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Krita 5.2.14 was released on December 11, 2025, as the final bug-fix release in the Krita 5.2 series. Its most visible changes are a one-finger touch-and-hold gesture for sampling color and a redesigned color-picker preview that is circular by default. The update also includes extensive touch, Android, macOS, stability, and usability fixes.
There is an important current-version caveat: as of August 18, 2026, Krita 5.2.14 is an archived release rather than the newest stable version. Krita’s current download page lists Krita 5.3.2.1, released June 1, 2026. Use 5.2.14 when you specifically need the 5.2 branch, not simply because it is the latest version mentioned in older coverage.
The biggest change: one-finger touch-and-hold color picking
On a touchscreen, touch the canvas with one finger and hold it in place. Krita then invokes the color picker and samples the color at that position. According to Krita’s release announcement, the gesture is enabled by default in all input profiles.
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The gesture is an additional sampling method, not a replacement for every existing keyboard, stylus, or tool-based color-picking option. Users who rely on long presses for other actions should also check for conflicts with their existing canvas-input configuration.
A circular color-picker preview replaces the old default
Krita 5.2.14 changes the default color-picker preview from two side-by-side rectangles to a circle around the cursor. Krita says the circular design improves visibility and helps prevent a drawing hand from covering the preview on a screen tablet.
The preview is configurable rather than permanent. Users can adjust the circular preview in the settings or return to the two-rectangle design. In the rectangular mode, the preview can be positioned to the right, left, or above the cursor, which gives left- and right-handed artists more control over visibility.
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The preview also remains fixed relative to the cursor when the canvas is rotated. It no longer rotates or mirrors along with the canvas, preventing the color indicator from changing orientation as the artwork view changes.
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The Krita Mac App Store listing independently describes the circular preview as the default, confirms that its size can be customized, and notes that the two-rectangle style remains available.
Touch and usability improvements
The release is broader than its headline features, but it is still a maintenance update rather than a wholesale redesign of Krita’s touch interface. Its touch-related fixes include:
- Touch-painting setting changes no longer require a restart.
- Improved automatic detection of touch painting.
- Better long-press behavior and improved long-press distance calculations.
- Improved handling of long-press context menus.
- Kinetic scrolling no longer delays long presses.
- Long press is disabled on widgets where it interferes with normal controls.
- Popup menus appear at the touch position.
- The Edit Shapes tool works with touch drawing.
- Incorrect touch shortcuts are corrected.
- Touch painting supports multi-clicking.
- An option was added to toggle the eraser preset in touch canvas input.
- Stylus double- and triple-clicking works with vector tools.
- Touch behavior for curve autosmoothing is improved.
These changes matter most to artists who use touch for navigation, canvas commands, vector editing, or tablet-based shortcuts. Desktop users who never use touch are less likely to notice a meaningful difference.
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Krita’s announcement highlights a substantial group of Android fixes. They include a fix for the main window failing to show a document, improved error handling that can attempt recovery instead of asserting, and temporary-file writing when saving.
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The Android interface also opens fullscreen by default. The Back button no longer exits fullscreen, and the fullscreen toggle was removed from the status bar. Shortcut input and other Android interface and input problems were also addressed.
At the time of the 5.2.14 announcement, Krita described Android as beta and said its interface required a large screen and was intended for tablets rather than phones. ChromeOS was described by the project as ready for production at that time. Those statements apply to the release announcement and should not automatically be treated as the current Android status in 2026.
Other fixes artists may notice
Several non-touch fixes target specific workflows and platforms:
- A crash in the Python Plugin Manager involving Python 3.14 was fixed.
- macOS received an icon that responds to the system appearance and thumbnails for
.kra,.krz, and.orafiles. - Krita prevents dragging layers onto their own canvas.
- Holding Ctrl can override dragging on the canvas.
- A smudge-brush crash was fixed.
- Sampler previews no longer rotate or mirror with the canvas.
- Brush-preview outline alignment was corrected.
- The Brush HUD Deform Modes combobox no longer has an off-by-one error.
- Slider and spin-box editing is more reliable.
Some of these are narrow fixes, but they can be important if they address a crash or interaction problem in a particular setup. This is why 5.2.14 is better understood as a quality-of-life and stability release than as a feature-version upgrade: it does not introduce a new painting engine, major animation system, or broad application redesign.
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Platform requirements and archived downloads
The official files remain available in the KDE archive for Krita 5.2.14. The directory includes the following distribution formats:
krita-x64-5.2.14-setup.exefor 64-bit Windows.krita-x64-5.2.14.zip, a portable Windows build.krita-5.2.14-x86_64.AppImagefor 64-bit Linux.krita-5.2.14_signed.dmgfor macOS.- Intel, ARM64, and ARM32 Android APKs.
- Source archives and signature files.
Important platform details from the release announcement:
- Windows: 5.2.14 has no 32-bit Windows build.
- Linux: Ubuntu 22.04 is the minimum listed from Krita 5.2.11 onward. The updated AppImage runtime may be incompatible with older versions of AppImageLauncher.
- macOS: macOS 10.14 is the minimum listed; macOS 10.13 is no longer supported.
- Android: choose the APK architecture that matches the tablet. The release was tablet-focused and described as beta.
Download archived builds from the official KDE/Krita directory rather than an unverified mirror. The announcement directs users to the directory for hashes, and the archive includes signatures for the Linux AppImage and source archives. Verify the downloaded file against the published checksum or signature when maintaining a controlled deployment.
Linux AppImage troubleshooting
If the Linux AppImage does not launch, check whether an old AppImageLauncher installation is involved. Krita warns that the updated AppImage runtime introduced from Krita 5.2.11 can be incompatible with older AppImageLauncher versions.
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Updating or removing the old launcher may resolve the issue. If it does not, consult the relevant AppImage and FUSE troubleshooting documentation for the Linux distribution rather than assuming that the Krita file itself is corrupt.
Should you install Krita 5.2.14 today?
| Situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| You want the newest stable Krita for a new installation. | Use the version listed on Krita’s current download page, not the archived 5.2.14 build. |
| You need to reproduce a Krita 5.2 workflow or compatibility issue. | Use the official 5.2.14 archive and keep the exact version documented. |
| You use touch input and are already maintaining a 5.2 deployment. | 5.2.14 is a worthwhile maintenance update, especially for color sampling, long-press behavior, and touch menus. |
| You expect major painting or animation features. | 5.2.14 is unlikely to meet that expectation; it is a bug-fix release. |
| You use Android on a phone. | Do not assume compatibility. The release announcement describes the Android interface as tablet-oriented. |
Before changing branches, back up custom brushes, workspaces, resources, and settings. Settings migration may not be seamless between every platform and version pair. If you are installing an archived Android APK, back up active work first and use the APK architecture appropriate for the device.
Bottom line
Krita 5.2.14 is a focused maintenance release whose most valuable changes are aimed at touchscreen artists: one-finger touch-and-hold color sampling, a more visible customizable preview, and a long list of touch and Android corrections. It is a sensible choice for users who need the 5.2 branch or are fixing a specific touch-related problem, but it should not be presented as the current Krita release or as a major feature upgrade in 2026.
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