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KolourPaint is a free, simple raster graphics editor from KDE. It is designed for quick drawings, screenshot annotations, cropping, resizing, basic touch-ups, icons, and uncomplicated image editing—not for replacing GIMP, Krita, or Photoshop in professional workflows.
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As of August 18, 2026, KDE lists KolourPaint 26.04.3, released July 2, 2026. That recent release activity shows the project is still maintained, while its deliberately modest feature set remains the main reason to choose it: KolourPaint is easier to approach than a full image-processing suite.
KolourPaint at a glance
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Developer | KDE |
| Type | Free desktop raster image editor |
| Best for | Screenshot markup, simple drawings, icons, cropping, resizing, and quick touch-ups |
| Current release listed by KDE | 26.04.3, released July 2, 2026 |
| Linux installation | Distribution packages, Discover/AppStream software centers, or Flatpak |
| macOS | Nightly testing installers for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs |
| Windows | No current stable Windows option is shown on KDE’s official application page |
| License information | BSD-2-Clause, LGPL-2.0-or-later, and GFDL-1.2, as listed by KDE |
See KDE’s official KolourPaint page for the current release, platform information, features, and licensing details.
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What is KolourPaint?
KolourPaint is KDE’s lightweight desktop application for creating and editing raster images. Raster graphics are made from pixels, so KolourPaint is suited to photographs, screenshots, icons, diagrams, and other bitmap images. It is not primarily a vector-design, page-layout, or professional photo-processing application.
KDE describes it as a tool for quickly creating raster images, touching up existing images, and carrying out simple editing tasks. Its handbook introduction specifically covers uses such as painting, screenshot manipulation, image manipulation, and icon editing.
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What can KolourPaint do?
Draw lines, shapes, and curves
For basic artwork and annotations, KolourPaint provides tools for lines, curves, rectangles, rounded rectangles, ovals, polygons, brushes, spray-style painting, and text. A color picker lets you sample a color from an existing image instead of trying to reproduce it manually.
That combination covers many everyday jobs: drawing an arrow over a screenshot, outlining part of a diagram, adding a colored label, creating a basic icon, or making a small raster illustration from scratch.
KDE’s current feature summary confirms the principal drawing, shape, curve, text, and color-picker tools. Older KDE UserBase documentation provides additional detail about tools and behavior, but some controls may differ between older documentation and the current interface.
Select and modify parts of an image
KolourPaint supports selection-based editing, clipboard operations, and undo and redo. Depending on the installed version, selection and editing workflows may include rectangular or other selection modes, opaque or transparent selections, cropping or autocropping, rotation, and scaling.
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These features are enough for isolating a portion of a screenshot, moving or copying an object, trimming unwanted margins, or preparing a small image for another application. Exact menu names and locations can vary with the version supplied by your operating system.
Apply basic color operations and effects
KolourPaint includes practical operations such as rotation, scaling, monochrome or black-and-white conversion, and other basic effects. These are useful for quick transformations, but they should not be confused with the precise color correction, advanced filtering, or non-destructive processing available in dedicated photo editors.
Work with simple transparent graphics
KolourPaint can be useful for straightforward transparent icons, logos, and other small graphics. Older KDE documentation describes alpha-channel drawing, transparent colors, checkerboard transparency, and transparent selections.
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What is KolourPaint good for?
- Screenshot annotation: crop an image, add arrows or boxes, highlight an area, and insert labels.
- Quick resizing and rotation: prepare an image for a document, message, or website.
- Simple diagrams: combine lines, shapes, colors, and text without learning a large design suite.
- Basic icons and logos: create or touch up small raster graphics, including transparent images where the installed version supports the required workflow.
- Minor repairs: cover a blemish, erase a small area, or make a straightforward color adjustment.
- Beginner painting: experiment with brushes, spray painting, shapes, and colors in a less intimidating interface.
Its strength is speed of access. If the task can be described as “open an image, make a few visible changes, and save a copy,” KolourPaint is often a sensible fit.
