Image Tool+ User Guide
A macOS image converter that turns JPEG, PNG, HEIC, and other images into WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL, HEIC, and more in batches, with nothing more than a drag and drop. It can also keep HDR and gain maps intact when the output format supports them.
Key Features of Image Tool+
Everything you need for converting to WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL, HEIC, and more, in a single window.
Batch conversion
Add many images or folders at once and convert them to the formats you choose at the same time. You can choose how many images are processed at once with Operating Mode (Speed / Balance / Stability) in Settings.
Detailed settings for each format
Fine-tune how each format is written: Quality and Lossless, plus options such as Method for WebP, Chroma Subsampling for AVIF, and Effort for JPEG XL.
HDR kept intact
Photos with gain maps and PQ / HLG HDR images stay HDR when you convert them to HEIC, AVIF, JPEG XL, PNG, or JPG. Formats that can't hold HDR, such as WebP, get SDR.
Comparison preview
Compare the original and the converted image with a slider, and check how the file size changed along with the color profile, HDR headroom, and EXIF data.
Batch renaming
Rename converted files in bulk with 1- to 5-digit sequence numbers, a prefix or suffix, or the resized width or height.
Resizing
Set a maximum width and height in pixels (px) or percent (%) to scale images down while keeping the aspect ratio. Smaller images are never enlarged.
Watermarks
Add a logo or other image as a watermark, with control over its position, size, offset, and opacity. You can also choose whether it's added before or after resizing.
Metadata (EXIF and location)
In the METADATA section, choose whether to keep or delete EXIF and other metadata (the default is “Delete metadata”). “Edit metadata” lets you write the artist, copyright, description, and keywords in bulk.
Presets
Save your output formats, quality, resizing, watermark, metadata settings, and more under a name, and switch between them instantly with ⌘ + 1–9. You can also export your settings to a file and import them again.
Works with Finder
Send images or folders from Finder with Services in the right-click menu. Any image the app can read works, whatever the format: JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, AVIF, and more. You can also use Open With or drop images on the app's Dock icon.
Quick Start (Basic Usage)
Choose an output folder, drag and drop your images, and click Start. That's all it takes to convert them to the formats you choose.
Choose an output folder
The first time you launch the app, the output is set to “Not yet specified”. In the INPUT / OUTPUT section of the right sidebar, choose “┣ Select Output Folder” from the “Output Folder” pop-up menu and pick the folder where the converted files should go. Once a format is checked, you can also use the blue “Select Output Folder” button at the top right of the toolbar. To save next to the originals instead, choose “Save in Original Image's Folder” from the same pop-up menu (see Output & Post-Conversion).
Drag and drop your images
Drag the images or folders you want to convert onto the “Drag & Drop images here” area of the list. You can also choose them with the + button in the toolbar (⌘ + O), or add image files you copied in Finder with ⌘ + V (see Adding Images & Finder Integration).
Check the conversion settings
In the ENCODE section of the right sidebar, check the formats you want and adjust Quality and other settings. While no format is checked, the toolbar shows “Please select convert type” (see Converting to Each Format).
Click Start
Click the blue Start button at the top right of the toolbar (or press ⇧ + ⌘ + S). If images are selected, only those are converted; otherwise every image in the list is. While converting, the button shows the progress (%). Each finished row shows the converted file size and the change from the original for each format; click the format name to see the converted file in Finder.
The Main Window
The main window has the toolbar, the image list, Status on the left, and the right sidebar. You can choose which sections the right sidebar shows on the Appearance tab of Settings (see Settings & Presets).
