Windows and macOS come pre-installed with a program that can open and edit text files. It's called TextEdit on Macs and Notepad on Windows, but neither are quite as advanced as some of the third-party applications that are available today.
The following applications are the best free HTML editors for Macintosh, both WYSIWYG and text editors, rated from best to worst. Each editor listed will have a score, percentage, and a link to more information. Filmora for Mac. Filmora by Wondershare is a powerful video editing application for your Mac machine running OS X 10.10 or later. Its intuitive design makes it easy for anyone to create great videos using its array of advanced features. DrawPlus Starter edition is completely free, and is a really easy vector graphics editor to use if you are just starting with vector graphics editing. This free vector drawing software lets you draw, paint, and sketch, and can create professional quality logos and vector graphic images. These were some of the Best Text Editors for MAC 2018 which we could find for your Mac computers. You can try them out and know which one serves your purpose the best. You can try them out and know which one serves your purpose the best.
Most of the text editors below need to be downloaded to your computer before you can use them, but all of them provide their own unique set of features that set them apart from the default software programs that come with Windows and Mac.
The Best Software for Creating Digital Art from Photographs, Version 7 (8/13/2018) Interested in turning photographs into works of digital art, such as cartoons, charcoal drawings, ink drawings, oil paintings, pastel drawings, and watercolors? In this article, I am writing about 10 best text editors for Mac OS. Most of these are not just text editors but code editors as well. So, you also do not need to download a separate code editor if you are into coding. Free and cheap variants exist The Best Free & Paid Image Editors for Mac OS X The Best Free & Paid Image Editors for Mac OS X We thought it was about time we compiled a list of our favourite raster image editors for Mac OS X. Read More, and they provide some compelling alternatives.
Why Use a Text Editor?
A text editor lets you open a file as a text document, something that can be useful for a number of reasons:
- Create a file from scratch using a specific programming language, like an HTML or CSS file for use on a website
- Edit or build files that end with the TXT, REG, XML, CSV, ASP, BAT, AU3, PHP, AHK, SVG, or JS file extension, among many others
- View the text version of a file that you don't know the format for
- Quickly remove formatting like bold, custom font types, URL hyperlinks, etc.
If you just need a super quick way to strip the formatting from some text, try this online text editor. To make a .TXT file online without downloading a program, try Edit Pad.
Notepad++
What We Like
Tabbed interface
Automatically restores recently opened, unsaved files
Auto-completes as you write
Includes tons of really helpful features like macros, syntax highlighting, and plugins
Opens basically any file as a text document
There's a portable version available
Notepad++ is the best alternative notepad application for Windows computers. It’s really easy to use for basic users who just need a text file opener or editor but also includes some really advanced features for those interested.
This program uses tabbed browsing which means you can open multiple documents at once and they'll display at the top of Notepad++ as tabs. While each tab represents its own file, Notepad++ can interact with all of them at once to do things like compare files for differences and search for or replace text.
Probably the easiest way to edit files with Notepad++ is to right-click the file and choose Edit with Notepad++ from the context menu.
This program can open nearly any file as a text document and supports lots of helpful plugins. It also includes a really handy text search/replace function, highlights syntax automatically, auto-completes words, and is the best offline text file converter.
The Notepad++ Find option lets you search for words with criteria like backward direction, match whole word only, match case, and wrap around.
Also supported is bookmarking, macros, auto-backup, multi-page searching, resumed sessions, read-only mode, encoding conversions, and the ability to search for words on Wikipedia and quickly open the document in your web browser.
Notepad++ also supports plugins to do things like auto-save open documents, merge all the text from open documents into one main file, align programming code, monitor open documents to refresh them as they change, copy and paste more than one item from the clipboard at once, and lots more.
Notepad++ lets you save text documents to a huge variety of formats like TXT, CSS, ASM, AU3, BASH, BAT, HPP, CC, DIFF, HTML, REG, HEX, JAVA, SQL, VBS, and many others.
Notepad++ works with Windows only, both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. You can also grab a portable version of Notepad++ from the download page; one is in the ZIP format and the other is a 7Z file.
Brackets
What We Like
Perfect for an uncluttered, minimal working space
Supports split-screen editing
Includes code-specific syntax highlighting
Can view updates for some files live in your web browser
Lets you use keyboard shortcuts
Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS
Plugins are supported to add extra features
What We Don't Like
Built mainly for people with code development in mind, so most of the features are centered around project files, displaying code, etc.
Brackets is a free text editor that's primarily meant for web designers, but can of course be used by anyone to view or edit a text document.
