Choose the route that fits your computer
The publisher offers a launcher and individual app downloads. The launcher is useful when you want to manage several Craft apps; a standalone package is for trying PhotoCraft on its own. Visit the publisher’s page for current builds and platform choices.
On our Windows x64 test we used the PhotoCraft 0.18.0 portable ZIP, checked its SHA-256 against the release’s checksum file, extracted it and ran PhotoCraft. That is one Windows test, not confirmation of every platform or package.
Sources: PhotoCraft publisher downloads · PhotoCraft 0.18.0 release
PhotoCraft download: standalone or Launcher?
For PhotoCraft alone, use the publisher’s PhotoCraft page or its current GitHub release and select the package for your computer. The ArtCraft Launcher is a separate installation route for managing multiple Craft apps. Package names and available versions can change, so check the current release before downloading.
We tested the PhotoCraft 0.18.0 Windows x64 portable ZIP. Other operating systems and packages in this guide have not been installed by us.
Match the file to the operating system
Package names and supported platforms can change. The release page is the authority for a particular version; choose an actual installer or portable package, not a source-code archive unless you intend to build it.
Scroll to view all columns on a small screen.
| Your system | Look for | Before you proceed |
|---|---|---|
| Windows on a typical 64-bit Intel or AMD PC | Windows x64 installer or portable ZIP | Check the app version and whether you want an installed or extracted copy. |
| Windows on ARM | Windows ARM64 package, when offered | Check the device architecture rather than assuming x64 is native. |
| macOS | The publisher’s macOS package | Read the current release notes and system requirements for your machine. |
| Linux | A package for your distribution and processor | Read the release instructions for the package type and its dependencies. |
Check the download against the release
A matching checksum checks the file against the published checksum. It does not independently establish that the publisher’s release or your computer is free of security problems.
- Open the publisher’s release page and confirm the project, version and exact package filename.
- If the release provides a checksum file, download it from that same release page.
- Calculate SHA-256 for the package you downloaded using a trusted local tool, then compare it with the line for that exact filename.
- If the values differ, do not run the file. Obtain a fresh copy from the publisher and compare again. If no checksum is published, do not claim the file has been checksum-verified.
Installer or portable copy?
An installer normally guides you through adding the app to the system. A portable archive is extracted to a folder and run from there; read the included instructions because settings and update behaviour can differ between packages.
In our PhotoCraft 0.18.0 Windows ZIP, the included portable.txt said that keeping that file beside photocraft.exe stores preferences and recovery data in a neighbouring PhotoCraftData folder when writable. That observation applies to the package we tested. Read the file in your own release before moving or deleting folders.
First launch and first project
Start with a small copy of a file you can afford to experiment with. Note the app version and operating system. Keep the original elsewhere and save a new copy after editing. Before using the result for a deadline, reopen the saved file and check it in the recipient’s application.
If a package will not launch, first check the operating system, processor architecture, downloaded filename and the release notes. Record the exact error and app version before seeking support. Do not disable a security warning simply to make an unfamiliar file run.