Toolbar
| Button / display | What it does |
|---|---|
| Left sidebar | Shows or hides Status on the left (⌘ + ←). |
| + | Adds images or folders to the list (⌘ + O). You can pick several files and folders at once. |
| − | Removes images from the list. With images selected, only those are removed; with nothing selected, the whole list is cleared. The original files aren't deleted. |
| Sort | Each click switches the list order: “Sorted by loading” → “Sorted by Filename (ASC)” → “Sorted by Filename (DSC)”. |
| Search (magnifying glass) | Shows the search field so you can filter the list by file name (⌘ + F). |
| Item count | Shows how many images are in the list and how many are selected, as in “5 items (1 selected)”. |
| Preview ▾ | Choose a format to open the comparison preview of the conversion result (⇧ + ⌘ + P). |
| Start | Starts converting (⇧ + ⌘ + S). While converting, it shows the progress in %, and the Stop button next to it stops the conversion (images that haven't finished go back to unconverted). When the output is “Not yet specified”, it reads “Select Output Folder”; click it to choose the output folder. It also shows “Please select convert type” while no format is checked, “Please input resized value” when Max width or Max height is on with a value of 0, and “Please input folder name” when “Create a new folder in the output folder” has no name. |
| N Errors | Appears when some images couldn't be converted. Click it to select the rows with errors one after another. Click × to clear the count. |
| Right sidebar | Shows or hides the right sidebar (⌘ + →). |
The image list
🖼️ Thumbnails and file names
Click a file name to show the original in Finder. Clicking a thumbnail opens the comparison preview (the default) or the original, depending on the thumbnail-click setting on the Appearance tab of Settings.
📏 Size and new name
The file size and the width × height in pixels appear under each file name. Images that the resize settings will scale down show “→ width × height” next to their size, and when anything other than “None” is chosen under “Modify filename”, “→ new name.ext” appears next to the file name.
📊 Conversion results
When conversion finishes, each format shows the converted file size and the change from the original (-NN% when smaller, +NN% when larger). Click the format name to see the converted file in Finder. Click the sync icon at the right end of a row to put that row back to its unconverted state.
⚠️ When something goes wrong
Rows that couldn't be converted show an orange “Error”; hover over it to see what went wrong. If converted data is available, you can save it yourself with the Save button (not for images skipped by “Save only if file size is reduced”).
Selecting images and the right-click menu
Click a row to select it, ⌘-click to add it to or remove it from the selection, and ⇧-click to select a range. Use ↑ / ↓ to move the selection and ⌘ + A to select everything; click an empty spot in the list or press esc to deselect. Right-click a row to open this menu:
| Menu item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Preview ▸ | Choose a format to open the comparison preview for that image. |
| Start Conversion | Converts the selected images. |
| Select Output Folder & Start Conversion | Asks for a folder, then converts into it. The output folder in the settings doesn't change. |
| Initialize Process Status | Puts converted images back to the unconverted state. Originals that “Trash original images” moved to the Trash are put back where they were. |
| Show results in Finder ▸ | Shows the converted file in Finder (converted rows only). |
| Show Original Image | Shows the original in the app's own viewer. |
| Show in Finder | Shows the original in Finder. |
| Clear Image / Clear Images | Removes the selected images from the list (the original files aren't deleted). |
| Add Images... / Add Images from Clipboard | Adds images to the list. These also appear when you right-click an empty spot in the list. |
Filtering with search
Click the magnifying glass or press ⌘ + F to open the search field, then type part of a file name to filter the list (upper and lower case are treated the same). When the search field opens, “#Error” and “#Trashed” buttons appear below it; click one to show only the images that failed, or only those whose originals were moved to the Trash. If you click Start while the list is filtered, only the images shown are converted. Close the search with the × button or esc. The comparison preview also steps only through the images shown.
Status (Load and Save History)
Status, on the left of the main window, records each image as it's loaded and saved. Show or hide it with the left sidebar button in the toolbar or ⌘ + ←.
📋 Reading the history
Successful steps have a green check, and warnings and errors have ⚠. The icon before each file name shows what happened: ⊕ means loaded, and a downward arrow means saved. Click a file name in the history to select that image in the list.
🔢 Filter by result
Click the check count at the top to show only successful entries, or the ⚠ count to show only warnings and errors. Click it again to show everything. The trash icon clears the whole history.
