall brightness without affecting the extremes.
Curves takes this concept further by giving you a continuous curve that maps input tones to output tones. You can create an S-curve to boost contrast, lift shadows, or compress highlights with fine-tuned control. It takes some practice, but once you internalize how the curve works, you will find yourself reaching for it before any other color tool.
Finally, Hue-Saturation lets you shift the hue, adjust saturation, and modify lightness for the entire image or for individual color ranges. This is invaluable when a photo looks slightly too warm or when you want to make a specific color pop without affecting everything else.
Understanding Layers in GIMP
Layers are the backbone of non-destructive editing in GIMP. Think of them as transparent sheets stacked on top of each other. Each layer holds its own content, and the final image is a composite of all visible layers viewed from top to bottom.
To create a new layer, click the small page icon at the bottom of the Layers panel or go to Layer and then New Layer. You can choose the layer type (normal, transparency, foreground color, or background color) and set the dimensions. Reordering layers is as simple as dragging them up or down in the stack.
Two properties that are essential for beginners are Opacity and Blending Modes. Opacity controls how transparent a layer is, ranging from fully opaque at 100% to invisible at 0%. Blending Modes determine how a layer interacts with the layers beneath it. For example, Multiply darkens the image, Screen lightens it, and Overlay enhances contrast by blending both.
Why It Matters: GIMP 3.2 introduced Link Layers and Vector Layers, which enable true non-destructive editing for the first time. You can now adjust filters and transforms on a layer without permanently altering the original pixel data, similar to how adjustment layers work in Photoshop.
Layer Masks are another powerful concept. A mask lets you selectively hide or reveal portions of a layer without deleting pixels. Paint with black on the mask to hide, white to reveal, and shades of gray for partial transparency. This technique is essential for blending multiple exposures, creating soft vignettes, or isolating a subject from its background.
You can also merge layers when you are satisfied with the result. Right-click a layer and choose Merge Down to combine it with the layer below, or Flatten Image to merge everything into a single background layer. Just remember that merging is destructive, so keep your XCF file saved with the layers intact before you commit.
Common Beginner Questions
After years of recommending GIMP to newcomers, I hear the same questions over and over. Here are the most frequent ones with concise answers.
Is GIMP as good as Photoshop? For most photo editing tasks, absolutely. GIMP handles cropping, retouching, color correction, compositing, and graphic design with ease. Photoshop has advantages in certain specialized areas like advanced CMYK print workflows and the broader Creative Cloud ecosystem, but for individual users GIMP is more than sufficient.
Can GIMP open PSD files? Yes. GIMP can open Photoshop PSD files and preserve layers, channels, and paths. You may occasionally encounter compatibility issues with very new PSD features, but for everyday files the exchange works reliably in both directions.
How many times can I undo in GIMP? By default, GIMP keeps 10 levels of undo history. You can increase this under Edit and then Preferences and then Environment. Setting it to 50 or 100 is reasonable for most machines, though higher values consume more memory.
What file formats should I use? Use XCF for your working files, PNG for web graphics that need transparency, JPEG for photographs where file size matters, and TIFF for archival or print purposes. GIMP also supports WebP export, which is excellent for web-optimized images.
How do I add text to an image? Select the Text Tool from the toolbox (the letter A icon), click on the canvas, and type. The Text tool options let you choose font, size, color, alignment, and spacing. Text in GIMP is created on its own text layer, which you can edit or restack at any time.
Tips for Getting Started with Photo Editing on Linux
Before you dive into editing, take a few minutes to learn the keyboard shortcuts that will save you the most time. Ctrl+Z for undo, Ctrl+Shift+Z for redo, Ctrl+S to save, and Ctrl+E to export are the essentials. The single-letter shortcuts for tools are also worth memorizing: R for rotate, Shift+C for crop, B for paintbrush, and E for eraser.
GIMP includes built-in tutorials that you can access from the Help menu. These short guided exercises walk you through fundamental concepts like selections, layers, and color adjustments. They are aimed at absolute beginners and provide a structured way to learn without feeling overwhelmed.
Adopting a non-destructive workflow early will save you frustration down the road. Always work on separate layers, use layer masks instead of erasing, and save your XCF files frequently. If you are coming from other Linux creative tools, you might also enjoy our roundup of things to do after installing Linux Mint which covers multimedia and productivity setup in general.
Finally, explore the GIMP plugin ecosystem. The Python-Fu and Script-Fu consoles let you automate repetitive tasks, and community plugins extend GIMP with features like batch processing, advanced noise reduction, and perspective correction helpers. The GIMP community is active and welcoming, and you will find answers to almost any question on the official forums or various Linux photography communities.
Photo editing on Linux has never been more accessible. With GIMP 3.2.4 delivering non-destructive editing, a modern interface, and broad format support, there is very little reason to look elsewhere if you are on Ubuntu 26.04 or any other contemporary Linux distribution. The learning curve is gentler than you might expect, and the results can rival anything produced by paid software. Give it an afternoon of your time and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.