WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to send photos and videos easily to your contacts. While WhatsApp has basic editing tools built-in, you may want more advanced options to add effects, filters, stickers, text and more to your photos before sharing them.
Can you edit photos on WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp does allow you to edit photos directly within the app. The built-in WhatsApp photo editor provides the following basic tools:
- Crop: Crop your photo to focus on key subjects or resize it.
- Rotate: Rotate your photo 90 degrees left or right if needed.
- Filters: Add a filter for color effects like black & white, vintage, pop art.
- Doodle: Draw or add text on your photos.
While handy for quick tweaks, the WhatsApp photo editor lacks more precise editing features like exposure, saturation, and curves adjustments. For more advanced photo editing, you’ll need to use a separate photo editing app before sharing photos on WhatsApp.
How to edit photos on WhatsApp
Here are the steps to edit a photo on WhatsApp using the built-in photo editor:
- Open the WhatsApp chat where you want to share the photo.
- Tap the Attach button (paperclip icon) and select Photo/Video.
- Select a photo from your phone’s gallery to upload.
- Once the photo loads, tap the Edit (pencil) icon at the top.
- This opens the WhatsApp photo editor. Here you can:
- Drag the corners of the crop tool to resize/crop your photo.
- Tap Rotate to rotate 90° left or right.
- Tap Filters to apply a filter effect.
- Tap the Doodle icon to draw, add text, emojis or stickers.
- When done, tap Done (check mark) to save changes.
- Tap Send to share the edited photo.
And that’s it! While basic, the WhatsApp photo editor lets you make quick tweaks to optimize photos before sharing. Now let’s look at using more advanced photo editing apps.
Best photo editing apps for WhatsApp
Here are some of the best free photo editor apps for Android and iOS to use before sharing photos on WhatsApp:
| App | Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Snapseed | Android, iOS | Advanced filters and tools like healing, brush, HDR, perspective |
| Adobe Lightroom CC | Android, iOS | Pro editing tools for exposure, color, lighting, geometry, watermarking |
| Pixlr | Android, iOS | Layers, masks, overlays, abstract background effects |
| PhotoGrid | Android, iOS | Templates, collages, frames, stickers, text, effects |
| Canva | Android, iOS | Graphic design, templated collages, shapes, quotes |
| Adobe Photoshop Fix | iOS | AI-powered tools for facial retouching, liquify, heal, patch |
Many of these apps provide professional-grade tools for precise editing that WhatsApp lacks. Let’s go over the steps for editing a photo with Snapseed before sharing on WhatsApp.
How to edit photos with Snapseed for WhatsApp
Snapseed is a free photo editor app for iOS and Android developed by Google. It provides advanced AI-powered tools and filters for precise photo enhancements. Here is how to use Snapseed to edit photos before sending on WhatsApp:
- Open Snapseed and tap on the photo you want to edit. You can select photos directly from your phone’s gallery.
- Tap on Tools at the bottom and you will see the editing options. Some key tools are:
- Tune Image – Adjust exposure, contrast, saturation, etc.
- Crop – Crop and rotate
- Heal – Remove unwanted objects by patching over
- Brush – Draw/paint over portions of the image
- Tap on a tool to open it and edit your photo as needed. Each tool has sliders and presets to adjust the intensity.
- When done, tap Apply at the bottom to save the edits for that tool.
- Use multiple tools to keep editing until you are satisfied.
- Finally, tap the Save icon at the top right (floppy disk) to export the edited photo.
- Go to WhatsApp and attach the edited photo from your gallery to share.
Snapseed makes photo editing easy with simple, swipe-based controls. The app combines professional editing tools with AI capabilities for stunning enhancements not possible on WhatsApp’s built-in editor.
Photo editing tips for WhatsApp
Here are some useful photo editing tips and tricks to keep in mind for sharing great photos on WhatsApp:
Enhance lighting
Proper lighting can make or break a photo. Use editing tools to enhance lighting like exposure, brightness, contrast, shadows and highlights. Snapseed’s Tune Image filter provides an easy way to dial in the perfect lighting.
Boost colors
Make dull, bland photos pop with increased color saturation and warmth. But don’t overdo it. Subtle color enhancements look most natural. Try tools like white balance and color filters.
Crop for focus
Cropping helps remove distractions and focus the viewer on key parts of the photo. Use grid assist tools while cropping to align the subject based on photography rule of thirds.
Add text captions
Text and captions help convey the story behind photos. Use speech bubbles, banners or annotations to highlight subjects. Pick complementary fonts, sizes, and colors.
Try filter presets
Filters provide quick enhancements with just 1 tap. Many apps now have AI-powered filters that intelligently analyze the photo and apply suitable adjustments.
Create mini collages
Arrange 2-4 photos in a mini collage to showcase highlights from an event or trip. Pick complementary photos and use borders, spacing, and alignment tools.
Heal and clone out objects
Unwanted people or objects in a photo? Use healing and cloning tools to remove them by patching over the area with surrounding content.
Correct perspective
Building or walls looking skewed? Fix perspective distortion using vertical/horizontal perspective tools to align elements accurately.
Mastering even basic photo editing can take your WhatsApp photos to the next level. With the right edits, your photos will really stand out in chats!
FAQs about WhatsApp Photo Editing
Here are some frequently asked questions about editing photos for WhatsApp:
Does WhatsApp reduce photo quality?
Yes, WhatsApp does compress photos to reduce file size. It downscales images to about 1-3 megapixels. Larger 12-16 megapixel photos from DSLRs and high-end phones will see quality reduction. But this won’t be very noticeable on phone screens.
What photo size does WhatsApp support?
WhatsApp allows sharing photos up to 16 megapixels in size per image. The maximum size limit is 64 MB per image. Within chats, it displays thumbnails of photos while retaining the full size photo quality when tapping to open the image fully.
Can you edit photos previously sent on WhatsApp?
No, you cannot edit a photo that’s already been sent on WhatsApp. Your only option is to delete the sent photo from the chat and resend it after editing. You also cannot edit a received photo on WhatsApp.
Does WhatsApp reduce video quality?
Yes, WhatsApp compresses videos to smaller file sizes before sending much like photos. Video is reduced to 720p at 30 fps maximum. High-resolution or 60 fps videos will see quality loss. But the compression is optimized to still appear decent.
Can you edit the background of photos on WhatsApp?
No, WhatsApp does not have native tools to edit photo backgrounds or blur/change bokeh. You will need to use separate editing apps to edit the background before sending the photo on WhatsApp.
Is Snapseed the best app for editing WhatsApp photos?
Snapseed is one of the best overall editing apps for improving WhatsApp photos with its precise tools and smart filters powered by AI. But apps like Lightroom, Pixlr, Photoshop Fix also have great tools based on your specific editing needs.
Knowing how to properly edit photos before sharing on WhatsApp can really level up your chat experience. With a myriad of mobile editing apps available, you have the power to give photos that perfect professional polish.
Conclusion
Editing photos before sharing on WhatsApp is a great way to enhance your chats and showcase your memories and experiences in the best light. While WhatsApp has basic editing built-in, third party editing apps like Snapseed unlock more precise control over lighting, color, text, filters and more.
Try out some of the top photo editor apps and start editing your WhatsApp photos today. With practice, you’ll learn how to optimize photos properly to look stunning when shared in chats. Just be careful not to overdo it! Subtlety goes a long way in photo editing. A few simple tweaks to light and color can work magic.