Before you download
Start with the official PhotoCraft repository and its Releases page. Confirm that the repository is storytold/photocraft, rather than the ArtCraft AI studio or the launcher. This guide does not host or repackage installers.
This is an installation reference based on the README reviewed October 14, 2026 (UTC), not a record of an installation we performed. The project still describes PhotoCraft as early alpha. Keep your original documents and begin with a copy of a small project.
Choose a build for your system
The official README lists installers for macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, plus a web build. Open the assets on your chosen release and check the operating system, CPU architecture and exact version. Available packages can change between releases; use that release’s instructions rather than assuming an old filename remains valid.
For Linux, the README lists AppImage, Debian, RPM, tarball and Flatpak options. Flatpak may need the corresponding freedesktop runtime. Follow the package’s official instructions for your distribution. For macOS and Windows, read the release’s platform notes and use the installer offered for your machine. If your operating system blocks a download, check its publisher and the official issue tracker instead of disabling protections by default.
Verify the download
When a release provides SHA256SUMS.txt, compute the SHA-256 of the downloaded file using your system’s standard utility and compare it with the line for that exact filename in that same release. A matching checksum detects a changed download; it does not establish that every feature is stable or that the software has been independently audited by this guide.
Keep the release tag and downloaded filename in your notes. Use our release reference for a dated snapshot, then check the official page for newer builds before installing.
First launch and a document check
Open a duplicate of a non-sensitive image or PSD. Check the render, fonts, layer names, masks and adjustments. Save to a new filename and reopen the result in the editor used for delivery. Rendering and editable data are separate checks. These are suggested acceptance steps; we have not executed them ourselves.
The official README currently records a Wayland drag-and-drop limitation. For affected Linux sessions, it suggests File → Open or copying a file in the file manager and pasting it with Ctrl+V. Check current documentation and the relevant issue for your build before assuming that workaround is still needed.
Building from source
The README’s developer path starts by cloning the official repository and running its Rust workspace. A source build requires the matching toolchain and platform dependencies; it is a separate workflow from installing a release. Read the repository’s contributor and build documentation before running commands. We do not present a source build as the easiest option for every reader.
For browser deployment, the repository links to web packaging documentation. A WebAssembly artifact does not mean this guide hosts a running PhotoCraft app or provides the ArtCraft AI studio.
When something goes wrong
Record the release, system, architecture, document size, layer count and the smallest file that reproduces the issue. Look for a matching report in the official issue tracker. Avoid attaching client artwork, private documents or credentials to public reports.
For compatibility decisions, read PhotoCraft vs Photoshop. For the difference between apps, repositories and the AI studio, see the ArtCraft application guide.