Pixen - pixel art editor

Name: Pixen - pixel art editor
Rating: 4.7 (145 reviews)
Author: Furnace Creek Software LLC

Pixel art and animation editor

Free · In‑App Purchases

145 Ratings
Ages

4+
Years
Category

Graphics & Design
Developer

Furnace Creek Software LLC
Language

EN
English
Size

9.4
MB

Pixen is a native pixel art editor for iOS and macOS, designed for working with low-resolution raster art such as those 8-bit sprites found in old-school video games. Pixen packs all the tools pixel artists need in an intuitive, native interface including support for high zoom levels, animation editing, color palettes, and a lot more. PROJECTS GALLERY The Pixen experience starts in the projects gallery, which allows you to manage all of your creations in one place. You can import and export files in various file formats including PNG, JPEG, GIF, ICO, BMP, TIFF, SVG, and PSD. Files can be imported from your Photos library, the Files app, or the clipboard. Pixen for macOS users can take advantage of seamless iCloud sync. When you're ready, you can share your creations with friends. TOOLS AND APPLE PENCIL Leverage Pixen's wide array of tools when composing pixel art: Pencil, Eraser, Brightness, Text, Eyedropper, Zoom, Rectangular Selection, Magic Wand, Lasso, Move, Fill, Line, Rectangle, and Ellipse. All of Pixen's tools are fully compatible with Apple Pencil on iPad. You can take advantage of the double-tap gesture on Apple Pencil 2 to quickly switch to your last tool, switch to the eraser, or bring up the color picker. Pixen even has hover support when using Apple Pencil Pro, so you can see a preview of what you're about to draw before your Apple Pencil touches the screen. COLOR PALETTES With Pixen, you can add and organize commonly-used colors into palettes. Pixen can also import and export color palettes in the Adobe Color Table, Microsoft Palette, JASC Palette, and GIMP Palette formats. You can even perform palette operations such as sorting colors and removing duplicate colors directly in the app. ANIMATIONS Create and arrange image frames in the filmstrip view to piece together animations. Pixen can import animated PNGs, animated GIFs, and sprite sheets. It can export animations as animated GIFs, animated PNGs, movies, image sequences, and sprite sheets! GRID Take advantage of Pixen's grid and alignment tools and create pixel-perfect artwork. PATTERNS Define custom patterns to use while drawing with the Pencil, Line, or Eraser tool (instead of a single pixel). You can even import patterns from 1-bit images. PREVIEW While editing at high zoom levels, use the Preview feature to view the canvas scaled out. You can play back animations and tile small images, useful when working on repeated patterns. AND A LOT MORE... - Sync your creations with Pixen for Mac over iCloud and resume your work right where you left off, regardless of device. - Take advantage of the flexibility of layers and change opacities, blend modes, and more to compose creative effects. - Invert colors, convert to grayscale, apply sepia tone, remove alpha components, palettize, pixellate, adjust hue, exposure, brightness, contrast, and more. - Pixel Perfect mode removes extra pixels while drawing such that any drawn paths are at most 1 pixel in width. In other words, it removes the middle pixel of an L shape. - Pick a flat, striped, or checkered background to be drawn beneath the canvas, or set a reference image. - If you use your iPad with a keyboard, increase productivity with Pixen's wide array of keyboard shortcuts. - Export your artwork in PNG, JPEG, GIF, ICO, BMP, TIFF, SVG, and PSD file formats. - Share your creations quickly and easily via AirDrop, Messages, email, and more! - Adjust the size and position of Pixen's sidebars, customize the Apple Pencil 2 double-tap gesture, and more. Pixen is also available for macOS and is the only pixel art maker of its class that syncs projects with iCloud!

Ratings & Reviews

4.7

out of 5

145 Ratings

Pixen editor
05/15/2025

Nexgen777
This the best alternative because it pulls files from not photos but other locations.
Pixen editor
05/15/2025

Nexgen777

This the best alternative because it pulls files from not photos but other locations.
Exporting issues
01/31/2024

Cory2006
Everything Is incredible, and WAY better than the pixel software I used to use, however, whenever I try to export any of my projects it will only export photos and gifs. I really hope this gets fixed, but aside from that, a very good pixel site is going under the radar here.

Developer Response
For image projects, we support exporting PNG, JPEG, GIF, ICO, BMP, TIFF, SVG, and PSD files. For animation projects, we support exporting sprite sheets, movies, animated PNGs, and animated GIFs. Exported files can be saved to the Files app, Photos library, the clipboard, and more. Can you email us with details on what exactly you would like to see changed?
Exporting issues
01/31/2024

Cory2006

Everything Is incredible, and WAY better than the pixel software I used to use, however, whenever I try to export any of my projects it will only export photos and gifs. I really hope this gets fixed, but aside from that, a very good pixel site is going under the radar here.
Developer Response 02/03/2024
For image projects, we support exporting PNG, JPEG, GIF, ICO, BMP, TIFF, SVG, and PSD files. For animation projects, we support exporting sprite sheets, movies, animated PNGs, and animated GIFs. Exported files can be saved to the Files app, Photos library, the clipboard, and more. Can you email us with details on what exactly you would like to see changed?
Very fun
05/27/2024

Jman92112
I love to make pizza tower art on this and find it easier than aesprite and it comes out with great results etheir way! Keep up the good work!
Very fun
05/27/2024

Jman92112

I love to make pizza tower art on this and find it easier than aesprite and it comes out with great results etheir way! Keep up the good work!
Ok
02/16/2025

Jason Mark
Wish color pallet. Would stay on screen. There was an issue with sprite sheets not being pngs but that’s been fixed. Yay! Responsive developer.

Developer Response
We redid the export/sharing system in Pixen 2.2 so you should be able to export PNG sprite sheets. Please email us if you have further feedback as it's difficult to communicate back and forth via reviews.
Ok
02/16/2025

Jason Mark

Wish color pallet. Would stay on screen. There was an issue with sprite sheets not being pngs but that’s been fixed. Yay! Responsive developer.
Developer Response 02/15/2025
We redid the export/sharing system in Pixen 2.2 so you should be able to export PNG sprite sheets. Please email us if you have further feedback as it's difficult to communicate back and forth via reviews.

- Bug fixes Previously in Pixen 4: - Enjoy a refreshed design on iOS 26 with Liquid Glass - Run Pixen on iPhone for the first time and edit your projects on the go - Manage your creations more easily with the new document browser - Sync your work via third-party file providers like Dropbox - Use the app in Light Mode if you prefer a lighter environment (instead of Dark Mode) - Work in different documents in separate windows - Discover and access Pixen's features from the menu bar - Speed up drawing symmetrical objects with the Mirror X / Mirror Y options for the Pencil tool - Use the new "Clone Layer to All Frames" command to propagate layer changes to all frames in an animation, perfect for updating a background that is shared across all frames - Adjust the size of the layers / color palettes sidebar - Hide and show the layers / color palettes sidebar to free up canvas space - Hide and show tool properties to free up canvas space - Customize the toolbar to access common commands more easily - Added a new command for selecting visible pixels - Improved thumbnail rendering in the Files app