photogimp.org
3.1 · GIMP 3.2.6

Safety

Is PhotoGIMP safe?

We downloaded PhotoGIMP 3.1, opened every file in both zips and installed it on Windows, macOS and Linux. Here is what is inside, what it can and cannot do to your computer, and how to make sure you have the real thing.

Checked with PhotoGIMP 3.1 · GIMP 3.2.6Updated 4 min read
On this page 8 sections
  1. What is in the zip
  2. What PhotoGIMP can and cannot touch
  3. Is it legit? Who makes it?
  4. The only official source
  5. Check your download
  6. Warning signs
  7. GIMP itself
  8. Questions

Short answer

Verdict

Yes, PhotoGIMP from github.com/Diolinux/PhotoGIMP is safe. It is a zip of plain-text GIMP settings files and images. It contains no programs, so there is nothing that could run on its own on Windows or macOS. On Linux, the optional install.sh from the repository is a short, readable shell script that copies files and makes a backup. The real risk is not PhotoGIMP but unofficial copies: the project has no website, and at least one site using its name was reported for malware redirects.

What is in the zip

All 31 files in PhotoGIMP.zip, and the same files plus a launcher and icons in PhotoGIMP-linux.zip:

File in 3.1SizeWhat it does
contextrc304 BThe active tool, colors, brush and other context on startup.
filters/161 BA saved Brightness-Contrast preset.
gimprc5.0 KBGeneral preferences: undo levels, previews, import behaviour, default view options.
plug-in-settings/ (5 files)945 BLast-used settings of the JPEG/PNG import and export dialogs and the unit editor.
sessionrc3.2 KBWindow and dock layout: single-window mode, panel positions and sizes.
shortcutsrc42.0 KBKeyboard shortcuts, remapped to Photoshop’s Windows defaults.
splashes/1.47 MBThe PhotoGIMP splash screen shown while GIMP starts.
theme.css454 BA theme file GIMP writes itself; GIMP replaces it at every start.
tool-options/ (18 files)3.1 KBSaved options for individual tools (brush size, hardness, crop and text settings).
toolrc5.9 KBToolbox order and tool groups, arranged like Photoshop’s toolbar.

Every text file is plain ASCII that you can open in Notepad or TextEdit. They use GIMP’s own settings format, for example:

shortcutsrc in PhotoGIMP 3.1 (first lines)
# GIMP shortcutsrc
#
# If you delete this file, all shortcuts will be reset to defaults.

(file-version 1)

# NEW
(action "layers-duplicate" "<Primary>j")
(action "tools-rect-select" "m")
(action "tools-dodge-burn" "o")
(action "tools-heal" "j")

The rest are PNG images (the splash and, on Linux, icons) and one .desktop launcher file that runs the Flatpak GIMP. There are no .exe, .dll, .app, scripts or plug-in binaries in either zip. What each file does.

What PhotoGIMP can and cannot touch

It changes

  • GIMP’s settings folder for one GIMP version (shortcuts, toolbox, layout, preferences)
  • On Linux with Flatpak: GIMP’s menu entry and icon in your home folder

It cannot

  • Install or run programs
  • Change Windows, macOS or system files (no administrator rights needed or used)
  • Read or send your files anywhere
  • Modify your images

The worst a broken settings file can do is make GIMP start with defaults or show a warning. Everything is undone by removing the files; see uninstall.

Is it legit? Who makes it?

  • Creator: Dionatan Simioni, known as Diolinux, a Brazilian Linux YouTube channel and blog. PhotoGIMP started in June 2020.
  • Maintainer: Gabriel Almir, maintaining the project since 2021.
  • License: GPL-3.0, the same free-software license as GIMP. The full history is public: 18,487 stars, 752 forks and every change reviewable on GitHub.
  • Not affiliated with Adobe or with the GIMP project. GIMP is made by the GIMP team at gimp.org.

The only official source

From the PhotoGIMP README, verbatim:

“PhotoGIMP does not have an official website. The only official source for the project is its GitHub repository: https://github.com/Diolinux/PhotoGIMP/”

The maintainers added this in March 2026 after a user reported that links on a site claiming to be PhotoGIMP’s led to a malware page (issue #178, “Your website is compromised”). The maintainer replied that the project has no official website and that such redirects come from third-party sites.

That includes this one. photogimp.org is an independent guide: we do not host PhotoGIMP files, every download link here goes to the GitHub release, and we publish the hashes we measured so you can check what you have.

Check your download

File (3.1)ForSHA-256 (computed by us)
PhotoGIMP-linux.zip2.02 MB · 25,265 downloadsLinuxbf0e1279870d40152beb3e702cf3e4e01a6892031a1ace5bc4a9b858894b584e
PhotoGIMP.zip1.49 MB · 43,403 downloadsWindows and macOSde6a17ffb70000051372d84141b7e69fc2e60a0af3bd3b3100c9afd5e0ff3ae6

Our Windows and macOS test machines downloaded PhotoGIMP.zip separately and got the same SHA-256 value. How to compute the hash on your system.

Warning signs

  • A “PhotoGIMP” .exe, .dmg, .apk or app: PhotoGIMP has none.
  • A site asking you to pay, enter an email, or install a download manager to get PhotoGIMP.
  • A download that is not a zip from github.com/Diolinux/PhotoGIMP/releases or whose hash differs from the table above.
  • “PhotoGIMP Pro”, “PhotoGIMP 2026 cracked” and similar: there are no paid or premium versions.
  • Instructions to disable your antivirus or run something as administrator. PhotoGIMP never needs either.

GIMP itself

Get GIMP from gimp.org, Flathub, the Snap Store or your Linux distribution. On the Mac, GIMP is not sold in the App Store; listings there are not from the GIMP team. The GIMP 3.2.6 installers we used matched the SHA-256 values published on gimp.org.

Questions

Can PhotoGIMP give my computer a virus?

The official zip cannot: it contains only text settings files and images, which do not run. An unofficial “PhotoGIMP” download from another site could contain anything, which is why you should download only from GitHub and check the hash.

Why would antivirus flag PhotoGIMP?

We know of no detections of the official zip. If a scanner flags a file you downloaded, compare its SHA-256 with the table above; if it differs, delete it.

Is photogimp.com the official PhotoGIMP website?

No. The project states that it has no official website, and the GitHub repository is the only official source. Sites using the PhotoGIMP name, including this one, are third-party.

Is the Linux install.sh safe to run?

The script in the repository is about 280 lines of readable shell. It looks for GIMP, asks GIMP for its settings folder, makes a backup and copies files; it does not use sudo or download anything. Read it before running it, as with any script. Our Linux guide describes what it does.

Does PhotoGIMP collect data?

No. It has no code that could. GIMP itself can check gimp.org for updates, which you can turn off in Preferences → System Resources.

Keep going

DownloadThe official files, verified hashes, and which zip you need.What it changesFile by file: tools, panels, shortcuts and settings PhotoGIMP touches.Install guideFind your exact GIMP settings folder and the commands for it.Uninstall & resetRemove PhotoGIMP, restore a backup, or reset GIMP to defaults.ReviewOur tested verdict: who PhotoGIMP is for, and who should skip it.FAQShort answers to the questions people ask most.

Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us: hello@photogimp.org. We fix mistakes within a day.