Why Chromebook users end up here
Chromebooks are great for school and everyday work, but the big desktop image editors don't install on ChromeOS. The usual workarounds all have a catch:
- Android apps are built for phones: no layers panel worth the name, no PSD support
- Running Linux apps through Crostini works, but it's slow to set up and heavy on a small machine
- Paid web versions need an account and a subscription
PS Online sidesteps all of that. It's a full layer-based editor compiled to WebAssembly and rendered on your Chromebook's GPU, inside a normal Chrome tab.
What you can do in Chrome
- Open and save PSD files with layers, masks and type intact
- Use adjustment layers like Curves, Levels and Hue/Saturation, all non-destructive
- Remove backgrounds and erase objects
- Add text, shapes and layer styles for thumbnails, posters and slides
- Export PNG, JPEG or WebP straight to your Downloads folder
Get started
- Open the editor in Chrome.
- Optional: from Chrome's menu choose Cast, save and share › Install page as app so PS Online gets its own window and a spot on your shelf.
- Drag in a photo or PSD from Files and start editing.
Keyboard shortcuts follow the Photoshop layout. On a Chromebook, use the Ctrl versions (Ctrl J, Ctrl T, Ctrl Z).
Your files stay on your Chromebook
Nothing you open is uploaded. That matters on school and work devices, where you may not be allowed to send files to unknown services. PS Online reads and writes files locally, exactly like a desktop app would.