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Affinity Photo is a marvelous image editor with easy-to-use and effective tools for bringing out the best from your photography and graphics. Some users even claim it is the only photo editor you will ever need. However, you need plugins to access certain popular functions, including the industry standard Topaz collection.
Luckily, Affinity Photo can work with most Topaz Plugins. However, Topaz does not offer native support for the Affinity application suite. As a result, most but not all Topaz plugins will work as advertised. Some of them may work with reduced functionality or not at all.
No plugin will work without proper installation. Therefore, by reading further, you will learn how to add plugins to Affinity Photo. You will also learn about a handful of Topaz plugins that are known to work with the application.
Some Topaz Plugins Work with Affinity Photo
In theory, every application would come with every feature imaginable, serving as a one-stop shop for your photo editing needs. However, no application can do everything out of the box due to trade-offs in production and costs. Fortunately, you can use plugins to extend your favorite app to cover any specific task you require.
Plugins are small third-party programs that integrate into Affinity Photo to add new functionality. For instance, you can have Topaz plugins that:
- Enlarge photos for printing
- Remove noise
- Apply black and white film effects
The main advantage of using plugins is that they let you use multiple programs at once through a single common interface.
Affinity Photo Plugin Limitations
However, not all plugins will work with Affinity Photo. Serif, the developer of the Affinity suite has no control over Topaz, and therefore cannot ensure every plugin works as specified. Also, other photo editors, such as Adobe Photoshop, may use a different plugin interface, rendering their plugins incompatible with Affinity Photo.
Other common hurdles include:
- Incompatible technological specifications
- Extra costs and licensing that are separate from the main application
- Conflicts with other plugins
For example, all Topaz plugins are completely incompatible with the iOS Apple App Store version of Affinity Photo. As such, you must use the standalone version straight from Serif’s website to avoid plugin issues.
Fortunately, as Affinity Photo’s popularity grows, more plugin developers will make compatible plugins for it. Until then, always make sure that your desired plugin will work with Affinity and that the provider fully supports and maintains it.
How to Install Topaz Plugins in Affinity Photo
Even if you do manage to find a compatible Topaz Affinity Photo plugin, it will do nothing until you install it.
Luckily, the 6-step procedure for installing Affinity Photo plugins is simple and easy to understand:
- Download the Plugin from a Reputable Source – The first step is always acquiring the plugin from a reputable source such as the Topaz Labs website.
- Run the Installation File – As the file unpacks the plugin onto your computer, you must take note of the destination folder. You must tell Affinity Photo to use this folder while using the app if the installation file does not do it for you.
- Open the Affinity Photo Preferences Window – The Photoshop Plugins option should list your new plugin under Detected Plugins. If not, add the installation folder to the search options using the “Add” button.
- Allow Unknown Plugins – If the expanded search fails to find your plugin, your next step is to brute force the installation by selecting the “allow unknown plugins” Preferences option. You should then close the window and restart Affinity Photo.
- Troubleshoot the Installation – If nothing works, you should check the “Open Default Folder” option to see if the installation folder exists. If not, repeat the procedure from the beginning.
- Use Your Plugin – You will find your new plugin on the Filters menu.
Popular Topaz Plugins Compatible with Affiliate Photo
While Topaz plugins cover everything you need to bring out the best from your photos, not every plugin will work with Affinity Photo without issues.
Fortunately, the following popular plugins will work with the editor right out of the box:
- Topaz Clarity – Adjusts color, contrast, and image clarity
- Topaz DeNoise – Remove noise to sharpen your photos
- Topaz ReStyle – Dramatic color and style adjustments
- Topaz Texture Effects – Additional image texture overlays
- Topaz Impression – Additional painting effects
- Topaz B&W Effects – Adds additional black and white gradients and tools
- Topaz Adjust – Creates presets for the other plugins and their effects effects
Now you know everything about whether Topaz plugins work with Affinity photo, and some that are compatible so you can get to creating.
Conclusion
Affinity Photo is compatible with numerous Photoshop plugins, including those from Topaz Labs. However, there are some severe limitations, and not every plugin will work with all versions of Affinity Photo.
