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