The interface is extremely clean and modern and feels really easy to use despite all of its advanced settings. In fact, nearly all of the options are hidden away from plain site so that it's easy for anyone to use, which also provides an extremely open UI for editing.
Code writers might like that Brackets highlights syntax, can split the screen to edit more than one document simultaneously, lets you click one No Distractions button for a really simple interface, and supports lots of keyboard shortcuts so that you can quickly indent, duplicate, move between lines, toggle line and block comments, show or hide code hints, and more.
You can quickly change the file type you're working with to instantly change syntax highlighting rules, as well as change the encoding of the file if you need to.
If you're editing a CSS or HTML file, you can enable the Live Preview option to watch the page update in real time in your web browser as you make changes to the file.
The Working Files area is where you can open all of the files that belong to a single project, and quickly move between them without leaving Brackets.
Some examples of plugins you can use in Brackets includes one to support W3C validation, Ungit to make it easier to use Git, an HTML tag menu, and Python tools.
Brackets comes installed with both a dark and a light theme that you can change at any time, but there are dozens of others that you can install through the Extensions Manager.
Brackets is available as a DEB, MSI, and DMG file for use in Linux, Windows, and macOS, respectively.
Komodo Edit
What We Like
Very attractive and modern interface
You can make virtual projects to bring together files from various locations
Supports unique features not found in similar text editors
Changing the interface setup is easy with one click
The tabbed interface is easy to work with
Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
What We Don't Like
It's a bit complex — even with its minimal UI — for people who want just a simple text editor
Komodo Edit is another free text editor with a super clear and minimal design that still manages to pack some awesome features.
Various view modes are included so that you can quickly open or close specific windows. One is “Focus Mode” to hide all of the open windows and just display the editor, and the others show/hide things like folders, the syntax checker results, and notifications.
This program makes it very easy to open text documents even while one is currently open. At the very top of the program is the path to the currently opened file, and you can select the arrow next to any folder to get a list of files, any of which will open as a new tab in Komodo Edit if you select it.
The folder views off to the side of Komodo Edit are also really useful since they let you browse through the file system as well as create virtual projects that link folders and files together to better organize what you need to work on.
A unique feature in Komodo Edit is the area at the upper-left side of the program that lets you not only undo and redo like most programs, but also go back to the previous cursor location, as well as go forward to return to where you just were.
Here are some other Komodo Edit features worth noting:
- Can connect to a remote FTP server to open and/or save files
- Supports bookmarking specific areas of the document
- Lets you switch to a huge number of file types to highlight syntax differently and to save under that format
- The 'Go to Anything' search box lets you search for files to open, install add-ons, run scripts and commands, open menus, install other languages, change the color scheme, and more
- Recently closed tabs and files are easy to re-open
- Lets you preview files in a web browser
- Templates can be built out of existing files
- A 'Watch File' option can open a document in a new window for reference withouting being added to the tabbed list of files you're editing
- Records macros that can be played back to repeat things
This text editor works with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Visual Studio Code
What We Like
Whole folders can be opened at once to open all of the text files
A minimal interface is just one click away
Supports tabs for easy file tracking
Includes a debugger; perfect for source code editing
What We Don't Like
Centered primarily around editing and debugging code, so it could be too much for the average user
Settings are difficult to change
Visual Studio Code is a free text editor that's used primarily as a source code editor.
The program is extremely minimal and even has a 'Zen Mode' option one click away that immediately hides all the menus and windows, and maximizes the program to fill the whole screen.
The tabbed browsing interface seen with other text editors is supported in Visual Studio Code as well, which makes it really easy to work with multiple documents at once.
You can also open entire folders of files at once if you're working on a project, and even save the project for easy retrieval later.
However, this text editor probably isn't ideal unless you plan to use it for programming purposes. There are entire sections dedicated to debugging code, viewing command outputs, managing source control providers, and even using a built-in Command Prompt.
The settings are also not as intuitive to adjust since you have to modify them using the text editor; the settings are entirely text-based.
