Looking for a way to overlay a picture on another picture? In today’s tutorial, I’m going to show you 3 easy-to-use, free tools to superimpose images without Photoshop – on your computer, your iPhone or Android phone. You’ll find step-by-step instructions below.
How to overlay images without Photoshop? 3 ways
Superimposing images is of course possible with professional graphics programs, such as the famous Photoshop. Fortunately, for amateurs who do not deal with graphics and photo processing daily, convenient and easy-to-use alternatives have been developed – online tools, programs and applications.
The capabilities of these programs are of course not as impressive as those of professional software, but for simple activities, such as photo overlay, they are completely sufficient.
Below, I have included descriptions of the individual tools along with instructions for use.
1. Superimposing images at Imageonline.co
Imageonline.co is a convenient online tool that allows basic photo editing – cropping, changing contrast and brightness, applying filters, changing colours, and of course, overlaying photos.
Importantly, the tool does not require any registration or login via a Google or Facebook account. As you can read on the website, the uploaded photos are secure and no unwanted person will gain access to them.
To superimpose images using Imageonline.co, you need to:
- open imageonline.co and go to the ‘overlay images’ section,
- click on the box “UPLOAD IMAGE HERE” and upload the photo you want to be the background,
- after uploading the first image, click the yellow button – “ADD OVERLAY IMAGE” and upload the second image,
- the next step is to stretch the photo to the desired size,
- by moving the slider “BLEND PERCENTAGE” you can set the degree of overlapping (transparency) of the photos,
- finally, simply download the image by clicking on the “DOWNLOAD IMAGE” button.
2. Overlaying images in Canva
Canva is a program that I recommend quite often. I mainly use it to create simple graphics for the blog, but it is also ideal for quick photo editing. You can also use it to create the effect of overlaying photos.
To use Canva, you first need to register or log in via your Facebook, Google or Apple account. Those looking for an intuitive program for basic photo editing and graphic design will certainly not be disappointed.
Canva is an online tool, so there is no need to download anything to your computer. All projects are saved in our Canva account, so you can return to them at any time and create something new based on them.
To superimpose images in Canva, you need to:
- go to canva.com and log in,
- select the upload option shown in the upper right corner,
- select the image you want as a background and click ‘Open’,
- select the following options: “Edit photo” >> “Use in design”,
- select the option: “Uploads” located in the column on the left, then the button “Upload files”,
- upload the second photo and select it to add to the project,
- adjust the transparency of both images and then extend the second image to the desired size,
- download the finished image by clicking: Share >> Download >> Download.
I will mention that Canva is also available as a mobile app, but in my opinion, it is not as intuitive and useful as the browser version. I think that for superimposing photos on your Android phone or iPhone, another app will work better.
3. How to overlay images on Android and iPhone? Snapseed
For those who prefer to use apps on their phones, I provide a third option. An app that allows you to overlay photos is Snapseed. It can be found in the Google Play Store and App Store, as it works on both Android smartphones and iPhones.
How do you superimpose images in the Snapseed app? Simply install it and open it, then:
- click the big plus icon to add the first photo (background) and then grant the app the required permissions (if necessary),
- click on the TOOLS,
- scroll down and select “Double Exposure”,
- select the icon with image and plus and upload the second photo,
- click the droplet icon and adjust the level of overlap/transparency using the slider,
- finally, of course, you need to save the photo (with a checkmark) and download it: EXPORT >> Save.
In summary, image overlaying is possible in many programs, online tools and applications – both professional and dedicated to amateurs. Some of the simplest and free tools for this purpose include Imageonline.co, Canva and the Snapseed app available on Android and iOS.
I hope that with my tutorial you have managed to superimpose images and get a satisfying result. 🙂