Whether you take casual selfies or work professionally as a photographer, the best photo editing software lets you get the most out of your images. These are the top photo editing apps we've tested.

OVERVIEW

More than ever, you need software to organize, optimize, and edit your photos. Why? Because storage is ridiculously cheap, phone cameras are more powerful than the point-and-shoots of just a few years ago, and pro-level cameras have passed the 150-megapixel mark. To make the most of the resulting vast numbers of enormous image files, you need to be able to import them to your computer, organize them, pick the best of the crop, adjust them, and print or share them online.

The best photo editing software handles all this with ease, letting you do as much or as little post-shoot production as you like. Whether you’re aiming for photorealism or Kardashian-like levels of retouching, these are the apps you need. Here, we present the best photo editing software to suit every photographer. For more background on how to select the photo editor that fits your needs and what capabilities you can expect, read our buying guide below the list of the best photo editing apps.