# Affinity Photo

Application: Serif

Also called affinity photo 2, serif photo

Serif, Creative

Serif's photo editor. Photo.exe is the process. It is not Photoshop. v2 is the standalone line. Canva later shipped a unified Affinity app.

## What you need to know

Affinity Photo is Photo.exe. It is not Photoshop.

Serif's Photo.exe is a raster editor. Photoshop is Adobe. Canva later shipped a unified Affinity app. A .afphoto file belongs to this product family, not a PSD.

- **What is it?**: Photo editor

  **Still current?**: Yes, see Current status

  **Official download?**: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If Photo.exe is the process, that is Affinity Photo, not Photoshop.exe. I would not hunt Creative Cloud to explain a .afphoto file.

## What is Affinity Photo?

Affinity Photo is Serif's photo editor. A .afphoto document is native. The Windows executable for v2 is Photo.exe.

## If you have never used it

Affinity Photo is Serif's raster photo editor. Photo.exe is the v2 app. It is not Photoshop. Canva acquired Serif and in 2025 launched a unified free Affinity app at affinity.studio. If Photo.exe is installed, that is still Affinity Photo 2. New downloads may be the unified app.

## What is it used for?

**Raw and photo edit**

Develop and retouch a camera file. Lightroom and Photoshop overlap. This is Photo.exe.

**Pixel persona layers**

Masks and composites. Photoshop PSD import is compatibility, not Creative Cloud.

**Export**

JPEG, PNG, or TIFF. The working file is .afphoto.

## Who is it for?

- People who bought Affinity Photo 2
- Users avoiding a Photoshop subscription
- Anyone who now sees the unified Affinity app instead

## Current status

v2 Photo.exe still runs for existing licenses. Canva's 2025 unified Affinity app is the new download path. This article is Photo.exe.

## How old is it?

Serif shipped Affinity Photo in 2015 as a one-time-purchase editor. Photo 2 arrived in 2022. In 2024 Canva bought Serif. In 2025 Canva launched a unified free Affinity app. Existing Photo.exe installs remain the v2 line.

## Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Affinity Photo 2

Unified Affinity (2025)

## System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

### Minimum

| Operating system | Windows 10 May 2020 (2004) or later, 64-bit, per Serif v2   |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| RAM              | Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more. |

## Resource profile

- **CPU demand**: Follows what you open inside the app

  **RAM demand**: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

## Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

| Photo.exe | Main Windows executable |
| --------- | ----------------------- |

## Startup components

Affinity Photo does not need to start with Windows.

## File locations

| Typical install | C:\Program Files\Affinity\Photo 2\\ |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------- |

## File formats

AFPHOTO, JPEG, PSD, TIFF

## Common problems

### Unified app vs Photo.exe

affinity.studio is the 2025 unified download. Photo.exe is Affinity Photo 2. They are not the same Start tile.

### PSD opened with missing smart objects

Compatibility is partial. Keep a PSD in Photoshop if those features matter.

## Getting unstuck

### Confirm Photo.exe

The v2 folder is Affinity Photo 2. Photoshop.exe is Adobe.

### Use the Serif or Canva account that matches the install

A v2 product key does not unlock Photoshop.

### MSIX vs MSI

Serif documents both Windows installers. Mixing them can break StudioLink.

## Alternatives

Photoshop, GIMP, and the unified Affinity app overlap. Photoshop does not replace Photo.exe for a .afphoto file.

## Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

| Download      | [affinity.serif.com/photo/ ](https://affinity.serif.com/photo/)Official installer or vendor page |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Help          | [affinity.help/photo2/ ](https://affinity.help/photo2/)Vendor support                            |
| Official site | [affinity.serif.com/photo/ ](https://affinity.serif.com/photo/)Start here, not a random exe host |

## Related hardware

Serif lists 64-bit Windows 10 version 2004 or later for v2. Large RAWs want RAM.

## Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

## Related

These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link.

[Adobe Photoshop: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/adobe-photoshop)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager)

## Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research).

- [Affinity Photo official site ](https://affinity.serif.com/photo/)· Vendor product page
- [Affinity Photo help ](https://affinity.help/photo2/)· Vendor support
- [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

## Was this article useful?

A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note.

Quick facts

The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article.

- **Developer**: Serif

  **Category**: Photo editor

  **Process**: Photo.exe

  **License**: One-time v2 purchase or later free unified Affinity

  **First released**: 2015

  **Official site**: [affinity.serif.com/photo](https://affinity.serif.com/photo/)

  **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole

Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026

---

Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/affinity-photo/)

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