Microsoft Photo Editor

Microsoft Photo Editor

A screenshot of Photo Editor running on Windows XP
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Stable release	3.0.2.3 / December 15, 2000
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Raster graphics editor
License	Proprietary
Website	Microsoft Photo Editor KB article

Microsoft Photo Editor is an image-editing application found in Microsoft Office 97–XP versions for Windows, classified as one of Microsoft Office Tools. It has been replaced by Microsoft Office Picture Manager, although some Photo Editor features are not available in Picture Manager.

The program was a tool for doing raster graphics with editing tools to texturize, negative, adjust gamma, make GIF transparency and many others. It was based on HALO Desktop Imager by Media Cybernetics, L.P.

Issues

Early versions of Microsoft Photo Editor, including the version bundled with Office 2000, erased metadata from digital camera JPEG images during saves. The Office 2000 version also, when saving BMP files, sets the resolution metadata to 0 by 0, regardless of what resolution (DPI) is set through the program UI.

Version 3.0.2.3 (and possible other versions) had an issue opening large JPEG photographic images, due in part to its age. The maximum file size is approximately 2 MBs. Large Windows bitmap BMP files can be opened in Microsoft Photo Editor. This suggests an error associated with the decompression logic of the application.

See also

• List of raster graphics editors
• Comparison of raster graphics editors

External links

MS Knowledge Base articles

• How to re-install Photo Editor once Office 2003 has been installed
• Quickstart
• MS Photo Editor, Wherefore Art Thou? comparison of Photo Editor and Office Picture manager by Herb Tyson
• general information on how to use Photo Editor including details of compression options, keyboard shortcuts, etc.
• Information on the history of Phot Editor and screenshots of versions at GUI-Info.com