Here are some features you might find useful in this program:
- You can open whole folders at once from the right-click context menu
- A 'Change All Occurrences' option makes it easy to select and edit text you want to change throughout the entire document in one sweep
- Similar is the 'Rename Refactoring' option to change the name of a symbol in every instance of it across all the documents in your project
- Opening recently closed documents is easy since they're listed in the same place
- The 'IntelliSense' feature helps to automatically fill in code based on surrounding text and the location of the cursor in the document
- Files can be auto-saved if you turn the option on
- A document can quickly be reverted back to the state it was in when you last saved it
- The editing space can be split into multiple windows for side-by-side reading and editing
- Dozens of keyboard shortcuts are allowed and fully editable, such as one to copy/paste an entire line of code directly above or below the current position
- You can change the color theme of the program as well as the theme of icons
- Extensions can be installed to add more features to Visual Studio Code, such as one to debug JavaScript code in the Chrome browser and another to run programming code directly from the text editor
- When searching for text strings, you can define whether to match the case and/or the whole word
Visual Studio Code can be installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
The default iOS Photos app has tons of photo editing optionsDid You Know the iPhone's Basic Photo App Can Do This?Did You Know the iPhone's Basic Photo App Can Do This?Apart from being a home for all of your device's photos and videos, Photos is full of surprises.Read More. Fortunately if you like tweaking your photos further, there are many more free and paid apps to get the job done, turn them into artwork, and make you looking stunning.
Keep in mind that not even the best photo editing app can salvage a badly-taken photo. It’s therefore worth spending a few minutes brushing up on how you can quickly improve your photos13 Tips to Quickly Improve Your Photos13 Tips to Quickly Improve Your PhotosGood photos and bad photos aren't determined by cameras but by photographers. Here are 13 tips that will quickly improve your photos.Read More and absorbing our simple tricks to boosting your smartphone photography10 Simple Tricks to Boost Your Smartphone Photography10 Simple Tricks to Boost Your Smartphone PhotographyThere are a few tips that are especially useful when you're taking shots with your phone; they'll help you take your pictures from 'blah' to 'fantastic' in no time!Read More.
After analyzing over 20 iOS photo editing apps, we’ve selected the best apps for 11 different purposes.
Best Free Editing App: Snapseed
If you like tweaking your photos and don’t want to spend a dime, then Google’s Snapseed might be the only app you’ll ever need. It contains nine editing tools (including Crop, Transform, Rotate, Tune Image, and Vignette) and 12 filters (including Lens Blur, Grunge, Noir, and Black & White). You can even add a lens blur effect by selectively focusing on a given area of your photograph, while gently blurring the rest.
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With such a wide palette of features, the app does take some getting used to, but I found myself using it intuitively after a week. Snapseed has useful tutorials to tell you what each effect does and how you can use it to breathe life into even your dullest photos.
Best Paid Editing App: Enlight ($3.99)
Enlight costs $3.99, but it’s worth paying for if you want to ensure your photos get the treatment they deserve. Launch the app to see the eight tools on the right. Selecting one tool reveals further sub-tools below it. Selecting one these sub-tools reveals a slider of options at the bottom. Again, you can swipe right or left to modify the intensity of the effect you choose, so there really is a lot to explore.
For example, select Image, then Clarity, where you’ll see 10 filters at the bottom that let you tweak the photo’s brightness, saturation, and sharpening. Unlike Snapseed, this app also lets you turn your photos into artwork, add text boxes, borders, frames, and even create a multiple photo collage.
Best App for Presets: Photoshop Express (free)
Adobe Photoshop has been the undisputed PC photo editing championWhat Can You Actually Do With Adobe Photoshop?What Can You Actually Do With Adobe Photoshop?Photoshop can now do a lot more than just edit photos; some of the tools from programs like Illustrator have made their way into the software and vice versa.Read More since forever, so it’s a wonder it took Adobe so long to perfect the mobile app. That said, the app now feels like an Adobe product with all the tools you’ll need to edit your photos. Even though some effects require an Adobe subscription, you won’t need them if you’re just looking for basic edits.
An Adobe PC staple that’s well implemented in the mobile apps is the ability to add your own ‘custom looks and presets’ – something designers rely a lot on in the PC version. So, for example, you can add your own effects, filter, and frame, then apply the same formatting to multiple photos in one go. You will need to sign in with an Adobe ID to use this, but it’s completely free.
Best App for Perspective Correction: SKRWT ($1.99)
Most editing apps offer the same features – cropping, adjusting various parameters like contrast and brightness, removing red eye, and so on. SKRWT is a breath of fresh air in this regard because it only lets you correct the perspective of your photo. Choose a relevant alignment tool at the bottom, then swipe right or left to tweak your alignment.
You can change your photo’s length, breadth, and even its diagonal perspective. SKRWT also has tools to stretch or compress your photo, though you probably won’t need them. Features you may need after alignment are its useful rotate, crop, and lens blur tools. It costs a few dollars, but if you’re looking for an interesting take on the usual iOS photo editing apps this is it.