What KolourPaint is not designed to do
KolourPaint trades breadth for simplicity. It is not positioned as a professional image-processing suite, and users can reach its limits quickly when a project becomes complex.
- Advanced photo editing: professional retouching, RAW development, sophisticated color management, and complex filters require a more capable application.
- Layer-heavy composition: KDE’s current feature summary does not advertise a modern layer-centric workflow. If independent layers, masks, adjustment layers, or sophisticated compositing are essential, choose another editor.
- Digital painting: artists needing advanced brushes, stabilizers, tablet features, animation, or a broad painting workflow should look at Krita.
- Vector design and typography: rasterized shapes and text are not a substitute for editable vector objects, professional type controls, or page-layout tools.
- Complex project files: users requiring extensive PSD compatibility, non-destructive editing, plugins, scripting, or large multi-stage projects will likely outgrow it.
- Browser or mobile editing: KolourPaint is a desktop application. No current Android or iOS version is identified on KDE’s official page or its Flathub listing.
Is KolourPaint still maintained?
Yes. KDE lists KolourPaint 26.04.3, released July 2, 2026, along with several preceding releases from the 26.04, 25.12, 25.08, and 25.04 series. That is clear evidence of ongoing release activity, although release dates alone do not indicate how often every individual feature changes.
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The Flathub build-status page also records stable builds through July 3, 2026. This supports the conclusion that the Flatpak distribution remains active, but it is not a complete measure of the project’s overall health.
How to install KolourPaint on Linux
Use your distribution’s package manager
Search your Linux distribution’s software repositories for kolourpaint and install the package provided there. This is usually the most integrated route, particularly on KDE-based systems, but repository versions may be older than the release currently listed by KDE.
Do not assume that one command such as apt install kolourpaint applies to every distribution. Package names, repository availability, and update timing vary.
Install through Discover or another AppStream software center
- Open Discover or your system’s graphical software center.
- Search for KolourPaint.
- Confirm that the result is the KDE application.
- Select Install and authenticate if requested.
KDE’s application page supports installation through Discover and other AppStream-compatible application stores.
Install the Flatpak
If Flatpak and Flathub are already configured, install KolourPaint with:
flatpak install flathub org.kde.kolourpaintLaunch it with:
flatpak run org.kde.kolourpaintThe application ID org.kde.kolourpaint is confirmed by the Flathub listing and build-status page.
To update that Flatpak specifically, run:
flatpak update org.kde.kolourpaintIf Flatpak cannot find the application, check that Flathub is enabled, that the application ID was typed correctly, and that you are not confusing a distribution-package installation with a Flatpak installation.
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Identify your installed version
The version in your distribution repository or Flatpak may not match KDE’s newest release. Check your package manager or the application’s About entry—commonly found under the Help menu—to identify what is actually installed. Interface details can vary by release.
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macOS and Windows availability
macOS
KDE lists nightly installers for both Apple Silicon/ARM and Intel Macs. These are explicitly described as unstable versions intended for testing. They may contain bugs, incomplete integration, or regressions, so they should not be treated as equivalent to a stable production release or used as your only editor for important work.
Windows
The current official KDE KolourPaint page does not show a stable Windows installation option alongside its Linux and macOS information. Historical KDE-on-Windows builds and community discussions may exist, but they are not sufficient evidence of a currently supported Windows release. If Windows is a hard requirement, use an editor with an official current Windows download instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.File formats, transparency, and safe saving
KolourPaint works with raster image files, but KDE’s current application page does not publish a complete, current format matrix. Older UserBase documentation mentions support for many image formats, including PCX, but that historical list should not be treated as a guarantee that every format behaves identically in the current release.
Check the current Open and Save dialogs for the formats available in your installation. Also remember that opening or exporting a format does not guarantee preservation of layers, metadata, editable text, or every property in the source image.
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- Use PNG for screenshots, transparency, text-heavy graphics, and lossless simple artwork.
