Timeline: every version of Photoshop ever

Photoshop is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so we thought we'd join in the festivities as the world's favourite photo editing software hits the quarter-century.

Photoshop has changed a lot over its 25 years, but have you ever wondered exactly by how much and when your favourite can't-live-without features were added? Well, wonder no more as we bring you the definitive Photoshop features timeline.

Photoshop 1.0

Introduced: February 1990 for Mac

Codename: None

Features

  • Lasso Tool
  • Crop
  • Magic Wand
  • Eyedrop Tool
  • Smudge Tool
  • Stretch/Shrink
  • Hue/Saturation adjustments
  • Feathered Edges
  • Blur Tool
  • Gradient Tool

Photoshop 2.0 and 2.5

Introduced: June 1991

Codename: Fast Eddie

Features

  • Added CMYK
  • Added Paths
  • Pen Tool

Photoshop 2.5 (November 1992)

  • Added Windows version
  • Added 16-bit support
  • Palettes

Photoshop 3.0

Introduced: September 1994

Codename: Tiger Mountain

Features

  • Added Layers
  • Tabbed Palettes

Photoshop 4.0

Introduced: November 1996

Codename: Big Electric Cat

Features

  • Added Actions
  • Added Adjustment Layers
  • Added rubylith overlays (aka quick mask)

Photoshop 5.0 and 5.5

Introduced: May 1998

Codename: Strange Cargo

Features

  • Added History (multiple undos)
  • Color Management
  • Magnetic Lasso
  • Editable type and type layers
  • Layer Effects
  • Measure Tool

Photoshop 5.5 (February 1999)

  • Save for Web
  • Extract and Image Ready
  • Image Slicing and Rollover effects for web Graphics
  • Web Photo Gallery Automation
  • Magic Eraser/Background Eraser

Photoshop 6.0

Introduced: September 2000

Codename: Venus in Firs

Features

  • Vector Shapes
  • Liquify filter
  • Layer Styles and Blending
  • Text Warp
  • Content Layers

Photoshop 7.0

Introduced: March 2002

Codename: Liquid Sky

Features

  • Healing Brush
  • Camera RAW
  • Painting
  • Polygon Lasso Tool

Next page: Photoshop CS and CC timeline

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