Picview

PicView is an image viewing application for macOS. It displays graphic files, allows pinning images to the desktop, and accesses EXIF metadata. The interface is controlled with keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gestures.

★★★★★

5.0(1 ratings)

• Direct viewing. The application opens image files without needing to import or manage a library. Files are displayed instantly upon selection. Navigation between images in a folder is done with the arrow keys. The mouse wheel controls the zoom level on the displayed image.
• Trackpad compatibility. Navigation uses standard system gestures. A two-finger swipe switches between images. A pinch gesture adjusts the view zoom. These gestures work in both windowed and full-screen modes.
• Full keyboard support. All main functions have assigned keyboard shortcuts. The left and right arrows change the image. The up and down arrows adjust the zoom level. The Command key combined with arrow keys allows panning the view when the image is larger than the window.
• Adaptive window format. The size of the viewing window can be fixed or automatically adjust to the size of the loaded image. This mode keeps the window always sized to the content, without superfluous borders.
• Support for multiple formats. The viewer processes more than thirty graphic file formats. It includes common formats like PNG, JPG, GIF, and BMP, and camera RAW formats like CR2, CR3, and NEF. It also supports modern formats like HEIC and WEBP.
• EXIF metadata display. The application extracts and presents technical information stored in the image. It shows the camera model, the lens used, aperture setting, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and capture date. This information is presented in a dedicated panel.
• Optimization for tall images. The viewer automatically detects images with a pronounced vertical aspect ratio. In these cases, the view is initially positioned at the top of the image. Vertical scrolling and zooming allow inspecting all the details.
• Slideshow mode. The automatic playback function changes images at regular intervals. It supports loop playback and random order. It can run in a window or in full-screen mode for a distraction-free view.
• Multi-window mode. Allows opening multiple images in independent windows for comparison. It is also possible to overlay views in a single window. The choice of mode depends on the user's task.
• Folder navigation. After authorizing storage access, the application allows browsing the entire directory structure. When opening an image, all graphic files contained in its source folder can be accessed through sequential navigation.
• Pinning images to the desktop. Any image or text fragment can become a fixed element on the desktop. These elements remain visible on top of other windows. They are created by pasting content from the clipboard.
• Management of pinned items. Fixed items on the desktop support interaction. A double-click on a pinned image opens the full view of that image. The mouse wheel adjusts the zoom of the pinned item. An additional double-click closes or minimizes the item.
• Operations on pinned images. Images converted into desktop elements retain basic functionality. They can be flipped horizontally or vertically. They can be mirrored. These operations are performed from the item's context menu.
• Pasting from clipboard. The pinning function accepts content copied to the system clipboard. It automatically detects whether the content is an image, plain text, or HTML. It converts that content into a new pinned element at the current cursor location.

PicView's development began in 2021. The project's creator is Chitaner. The application is programmed in the Swift language, using native macOS frameworks to guarantee integration and performance.

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