Best for Memes: Aviary Photo Editor (free, in-app purchases) [No Longer Available]
Apart from the usual array of editing options, Aviary’s free app also lets you add text and draw on your photos. This can be useful if you want to create a birthday card or a quick invitations. It even has a Meme mode, which lets you add text at the top and bottom of your photo. Read a brief overview of what makes a good meme and how to create your ownA Brief Overview of Internet Memes & How You Can Quickly Create Your OwnA Brief Overview of Internet Memes & How You Can Quickly Create Your OwnRead More. The app also lets you purchase more effect packs and stickers for 99 cents each (a few of these come free).
Best For Focus Adjustment: After Focus ($0.99)
Great photographers master the art of getting the right object in focus, while gently blurring out the rest of the image (read about how autofocus worksHow Does Autofocus Actually Work?How Does Autofocus Actually Work?Autofocus is a feature of modern cameras that's easy to take for granted, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself how it works? How does your smartphone do it so easily?Read More). Even though mobile phones let you tap to select your area of focus, the rest of the image doesn’t get blurred out completely. There’s no way to adjust aperture in most photo apps, so this effect can be difficult to achieve in all but low light.
After Focus is an iPhone app that lets you select the area you want to focus on (by drawing around it), after which it automatically blurs out the rest of your image. With the amount of granular control After Focus gives you, it’s another great app that does one thing but does it well.
Best for Beautification: Facetune ($3.99)
Most of us are not blessed with flawless skin and stunning pearly whites. Thankfully, this app can transform anyone’s appearance to rival that of a supermodel. Select your facial editing feature at the bottom (Whiten, Smooth, Erase – for blemishes) then swipe across to apply that effect to your photograph. You can make your smile wider, eyes more radiant, and even cover your bald patches with hair. It’s a brilliant app if you belong to the selfie-obsessed category – like me.
Best Free App for Filters: Instagram
Instagram needs no introduction. It lets you add a range of filters to your photos, tweak the intensity of the filter, and add subtle lens blur effects. The Facebook-owned app also has a vibrant community of users who use the app for various purposes – mainly to give the rest of us opulence, food, and travel envy.
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Some users have soared to popularity purely on the basis of their Instagram photos. That said, it’s a great app because it can enhance otherwise dull photos in just a few taps. Read about these 10 useful Instagram tricks10 Instagram Tricks You Didn't Know Existed10 Instagram Tricks You Didn't Know ExistedInstagram is constantly evolving and updating, and things change quickly. Let's find a few more cool hacks to rock the photo-based social network!Read More that you probably don’t know.
Best Paid App for Filters: Afterlight ($0.99)
If you thought Instagram had the most filters, think again. After Light has far more filters and it even lets you merge two filters to create a completely new effect.
Best Editing Software
You can modify the effects of each filter, as well as turn your photos into shapes or alphabets – useful if you’re printing birthday cards or posters.
Best for Creating Instant Artwork: Prisma (free)
If your Facebook News Feed resembles endless Van Gogh paintings, don’t panic. It’s all thanks to Prisma – the new app that been making headlines ever since it launched a few weeks ago. There are (too) many effects to choose from, and you can modify the intensity of each effect by swiping across the photo. It sounds relatively simple, but sometimes that’s precisely what works.
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Best for Creating Unique Artwork: Repix (free)
We’ve written about the best free apps to turn your photos into artwork5 Free Apps to Turn Photos Into Art on Android, iPhone, or Web5 Free Apps to Turn Photos Into Art on Android, iPhone, or WebTurn your selfies into art with these free creative tools and join the new filter craze that is now taking over the internet.Read More, but Repix didn’t make that list. If you want to instantly turn your photos into artwork, stick to Prisma. If you prefer having more granular control over how you turn your photos into artwork, then install Repix.
Simply select a brush at the bottom, then tap or swipe over your photo to turn it into a painting or artwork. It’s a doddle to add raindrops or selectively blur out certain parts of your photo. Don’t worry if you get carried away adding too many effects because the Undoer brush lets you quickly remove any mistakes. While the app took a toll on my wrists, the end results were well worth it.
What’s Your Favorite Photo Editing App?
As you can clearly see, there’s no dearth of photo editing apps on the App Store. Ultimately, the decision comes down to which app makes your life easier, both in terms of features and ease of use. Like us, you may also use a combination of free and paid apps to serve different purposes.
Which is your favorite iOS photo editor and why? Let us know by posting your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Explore more about: Image Editor, Instagram, iPhone, iPhoneography, Smartphone Photography.
Thanks for the awesome list!
I’ve finally decided to give in to maximizing my iPhone’s full photography potential.
I also like KrojamSoft PhotoViewerPro. You should try this...