Pixelmator Pro Introduces Support for Portrait Mode Depth Masks for Easy Background Swapping - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Pixelmator Pro Introduces Support for Portrait Mode Depth Masks for Easy Background Swapping

by

Pixelmator Pro for Mac, Pixelmator's higher-end editing software, was today updated with support for masks from Portrait Mode photos.

When you open up a photo taken with an iPhone that offers Portrait Mode, Pixelmator Pro will open the photo itself along with a useful layer mask for doing things like swapping out the background in just a few minutes.

pixelmatorpro
The portrait mask uses the depth information from the iPhone to isolate the subject of a photo, making it easy to remove background elements with little effort.

The Portrait mask feature is limited to the Pixelmator Pro software, and it is not available on the standard version of Pixelmator or the Pixelmator app for iOS devices.


Pixelmator Pro has been around since late 2017 and it has seen several major updates since then with the Pixelmator team introducing useful new functionality on a regular basis. Pixelmator Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $39.99, and there is a free trial available on the Pixelmator website. [Direct Link]

Tag: Pixelmator

Top Rated Comments

Kabeyun Avatar
Kabeyun
98 months ago
Genius feature. Hope they find a way to bring it to iOS.
This is huge. Masking, at least for me, is a real pain. Many pro masking apps require lots of training and experience for any kind of decent result, and I have yet to find a single consumer solution that’s reliable. Price is right, too.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
Weaselboy
98 months ago
Does it support raw yet?
https://www.pixelmator.com/pro/tech-specs/



Looks like it does.

Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G
gnipgnop
98 months ago
Pixelmator Pro does support RAW.

https://www.pixelmator.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15057
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F
Freida
98 months ago
great tool although yet again "PRO" software focusing on iToys and still missing things like colour overlay.

Don't get me wrong, this feature is cool but I would like to see other things first
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
sidewinder3000
98 months ago
Genius feature. Hope they find a way to bring it to iOS.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GubbyMan Avatar
GubbyMan
98 months ago
I use Focos on my iPhone to mask out the background and then transfer the photo to mobile Pixelmator so I can add another photo as a background.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:12 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. Labor Day is September 7 this year. The last time the holiday fell on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last time Labor Day was on September 7 in a normal year was in ...
Read Full Article
Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Read Full Article
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...
Read Full Article • 32 comments