KritaLinux
vs
XnViewWindows
Krita as a Linux alternative to XnView
Updated
Our verdict
Krita is not a direct replacement for XnView. XnView is a lightweight viewer and batch processor, while Krita is a heavy, professional digital painting suite. If your primary need is viewing, organizing, and batch-converting images, Krita is the wrong tool; it lacks batch renaming and efficient thumbnail browsing. However, if you need advanced manual editing, color management, or creative painting on top of basic viewing, Krita covers the editing side well. For pure utility use, stick with a dedicated viewer like Nomacs or ImageMagick for batch jobs.
- License
- GPL-3.0-only
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 5.3.4.1 (October 7, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Both are free, open-source graphics applications available on Linux.
- Both support a wide range of image formats including PNG, JPEG, and TIFF.
- Both allow basic image manipulation like cropping, rotating, and resizing.
- Both support high-bit-depth color spaces like 16-bit and 32-bit.
- Both are actively maintained with regular updates.
What is different
- Krita lacks batch processing and bulk renaming features, which are core to XnView.
- Krita has no built-in file manager or tag-based organization system.
- Krita is resource-intensive and complex for simple viewing tasks.
- XnView supports 500+ formats for viewing; Krita focuses on formats relevant to digital painting and standard raster formats.
- Krita does not offer a lightweight, thumbnail-focused browsing interface.
Opening your XnView files
Krita opens standard raster formats like PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and PSD directly. If you use XnView to view niche or obscure formats that Krita does not natively support, you will need to convert them first using a command-line tool like ImageMagick. Krita exports to common formats, but it does not handle the sheer volume of format support XnView offers for viewing purposes. For metadata, Krita handles EXIF and XMP, but its interface is less streamlined for quick bulk editing compared to dedicated tools.
Switching from XnView to Krita, step by step
- Install Krita from your distribution's repository or Flathub.
- Use a command-line tool like ImageMagick or ExifTool for batch conversion and renaming, as Krita cannot do this.
- Use a dedicated file manager or viewer like Nomacs for quick browsing and thumbnail generation.
- Open individual images in Krita only when you need to perform detailed editing or painting.
- Export edited images from Krita to your preferred format (PNG, JPEG, TIFF).
- Organize your files using your file manager's tagging or folder structure, not Krita.
Key features of Krita
- Advanced brush engine with dozens of preset brushes
- Full CMYK, RGB, and HDR color space support
- Layer groups, masks, and vector layers
- HDR painting and 16/32‑bit float channels
- Resource manager for brushes, gradients, and palettes
- Python scripting for custom tools
- Docker panels for quick access to tools and filters
- Export to PSD, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and OpenRaster
How to install Krita on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.kde.kritasudo apt install kritasudo apt install kritasudo dnf install kritasudo pacman -S kritasudo zypper install kritaFrequently asked questions
Can I use Krita to sort through thousands of photos quickly?
No. Krita is not designed for rapid browsing. It loads images into a full editing workspace, which is slow and resource-heavy for quick previews. Use a dedicated viewer like Nomacs or Gwenview for this task.
Does Krita have a batch converter?
No. Krita is a single-image editor. For batch conversion, you must use external tools like ImageMagick, GIMP's Script-Fu, or dedicated batch processors like BatchPhoto.
Is Krita better for editing than XnView?
Yes, for detailed manual editing. Krita offers layers, masks, advanced brushes, and color management that XnView lacks. However, for quick crops or rotations, XnView's interface is faster and simpler.
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