On Windows, PhotoCraft is distributed as an MSI installer or a portable ZIP for x64 and arm64 machines. Download the exact v0.9.0 release from the upstream GitHub page, verify the release information that is available there, choose the package that matches how you manage the machine, and test a copy of a layered file before using it for production work.
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Written against the build verified on 2026-10-14.
Use the MSI when the machine is managed or you want the application registered as a normal Windows installation. The exact asset name and architecture remain authoritative on the v0.9.0 release page.
Keep the release page and any published checksum information next to the downloaded file. A checksum match tells you the file is the one upstream published; it does not make an unsigned alpha build a trusted vendor.
Install for the Windows account or scope that matches your machine policy. If Windows SmartScreen appears for a new publisher, stop and confirm the repository, release tag and checksum before choosing the additional run option.
Open a sample PNG, create a layer, save the project and reopen it. Then try a copy of a PSD rather than the only copy of a client file.
The portable build is useful when you cannot change the system installation, need to keep two release tags side by side or want to test the editor from a project folder. Extract it to a path you control, keep the release notes with the folder and create a shortcut only after the first launch works. A portable package is still executable software: the same repository, release and checksum checks apply.
| What you see | What it tells you | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| SmartScreen warning | Windows has little reputation data for a new build or publisher | Confirm the upstream URL, tag and checksum before proceeding |
| Black canvas or flicker | The selected GPU path or driver may not support the required feature set | Try the software path if available, update the driver and record the result |
| PSD opens flat | The file may use a feature PhotoCraft does not round-trip yet | Compare the layer tree with the original and keep the source file untouched |
| App closes during a large file | The file, memory pressure or GPU path needs isolation | Retry with a smaller copy and a different renderer before blaming the installer |
A useful acceptance test is small and repeatable: the selected build launches, a PNG opens, a new layer and mask can be created, a copy of a PSD retains the structure PhotoCraft supports, the project saves and reopens, and a flat PNG export matches the canvas. Record Windows version, architecture, PhotoCraft tag, GPU driver and the file types tested. This turns “it works on my PC” into a result another person can check.
The package choice is about control and repeatability, not about a different editing engine. An MSI is convenient for a workstation where applications are managed centrally and shortcuts or file associations are useful. A portable folder is easier to copy between test machines and makes it obvious which release you are running. For either choice, keep working files outside the application directory, create a separate test folder and label screenshots with the release tag. That small separation makes it possible to remove one build without deleting a project or confusing its saved settings with another build.
Windows installation can be perfectly successful while a particular PSD, font, colour profile or GPU driver still exposes a limitation. Test the file types your workflow actually exchanges: one ordinary PNG, one layered PSD with a mask, one text layer using a known font and one export that another application can open. If a test fails, keep the original, write down the exact symptom and move to the troubleshooting guide. A clean install is only the first gate; a reproducible document round trip is the useful result.
For a team machine, save the release URL, asset name, architecture, installation type and first-launch result in the project notes. If the portable folder is copied, record its location and permissions; if the MSI is used, record who installed it and where the application was found. This is especially valuable when Windows updates a driver or when an alpha release changes its document model. A short record lets you reproduce the test instead of reinstalling blindly and makes an upstream report much easier to understand.
Use MSI for a normal or managed installation. Use the portable ZIP when you need a user-controlled folder, side-by-side release testing or a machine where you cannot install system-wide. Both still need the same upstream and checksum checks.
No. PhotoCraft is an independent open-source editor in early alpha. It can be useful for layered work, but plugin compatibility, specialist production features and exact PSD behavior must be tested with your files.
Do not bypass the warning blindly. Confirm the GitHub repository, release tag, asset and published checksum first. If those do not match, delete the file and download it again from the upstream release.
The portable build is the safer way to test two tags side by side. Keep each folder and project record labelled with its release tag, and never test an alpha upgrade only against the original client file.