⚠️ Files that couldn't be loaded
Folders inside a folder (while “Include subfolders” is off) and files that can't be opened as images aren't added to the list. They're recorded in the history with the warning “Directory or unsupported file.” Files excluded on the Input tab of Settings show “Ignored files or folders”, “Ignored extensions”, or “File extensions are limited”, and files skipped by “Save only if file size is reduced” show “The file was not saved due to increased file size.”
↔️ Width and recording
Drag the border between Status and the list to change its width (make it too narrow and it hides). Whether history is recorded while Status is hidden is set on the Appearance tab of Settings (see Settings & Presets). Removing an image from the list also removes its history.
Adding Images & Finder Integration
Besides drag and drop, you can add images to the list from the menus and from Finder. Whichever way you use, if “Automatically Start Conversion” is on, conversion starts once loading is finished.
| How to add | What to do |
|---|---|
| Drag and drop | Drop images or folders onto the list area. You can drop several files and folders at once. The border of the area is highlighted while you drag. |
| Add Images... | Choose files or folders with the + button in the toolbar, File > “Add Images...” in the menu bar, or the right-click menu in the list (⌘ + O). |
| Add Images from Clipboard | Adds image files or folders you copied in Finder (⌘ + V). Copied image data itself can't be added. |
| Open With / Dock | In Finder, choose “Image Tool+” from Open With, or drop images onto the Image Tool+ icon in the Dock. |
| Finder Services | In Finder, select images or folders, right-click, and choose Services > “Image Tool+” to add them to the list. Any image the app can read works, whatever the format: JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, AVIF, and more. If you don't see it, turn it on in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services. |
| Folder to be automatically loaded | Loads the folder you choose in the INPUT / OUTPUT section of the right sidebar when the app starts, then keeps adding files that are created or renamed directly in that folder (changes inside subfolders are ignored). |
📁 Adding folders
By default, adding a folder loads only the images directly inside it. Turn on “Include subfolders” in the INPUT / OUTPUT section of the right sidebar to load the images in all its subfolders too. Hidden files and folders (names starting with “.”) are never loaded.
🖼️ Supported images
You can load JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, GIF, BMP, WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL, PDF, SVG, and other images macOS can open. Files that can't be read as images are removed from the list automatically once loading finishes.
⏳ While images are loading
The toolbar shows “Loading...” and a “Stop loading” button while images are being loaded. Click “Stop loading” to cancel; images that hadn't finished loading are removed from the list, and automatic conversion doesn't start for that batch. New images are placed in the list according to the current sort order (load order or file name).
🌐 Images dragged straight from apps
You can also drag images straight in from other apps, such as a browser or Photos. With “Save in Original Image's Folder” selected, the results for these images are saved in your Downloads folder.
👀 Quick Look extension for AVIF
Image Tool+ also includes a Quick Look extension for AVIF files (.avif). Select an AVIF file in Finder and press Space to see it right away.
⚡️ Bring the app to the front when dragging
Turn on “Bring app to the front when dragging files” on the Input tab of Settings, and the Image Tool+ window comes to the front as soon as you start dragging files in Finder or elsewhere, so you can drop them even when the window is behind other windows (a minimized window or a hidden app isn't brought forward; off by default).
▶️ Automatically Start Conversion
This checkbox appears under “Drag & Drop images here” while the list is empty. When it's on, the images in the list that haven't been converted yet are converted automatically as soon as loading finishes. You can't turn it on while the output is “Not yet specified”. With “Select Output Folder when Starting”, a dialog opens first so you can choose where to save. Press esc while images are loading to cancel the automatic conversion. It's off by default.
🎯 Limiting which files are loaded
On the Input tab of Settings, you can limit which extensions are loaded and register folders or extensions to skip (see Settings & Presets).
Output & Post-Conversion
Set where converted files are saved, what happens when a file with the same name already exists, and what the app does when conversion is finished. These settings are in the INPUT / OUTPUT and POST-CONVERSION sections of the right sidebar. Defaults are the values the app uses the first time you launch it.
