Adobe Photoshop 2026 for Windows

Adobe Photoshop 2026 27.10 is the current Windows build of Adobe's raster graphics editor, and you can download it as a trial from Adobe. According to catalogue data, the first download is only about 2.41 MB; the rest arrives through Adobe's installer.

Below are short answers to what people ask before installing Photoshop on a PC, plus a section on the older versions listed on this page.

What is Photoshop used for?

Photoshop is the standard tool for photo retouching, image editing and preparing pictures for print or the web. Thomas and John Knoll created it, and the first version was released on 19 February 1990. Since then it has grown far beyond its original job. Wikidata describes it as a raster graphics editor with limited vector graphics and 3D graphics editing capabilities, which is accurate: you work mainly with pixels and layers, adjust colour and light, cut out objects, combine several photos into one and remove what should not be there, while text and simple shapes can stay editable as vectors. Photographers, designers, illustrators and marketing teams all use it, often alongside other Adobe apps, and its PSD file format is understood by many other programs.

Which version is this?

Adobe names releases by year and also gives them a number. This page covers Photoshop 2026, version 27.10, listed by the developer as Adobe Systems Inc. Adobe publishes updates every few weeks, and you can follow them in the official release notes. Once installed, the Creative Cloud app keeps Photoshop current.

What about CS6, CS5, CS3 and 7.0?

The version list on this page also includes four older releases. Adobe ended support for all of them on 9 January 2017, and the current Photoshop is their successor, so none of them receives fixes any more.

• CS6 (2012) has its own page with details; its download leads to Adobe's page.
• CS5 (2010): the file listed here is the Adobe Photoshop CS5 Update 12.0.4, a free patch for a copy of CS5 that is already installed. It does not install Photoshop by itself.
• CS3 (2007): this entry is an update for CS3 and points to Adobe's page, not to a full installer.
• 7.0 (2002) is listed for reference only: there is no download source for it.

These releases no longer have separate pages, so this is the only description of them here. They may not install or activate on a current Windows PC, and they are best kept for opening old projects on a machine you already have them on.

How do I install Photoshop on Windows?

1. Open Adobe's download and install page.
2. Sign in or create a free Adobe account.
3. Run the installer; it sets up Creative Cloud and downloads Photoshop.
4. Start the trial from Creative Cloud.

Is Photoshop free?

No. You can install a trial, and after that Photoshop requires a paid plan. Wikidata lists the license as shareware, and on our side it is marked as a trial for that reason.

What are the system requirements?

They change between releases, so check Adobe's current technical requirements before you install. Photoshop relies heavily on the graphics processor, and several features are only available when a compatible GPU is present.

Is it safe to download?

Only from adobe.com. Cracked copies passed around on file sites are a common source of malware, and they cannot receive updates. The same applies to old versions: an unofficial CS6 or 7.0 installer is exactly the kind of file that carries unwanted extras.

Pros and cons

• The reference tool for photo editing, with decades of tutorials.
• Regular updates through Creative Cloud.
• Requires a paid plan after the trial.
• Demanding on the graphics card and memory.

Are there alternatives?

For light edits, the photo tools built into Windows may be enough. Professionals usually stay with Photoshop because of file compatibility with clients and printers.