PhotoDirector 365

PCWorld Editors’ Choice.
The Power of Two Photo Apps in One.

Name: CyberLink PhotoDirector 365
Brand: CyberLink
Rating: 4.3 (3 reviews)

PCWorld named PhotoDirector 365 an Editors’ Choice for 2026, with a 4.5 out of 5 rating. PCMag lists it in The Best Photo Editing Software for 2026. TechRadar ranked it #2 for 2026.

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Independent reviews

Editors’ Choice &
Best Photo Editing Software 2026 Pick

PCWorld, PCMag, and TechRadar have recognized PhotoDirector for its versatile editing tools, creative features, and value.

Editors’ Choice · 4.5 out of 5

“Image analysis and built-in suggestions for improvement assist with editing and speed up workflow.”

Jörn-Erik Burkert, PCWorld, August 2025. Read the review

Rated Excellent · The Best Photo Editing Software for 2026 pick

“An affordable, AI-packed replacement for Lightroom and Photoshop.”

Michael Muchmore, PCMag, May 2026. Read the review

“A powerful multi-faceted beast ... offers Photoshop-like compositing tools, as well as numerous generative AI features, and all at an extremely competitive price.”

Steve Paris, TechRadar, October 2024. Read the review

From the PCWorld review

Editors’ Choice for Faster Editing With AI

PCWorld highlighted PhotoDirector’s time-saving AI and automation tools, along with its easy-to-use editing wizards.

Remove

Faster, Easier Editing With AI

“Expanding image content, removing people or objects, and optimizing photos are much easier with the current PhotoDirector 365.”

AI Background for People in PhotoDirector 365: a new background generated behind a person

Portrait

Create Professional Portraits With AI

“The software uses a portrait as its base and can automatically add office attire to the subject ... PhotoDirector 365 can also add a suitable background or setting.”

Generate

Explore New Styles and Create From Prompts

“Style transfer of all kinds ... creatively converting an image into manga-style graphics or generating templates with the help of AI prompts.”

Read the full PCWorld review

Workflow and editing together

Photo Management and Creative Editing in One App

PCMag: “... offers the workflow features of Adobe Lightroom, along with the image editing features of Photoshop ... at a lower cost.” TechRadar’s 2026 list calls it “Tackling Photoshop and Lightroom in one.”

Job 1 · Workflow

Organize and Adjust

The work you’d use Lightroom for.

Face-Based Photo Management in PhotoDirector 365: photos grouped by tagged faces

Manage Photos With Face Tagging

“The interface for assigning names to faces is clear and simple. Once you assign a name, it becomes a one-click button to assign to other photos with faces.” PCMag

Color and tone adjustments in PhotoDirector 365: split toning and HSL controls on a photo

Fine-Tune Color, Tone, and Detail

“PhotoDirector includes all the basic adjustment tools that photographers need, including those for color, detail, and tone (exposure, contrast, and more).” PCMag

Lens correction in PhotoDirector 365: a building straightened with Auto Keystone

Straighten Perspective With Auto Keystone

“The Auto Keystone option does a good job of straightening buildings and cropping the unusable sides of the photo.” PCMag

Job 2 · Editing

Creative Editing and Compositing

The work you’d use Photoshop for.

Layers in PhotoDirector 365: several photos combined with masks and blending modes

Build Composites With Layers

“The Edit module takes more of a leaf from Photoshop ... allowing you to create complete image composites.” TechRadar

AI Try-On in PhotoDirector 365: the outfit on a person swapped from a reference photo

Change Outfits and Replace Objects

“You can import a photo and transform it based on specific criteria, such as changing the clothing someone wears or the background they’re shot in front of, or replacing an object with another.” TechRadar

AI Object Removal and background replacement in PhotoDirector 365: an object removed and a new background added

Replace Backgrounds With Natural-Looking Results

“You can move the subject around in the new background, and the updated algorithm can handle complex subjects, such as those with unruly hair.” PCMag

Both reviewers also praised the price. PCMag: “Both the perpetual-license and subscription versions are affordable.” TechRadar: “Great value.” Compare plans · All features

Built on Trust

Three Things to Know About PhotoDirector

Edit Locally on Your PC

PhotoDirector runs on your desktop, so adjustments, layers, and exports run directly on your PC. With AI PC Mode on supported AI PCs, selected AI features also run locally, with no file uploads or AI credits required.

Start Creating for Free

Download PhotoDirector Essential and enjoy free photo editing indefinitely. Upgrade to PhotoDirector 365 for access to more features and the full range of subscription-based AI tools.

30 Days to Change Your Mind

Products bought from the CyberLink online store come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, as long as the credits in the order are unused. See the refund policy

PhotoDirector Awards Frequently Asked Questions

Has PhotoDirector won any awards?

Yes. PCWorld gave PhotoDirector 365 its Editors’ Choice 2026 award and rated it 4.5 out of 5 in its August 2025 review. TechRadar rates it 4.5 out of 5, Recommended, and ranks it second in its Best photo editor list for 2026. PCMag rates it 4.0, Excellent, and picks it as Best for Combined Workflow, Editing, and Effects in The Best Photo Editing Software for 2026.

What is an Editors’ Choice award?

Editors’ Choice is a publication’s editorial recommendation, awarded after hands-on product testing. PCWorld gives the distinction to products its editors consider the best choices in their respective categories.

Is PhotoDirector a good alternative to Lightroom and Photoshop?

PCMag’s review calls PhotoDirector an affordable, AI-packed replacement for both, because it combines photo workflow with layer-based editing in one app. TechRadar’s 2026 list calls it “Tackling Photoshop and Lightroom in one.” If you want one app for organizing, developing, and compositing, that is the case the reviewers make.

Which version of PhotoDirector did the reviewers test?

The publications reviewed PhotoDirector 365, the subscription version that includes its AI tools. PhotoDirector Essential is the free version, while PhotoDirector 365 provides access to the additional subscription features.

Where can I read the full reviews?

All three are online: PCWorld’s review, PCMag’s review, and TechRadar’s review. The two 2026 lists are PCMag’s The Best Photo Editing Software for 2026 and TechRadar’s Best photo editor of 2026.

Can I try PhotoDirector for free?

Yes. PhotoDirector Essential is available as a free download with no time limit. The AI tools featured in the reviews are included with the PhotoDirector 365 subscription.

About these awards. All ratings and award names are attributed to their respective publications. Quotations are excerpted from published reviews, with omitted text indicated by ellipses. Product references within excerpts are standardized as PhotoDirector. CyberLink does not pay for editorial reviews or award decisions. Links to original reviews are provided where available.

PCWorld is a trademark of Foundry. PCMag and Editors’ Choice are trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC. TechRadar is a trademark of Future plc. Adobe, Lightroom, and Photoshop are trademarks of Adobe Inc. All trademarks are used for identification and comparison purposes only.