Output folder
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Save in Original Image's Folder | Saves each file in the same folder as its original. Images dragged straight from other apps are saved to your Downloads folder. |
| Select Output Folder when Starting | Every time you click Start in the toolbar, a dialog opens so you can choose where to save (it opens at the folder you chose last time). |
| (folder name) / Not yet specified | Saves to the folder you chose. It's “Not yet specified” the first time you launch the app. |
| ┣ Select Output Folder | Opens a dialog to choose a folder and makes it the output folder. The folder is kept for next time. |
| ┗ Show in Finder | Shows the chosen output folder in Finder. |
You can also drag a folder onto the “Output Folder” pop-up menu to choose it. A folder dialog opens showing that folder, so you only need to confirm it.
Save options
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Output maintaining folder structure | Off |
Recreates the structure of the folder you added inside the output folder. Not available with “Save in Original Image's Folder”. |
| Create a new folder in the output folder | Off |
Saves into a new folder with the name you type, inside the output folder. Not available while the output is “Not yet specified”. |
| Preserve Created/Modified Date | Off |
Gives the converted file the same creation and modification dates as the original. |
| Overwrite existing images | Off |
When it's on, an existing file with the same name in the folder you save to is overwritten. When it's off, the new file is saved with a number added, as in IMG_1234(1).webp and IMG_1234(2).webp. |
| Save only if file size is reduced | Off |
Files that don't end up smaller than the original (the same size included) aren't saved. Those images are counted as errors. |
Metadata (EXIF and location)
In the METADATA section of the right sidebar, choose “Preserve metadata”, “Delete metadata”, or “Edit metadata” (the default is “Delete metadata”). “Edit metadata” writes the artist, copyright, description, and keywords to every converted image (while “Delete fields I didn't set” is off, empty fields keep the original value), and “Details…” offers more fields. Turn on “Remove GPS location” to delete the location. While “Delete fields I didn't set” is on, all other metadata except the fields you set is deleted too. When you switch from the default “Delete metadata” to “Edit metadata”, “Delete fields I didn't set” starts out on.
Post-conversion
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trash original images | Off |
When the whole batch finishes, the original of every image in the list (only those shown, if the list is filtered) that was saved under a different name is moved to the Trash, even if other images had errors (originals of images that weren't saved in any format stay where they are). Their rows show “Trashed” (click it to show the original in the Trash). For converted rows, you can put them back with “Initialize Process Status” in the right-click menu. |
| Play sound | Off |
Plays a sound when everything is done. A different sound plays if there were errors. |
| Show notification | Off |
Shows a notification when everything is done: “Conversion Completed”, or “Error Occurred” if there were errors, with the counts. The first time you turn it on, macOS asks for permission to show notifications. If they aren't allowed, the app asks you to allow them in System Preferences; click “Open System Preferences” to change the setting. |
| Quit app | Off |
When conversion finishes without errors, the app quits 3 seconds later. Press esc during those 3 seconds to cancel. |
Converting to Each Format
Check the formats you want in the ENCODE section of the right sidebar, then set each format's options. Here's what each format is good at and how to set it up. Defaults are the values the app uses the first time you launch it.
