Moving from Photoshop to PhotoCraft: a migration guide

PhotoCraft is designed to feel familiar to Photoshop users: its README describes it as "the open-source image editor you already know how to use." This guide covers the practical steps for switching over, plus the limits you should know about first.

1. Install PhotoCraft

Follow the installation guide. Downloads come from the official GitHub release.

2. Bring your keyboard shortcuts

PhotoCraft's defaults already follow Photoshop (see the cheat sheet). If you use a custom set:

1. In Photoshop, save your set as a .kys file (Edit › Keyboard Shortcuts › Save Set).
2. In PhotoCraft, open Edit › Keyboard Shortcuts… (Cmd+Alt+Shift+K) and click Import Shortcuts…. You can also open the .kys file with File › Open or drop it on the window.
3. The import fills the dialog. Click OK to apply it, or Cancel to discard it.

If Photoshop is installed on the same computer, PhotoCraft offers to import its current set the first time it launches. It never applies the set without asking.

3. Open your PSDs and test a round trip

PSD and PSB files open with layers, masks, styles, type and smart objects (see opening PSD files). The project lists PSD fidelity as its top gap before beta, so keep your originals and check a re-saved copy before you rely on it.

4. Bring patterns and LUTs

• Patterns: import and export .pat files. You can also create patterns with Edit › Define Pattern, and patterns stored in PSDs are read as well.
• Color Lookup: load .cube, .3dl and .look files.
• Brushes: create brush presets and use Define Brush from Selection.

5. Find any command

Press Cmd/Ctrl+F (Edit › Search…) to open the command palette. The README says every menu item, tool and dialog runs a command from a single registry of more than 500 commands.

6. Know what's different

Before you switch for client work, check the project's list of known gaps against Photoshop. It includes PSD acceptance in Photoshop, interactive performance, brush feel, some missing tools, Camera Raw depth, generative AI features, and Photoshop plug-ins (.8BF, UXP). See PhotoCraft vs Photoshop.