How to get Photoshop free for 7 days (official trial)
Open Adobe Photoshop on adobe.com
Go to Adobe’s Photoshop page and choose Free trial. Trials usually last 7 days and give you the full, current version.
Choose what to try
Pick the Photoshop single-app plan or an all-apps plan. Both trials include Photoshop, and the all-apps trial adds the rest of Adobe’s catalog.
Sign in and add a payment method
Create a free Adobe account or sign in. Adobe usually asks for a payment method up front, but you aren’t charged until the trial ends.
Install Photoshop with Creative Cloud
Download the Creative Cloud desktop app from Adobe and install Photoshop from its Apps tab. Our step-by-step Photoshop guide covers every screen.
Set a reminder to cancel
If you don’t want to keep it, cancel from the Plans section of your Adobe account before the trial ends and you won’t be charged.
Need every install screen explained? Follow our Photoshop free download guide.
What’s free from Adobe for Photoshop?
There is no permanently free version of Photoshop for desktop. New customers can usually start a free trial (typically 7 days) on adobe.com. After that the subscription bills unless you cancel before the trial ends.
Adobe has also offered limited free tiers of Photoshop on the web and on mobile. They are handy for quick edits but don't replace the full desktop app.
Sites that promise a “free full version” or a “cracked” Photoshop are not legitimate. Those installers are one of the most common ways malware spreads.
Photoshop free download for Windows PC, Mac and mobile
Photoshop for Windows PC
Photoshop’s free trial runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11 through the Creative Cloud app. There’s no separate “PC version” to download: the trial is the full Windows app.
Photoshop for Mac
The same trial works on Mac, and Photoshop runs natively on Apple silicon (M-series) Macs as well as supported Intel Macs.
Photoshop for iPad
Mobile versions are free to download from the App Store or Google Play. Core features are free, and premium tools unlock with a paid plan.
Photoshop for Web browser
Adobe offers Photoshop in the browser too. Some features are free with an Adobe account, and the full set needs a plan.
Best free Photoshop alternatives
Free apps that cover most of what people use Photoshop for, with no trial clock and no subscription.
1. GIMP
FreeWindows, Mac, Linux
Best for: Photo editing and retouching
Free and open source, with layers, masks and a large plugin library. The interface takes some getting used to.
2. Photopea
FreeWeb browser
Best for: Quick edits and opening PSD files
Runs in the browser with a Photoshop-like interface and opens PSD files. Free with ads, or ad-free on a paid plan.
3. Krita
FreeWindows, Mac, Linux
Best for: Digital painting and illustration
Free and open source, built for artists, with excellent brushes.
4. Adobe Express (free plan)
FreeWeb, iOS, Android
Best for: Social graphics, flyers and quick edits
Adobe’s own free design app, with templates, background removal and basic photo and video tools.
Is a Photoshop crack or “free full version” download safe?
Searches for a “Photoshop free download full version” mostly lead to cracked, “pre-activated” or “portable” copies. They look free, but they cost far more in the end:
Malware
Cracked installers are a leading way to spread info-stealers that harvest saved passwords, banking sessions and crypto wallets.
No security updates
Pirated copies can’t be updated, so known security holes stay open.
Broken features
Cloud features, generative AI tools, Adobe Fonts and syncing all need a genuine license, so they fail in cracked copies.
Legal risk
Unlicensed software breaks Adobe’s license terms and copyright law, and businesses can face audits and fines.
Wasted time
“Portable” and “pre-activated” versions often crash, or stop working after the next system update.
Use Adobe’s official free trial, the free Adobe apps above, a free alternative, or Adobe’s student and teacher discount. Many schools also give students Creative Cloud at no cost.
Next step
Ready to install the real Photoshop?
Our Photoshop download guide walks you through the Creative Cloud app, system requirements and the fixes for common install errors.
Photoshop free download FAQ
There’s no permanently free full version of Photoshop for Windows or Mac. You can use the real Photoshop free for about 7 days with Adobe’s official trial, use the limited free versions on the web and mobile, or switch to a free alternative such as GIMP or Photopea.
Yes, through Adobe’s official free trial. It runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11 and usually lasts 7 days. After that, the full desktop version needs a paid plan.
Adobe’s free trial works on Mac too, and Photoshop runs natively on Apple silicon. After the trial, a paid plan is required for the full desktop app.
Unless you cancel before it ends, the trial converts to the paid plan you chose and Adobe charges the payment method on file. Cancel from the Plans section of your Adobe account to avoid charges.
Adobe offers discounted student and teacher pricing rather than free licenses, but many schools and universities give students Creative Cloud at no cost. Ask your school’s IT department.
GIMP is a strong choice for photo editing and retouching. Free and open source, with layers, masks and a large plugin library. The interface takes some getting used to.
No. “Free full version”, “pre-activated” and cracked Photoshop downloads are a common source of malware, can’t be updated, and break Adobe’s license terms. Use Adobe’s free trial or a free alternative instead.