Photoshop arrives for Apple's M1 Macs – and it's unbelievable

By Daniel Piper
last updated

Creative Cloud just keeps getting better.

Apple's brand new M1 chips have been the talk of the tech world over the last week, with users blown away by the speed and battery life of the latest Macs. For digital artists, it's essential that creative software can match the hardware – but judging by the brand new beta of Photoshop for M1 Macs, that isn't going to be a problem. 

While most apps can run on M1 Macs thanks to a built-in transitionary software called Rosetta 2, native M1 apps will naturally see much-improved performance. Adobe has just released the beta version of Photoshop for M1 Macs, and it seems it will soon top our round up of the best laptops for Photoshop. Check out the best Adobe Creative Cloud discounts if you're ready to start your Creative Cloud journey. 

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MacBook Pro 2020

Photoshop is particularly fast on the M1 MacBook Pro (Image credit: Apple)

On the new M1 MacBook Pro, Photoshop opens instantly, and huge image files can be edited faster than ever before. Even when working with an image file containing numerous layers, Adobe says selecting a subject is 8 times faster on M1 Macs. Meanwhile, previously laggy features such as applying lens flare are pretty much instant.

It's important to note that beta software is not officially supported yet by Adobe, and the company has shared a list of known issues and missing features. But if you want a preview of just how fast and powerful Photoshop can be on M1 Macs, the beta is absolutely worth checking out. You can download it by manually checking for an update via Help > Check for Updates.

The beta version of Photoshop for M1 only confirms just how exciting Apple's M1 chips are for creatives, making previously slow and intensive tasks faster than ever, and potentially transforming users' workflows. Indeed, even the portable MacBook Air is now twice as fast as its predecessor, and arguably these days a 'Pro' machine. if you're tempted to pick up an M1 Mac, check out today's best deals below, and don't forget to see what offers are available as part of Apple Black Friday. 

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Daniel Piper
Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).

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