How to Use PicsArt: A Step-by-Step Guideline in 2025?

Maybe they don’t quite show off what you saw or how you felt.

That’s a common problem for many of us who love taking pictures but aren’t pro editors.

But figuring out complicated editing apps can be a real headache.

It’s a super cool app that lets you easily make your pictures amazing.

PicsArt is even better, with new tools that make editing simple and fun. 

This guide will show you how to use PicsArt step-by-step, from making simple fixes to adding awesome effects. 

Getting Started

Ready to jump into the fun world of PicsArt?

First things first, you need to get the app!

This section of our tutorial will walk you through setting it up and finding your way around.

1. Downloading and Installing 

PicsArt is super easy to get on your phone or tablet.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, head to the Apple App Store.

For Android phones or tablets, you’ll find it on Google Play. 

Did you know you can also use PicsArt on your computer?

Visit the PicsArt website in your web browser. 

2. Account Creation and Subscription Options

Once PicsArt is installed, you might be asked to create an account.

You can usually sign up using your email address, Google account, or Facebook account.

Creating an account lets you save your work and access all the cool features.

PicsArt offers a free version with numerous great features. 

However, if you want even more specialized editing tools. 

3. Understanding the Interface

Now that you’ve got PicsArt open, let’s look at what you see. Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it looks!

• The Home Screen: When you first open PicsArt, you’ll land on the home screen. This is like your main hub. You’ll see “Discover” (where you can find cool ideas from other users), the big “+” button (that’s where you start a new project!), and “My Content” (where you can find your saved edits).
• Main Navigation Bar: Look at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see some icons.
  • Home: Takes you back to the main screen.
  • + (Plus Button): This is the most important button! Tap it to start a new design, whether you want to edit a photo, make a collage, or start from scratch.
  • Gold Icon: This usually shows you what you get with a PicsArt Gold subscription.
  • Notifications: Here, you’ll see updates or messages.
  • Profile: This is where you can manage your account and see your own past creations.
• The Editor Layout: Once you tap the “+” and pick an image to edit, you’ll enter the photo editor. At the bottom, you’ll see all the different editing tools you can use, like “Tools,” “Effects,” “Retouch,” and more. We’ll dive into what each of these does next! This is where the magic happens and where you can really create something unique.

Core Photo Editing

Now that you’re familiar with the PicsArt setup.

Let’s get into the core of what makes your pictures look great.

These are the tools you’ll use most often to make your photos shine.

1. Importing Your Photos

Before you can make magic, you need a photo!

PicsArt makes it really quick to get your pictures into the editor. 

You can also take a new picture right then, or even choose from PicsArt’s library of free-to-edit images.

This can be super helpful if you want to practice or need a cool background for a project.

2. Basic Adjustments for a Perfect Start

Think of these as the fundamental tweaks that make a big difference.

• Crop & Resize: Sometimes your photo has too much extra stuff, or it’s not the right shape for where you want to share it (like Instagram or Facebook). The “Crop” tool allows you to cut out unwanted parts. You can also “Resize” to make the image smaller or larger. PicsArt even has templates for common sizes, which is a real time-saver.
• Straighten & Rotate: Ever take a picture that’s a bit crooked? The “Straighten” tool helps you fix that with a simple slider. “Rotate” lets you spin your picture around, like turning it sideways or upside down.
• Adjustments (Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Highlights, Shadows, Temperature): These are like the fine-tuning knobs for your photo.
  • Brightness: Adjusts the overall lightness or darkness of your photo.
  • Contrast: Makes the dark parts darker and the light parts lighter, making the image pop more.
  • Saturation: Controls how strong or dull the colors look. Want vibrant colors? Push up the saturation!
  • Highlights: Adjusts the brightest parts of your photo.
  • Shadows: Changes the darkest parts.
  • Temperature: Makes your photo look warmer (more orange/yellow) or cooler (more blue).
  • Try playing with these together! Often, a little bit of each adjustment can really enhance your photo without needing complex software like Photoshop.
• Clarity & Sharpen: “Clarity” can make details in your photo stand out more, giving it a crisper look. “Sharpen” does what it sounds like – it makes edges in your image look sharper, which can be helpful for slightly blurry photos.

3. Applying Filters and Effects (FX & Magic)

This is where you can quickly change the whole mood of your photo.

• Exploring the FX Library: PicsArt has tons of “FX” (effects), also known as filters. These are pre-made styles that change the colors, light, and overall feel of your image with just one tap. You’ll find categories like “Artistic,” “Pop Art,” “Sketch,” and many more. After applying a filter, you can often adjust its strength, giving you more control. A good filter can really make your graphic stand out.
• Magic Effects: These are even more advanced filters that utilize smart technology to transform your photos into something unique, such as a painting or a drawing. They work differently from regular filters because they try to understand the content of your image. While PicsArt is primarily a photo editor, these magic effects bring a significant amount of creativity to both photos and videos. They can even help inspire you as a creator for your next video editing project, even though they aren’t directly video editing tools themselves.