| Setting | Default / Recommended | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | 75 (web: 75–82) |
Image quality for lossy compression. Lower values make smaller files at lower quality. Around 75–80 matches or beats JPEG quality while cutting file size substantially. |
| Lossless | Disable (Default) |
Set it to Enable to convert with lossless compression, so no image quality is lost. Ideal for illustrations, icons, and screenshots where not a single pixel should change. |
| Preset | Default |
Uses the parameters libwebp provides for each type of image (Photo / Picture / Drawing / Icon / Text). |
| Method | 4 (Default) |
Sets the balance between encoding speed and compression in seven steps, from 0 to 6. Higher numbers spend more time compressing. Use 6 for the smallest files. |
| Keep Color Profile | Disable (Default) |
Set it to Enable to embed the original's color profile (ICC) in the WebP. Turn it on when wide-gamut photos, such as Display P3, should keep their original colors. |
| Sharp YUV | Disable (Default) |
Set it to Enable for a more accurate RGB-to-YUV conversion inside lossy compression, which keeps color edges sharp. Ideal for images with text. |
| Setting | Default / Recommended | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | 50 (web: 45–60) |
Sets the image quality. Lower values make smaller files; higher values give better quality and larger files. Even at 50, images look as good as a typical JPEG at 80–85. |
| Chroma Subsampling | 420 (default) / 444 (best quality) |
How much color detail is stored (444 / 422 / 420 / 400). 420 stores color at a lower resolution to make files smaller, while 444 keeps full color resolution and prevents color bleeding around thin lines and text. 400 stores no color, giving a grayscale image. |
| Speed | 8 (recommended) |
Encoding speed (0–10). Lower numbers take longer but make smaller files. Lower it to 4–6 when compression efficiency matters most. |
| Bit Depth | 0 Auto (default) |
Bits per color channel. Choose Auto, 8-bit, 10-bit, or 12-bit. Use 10-bit to avoid banding in HDR images and smooth gradients. |
| Setting | Default / Recommended | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | 75 (web: 75–85) |
The main quality setting for JPEG XL, tuned closely to how people perceive images. |
| Effort | 7 (Default) |
How hard the encoder searches (1–10). 7 is the most practical balance of speed and compression. |
| JPEG Recompress | Enable (Default) |
Converts existing 8-bit JPEGs to JPEG XL about 20% smaller with no quality loss at all (the original JPEG can be restored bit for bit). |
| Progressive | Disable (Default) |
Enables progressive decoding, so images appear blurry at first and sharpen as they load on the web. |
| Setting | Default / Recommended | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | 75 (recommended: 75–85) |
HEIF / HEIC encoding quality. Uses macOS hardware acceleration for fast, efficient compression. |
| Lossless | Disable (Default) |
Set it to Enable to save at maximum quality (1.0). The macOS HEIC encoder has no true lossless mode, so the result is the highest possible quality with minimal loss rather than strictly lossless. |
| HDR (gain maps) | Automatic |
Photos with gain maps are saved as HEIC with gain maps, and PQ / HLG HDR is saved as 10-bit HDR (on macOS 15 and later, gain maps are written in ISO 21496-1 format). On HDR displays, bright highlights look just as they did in the original. |
🖼️ PNG
Turn on “Lossy compression” to reduce the image to a 256-color palette (8-bit indexed color) while keeping transparency, cutting file size by 60–70%. It's off by default.
📷 JPEG
Besides the Quality slider, “Optimize” lets you choose “jpegtran (lossless)”, which strips extra markers such as EXIF, or “mozjpeg (lossy)”. Turn on “Further compression (JPEG Archive)” to recompress with a quality level (veryhigh to low) and a metric (ssim / ms-ssim), and optionally “Subsampling”.
🗂️ TIFF / BMP / GIF
Convert to uncompressed TIFF for print, legacy BMP, and animated GIF. With “Always Convert Animated Images to GIF” turned on, animated images are saved as GIF whenever the output format is JPG, JPEG XL, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, or BMP (WebP and AVIF output stays animated).
Converting HDR Images
Photos with gain maps, such as those taken on iPhone, and PQ / HLG HDR images keep their HDR information when you convert them to HEIC, AVIF, JPEG XL, PNG, or JPG. Formats that can't hold HDR get SDR.
| Output format | How HDR is handled |
|---|---|
| HEIC / AVIF | Photos with gain maps keep their gain maps, and PQ / HLG HDR is kept as 10-bit HDR (AVIF can also use 12-bit). |
| JPEG XL / PNG | HDR is kept as 16-bit PQ / HLG. Photos with gain maps are expanded to full HDR. |
| JPG | Saved as a JPEG with a gain map. A gain map is also created from PQ / HLG HDR. |
| WebP / TIFF / BMP / GIF | HDR isn't kept. Images are tone-mapped to SDR (sRGB, 8-bit). |
📱 Apple gain maps
Reads Apple-format gain maps in HEIC and JPG photos from the iPhone camera. On macOS 15 and later, they're rewritten in the international ISO 21496-1 format (on earlier versions of macOS they stay in Apple's format).
