Adobe brings desktop-grade Photoshop to iPhone

For years, opening Adobe’s Photoshop Express on a phone felt like ordering a steak and getting a lukewarm hot dog. It had the iconic branding, but in reality, it was just another casual filter app in the same lane as Facetune or Picsart.

Now, Adobe is finally giving mobile users the real deal. The company just launched a brand new Photoshop app for iPhone worldwide, with an Android release slated for later this year.

This isn't a minor redesign. It is a genuine attempt to bring actual desktop-grade editing, layer workflows, and generative AI into your pocket, specifically rebuilt for touch controls.

Layers are free, classics are locked

Adobe went surprisingly generous with the free tier. Anyone downloading the app gets core Photoshop staples right away, including layers, masks, selections, blend modes, and the Spot Healing Brush.

It also hooks directly into Creative Cloud apps like Lightroom, Fresco, and Adobe Express, alongside full access to Firefly-powered Generative Fill and Generative Expand.

That said, Adobe made sure professionals still have reasons to swipe their credit card. Powerhouse tools like the Magic Wand, Object Select, Clone Stamp, Content-Aware Fill, and the dedicated Remove Tool are locked behind a paywall.

Unlocking those requires a Photoshop Mobile and Web subscription priced at $7.99 a month or $69.99 a year. If you already pay for a desktop Photoshop plan, mobile access is included at no extra cost.

Why it matters

We think Adobe had no choice but to launch this app. Mobile creators have moved on from simple crop-and-filter utilities, and Adobe was clearly losing ground.

Photoshop Express downloads on iOS have been falling, Canva has been aggressively rolling out generative AI features, and Apple closed its acquisition of Pixelmator earlier this month to tighten its grip on creative software.

For designers, having real layer management and Firefly on a phone is genuinely useful for quick client edits or concepting on the go. If you are already paying for Creative Cloud, downloading this is a no-brainer.

However, Adobe’s mobile lineup looks increasingly messy from the outside. Users now have Photoshop Express, Adobe Express, and this new Photoshop all competing for attention in the App Store, and figuring out which app does what is going to create real confusion.