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Microsoft Photo Editor

Start Photo Editor from another program

You can start Photo Editor from any program that supports OLE.

In the file you are working in, click where you want to insert an image.
On the Insert menu, click Object.
Click the Create New tab.
In the Object type box, click Microsoft Photo Editor.

If you want to scan a picture, click Microsoft Photo Editor Scan.

Click OK.
In the New dialog box, select the appropriate option.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Note You can also start Photo Editor as a separate program by using the same procedure that you use to start other programs.

Embed an image

If you started Photo Editor from another program

On the File menu, click Exit and Return to.

If you started Photo Editor as a separate program

On the Edit menu, click Select All.
On the Edit menu, click Copy.
Switch to the program where you want to embed the image.
Click where you want to embed the image.
On the Edit menu, click Paste Special.

Quit Photo Editor

On the File menu, click Exit.
If you started Photo Editor from another program, click Exit and Return to.

Create a new image

On the File menu, click New.
Select the Image type you want.
Enter the Resolution, Height, and Width you want.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Create a new image with a colored background

On the File menu, click New.
Click Color.
Click the color you want for the image background from the Basic colors or Custom colors palette.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Choose the resolution when opening a Kodak Photo CD image

When you select a Kodak Photo CD image in the Open dialog box, the Options button becomes available, and you can then choose which resolution of the image to open.

Click the Options button.
Click Default resolution, or click one of the options in the Specific Resolution box.
Select the number of colors you want.
Select the orientation you want.
Click OK.

Note Remember that a higher resolution means a larger file size but also better display and print quality.

Scan an image with Photo Editor

n the Standard toolbar, click Scan .
Follow the directions for the scanner.

Scan an image from Microsoft Excel, Word, or PowerPoint

Starting from the program that you want to insert a scanned image into, you can go directly to Photo Editor and your scanner.

On the host program's Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click From Scanner.
Follow the directions for the scanner.
When the image opens in Photo Editor, make any changes you want.
On the Photo Editor File menu, click Exit and Return to.

Select a scanner

On the File menu, choose Select Scanner Source.
In the Sources list, click the scanner you want to use.

If the scanner you want doesn't appear in the list, click .

Click Select.

Note You can select another TWAIN device, such as a digital camera, instead of a scanner. Any TWAIN device that is attached to your computer will appear in the Sources list and may be selected.

Select all or part of an image

To select all of the image, click Select All on the Edit menu.
To select part of an image, click Select on the Standard toolbar, and then drag over the area you want to select.

Resize a selection

Do one of the following:

To move one side of the selection's bounding outline, move the pointer over the sizing handle on that side until the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, and then drag the handle.
To change the height and width simultaneously, drag a corner handle.

To rotate an image 90 degrees clockwise:

Click Rotate 90 on the Standard toolbar.

To otherwise rotate an image:

On the Image menu, click Rotate.
Choose the options you want.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

If you select Arbitrary Angle, enter the number of degrees of rotation you want in the Angle box, and click the clockwise or counterclockwise option.

Zoom in or out of an image

You can change the magnification in two ways:

On the Standard toolbar, click the arrow next to Zoom Control , and then click the magnification you want.

On the Standard toolbar, click Zoom .

To zoom in, click the area you want to enlarge.

To zoom out, hold down SHIFT while you click.

Note Each click doubles or halves the magnification within the range of 10 percent to 1600 percent.

Smudge part of an image

The Smudge Brush smears or blends adjacent colors as the brush is dragged across the image.

On the Standard toolbar, click Smudge .
Drag the pointer over the area you want to smudge.

Change the size and shape of the Smudge Brush

On the Standard toolbar, right-click Smudge to bring up the Smudge Brush dialog box.
Select the options you want.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Sharpen part of an image

The Sharpen Brush increases the difference between adjacent gray values as the brush is dragged across the image.

On the Standard toolbar, click Sharpen .
Drag the pointer over the area you want to sharpen.

Change the size and shape of the Sharpen Brush

On the Standard toolbar, right-click Sharpen to bring up the Sharpen Brush dialog box.
Select the options you want.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Create transparent areas in an image

You can use transparent areas to integrate an image into your document, presentation, or Web page. For instance, if you have an image of a person with a plain background, such as the sky or a wall, you can make the background color transparent. When the image is printed in a Word document, the background will have the color of the paper. In a PowerPoint presentation or Web page, the transparent area will have the color of the background.

On the Standard toolbar, click Set Transparent Color .
Position the tool over the color you want to make transparent, and click.

The Change Color to Transparent dialog box appears.

The preview window shows the color that will change to transparent when you click OK. You can modify the options to increase the range of colors that will become transparent or to change the degree of transparency.

For Help on an option, click the question mark and then click the option.

Note: Transparency is saved in different ways by different graphics file formats.

Saving transparency in an image

Microsoft Photo Editor supports three file formats that save transparency: GIF, TIFF, and PNG. Transparency in an image is saved in two ways: as a transparent color or in an alpha channel.

GIF saves images as monochrome (line art) or 8-bit (grayscale or 256-color) images. GIF saves all transparency values by substituting a transparent color in place of the designated color. If you are concerned about loss of image data, use TIFF or PNG to save your image. If you prefer GIF and want to preserve all the image data, save a copy of your image in another format before saving transparency conversions in GIF.

TIFF saves images as monochrome, 8-bit, or 24-bit (true color) images. In 24-bit images, TIFF saves transparency in an alpha channel. For monochrome and 8-bit TIFF images, however, Photo Editor does not save transparency.

PNG saves images as 8-bit or 24-bit images. In 24-bit images, PNG saves transparency in an alpha channel. In 8-bit images, PNG substitutes a transparent color on the palette.

Adjust the brightness of an image

The Brightness control changes the amount of white in all colors and shades of gray.

On the Standard toolbar, click Image Balance .
Drag the Brightness slider to increase (100) or decrease (0) the brightness.

To adjust all colors, select All Colors in the lower-left list before dragging the slider. To adjust the color channels separately, select Red, Green, or Blue.

Adjust the contrast of an image

The Contrast control changes the difference between adjacent colors or shades of gray.

On the Standard toolbar, click Image Balance .
Drag the Contrast slider to increase (90) or decrease (0) the contrast.

To adjust all colors, select All Colors in the lower-left list before dragging the slider. To adjust the color channels separately, select Red, Green, or Blue.

Adjust the gamma of an image

The Gamma control changes the contrast in the dark areas of the image.

On the Standard toolbar, click Image Balance.
Drag the Gamma slider to increase (9.70) or decrease (0.10) the gamma.

To adjust all colors, select All Colors in the lower-left list before dragging the slider. To adjust color channels separately, select Red, Green, or Blue.