🌐 ISO 21496-1 standard
Gain maps are saved in ISO 21496-1 format, and JPGs also carry Android Ultra HDR metadata, so HDR is more likely to display correctly on non-Apple platforms such as Android and Chrome.
🔅 SDR tone mapping
When you save to WebP, TIFF, BMP, or GIF, which can't hold HDR, Apple's tone mapping compresses the highlights to fit SDR while keeping clipping (blown-out highlights) to a minimum.
ℹ️ Check HDR in the preview
The ⓘ button in the comparison preview (⌘ + I) shows the color profile and HDR headroom of both the original and the converted image.
Resize (Scale Down, Keeping the Aspect Ratio)
Set the maximum size of the output images in RESIZE (PRESERVING ASPECT RATIO) in the right sidebar. Defaults are the values the app uses the first time you launch it.
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Max width | Off / 0 |
Turn it on, type the maximum width, and press return to confirm (“Enter to Save” appears while you type). With px, only images wider than this are scaled down; the height follows the aspect ratio. |
| Max height | Off / 0 |
The maximum height. It works the same way as Max width. |
| Unit | px |
Choose px (pixels) or %. With %, each image is scaled to that percentage of its own size. When you press return, % values are limited to 0–100 (anything above 100 becomes 100). |
📐 Scales down only, never enlarges
Images smaller than the limit are converted at their original size. With both Max width and Max height on, images are scaled down to fit inside that box. If a value you turned on is still 0, the toolbar shows “Please input resized value” and conversion can't start.
👀 See the new size in the list
Images that will be scaled down show their new size as “→ width × height” next to their size in the list.
🔗 Watermarks and file names
The watermark's “Insert” setting chooses whether it's added before or after resizing. You can also add the resized width or height to file names (see Batch Rename & Filename Settings).
| Setting | Original image | Converted |
|---|---|---|
Max width 1920 |
4000×3000 |
1920×1440 |
Max width 1920 |
1000×750 |
1000×750 (unchanged) |
Max width 1920 + Max height 1920 |
3000×4000 |
1440×1920 |
Max width 50 % |
4000×3000 |
2000×1500 |
Comparison Preview
Before you convert, compare the quality and file size of the result with the original. Open the comparison preview by choosing a format from the Preview menu in the toolbar or Preview in the right-click menu, or by clicking a thumbnail in the list (you can also press ⇧ + ⌘ + P). The Preview menu in the toolbar and ⇧ + ⌘ + P show the selected image (if several are selected, the topmost of them in the list). If nothing is selected, they show the first image in the list (or, if you deselected an image by clicking it, that image).
↔️ Split slider
Drag the slider to move the boundary between the original (left) and the converted image (right) and compare the effect of compression on the very same spot. Press Space to switch between showing only the converted image and only the original. The slider is the white line with the ◆ handle. ⌘ + ← shows only the converted image, and ⌘ + → only the original.
🔎 Zoom and pan
Zoom in and out with ⌘ + = / ⌘ + -, and press ⌘ + 0 to reset the zoom. You can also zoom by pinching on the trackpad or scrolling while holding ⌘, and drag the image to move around. Double-clicking the image also fits it to the window again. Press esc to reset the zoom and position and move the slider back to the center.
ℹ️ Metadata
The ⓘ button (⌘ + I) overlays the color profile (sRGB, P3, Rec. 2020), HDR headroom, and camera data for both the original and the converted image. Whether it's on or off is remembered the next time you open the preview.
