Pixelmator Support
Pixelmator Pro User Guide
Pixelmator Pro User Guide
  • Welcome
  • Pixelmator Pro basics
    • Interface overview
    • Pixelmator Pro tools
    • Zoom in and out of an image
    • Scroll, pan, or rotate an image
    • Undo or redo changes
    • Choose and manage colors in Pixelmator Pro
    • Use the Pixelmator Pro Photos extension
    • Print a Pixelmator Pro document
    • Use text field math
    • Pixelmator Pro settings
      • General settings
      • Editing settings
      • Ruler, grid, and guide settings
      • Workspace settings
      • Apple Pencil settings
    • Customize the Tools sidebar
    • Customize the Pixelmator Pro toolbar
    • Use the Touch Bar with Pixelmator Pro
    • Automate tasks in Pixelmator Pro
  • Create, open, and save images
    • Open an image
    • Create a new image
    • Working with templates
    • Working with mockups
    • Edit from Photos
    • Import an image
    • Save and name an image
    • Close an image
    • About the Pixelmator Pro file format
    • About Pixelmator Pro sidecar files
  • Automatically edit images
    • Automatically enhance colors
    • Automatically increase image resolution
    • Remove color banding
    • Automatically reduce noise
    • Remove image background
    • Hide image background
    • Automatically crop and straighten images
    • Automatically match image colors
    • Decontaminate colors
  • Work with layers
    • Create layers
    • Color adjustments and effects layers
    • Use the Arrange tool
    • Select layers
    • Move and align layers
    • Resize, rotate, and flip layers
    • Transform layers
    • Convert layers into pixels
    • Use rulers
    • Use alignment guides
    • Organize and manage layers
    • Replace image
    • Video layers
  • Add masks
    • Working with bitmap masks
    • Working with vector masks
    • Open and edit images with Portrait Masks
    • Use clipping masks
  • Customize layers using styles
    • Adjust the opacity of a layer
    • Change the blend mode of a layer
    • Add an outline around a layer
    • Fill a layer with a color or gradient
    • Add an inner shadow to a layer
    • Add a drop shadow to a layer
    • Layer style presets
  • Adjust colors
    • White balance an image
    • Adjust hue, saturation, and vibrance
    • Adjust lightness, clarity, and texture
    • Selectively adjust clarity and texture of an image
    • Selectively balance the colors in an image
    • Adjust individual colors in an image
    • Adjust the levels of an image
    • Adjust the tonal curve of an image
    • Replace one color in an image with another
    • Remove color from an image or video
    • Manually convert a color image to black and white
    • Convert an image to black and white with a color tint
    • Apply a sepia tint
    • Fade the shadows or highlights of an image
    • Mix the color channels of an image
    • Invert the colors of an image
    • Apply a vignette
    • Sharpen an image
    • Add film grain to an image
    • Apply LUTs
    • Color adjustment presets
    • Working with RAW images
    • Reading histograms
    • About color management
    • Change the color profile of an image
    • Change the color depth of an image
    • See what an image looks like on another device
  • Retouch and reshape layers
    • Remove an object from an image
    • Copy part of an image from one area to another
    • Lighten a specific area of an image
    • Darken a specific area of an image
    • Make a specific area of an image more vibrant
    • Desaturate a specific area of an image
    • Sharpen a specific area of an image
    • Soften a specific area of an image
    • Smudge a specific area of an image
    • Warp a specific area of an image
    • Bump a specific area of an image
    • Pinch a specific area of an image
    • Twirl a specific area of an image
  • Add effects
    • Apply blur effects
    • Apply distortion effects
    • Apply sharpen effects
    • Apply color adjustment effects
    • Apply tile effects
    • Apply stylize effects
    • Apply halftone effects
    • Apply generator effects
    • Apply fill effects
    • Apply other effects
    • Effect presets
  • Paint and erase
    • Use the brushes browser
    • Stroke with a brush
    • Quickly fill an image with color
    • Fill specific areas of an image with color
    • Fill with the Gradient Fill tool
    • Paint with the Pixel Paint tool
    • Erase using the Smart Erase tool
    • Edit brush settings
    • Create a brush
    • Share and import brushes
  • Make selections
    • Select areas by shape or color
    • Select areas by drawing
    • Make rectangular, elliptical, or row selections
    • Select all opaque areas of a layer
    • Select the entire image
    • Automatically select a subject in an image
    • Adjust selections
    • Refine selections
    • Move, copy, and delete selected areas
    • Convert selections into shapes
  • Draw shapes and vector graphics
    • Arrange and combine shapes
    • Draw shapes with the Pen tool
    • Draw shapes with the Freeform Pen tool
    • Edit vector paths
    • Save and share custom shapes
  • Use the Type tool
    • Add text on a path
    • Copy and paste text
    • Use dictation to enter text
    • Change the font or font size
    • Add bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough to text
    • Convert text into an outline
    • Change the color of text
    • Change text capitalization
    • Align and space text
    • Format characters
    • Convert text into a shape or pixel layer
    • Text style presets
  • Resize, crop and straighten images
    • Rotate and flip an image
    • Trim away colored or transparent borders around an image
    • Reveal parts of an image beyond the canvas
    • Crop presets
    • Change the image size
    • Change the canvas size
  • Export and share images
    • Export an image or video for the web
    • Slice designs into individual images
    • Quickly export or share an optimized image
    • Export presets
  • Pixelmator Pro keyboard shortcuts
    • Customize keyboard shortcuts
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  1. Pixelmator Pro basics
  2. Pixelmator Pro settings

