Krita is purpose-built for digital painting rather than photo editing, with an outstanding brush engine, excellent drawing-tablet support, and features aimed at comic and concept artists including frame-by-frame animation.
Why choose Krita?
Krita is purpose-built for digital painting rather than photo editing, with an outstanding brush engine, excellent drawing-tablet support, and features aimed at comic and concept artists including frame-by-frame animation.
Krita is open source, so the source code is public, the licence cannot be withdrawn, and no company can move it behind a paywall later. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and it comes from Krita Foundation rather than from a repackager — this page sends you to krita.org, the publisher's own site, so what you install is the authentic signed build.
Worth comparing before you commit: Krita vs GIMP, Krita vs Inkscape, Krita vs Paint.NET.
Krita features
- Exceptional customisable brush engine
- Excellent graphics tablet support
- Frame-by-frame animation tools
- Comic panel and perspective assistants
How to download and install Krita on Windows
- Use the official source. The download button on this page opens krita.org, the publisher's own site — that is the safe route. If you would rather we double-check the current link first, ask and we email it. Either way, never take a krita download from a mirror or a "download manager" portal, which is where bundled adware comes from.
- Pick the build for your system. Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. On Windows take the 64-bit package unless you are on an old 32-bit installation.
- Run the installer and accept the defaults. Krita Foundation ships no bundled extra software with it, so there is nothing to untick.
- Open it once before you need it. Confirming it launches and sees your files or hardware takes a minute now and saves a problem later.
- Keep it updated. Update from inside the program or from krita.org — update prompts arriving by email or pop-up are not from the publisher.
Downloading Krita in India
Krita is the same software worldwide — there is no separate India build, no regional licence and nothing extra to pay. A krita download in India gets the identical package everyone else receives, straight from krita.org.
We link only to that official source, so a krita setup download India from this page cannot arrive wrapped in a third-party installer. That matters more than download speed: the adware people blame on "free software" almost always comes from a mirror site, never from the publisher.
Is Krita really free?
Open Source. Source code is public; free to use, study and modify. You can download and use it without paying, and without creating an account with us.
How to download Krita safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for krita.org — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic, digitally signed build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Krita. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Krita
Other free photo & graphics software worth comparing before you decide:
GIMP
The best-known free alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
View details
Inkscape
Professional vector illustration — the free Illustrator alternative.
View details
Paint.NET
The sweet spot between MS Paint and Photoshop.
View detailsdarktable
Non-destructive RAW photo workflow — the free Lightroom alternative.
View detailsSee all Krita alternatives compared →
Compare Krita head-to-head
Frequently asked questions
Is the Krita download free?
Yes. Krita is open-source software — free to download, use and keep, with no paid edition, no trial period and no feature held behind a key.
Is Krita safe to download?
It is, provided it comes from krita.org — Krita Foundation's own site, which is where the link we send you points. We host no installer of our own and never repackage software. Nearly every "free software gave me a virus" story traces back to a third-party download portal rather than the publisher.
Which platforms does Krita run on?
Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Take the build that matches your operating system; on Windows that means the 64-bit package unless you are running an old 32-bit installation.
Do I need an account to download Krita?
Not with us — FreeSoftwareX has no accounts, no paywall and no download gate. Ask for the link and we email it to you. Krita Foundation may ask you to register on their own site, which is their choice rather than ours.
What are the best free alternatives to Krita?
The closest free photo & graphics options are GIMP, Inkscape, Paint.NET. Each is listed here with its own licence, platforms and features so you can compare them properly rather than guessing.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Krita is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from krita.org.