Pixelmator Pro gains new photo browser and workflow improvements

What you need to know

• A big new Pixelmator Pro update is now available in the App Store.
• The new update is a free download for existing owners.
• New changes to the photo browser and iCloud management make this a worthwhile update for all.

Pixelmator Pro for Mac has a new update out that adds and tweaks features, including a new photo browser and overall workflow improvements that include better support for PSD and SVG filetypes.

The new update, available as a free download via the App Store for everyone who already has the app installed, includes changes that bring "much improved support for iCloud Photos, a smoother photo browsing experience, and more." Changes made via the Photos app will now also immediately appear in the Pixelmator Pro Photos browser, too.

There's a lot going on in this new update, with the full rundown of changes reading:

• The Photos browser has been redesigned from the ground up, bringing much improved support for iCloud Photos, a smoother photo browsing experience, and more.
• Opening photos stored in iCloud will now automatically download full-resolution versions of these photos.
• In the new Photos browser, you'll now find the Recents, Favorites, Panoramas, Selfies, Screenshots, and most of the other standard Photos albums.
• Any changes you make in the Photos app — for example, if you rearrange or rename your albums, add or remove photos — will now instantly appear in the Photos browser.
• Change the size of thumbnails in the Photos browser using the Zoom buttons or the Command-Plus (+) and Command-Minus (-) keyboard shortcuts.
• It is now possible to change the colors of shapes and Color Fill effect right in the Layers sidebar. To open the color picker, double-click the layer thumbnail.
• You can now quickly convert color adjustments applied to a layer into a color adjustments layer. Do that by clicking the More button at the top of the Color Adjustments pane and choosing Convert to Color Adjustments Layer.
• PSD files exported from Pixelmator Pro will now open with editable Levels, Curves, Channel Mixer, and Invert adjustment layers in Adobe Photoshop.
• Improved SVG support with certain third-party apps.
• Option-scrolling to zoom using MacBook Air trackpads would sometimes work incorrectly. Fixed.
• Changing the image size would not scale the grain size and sharpen radius of the Grain and Sharpen color adjustments layers. Fixed.
• Added a few shape-related stability and performance improvements and fixed an issue with shape thumbnails.

Those who have yet to buy Pixelmator Pro can grab it from the Mac App Store for $39.99 right now. Your money will get you one of the best Mac image editors around, not to mention one that has been built with Apple silicon in mind for super-speedy performance.