8 best GIMP plugins and how to install them

The plugin turns GIMP into a great program. They add new features, improve user workflows and make GIMP one of the best free alternatives for Photoshop.

But it's a bit complicated. The entire GIMP plugin experience is not user friendly. They can be hard to find, difficult to install and there are many problems with compatibility.

But don't worry because today's article will help you answer any questions. In this tutorial, you will be given instructions on where to find the best GIMP plugins and how to install them. Let's start finding out now!

Where to find GIMP Plugin

The GIMP plugin is a bit confusing. The previously used plugins are concentrated in the GIMP Registry, but it no longer exists. That means the plugins are currently scattered all over the Internet.

Some plugins are very old. In many cases, they have not been updated for more than a decade. There is no guarantee that these plugins will be compatible with the latest versions of GIMP. Indeed, popular plugins like GIMP DDS or BIMP are no longer active.

How to install GIMP Plugin

Sure, the installation process is also complicated. There are two main ways to install GIMP plugins.

The first is manual. If your plugin is in a ZIP file, you need to copy the content into GIMP's Plug-in and Scripts folder .

1. Extract the downloaded file.

2. In GIMP, go to Preferences> Folders . Locate the Plug-in and Scripts sections .

There are two folders in each section. One is the system directory, one is the user directory. Select the following option and then click Show file location in the file manager to open the file.

4. If your downloaded files are in PY format, move them to the Plug-ins folder .

5. If they are in SCM format, move them to the Scripts folder .

6. Now, restart GIMP.

The second way is the automated method. Some plugins are bundled with their own installers. Just double click the plugin and install it as you would any other application.

The installer is platform-specific, so you can find plugins available only for Windows, and not available for Linux or Mac. Also, remember that opening a random installer on the Internet is a risky task, so make sure your antivirus software is up-to-date and running properly.

There is a third option, which is to install a customized version of the entire GIMP application. A popular version found at partha.com comes with some pre-installed plugins, including Resynthesizer and G'MIC.

The best GIMP plugins

This is one of the best GIMP plugins at the moment.

1. DarkTable

GIMP 2.10 is one of the best free photo editing applications you can get. You can even use it with your RAW image, but you need to add your own RAW editor first. There are two main options, DarkTable.org and RawTherapee.com.

Both are worth testing, but more people prefer DarkTable because the interface is easy to access, easier to use and some advanced features include masking tools.

After installation, you can drag your RAW image into GIMP and it will launch DarkTable, where you can start editing. This effect is like what you get with the combination of Photoshop and the famous RAW Adobe Camera.

2. G'MIC

Another plugin for photo editors, G'MIC provides more than 500 filters and effects that you can use to build your photos.

Its range is amazing. There are basic things like simulation and montage frames, more advanced things like noise reduction and other editing tools, even some 3D effects. You can use each feature with its default setting in just one click. But if you like, you can use a variety of sliders for each filter to customize the look and get exactly the result you want.

3. Resynthesizer

Resynthesizer is one of GIMP's oldest plugins and one of the most important plugins for GIMP. It provides a variety of tools for working with textures. You will find the main part in the Enhance menu : Heal Selection.

This plugin is equivalent to Photoshop's Fill Aware Fill tool, one of the things Photoshop can do and GIMP cannot. It allows you to remove unwanted objects completely from the picture seamlessly.

Heal Selection miraculously replaces objects that are not intertwined with the surrounding content from your photo background, and blend colors perfectly. So if you remove something from the sky, the space will be filled with the color of the sky. You often have to use the Clone tool for that and this process will take longer.

4. Hugin

Link download: http://hugin.sourceforge.net/

When you need to combine a series of photos to create panoramic images, Hugin is the best tool to use for GIMP. It's simple to get started. Just upload your image, specify some common points on each image and the application will merge them together. It will also edit inappropriate angles and exposures.

Hugin acts as a standalone application, available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

5. Wavelet Decompose

Skin repair is an integral part of a portrait photographer's skills. Wavelet Decompose is the best plugin for GIMP to do this.

Plugin using advanced frequency separation form. It divides the image into multiple layers, each containing different sets of details. This gives you very good control over the details you want to smooth or retain.

It sounds a bit complicated, right? Actually not. Just upload the plugins, then use the smooth and blur tools to make the skin really shine.

6. Duplicate to Another Image

This simple script is a real-time saver. Its name describes exactly what it does: It copies a selected area into another image file.

Can GIMP do this? Yes, but not very good. Plugin Duplicate to Another Image has more features. You can copy the selection to a new image of the same size as the original image, with the object in the same position, making it easy to change the background of the image.

Or, you can copy it into a new image and cut it to the desired size, when you want to separate individual objects. And you can copy the object to another image that you have opened.

7. Scripts Bundle

Download link: http://www.gimphelp.org/script210.html

GIMP plugins come in many sizes and complexity, but often have a specific feature that you use most often.

This collection of more than 100 scripts provides you with a variety of shortcuts for common image editing and graphic design tasks. You get a GIMP sketch plugin, a few scripts to sharpen images or add frames, and some other scripts to create effects or simulate stock movies. There are lots of interesting things you can try. All of them have been tested and fully compatible with GIMP 2.10.

8. Nik Collection

The last plugin on today's list is Nik Collection, a professional photo editing program. It gives you access to high-level features to sharpen and reduce noise, color filters, HDR effects and more. It really takes GIMP to a new level.

So why is such a good plugin at the bottom of the list? There are two reasons for this.

First, the free version of the official Nik Collection is no longer available. You can still download it from The Internet Archive and set it up if you have it installed on your PC. Second, you have to take some steps to make it work.

How to use GIMP Plugins

After you have installed your GIMP plugin, the plugin will display in one of several locations. It may appear under the Filters menu or one of the submenus there. It can also be in the Image or Layers section. Or you can get a completely new menu called Script-Fu. Sometimes, plugins (like the RAW editor) run as a separate application, enabled to launch whenever a user needs it.

When you find a plugin you like, make sure you keep a copy of the downloaded file. You never know when the plugin may disappear. Unfortunately, that is the reality of the GIMP plugin.

Plugin is not the only way to strengthen GIMP. For example, if you are looking for a GIMP watercolor plugin, you should probably use an alternative brush. Please see the article: Don't miss out on these 11 beautiful free brush sets for GIMP for more details.

Good luck!

See more:

1. How to remove pixels in GIMP
2. How to automate GIMP by script
3. GIMP or Photoshop is the right tool for you?