🔄 Reconverts when settings change
If you change the conversion settings in the right sidebar, resizing, the watermark, background removal, and so on while the preview is open, the image is converted again and the preview updates automatically. The preview shows exactly the result you'd get by clicking Start. Converting in the preview doesn't save any files to the output folder.
📊 File size change
Shows instantly, as a percentage, how much smaller (or larger) the file is than the original.
Batch Rename & Filename Settings
Use FILENAME in the right sidebar to rename converted files in bulk. When you choose anything other than “None” under “Modify filename”, each row in the list shows the new name as “→ new name.ext” (the saved file gets the real extension in place of “.ext”).
🔢 Rename with sequence numbers (Replace)
“Replace” swaps out the original file name for a new one made of what you type in the “Prefix (optional)”, “New name (optional)”, and “Suffix (optional)” fields and a sequence number, joined by the separator. The parts go in the order prefix, new name, suffix, number; empty fields are skipped, and the number always comes last. Numbers follow the list order; choose the number of digits from “Numbering: 1” to “Numbering: 00001” (the default is “Numbering: 0001”). Any / or : in the name is replaced with _.
➕ Prefix / Suffix
Adds text before (Prefix) or after (Suffix) the original file name. Choose what to add: “Custom” (type it in the “Write here...” field), “Order in list” (the image's position in the list), “Resized width or height”, or “Resized width or height (with unit)”. The resized size is added only to images that actually get scaled down. Handy when exporting several sizes of responsive web assets (for srcset).
🔤 Separator
Choose the character that joins the parts of the name: “(none)”, “ (space)”, “-(hyphen)”, “_(underline)”, or “+(plus)”. While it's still “Select Separator”, no separator is added. However, if you choose “Replace” without having picked a separator, “-(hyphen)” is used.
📎 Keep the original extension
Turn on “Keep original filename extension” to keep the original extension in the name, with its upper or lower case unchanged, as in IMG_1234.JPG.webp.
| Feature / setting | Example settings | Resulting file name (original: IMG_1234.JPG, 3rd in the list) |
|---|---|---|
| Default | “None” | IMG_1234.webp |
| Keep the original extension | “Keep original filename extension” on | IMG_1234.JPG.webp |
| Prefix + Custom | web / separator - |
web-IMG_1234.webp |
| Suffix + Custom | small / separator _ / “Keep original filename extension” on |
IMG_1234.JPG_small.webp |
| Suffix + Order in list | Separator - |
IMG_1234-3.webp |
| Suffix + resized size | “Resized width or height (with unit)” / separator _ (a 4000×3000 image scaled down with Max width 1920) |
IMG_1234_1920px.webp |
| Replace (numbered) | Prefix web / new name product / suffix thumb / separator _ / Numbering: 001 |
web_product_thumb_003.webp (the 1st image gets web_product_thumb_001.webp) |
| A file with the same name exists | “Overwrite existing images” off | IMG_1234(1).webp |
Watermarks
Add a logo or other image to your images as a watermark. Set it up in the Watermark window, which you open with Edit > “Open Watermark...” in the menu bar (⇧ + ⌘ + W) or the Setup button in the WATERMARK section. Close it with esc or ⌘ + W. Defaults are the values the app uses the first time you launch it.
Drop your logo image
Drag a logo image, such as a PNG, onto the box that says “Drag & Drop watermark image here.” Drag and drop is the only way to set it; clicking the box doesn't open a file dialog. “Add Watermark” turns on automatically when you drop it.
Set the position and size
Choose one of nine spots for Position, from “Top left” to “Bottom right” (the default is “Bottom right”). The logo is placed flush against the edges of the image. Choose a Size: “Original”, “Scaled”, “Relative”, or “Absolute”. Insert chooses whether the logo is added before or after resizing.
