Photoshop is one of Adobe’s best creative software apps, with limitless ways to create or edit images. Since 2023, Adobe subscribers can access Photoshop online, referred to as Photoshop on the web, for access to the software when you’re away from your desktop app. Photoshop on the web is similar to, but different from, its desktop sibling, but there are still plenty of interesting things you can do with it.

7 Use Adobe’s Firefly AI tools

Photoshop's Generative AI tools are available online

One of the most exciting aspects about Photoshop’s online tool is that it’s inclusive of many Adobe AI tools. Adobe’s AI is powered by Adobe Firefly and provides the AI features found across the board in Adobe’s desktop software. Since you have access to powerful AI options when using Photoshop on the web, you can do almost anything to your images from anywhere. You just might not receive access to all AI tools, especially the newest ones.

You’ll have access to Generative Fill, Generative Expand, text-to-image tools, and more. The selection tool even harnesses Adobe Firefly’s border identification intelligence, so smart selections are quick and easy from the browser, too.

The interface is different from the desktop version of Photoshop, so you may have to hunt through the menus a bit to find the same AI features and other tools. Many of them are not named in an obvious way that they’re AI tools either, but the technology is supported nonetheless.

6 Edit RAW format images with Camera Raw

You don't need specialized tools for editing photography

When you use the desktop versions, you can edit your Adobe Lightroom photos in Photoshop, including use of the Camera Raw plugin for editing RAW images. The good news is that you can likewise share your Lightroom on the web photos with Photoshop’s online tool, and you can also use Camera Raw directly in the browser-based version for similar photo editing.

This allows you to log into any computer, upload your images, and get photos published regardless of whether you’re at home on your personal device or not. There aren’t many RAW editors available, so having instant access is a huge plus.

Find the Camera Raw filter in the Adjust tab, and open your image to edit intricacies like whites, shadows, color, texture, tint, and more. Then you can continue to manipulate the image with Photoshop on the web's other tools. You can use Camera Raw regardless of the image format, but RAW formats will benefit the most from it.

5 Edit and create images with location independence

Edit your Photoshop projects away from home

We all have our home office comforts and desktop arrangements the way we want them. But sometimes, you’ll be away from home or your computer and will still need to edit photos, resize and manipulate images, or tweak something before you publish or print it. Photoshop on the web allows you to access most Photoshop tools without installing Adobe Photoshop to another system.

So long as you have a valid Creative Cloud subscription plan (or use the 7-day free trial offered for Photoshop on the web) you can access the given tools. Your account also connects with your existing Creative Cloud account, so you can access saved presets, shared images, or anything else for which you utilize the cloud.

Not needing to download the software to use Photoshop Online also opens up accessibility options. You might be working from another device with less power or storage, but as long as you can access the internet, you can use Photoshop on the web.

4 Apply Quick Actions filters to your photos

Change the color, hue, or texture in a click

Photoshop is great for photo editing, and using Photoshop on the web is no different. With Quick Actions, you can choose from a selection of filters to quickly apply to your images and transform them.

Background Quick Actions affect the background of your photo — perfect for landscapes or portraits with distinct background areas. With three Quick Actions for backgrounds, you can remove the background entirely, blur it without affecting your subject, and even turn the background itself black and white while keeping the subject in color.

Other Quick Actions tools offer filter overlays that affect lighting, color, or texture. These include actions such as boosting shadows, adding a vignette to the edges, applying a cool filter or sepia tone to the image, adding a glow to the subject’s edge, implementing steel blue color overlays, auto tone, color, or contrast.

3 Create layered elements

Photoshop's helpful layering tool boosts your projects

Most of the creations you make in Photoshop stem from the ability to use its layers panel. Even the web browser version of Photoshop has a layers panel central to its interface with the same functions.

Whether you’re using layer masks, blending modes, or adding adjustments to each layer, you can edit your project in all the same ways as the desktop version. Transparency and layer reordering is just as simple, allowing you to create huge image manifestations of varying complexities.

The Quick Actions filters are all applied as separate layers, allowing for totally non-destructive editing across your image creation.

2 Collaborate with non-account holders

Share, open, and comment

If you’re creating something in Photoshop that you need to share, you can easily share it via Photoshop on the web’s 'Share' button. This makes collaboration easier, since anyone with the link can open the file — and they don’t even need to have an Adobe account.

While mobile users can’t use Photoshop on the web’s editing tools, they can still download, view, and open documents, as well as comment on them. This is an option for receiving quick feedback in a pinch if someone can’t access a computer.

1 Update Creative Cloud files

Seamless editing across the cloud

Editing your designs in Photoshop online will save the design across the Creative Cloud. You might have minor fixes to change while you are away from your desktop app, but fixing it from the browser will update the file across the board.

You can also save your file as a copy, if you want to prevent the file being overridden. It can be saved in the cloud or locally, based on your choice.

Accessing your Creative Cloud files also means you can open projects made in other apps or software — like illustrations created in Illustrator or on the Adobe Fresco app — and edit them in Photoshop on the web from anywhere you can access the internet.

Photoshop on the web is essentially as good as the desktop version

With a simpler user interface that isn’t hard to pick up, Photoshop on the web allows you to create or edit your creative projects while away from home, office, and computer. This offering provides more independence for you, allowing you to pick up projects where you left off, even when you’re not at the desk — although you can’t use your mobile device for this just yet.

Despite the idea that Photoshop on the web may open up accessibility to non-subscribing users, you do need to be an Adobe Creative Cloud subscriber to utilize it. There are plenty of free Photoshop alternatives online if price is a halting factor, though.