Unleashing Creativity: Advanced Editing Techniques

Okay, you’ve got the basics down! Now.

Let’s dive into some more advanced tricks in PicsArt that will truly make your photos look professional and unique.

This is where you can really feel like a digital artist.

1. Background Removal and Changer

Ever wish you could instantly change the background of your photo? 

Perhaps you’d like to set yourself against a beach backdrop or opt for a simple.

Plain white background for a product photo. PicsArt makes this super easy!

• One-Tap Background Removal: PicsArt features a smart, AI-powered tool that can isolate the main subject of your photo with just one tap. It’s really good at knowing what’s a person or an object and what’s the background. This saves you a significant amount of time compared to doing it by hand.
• Replacing Backgrounds: Once the old background is gone, you can drop in a new one! PicsArt has tons of ready-to-use backgrounds, or you can use one of your photos. Imagine being able to place yourself anywhere in the world with a few taps!

2. Object Removal (Retouch Tool)

Sometimes, there’s something in your picture you wish wasn’t there – maybe a distracting item, a blemish, or even someone walking in the background.

PicsArt’s “Retouch” tools, especially the “Remove” or “Clone” options, can help. 

It’s not as magical as Adobe Photoshop, but it’s very effective for a mobile app.

3. Working with Layers for Complex Compositions

Think of layers like clear sheets of plastic.

You can draw on one sheet, then put another clear sheet on top and draw something else, and you can still see both. 

PicsArt allows you to work with layers, which is particularly useful for creating more complex images.

• Understanding Layers: When you add a sticker, another photo, or text to your main image, PicsArt treats it as a separate layer. This means you can move, resize, or edit that sticker or text without messing up your main photo.
• Adding Multiple Images/Stickers: This is how you build a complex design. You can add many different pictures or stickers on top of each other.
• Adjusting Opacity and Blending Modes: “Opacity” lets you make a layer see-through, so you can see what’s underneath it. “Blending Modes” are special effects that change how two layers mix together. Playing with these can create really unique visual styles.

4. Text and Fonts: Making Your Message Stand Out

Want to add words to your pictures? PicsArt has a powerful text tool.

• Adding Text: It’s as simple as typing out what you want to say.
• Exploring the Font Library: PicsArt boasts a massive collection of fonts – encompassing various styles of letters and words. You’ll find everything from fancy scripts to bold, modern fonts. Some of these are premium fonts, meaning they are included with a PicsArt Gold subscription, but there are also plenty of free ones available.
• Text Customization: You can change the color of your text, make it bigger or smaller, add an outline (called a “stroke”), give it a shadow, or even put a cool texture inside the letters. You can also use blending modes, just like with layers, to make your text interact with your background image.

5. Stickers and Drawing Tools

PicsArt is famous for its massive sticker collection and drawing features.

• PicsArt’s Sticker Collection: There are literally millions of stickers in PicsArt, created by users and the PicsArt team. You can find stickers for almost any mood or topic almost anywhere. Just search, tap, and add it to your photo.
• Creating Custom Stickers: This is a neat trick! You can use the “Cutout” tool (similar to background removal) to turn any part of your photo into a sticker. Then, you can save it and reuse it as needed.
• Drawing on Photos: If you want to add a freehand doodle, a signature, or just some lines and shapes, the “Draw” tool lets you do that. You can choose from various brushes, colors, and sizes, giving you the freedom to be a digital artist truly.

The Power of AI in PicsArt

PicsArt isn’t just about regular editing anymore. 

Think of AI as a smart assistant that helps you create mind-blowing visuals with less effort.

1. AI Image Generator (Text-to-Image)

Imagine being able to type a few words, like “a fluffy cat wearing a tiny hat in space.

And then PicsArt creates a brand-new image based on your words!

That’s what the AI Image Generator does.

• How it Works: You simply type what you imagine into a box (this is called a “prompt”), and PicsArt’s AI gets to work. It learns from millions of images to understand your words and then draws something completely new for you.
• Tips for Best Results: Be specific! Instead of “tree,” try “a tall oak tree with golden leaves at sunset, painted in a watercolor style.” The more details you give, the better the AI can understand your vision and enhance the output. This is ideal if you need a unique background or a special element for your graphic design.

2. AI Enhance and Upscale

Ever have a great photo, but it’s a bit blurry or too small? PicsArt’s AI can help!

• AI Enhance: This tool can make your photos look much better with just one tap. The AI smartens up the image, making it clearer, reducing blur, and improving colors.
• Upscale: If your photo is too small for printing or needs to be a larger size, the AI Upscale tool can make it bigger without making it blurry or “pixelated.” It’s like magic – the AI fills in the missing details to make the image look crisp even when enlarged.

3. AI Replace and AI Background Generator

These AI-powered tools take the customization of your photos to a new level.

