10 Feature Rich Image Viewers for Linux

Is your default image viewer not giving you the image viewing experience you desire? Do you feel frustrated that it lacks other essential editing capabilities that you think are crucial for a more immersive viewing and editing experience?

In this tutorial, we’ll look some nice alternative image viewer to the default one on Linux and see how to install its packages on Ubuntu, Centos and Arch Linux.

1) Nomacs

Nomacs is a free and open source image viewer that supports a myriad of file formats, for example, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF to mention just but a few. Some of its outstanding features include

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1. Thumbnail Image view
2. Display of the image’s metadata
3. Cropping / Rotating / Resizing Images
4. Color Adjustments (brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, gamma, exposure)

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04 / Debian 9, add the repository files

# add-apt-repository ppa:nomacs/stable

Next, update the system

# sudo apt update

Finally, install Nomacs

# sudo apt install nomacs -y

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S nomacs

To launch Nomacs run the following command on terminal

nomacs

2) GIMP

GIMP is perhaps the most popular open source photo editing software. It offers a multi-platform that supports other Operating Systems like Mac OS X, Windows, etc.

Features

1. GIMP offers its users a customizable interface that can adapt to any editing environment. Its trademark customization is the full-screen mode allowing you to preview the artwork as you work on other things.
2. Photo Enhancements can be done to correct imperfections caused by bad lens positioning.
3. Hardware support is made possible through its unique ability to work with external devices such as input controllers and responsive screens

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04 / Debian 9

# sudo apt install gimp gimp-gmic

On RedHat 7/ CentOS 7

# sudo yum install gimp gimp-gmic

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S gimp

To launch Gimp run the following command on terminal

gimp

3) Krita

Krita is a painting program found in almost all Operating Systems. The program helps painters, art tool developers, and creators. People who use Krita must have basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, concept artists, and experience in the visual fusion industry.

Features

1. Supports full-color management through LCMS, ICC, and OpenColour
2. Uses OpenGL Technology and offer support for PSD files
3. The drawing assistant offers 9 different assistants for creating both vanishing and straight lines

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04  /Debian 9

# sudo apt-get install krita krita-l10n

On RedHat 7 / CentOS 7

# sudo yum install krita krita-l10n

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S krita

To launch Krita run the following command on terminal

krita

4) Shotwell

Another photo manager suitable for a GNOME desktop environment. Though it lacks many features, you would expect in a photo managing application, and it does what it is meant to accomplish.

Features

1. You can use the Application to import photos from external drives and cameras
2. Adding tags to folders is possible
3. Use basic photo editing capabilities and simple conversions
4. You can upload photos to Facebook, Tumblr, and Flickr, etc

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04 / Debian 9

First, add the Shotwell repository

add-apt-repository ppa:yg-jensge/shotwell

Update the system

sudo apt update

Finally, install Shotwell

# sudo apt install shotwell

On Redhat  7 / CentOS  7

# sudo yum install shotwell

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S shotwell

To launch Shotwell run the following command on terminal

shotwell

5) Kphoto Album

This application works well in a KDE desktop environment. Its uniqueness relies on the categorization of time-based browsing. At the bottom of the user interface, the app has a dedicated timeline with an active time bar.

Features

1. Advanced photo organization arranging them into categories, subcategories, metadata, annotations, tags and many more.
2. You can import or export photos in different formats
3. Users can implement batch operations on photos.

The remarkable features of KPhotAlbum still force the users to handle most tasks manually. For KDE lovers seeking optimal experience, KPhotoAlbum does the trick

Installation

On Ubuntu  18.04 / Debian 9

Add the repository

add-apt-repository ppa:dominik-stadler/dsta-trusty-ppa

Update the sources list

apt update

Finally, install Kphotoalbum

# sudo apt install kphotoalbum

On RedHat 7 / CentOS 7

# sudo yum install kphotoalbum

To launch KPhoto Album run the following command on terminal

kphotoalbum

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S kphotoalbum

6) gThumb

gThumb is a lightweight photo manager that works on any GNOME desktop environment. It has all the expected features you will find on a photo management software. Editing is possible both on the normal advanced mode.

Features

1. Different image formats such as GIF, EXIF, and XMP, etc. are supported by the program
2. You can browse folders using the basic edit operations. Also supports bookmarks.
3. Photos can be organized using tags libraries, colors. Importing images from the digital camera and web albums such as Facebook Flickr, and Picasa

The image editor contains other operations such as filters, editing operations, etc.

Installation

On Ubuntu  18.04 / Debian 9

# sudo apt install gthumb

On RedHat  7 / CentOS 7

# sudo yum install gthumb

On Arch Linux run

pacman -S gthumb

To launch gthumb run the following command on terminal

gthumb

7) Photivo

Photivo stands on its own as an image processor. The idea is to take an image and use pre-set algorithms.
Features

1. It has a 16-bit image-processing platform
2. Supports export and imports from GIMP
3. RAW image support
4. Voice reduction
5. Perspective correction
6. Film simulation
7. Allows for grayscale conversion

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04 / Debian 9

First, install the repository

add-apt-repository ppa:dhor/myway

Update the sources list

# apt-get update

Finally, install Photivo

# sudo apt-get install photivo

On Redhat 7 /CentOS 7

# sudo yum install photivo

To launch Photivo run the following command on terminal

photivo

8) DigiKam

DigiKam is used primarily developed for the KDE environment with the capacity to work with other desktop environments.

Features

1. The program can organize photos arranging them in albums, by comments, using tags, their metadata, and sorting support.
2. Use Digikam to import photos from USB devices, Web albums such as Picasa and Facebook, and Digital cameras.
3. You can explore photos on different online platforms and use format conversation.
4. The photo editor offers full range editing activities

Installation

On Ubuntu 18.04 / Debian 9

# sudo apt install digikam

On RedHat 7 / CentOS 7

# sudo yum install digikam

On ArchLinux run

pacman -S digikam

After the installation process, run

digikam

This will take you through the setup wizard that will require you to define a few parameters.

9) Phototonic

Phototonic is an intuitive and easy to use image viewer and organizer with lots of options to personalize your experience.

Features

1. Customizable keyboard shortcuts
2. Thumbnail view
3. Presence of a directory tree that allows you to browse images

Installation

First, install the repository

add-apt-repository ppa:dhor/myway

Update the sources list

# apt-get update

Finally, install Phototonic

# sudo apt-get install phototonic -y

10) Gwenview

Gwenview is a feature rich, and easy to use image viewer and photo editor built for KDE, but can also be installed in GNOME environments too.

Features

1. Presence of a navigator bar to the right that allows you to navigate between folders in your system
2. Different view modes e.g browser mode, view mode, full-screen mode
3. Different images operations such as Mirror, rotate, resize, crop, red-eye reduction
4. Ability to email photos vis email clients such as Thunderbird and Evolution
5. Importing and exporting photos to various web applications e.g Picasa

Installation

First, install the repository

add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Update the sources list

# apt-get update

Finally, install Gwenview

# sudo apt-get install gwenview-y

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There are several other applications out there that you could still use but we felt these are the best image viewers for Linux. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts.