Adobe has officially launched a brand-new Photoshop app for iPhones, significantly upgrading the mobile photo editing experience compared to its previous Photoshop Express. This new app is designed to bring powerful, professional-grade editing tools to a mobile-friendly interface, making it easier than ever for users to create, refine, and enhance their images on the go. The release marks a major shift in Adobe’s approach to mobile editing, as this version of Photoshop is much closer to its desktop counterpart in terms of functionality and features. It is now available globally for iPhone users, with an Android version expected to roll out later this year.
In a blog post announcing the launch, Adobe highlighted how the app was built from the ground up to introduce a new generation of creators to the power of Photoshop while ensuring existing users have more flexibility in their workflows. The company emphasized that this mobile version allows users to edit, design, and access their work from anywhere, offering a seamless experience across multiple devices. Whether users are working on professional projects, personal artwork, or social media content, the app enables them to make high-quality edits with just a few taps on their iPhone screens.
This new Photoshop app stands apart from Photoshop Express, which has been available since 2010 as a lightweight and consumer-friendly editing tool. While Photoshop Express primarily caters to casual users who need quick and simple edits, the new Photoshop app is a much more robust and feature-rich offering. It brings many of the advanced editing tools found in the desktop version, including masking, layering, blending, and AI-powered tools for intelligent image modifications. These additions make it a compelling choice for designers, photographers, and content creators looking for a more powerful editing solution on mobile devices.
Key Features of the New Photoshop App for iPhone
Users who download the app for free can access several core editing tools, including:
- Spot Healing Brush – Quickly remove blemishes, dust spots, or unwanted objects.
- Tap Select – Easily select and isolate elements within an image.
- Layers and Masks – A staple of professional editing, allowing for complex image compositions.
- Adobe Stock Assets – Access a library of high-quality images and design elements.
The app also integrates deeply with Adobe’s Creative Cloud services, allowing users to sync their work effortlessly between Adobe Express, Lightroom, and Photoshop on the web. A major highlight of the new mobile Photoshop app is its incorporation of Adobe Firefly AI, which powers advanced tools like:
- Generative Fill – Add new elements to an image by typing a description, with AI automatically generating photorealistic results.
- Generative Expand – Extend the boundaries of an image by filling in missing areas with AI-generated content.
While the free version of the app offers a solid set of tools, users looking for more advanced features can subscribe to the premium version. Adobe offers a paid subscription at $7.99 per month or $69.99 per year, unlocking the following additional features:
- Object Select – Automatically detect and isolate objects in an image for precise editing.
- Magic Wand – A tool for quickly selecting and removing backgrounds or specific colors.
- Content-Aware Fill – Remove objects and fill the space intelligently using surrounding details.
- Advanced Blending Options – Fine-tune how layers interact with each other.
- Full Access to Photoshop on the Web – Extend editing capabilities beyond mobile.
A key advantage for existing Photoshop Creative Cloud subscribers is that they can access all premium features in the mobile app at no extra cost. This ensures that professional users who already rely on Photoshop for their work can seamlessly incorporate the new mobile app into their workflow without additional expenses.
Despite the powerful new features of the app, Adobe has not yet clarified how it plans to differentiate it from Photoshop Express, which remains available with its own separate, more affordable subscription plan. Given that Photoshop Express has been the go-to option for casual users for more than a decade, it remains to be seen whether Adobe will maintain both apps in the long run or eventually merge them into a single platform.
A New Era for Mobile Editing?
Adobe’s new Photoshop app signals a major push toward professional-grade mobile editing, reflecting the growing demand for powerful creative tools that work across multiple devices. With smartphones becoming more capable and AI-driven enhancements making complex edits easier, this new mobile version of Photoshop could reshape the way users approach image editing.
As mobile devices continue to evolve, offering more powerful processors and high-resolution displays, Adobe’s decision to bring a full-featured Photoshop experience to iPhones could be a game-changer. While Photoshop Express has long been the standard for quick edits, this new app represents a shift toward a more serious, professional-level editing experience on mobile.
With an Android release expected later this year, Adobe is clearly betting big on mobile creativity. Whether this app becomes the go-to solution for mobile professionals or remains a companion tool to desktop Photoshop, it is undoubtedly one of the most significant updates to Adobe’s mobile strategy in years.
