Snapseed 4.0 Is Here

credits: Snapseed

For a long time, a lot of mobile photographers assumed Snapseed had been abandoned. Before last year’s version 3.0 update on iOS, the app had not seen a major update since 2017, back when the iPhone X had just launched. Now, though, Google has followed that up much faster than expected with the release of Snapseed 4.0 for both iOS and Android, which is probably the strongest sign yet that the app is still actively being worked on.

Snapseed originally launched back in 2011 through Nik Software, the company best known for the Nik Collection desktop plugins before Google acquired it in 2012. After the acquisition, updates gradually slowed down, and many of Nik’s other products eventually disappeared altogether. That is why the arrival of both Snapseed 3.0 and now 4.0 has surprised quite a few people. One of the bigger changes this time is that Android users are finally getting the redesigned editing interface and film-inspired filters that had previously only made it to iOS. The app now includes a large set of analog-style looks inspired by classic film stocks from companies like Kodak, Fujifilm, and Polaroid.

Beyond the filters, Snapseed 4.0 keeps expanding the app’s editing tools. The app supports non-destructive editing, selective adjustments, healing tools, masking, batch editing, RAW editing support, and effects like halation, bloom, and dehaze. Google has also added the newer Snapseed Camera feature to Android, allowing you to preview edits and film-style filters in real time while shooting. According to the Snapseed team, version 4.0 was mainly focused on making the app easier to use while continuing to add more advanced tools. Like previous versions, the app is still completely free, with no subscriptions or in-app.