Pixelmator Pro 2.2 Update Adds macOS Monterey Support, 28 Shortcuts Actions, New Split Comparison View, and More

Pixelmator 2.2 got its public release on Tuesday. The latest major update to the popular image editing app includes support for macOS Monterey and Shortcuts, as well as a new Split Comparison View, a new Bokeh effect, and more.

Pixelmator Pro 2
With Monterey bringing Shortcuts to the Mac for the first time, Pixelmator is adding 28 dedicated actions, including all ML-based tools (Super Resolution, Enhance, Denoise, Match Colors, and Crop) and some Shortcuts-exclusive features, like automatic background removal for photos of people. For more information, Pixelmator has provided a tutorial on using Shortcuts with the app.

This update also brings a new split-screen comparison view, allowing users to see all their edits more closely. Split comparison view can be turned on by Option-clicking the Show Original button or force clicking the canvas when using the Color Adjustments and Effects tools. Users can also press the Control + C keyboard shortcut or add the new compare button to the Pixelmator Pro toolbar by clicking View > Customize Toolbar.

Pixelmator Pro 2
In addition, there's an all-new Bokeh blur effect, while users can now open Pixelmator Photo files in Pixelmator Pro, and the maximum brush spacing has been increased from 100% to 1000%. Elsewhere, new FaceTime Portrait Masks mean whenever users insert photos of themselves with the ‌FaceTime‌ camera, they'll get an automatically created portrait mask applied to that layer. Some other more minor changes are listed in the full release notes.

Lastly, Pixelmator Pro's developers say users can expect features like ML Super Resolution to be up to 15 times faster on the latest MacBook Pro models when compared to the most recent Intel-powered Mac devices, thanks to Apple's new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

Pixelmator Pro 2
The latest Pixelmator Pro update is free for all existing users of Pixelmator Pro, which costs $39.99 in the Mac App Store.

Top Rated Comments

Kaptajn Haddock Avatar
32 months ago
By far my favorite photos editor. Blazing fast on my M1 Mac mini.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PsykX Avatar
32 months ago
At this point I don't really know why one would choose Photoshop over Pixelmator.

Of course it's a new app to learn, it's Mac-only, etc. but it's ridiculously fast, well crafted and so much fun to use.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
32 months ago
I wish we still had apples Aperture app back, we need a Lightroom alternative that uses the power of macOS
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FSMBP Avatar
32 months ago
One of top third party apps on my Mac (and it isn't an subscription, thank god)...Can't wait to use this new version on an M1 :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
star-affinity Avatar
32 months ago
Really impressive app that feels (because it is?) truly macOS native.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nozuka Avatar
32 months ago
I love how fast they always are to adapt to new OS Updates and Hardware.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...