The Tools Window can be hidden by pressing the F5 key or clicking the Tools Window icon.
Tools Window icon
Tools Window icon
Clicking the Tools icon or pressing F5 key again toggles the visibility of the window back on
Tools Window Contents
The Tools Window contains an icon for each of the tools. To activate a tool, click on the icon. The icon will show a border and highlighting indicating that it is the active tool. The Paintbrush is highlighted in the image below.
Tip
Hovering the mouse pointer over a tool icon shows a tool tip with the keyboard shortcut.
Tool tips
Selection Tools
Rectangle Select Rectangle Select
Use this tool to define a rectangular or square selection region. This tool is covered in detail in the Rectangle Selection Tool section.
Lasso Select Lasso Select
This tool is used to create a freeform selection region. For information on how this tool works, see the Lasso Selection Tool section.
Elliptical Select Ellipse Select
This tool makes elliptical or circular selections. To find out how to use this tool, see the Ellipse Selection Tool section.
Magic Wand Magic Wand
The Magic Wand Tool is used to select areas of the active layer that are similar in color. This tool is covered in detail in the Magic Wand Tool section.
Move Tools
Move Selected Pixels Move Selected Pixels
This is used to move pixels that are in the layer or current selection.
Move Selection Move Selection
You may use this to move or modify the selection outline without affecting any pixels in the image.
Both these Move Tools are covered in detail in the Move Tools section.
View Tools
Zoom Zoom
This tool is used to zoom in, zoom out, or expand the canvas around a particular region.
Pan Pan
This tool scrolls, or pans the image. This functionality is also usable from any other tool at any time: hold down the spacebar and then click and drag with the mouse.
Both these View Tools are covered in detail in the View Tools section.
Fill Tools
Paint Bucket Paint Bucket
This tool fills areas of similar color with a different color. For more information on this tool, visit the Paint Bucket Tool section.
Gradient Gradient
The Gradient Tool allows the drawing of gradients (a gradual blend of one color to another). Several formats and shapes are supported. The Gradient Tool also has a transparency mode, which is useful to "fade" or "blend" two images together. The Gradient Tool is covered in detail in the Gradient Tool section.
Drawing Tools
Paintbrush Paintbrush
This tool is selected by default when paint.net starts. It is used to create stripes of color just like a paint filled brush would do, hence the name. This tool is covered in detail in the Paintbrush Tool section.
Eraser Eraser
As the name suggests, this tool erases or removes areas of the image by setting the opacity, or alpha, of the pixels to 0. This tool is discussed in detail in the Eraser Tool section.
Pencil Pencil
This tool allows editing of the active layer on a pixel-by-pixel basis. See the Pencil Tool section for more information on this tool.
Photo Tools
Color Picker Color Picker
Use this tool to "pick up" a color from the active layer and set it as the current Primary or Secondary colors. See the Color Picker Tool section for more information on how this tool works.
Clone Stamp Clone Stamp
This tool is used to copy regions of pixels between different layers, or within the same layer. For a detailed discussion on how to use this tool, visit the Clone Stamp Tool section.
Recolor Recolor Tool
The Recolor Tool replaces one color with another. More information can be found in the Recolor Tool section.
Text and Shape Tools
Text Text Tool
This tool places text on the active layer. Find out how to use the Text Tool in the Text Tool section.
Line/Curve Line/Curve Tool
Draw straight or curved lines on the active layer with this tool. More can be found on this tool in the Line/Curve Tool section.
Shapes Tool Shapes Tool
This is used to draw a number of predefined shapes. This tool is covered in detail in the Shapes Tool section.
Answers & Comments
Tools Window
Tools Window
Show/Hide the Tools Window
The Tools Window can be hidden by pressing the F5 key or clicking the Tools Window icon.
Tools Window icon
Tools Window icon
Clicking the Tools icon or pressing F5 key again toggles the visibility of the window back on
Tools Window Contents
The Tools Window contains an icon for each of the tools. To activate a tool, click on the icon. The icon will show a border and highlighting indicating that it is the active tool. The Paintbrush is highlighted in the image below.
Tip
Hovering the mouse pointer over a tool icon shows a tool tip with the keyboard shortcut.
Tool tips
Selection Tools
Rectangle Select Rectangle Select
Use this tool to define a rectangular or square selection region. This tool is covered in detail in the Rectangle Selection Tool section.
Lasso Select Lasso Select
This tool is used to create a freeform selection region. For information on how this tool works, see the Lasso Selection Tool section.
Elliptical Select Ellipse Select
This tool makes elliptical or circular selections. To find out how to use this tool, see the Ellipse Selection Tool section.
Magic Wand Magic Wand
The Magic Wand Tool is used to select areas of the active layer that are similar in color. This tool is covered in detail in the Magic Wand Tool section.
Move Tools
Move Selected Pixels Move Selected Pixels
This is used to move pixels that are in the layer or current selection.
Move Selection Move Selection
You may use this to move or modify the selection outline without affecting any pixels in the image.
Both these Move Tools are covered in detail in the Move Tools section.
View Tools
Zoom Zoom
This tool is used to zoom in, zoom out, or expand the canvas around a particular region.
Pan Pan
This tool scrolls, or pans the image. This functionality is also usable from any other tool at any time: hold down the spacebar and then click and drag with the mouse.
Both these View Tools are covered in detail in the View Tools section.
Fill Tools
Paint Bucket Paint Bucket
This tool fills areas of similar color with a different color. For more information on this tool, visit the Paint Bucket Tool section.
Gradient Gradient
The Gradient Tool allows the drawing of gradients (a gradual blend of one color to another). Several formats and shapes are supported. The Gradient Tool also has a transparency mode, which is useful to "fade" or "blend" two images together. The Gradient Tool is covered in detail in the Gradient Tool section.
Drawing Tools
Paintbrush Paintbrush
This tool is selected by default when paint.net starts. It is used to create stripes of color just like a paint filled brush would do, hence the name. This tool is covered in detail in the Paintbrush Tool section.
Eraser Eraser
As the name suggests, this tool erases or removes areas of the image by setting the opacity, or alpha, of the pixels to 0. This tool is discussed in detail in the Eraser Tool section.
Pencil Pencil
This tool allows editing of the active layer on a pixel-by-pixel basis. See the Pencil Tool section for more information on this tool.
Photo Tools
Color Picker Color Picker
Use this tool to "pick up" a color from the active layer and set it as the current Primary or Secondary colors. See the Color Picker Tool section for more information on how this tool works.
Clone Stamp Clone Stamp
This tool is used to copy regions of pixels between different layers, or within the same layer. For a detailed discussion on how to use this tool, visit the Clone Stamp Tool section.
Recolor Recolor Tool
The Recolor Tool replaces one color with another. More information can be found in the Recolor Tool section.
Text and Shape Tools
Text Text Tool
This tool places text on the active layer. Find out how to use the Text Tool in the Text Tool section.
Line/Curve Line/Curve Tool
Draw straight or curved lines on the active layer with this tool. More can be found on this tool in the Line/Curve Tool section.
Shapes Tool Shapes Tool
This is used to draw a number of predefined shapes. This tool is covered in detail in the Shapes Tool section.