Retouch a portrait, remove a distraction, combine a photo with a logo or prepare an image for print. Keep an editable working copy as you go. Get the direct download. The final section explains current limits.
Open the image, decide what needs changing and set the size for its next use.
Soften a selection edge so a correction blends into the surrounding photograph.
Choose the image, layer, selection or filter command for the edit you need.
Use guides to align a logo and caption; use Quick Mask to inspect the selected area.
Preview a correction before accepting it. Cancel restores the previous state; confirm to add the change to History.
Keep the background photo and each added element on separate layers. Reorder or group them as the composition takes shape.
Use a mask to show a correction only where it is needed, or hide part of a placed element.
Adjust a layer’s opacity and blend mode to balance it with the photograph beneath.
Add a supported shadow, glow or stroke to help a logo or caption stand out.
Add editable lettering for a product name, event title or short caption.
Use a rectangle, ellipse, lasso or Magic Wand to select the area you want to work on.
Add to or subtract from the selection until it covers the intended area. Soften its edge when the correction should blend gradually.
Use Quick Mask to paint and inspect the selection before applying an adjustment.
Use the Clone Stamp to cover an unwanted detail with pixels from a suitable nearby area.
Paint a small correction or erase a mark on the selected layer. Adjust the brush size and softness for the area.
Work on a mask when you want to reveal or hide an edit, rather than painting directly on the photo.
Adjust Levels or Curves to improve the light, or use colour controls to balance a photo that looks too warm.
Preview the correction and use a selection when only part of the image needs it.
Watch the histogram and the photograph while adjusting the tones; inspect faces, shadows and bright details before accepting.
Put a light or colour correction on an adjustment layer. Reopen it to change the treatment, or lower its opacity to soften the result.
Use colour wheels for a treatment or load a supported LUT when you want to try a particular colour look.
Keep the layered TIFF when you need live adjustment layers. PSD export flattens those adjustments into the picture.
Choose a filter for the selected layer or area: soften a background, sharpen a detail or add a grain treatment.
Inspect the preview at a useful zoom level. The filter follows the active selection and its feathered edge; repeat it only when the result needs another pass.
Choose the colour mode and profile required by the next app or print job, then inspect the converted result.
Keep a 16-bit source file for supported tonal work; see the limits below.
Inspect individual colour channels or save a selection as an alpha channel when a retouch needs it.
Check print size, position and colour settings in the print dialog. Use the profile and file requirements supplied for the job.
Draw a path around a product or use it as the basis for a selection or vector mask.
Place supported SVG, Illustrator or PDF artwork as a smart object and resize it within the composition.
Open a placed object’s contents in SVG Editor, change the artwork and save it to refresh the composition in Flare.
Save a layered TIFF when you want to return to the masks, lettering and adjustments in Flare.
Open common photo and image formats, or bring in supported vector artwork for a composition. Camera RAW development belongs in a RAW editor.
Use TIFF or PSD where supported layers must be kept. Ordinary Save follows the file’s current format, so keep a layered working copy before delivering a flattened image.
Use History to compare a previous stage of the retouch and return to a committed step.
The built-in AI Console generates vector artwork on document paths. Use it for drawing ideas alongside the photo; it does not retouch the photo’s pixels.
A compatible external assistant can connect to Flare through MCP and work on the photo: open and save files, manage layers, masks and adjustment layers, make selections, run adjustments and filters, change colour mode and profile, resize and crop, and step through History. Describe a supported task and inspect its result in the same History as your own edits.
AppleScript and script files work on the vector artwork only, not on the photo’s pixels.
Some tasks still need another tool. Check these limits before choosing a workflow for the photograph.
Use Check for Updates in the app to keep your installed version current.