General settings

PreviousPixelmator Pro settingsNextEditing settings

Last updated 7 months ago

CtrlK
  • Change the Pixelmator Pro appearance
  • Change background color
  • Customize the transparency grid
  • Choose the default contents of a new, empty image
  • Hide or show tooltips
  • Turn HDR content loading on and off

In the General tab, you can control different features of Pixelmator Pro — from the way the application and its elements look, to how it displays documents. You can also turn things like action tooltips, information labels, and HDR content loading on or off.

To open General settings:

  • Choose Pixelmator Pro > Settings from the menu bar and choose General.

Change the Pixelmator Pro appearance

You can work with Pixelmator Pro in light or dark mode. Pixelmator Pro can also adapt to your macOS appearance automatically.

To switch between light and dark appearances:

  • Click the thumbnail of your preferred appearance to select it.

  • Select "Set appearance automatically" to set Pixelmator Pro appearance according to the current macOS appearance.

Change background color

Make it easier to work with documents that might have the same background color as the window background.

To change the background color:

  • Click the Window Background pop-up menu and choose Higher Contrast.

  • Click the color well next to the Window Background pop-up menu to pick a custom background color.

  • To reset the background color to default, click the Window Background pop-up menu and choose Default.

Customize the transparency grid

The checkerboard grid indicates areas with no pixels in an image. Click the Transparency color well to choose a checkerboard color and opacity, or deselect "Checkerboard" to display transparency as a solid color.

To customize the transparency grid:

  • Click the Transparency color well and pick a color.

  • Deselect "Checkerboard" to view transparency in an image as a solid color.

  • To reset the transparency to default, click Reset Transparency.

Choose the default contents of a new, empty image

When you create a new image in Pixelmator Pro, a background layer is automatically added for you. You can choose it to be black, white, or transparent.

Hide or show tooltips

When you hover a pointer over a tool in the tools sidebar, you can see illustrated tool descriptions along with the links to the dedicated User Guide articles. Tooltips can also accompany actions such as Undo, Redo, Cut, or Paste. Such tooltips show up directly on the canvas as you perform an action

  • Select or deselect "Show tool description tooltips" to show or hide the tool descriptions.

  • Select or deselect "Show action tooltips on the canvas" to show or hide the information labels.

Turn HDR content loading on and off

HDR makes your photos and videos look more vivid and life-like by showing more colors and details, especially in bright and dark areas. To work with HDR content in Pixelmator Pro, you need an HDR-compatible display and a device running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.

  • Select "Load HDR Content" to always load HDR content when opening HDR photos or videos.

In the HDR settings, you will also see if your display has full, limited, or no HDR support. For a list of all compatible displays and troubleshooting tips, check out the article Working with HDR content in Pixelmator Pro.