• AI Replace: Want to swap out an object in your photo? Let’s say you have a picture of a table with a coffee cup, and you wish it had a vase of flowers instead. You can use AI Replace to brush over the coffee cup and then type “vase of flowers.” The AI will attempt to replace the object, allowing it to blend naturally into your image.
• AI Background Generator: We talked about removing backgrounds earlier, but now you can generate a whole new one just by typing! Instead of picking from ready-made backgrounds, you can describe the scene you want, like “a futuristic city at night” or “a serene forest with sunlight filtering through trees.” The AI will create that background for you, making every photo and video project unique.

Creative Projects and Specific Use Cases

PicsArt isn’t just for editing photos; it’s also great for starting completely new creative projects!

Once you know the tools, you can utilize them for a wide range of creative purposes.

This section provides ideas on how to utilize PicsArt for various purposes.

1. Creating Stunning Collages

Collages are a fantastic way to tell a story with multiple photos.

PicsArt makes it easy to combine several pictures into one beautiful layout.

• Grid Collages: This is the most common type. You pick a few photos, and PicsArt puts them into a neat grid, like a checkerboard. You can choose from many different grid shapes and sizes. It’s a quick way to arrange your favorite moments.
• Freestyle Collages: Want to be more artistic? Freestyle collages let you place your photos anywhere on the canvas, overlap them, rotate them, and make them different sizes. You can then add a background, stickers, or text to make it truly unique. This is where your inner artist can really shine!
• Adding Fun Elements: After you arrange your photos, you can add all the same fun stuff you use in photo editing – cool filters for the whole collage, borders, text to write captions, and tons of stickers to enhance the overall graphic.

2. Designing Social Media Graphics

Social media is all about visuals, and PicsArt is your secret weapon for making your posts stand out. Whether it’s for Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, you can create eye-catching digital content.

• Right Sizes for Every Platform: PicsArt has templates for stories, posts, and covers for different social media sites. This is super helpful because you don’t have to guess the right dimensions.
• Using Text and Stickers: Add catchy headlines or fun stickers to your photos to get more attention. Think about what will make people stop scrolling! You can use the AI-powered tools to make your photo and video posts even more exciting.
• Consistent Look: If you’re a creator and want your social media to look professional, you can save your designs as templates or use the same filters and fonts for all your posts. This creates a consistent “brand” for you.

3. Crafting Eye-Catching Profile Pictures and Avatars

Your profile picture is often the first thing people see online. PicsArt helps you make one that truly represents you.

• Perfect Cutouts: Use the background removal tool to cut yourself out perfectly. Then, you can put yourself on a cool new background or a solid color.
• Adding Effects: Apply a stylish filter, add a light leak effect, or even use an AI-powered effect to give your profile picture an artistic flair.
• Creative Overlays: Add your name with cool fonts, or put a fun sticker that shows off your personality. This is a quick way to personalize your image for use anywhere online.

4. Motion Studio and Story Maker

PicsArt isn’t just a photo editor; it also features tools to add movement to your digital content.

Making it a great option for video editing as well.

• Adding Motion to Photos: The “Motion” or “Dispersion” tools can make parts of your still photo appear to be moving, creating a cool effect for social media stories.
• Story Maker: This feature helps you put together short video clips or animated photos with music and text, perfect for Instagram or Facebook Stories. It’s a much simpler approach than complex software for full video editing, designed to help you create engaging short videos easily. You can add filters, music, and text overlays to make your stories lively and captivating.

Conclusion

So, we’ve covered a lot about how to use PicsArt today.

You’ve learned to set it up, use the main photo editor tools, and even explore its smart AI-powered features.

From simple fixes to stunning digital designs, PicsArt puts powerful tools right at your fingertips.

You can now change backgrounds, add filters, and make videos.

And enhance your images like a true artist.

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Open PicsArt, pick a photo, and start playing. Your graphic creator journey is just beginning!

Alternatives to PicsArt

Here are some alternatives to PicsArt, each with its own strengths:

• Canva: A popular design platform perfect for creating social media graphics, presentations.
• Design Pickle: An unlimited graphic design service (subscription-based) for businesses needing consistent.
• Blaze: Primarily a digital photo utility that helps import, organize.
• Fotor: An online photo editor offering a user-friendly experience with basic editing tools and a growing suite.
• Remini: Focuses specifically on AI-powered photo enhancement, great for making old or low-quality photos clearer and higher resolution.
• Photoleap: An AI-powered photo editor known for advanced effects like double exposure.
• Pixelcut: An all-in-one AI-powered photo editor specializing in background removal, object removal.
• VSCO: Known for its artistic filters and minimalist editing tools, popular among creators for subtle color grading and achieving a consistent aesthetic. 
• PhotoRoom: Specializes in quick background removal and product photo editing.
• YouCam Perfect: A popular app for selfie editing, offering beauty filters, retouching tools, and makeup effects to enhance portraits.
• Photoshop: An industry-standard professional software for complex photo editing, graphic design, and digital art.
• Pixlr: A free online photo editor that offers a good range of editing tools, similar to Photoshop, including layers.
• Photopea: A free web-based photograph editor that strongly resembles Photoshop in its interface and features.

Frequently Asked Questions