- Use JPEG when smaller files matter and some lossy compression is acceptable, particularly for ordinary photographs.
- Use Save As to create an edited copy rather than overwriting the original.
- Reopen the saved file and confirm that transparency, text, colors, and image dimensions are correct.
Simple raster editors may commit text directly to the image rather than preserving it as an editable text object. Finish text edits before finalizing the image unless your installed version clearly preserves editable text objects.
Common problems and practical fixes
The package is older than KDE’s current release
This is normal when using a distribution repository. Keep the distribution package if integration and conservative updates matter; consider Flatpak if you specifically need a newer KDE application build. Mixing package sources can result in different interface details and update schedules.
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A Flatpak cannot see a file
Flatpak isolation can affect access to removable media or locations outside the normal home directory. Confirm that the file is in an accessible location, try the file manager’s Open With action, and inspect Flatpak permissions with a permission-management tool. As a diagnostic step, copy the file into your home directory and try opening it there.
The macOS build is unstable
That behavior is consistent with KDE’s description of the macOS downloads as nightly testing builds. Keep backups, avoid relying on the build for irreplaceable work, and consider a stable alternative if reliability is essential.
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A large photograph is uncomfortable to edit
KolourPaint’s lightweight positioning does not guarantee comfortable performance on very large photographs or canvases. Test your own files rather than relying on an assumed maximum image size. If the workflow involves large images, advanced adjustments, or repeated edits, GIMP or Krita is likely to be a better fit.
KolourPaint compared with alternatives
| Application | Choose it when… | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| KolourPaint | You need quick Linux desktop raster edits, annotations, shapes, or small graphics. | Its simple workflow reaches its limits for advanced composition and professional processing. |
| GIMP | You need layers, masks, advanced selections, filters, plugins, or cross-platform general-purpose editing. | It is substantially more capable, but its interface and workflow take longer to learn. |
| Krita | You need digital painting, advanced brushes, tablet support, illustration, or animation. | Its broader creative toolset is unnecessary for a tiny one-off screenshot edit. |
| Paint.NET | You use Windows and want an approachable editor with more capability than basic Paint. | It is Windows-focused and does not serve someone specifically seeking a KDE/Linux application. |
| Microsoft Paint | You already use Windows and need very basic drawing, cropping, or annotation without installing anything. | It is Windows-specific and is not an open-source, cross-platform equivalent of KolourPaint. |
| Affinity by Canva | You need an integrated, more advanced photo, vector, or publishing workflow. | It is a much larger and more complex choice; current licensing and account details should be checked on the first-party site. |
GIMP’s official site positions it as a free, open-source editor for GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, and other systems. Krita describes itself as a professional free and open-source painting program and offers desktop distribution paths for Windows, macOS, and Linux, plus Android availability. Paint.NET’s official download page lists Windows 10 version 21H2 or newer, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2022 for its current download information.
Is KolourPaint free and open source?
Yes. KDE presents KolourPaint as free software with no subscription or premium edition required. Its application page lists BSD-2-Clause, LGPL-2.0-or-later, and GFDL-1.2 licensing information. It is more accurate to preserve that multi-license description than to label the project simply as “GPL software.”
“Free” therefore has two relevant meanings: you can obtain and use the application without a purchase or subscription, and the project is distributed under free-software licenses, subject to the terms that apply to the relevant code and documentation. KDE memberships and donations support the project; they are not required to use KolourPaint.
Which users should choose KolourPaint?
Choose KolourPaint when the job is small, immediate, and pixel-based; you primarily use Linux; you want a simple KDE-style utility; and you do not need a complex project file, layers, RAW processing, advanced brushes, or professional color control.
Choose GIMP when you have outgrown quick edits and need a general-purpose image editor. Choose Krita for painting and illustration. Choose Paint.NET for a lightweight Windows workflow. Choose Microsoft Paint when the task is extremely basic and you already have Windows. Consider Affinity by Canva only when you specifically need a larger integrated design suite and have confirmed its current licensing and platform details.
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