Pixelmator Pro launches on iPad with professional features

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Pixelmator Pro is coming to the iPad for the first time. With this, Apple is expanding its previously Mac-only product to include a fully-fledged tablet version and directly linking the launch to the new Apple Creator Studio. The announcement marks the first major visible change since Apple acquired the Pixelmator development team at the end of 2024 and clearly indicates the direction Apple's creative strategy is taking.

For years, Pixelmator Pro was one of the most popular professional image editing apps on the Mac. Despite an older Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad, the development team's focus had long been almost exclusively on the Pro version for macOS. With the acquisition by Apple, it was clear that major changes were on the horizon. The new iPad version of Pixelmator Pro is now the first concrete step in this direction and is also closely integrated with Apple's new Creator ecosystem.

Pixelmator Pro is coming to the iPad

Pixelmator Pro will be officially released for iPad on Wednesday, January 28th. The app requires an iPad with an A16, A17 Pro, or M1 chip or newer, and iPadOS 26 or newer. Older devices are not supported, underscoring its clear focus on high-performance hardware.

The iPad version was completely redesigned for touch operation and fully utilizes the capabilities of iPadOS. At the same time, it maintains its commitment to offering desktop-quality image editing.

New workspace and touch operation

For the first time, Pixelmator Pro features a fully touch-optimized workspace. The interface is designed for multi-touch gestures, enabling complex editing steps directly on the screen. Despite its focus on touch, the app's structure remains professional and clear, similar to its Mac counterpart.

A fully featured layers sidebar allows you to build designs from images, shapes, text, and even videos. This makes Pixelmator Pro for iPad suitable not only for photo editing, but also for layouts, social media graphics, and simple motion designs.

Tools and editing functions

Pixelmator Pro for iPad includes almost all the familiar tools of the Mac version. These include:

Intelligent selection tools for quickly isolating image areas.
Extended bitmap and vector masks for selectively showing and hiding layers
Powerful image editing functions for color correction, retouching and compositing

Through the tight integration of hardware and software, the app makes targeted use of the power of Apple Silicon. Features such as Super Resolution for intelligent upscaling of photos, Deband for removing compression artifacts, and Auto Crop with automatic composition suggestions are directly integrated.

Apple Pencil as a central tool

A key focus of the iPad version is full support for the Apple Pencil. Pressure-sensitive brushes enable natural painting and drawing, while the Pencil's high precision allows for pixel-perfect editing.

Additionally, modern Apple Pencil features such as hover, squeeze, and double-tap are supported. These gestures expand the control options and make it possible to switch tools more quickly or execute actions directly without interrupting the interface.

Working between Mac and iPad

Pixelmator Pro for iPad allows seamless work between iPad and Mac. Projects can be started on the tablet and later continued on the Mac, or vice versa. This makes the app clearly aimed at creative workflows that combine mobile and desktop work.

In terms of content, the iPad version hardly differs from the Mac app. The full power of Pixelmator Pro for macOS appears to be contained in the new iPad app.

Apple Creator Studio and new restrictions

With the introduction of the iPad version, the new Apple Creator Studio also comes into focus. The press release doesn't clearly state whether this subscription is mandatory to use Pixelmator Pro on the iPad. However, it is clear that Apple ties certain features to the Creator Studio subscription.

Even though Pixelmator Pro for Mac remains available as a one-time purchase for €49.99, at least one feature will be locked behind the subscription. This includes a new Warp tool, which allows users to distort and shape layers. Subscribers also gain access to a collection of Warp-based product models.

These exclusive features are not only available in Pixelmator Pro, but also in other Apple apps such as Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. This positions Creator Studio as a comprehensive creative subscription.

Pixelmator Pro Apple Creator Studio — Image: Apple

Classification of Pixelmator development

Pixelmator Pro was long available exclusively on Mac. The earlier Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad received only minimal updates in recent years and played virtually no role for professional users. Even before the Apple acquisition, the team focused almost entirely on Pixelmator Pro for macOS. The new iPad version closes this gap and brings the full Pro concept to the tablet for the first time.

Pixelmator Pro on the iPad as part of Apple's new creative strategy

With Pixelmator Pro on the iPad, Apple significantly expands its creative offerings. The app combines professional image editing with touch controls, Apple Pencil support, and the power of modern Apple Silicon chips. At the same time, it reveals a new strategic direction in which additional features are increasingly tied to Apple Creator Studio.

Pixelmator Pro on the iPad is therefore not just a new product, but also an indication of how Apple will increasingly integrate creative software into its own subscription-based ecosystem in the future. (Image: Apple)