Adjust the offset and opacity
Use Offset X and Y to shift the logo (in px or %; % is relative to the size of the logo). Right and down are the positive directions, so to move a bottom-right logo in from the edges, use negative values such as −20. Press return to confirm the values you type. Opacity goes from 0 to 100 (the default is 100). The box shows how the watermark will look with those settings.
Convert
While “Add Watermark” is on, the logo is added to every image you convert. Turn it off when you no longer want it.
Settings & Presets
The Settings window (Image Tool+ > “Settings...” in the menu bar, ⌘ + ,) has four tabs: Appearance, Input, Presets, and Other.
🖼️ Show thumbnails
Shows a thumbnail of each image in the list (on by default). When batch-processing huge numbers of images, turn it off to save memory and keep the list fast.
👆 Action when clicking a thumbnail
Choose what happens when you click a thumbnail in the list: “Show conversion preview” (opens the comparison preview; the default) or “Show original image” (shows the original in the app's own viewer).
🪟 Always on top
Keeps the comparison preview window in front of other windows (off by default). When you switch to another app, it goes back to normal.
📋 Status history
With “Add status history regardless of whether the status is shown/hidden” on, history is recorded even while Status on the left is hidden (on by default). Turn it off to record only while Status is shown, which can make the app faster.
⚙️ Customize the right sidebar
Turn each section of the right sidebar on or off: “Presets”, “Encode”, “Resize (preserving aspect ratio)”, “Watermark”, “Background Removal”, “Metadata”, “Input / Output”, “Filename”, “PDF Settings”, and “Post-conversion”. Hide what you don't use to keep your workspace tidy.
⚡️ Bring the app to the front when dragging
Turn on “Bring app to the front when dragging files”, and the Image Tool+ window comes to the front as soon as you start dragging files in Finder or elsewhere, so you can drop them even when the window is behind other windows (a minimized window or a hidden app isn't brought forward; off by default).
🎯 Only process certain extensions (allow list)
Specify the image extensions to load (for example, JPG,JPEG,PNG,WEBP,AVIF). Even if you drop a whole folder mixed with text, video, or ZIP files, only the matching images are loaded.
🚫 Ignore specific files & folders
Use the Register button, or drag onto the list box, to add folders or files that shouldn't be loaded (for example, node_modules or a folder of working files). Each entry is registered by its location (path), and any file whose path contains a registered location isn't loaded. Registering a folder skips every file inside it.
⚠️ Ignore files with extensions
List extensions to skip so intermediate or temporary files don't sneak into your batch.
A preset is a named copy of your right-sidebar settings (output formats, quality, resizing, watermark position, metadata settings, and more). Make one for each job, and you can switch all your settings in one step.
💾 Save as...
Click Save as..., type a name, and click OK to save the current settings as a new preset. Each preset needs its own name (the naming sheet also says “Preset name must be unique.”). The new preset is added to the end of the list and becomes the selected one.
🔄 Save (overwrite)
Click Save and confirm to overwrite the selected preset with the current settings. After saving, “Successfully saved.” appears. The button is unavailable when no preset is selected.
✔ Select, rename, and delete
Click a preset name in the list to load its settings; it gets a ✔. Click the selected preset again to deselect it (your current settings stay as they are). Use ✎ to rename a preset and × to delete it (deleting can't be undone). Before deleting, the app asks you to confirm with “(preset name) will be deleted.”
⚡️ Switch from the sidebar or menu (⌘ + 1–9)
Switch presets with the pop-up menu in the PRESETS section of the right sidebar or with the Preset menu in the menu bar. ⌘ + 1–9 switches to presets 1–9, and ⌘ + 0 chooses “None (no preset)”, which only deselects the preset and leaves your current settings as they are. Choose the 10th preset and beyond from the right sidebar or this tab. Save in the right sidebar overwrites the selected preset, and Details opens this tab. In the right sidebar's pop-up menu, the no-preset state is shown as “None”.
📤 Export settings
Export your presets and detailed settings to a file. It's a safe way to move to a new Mac or keep a backup.
📥 Import settings
Import an exported settings file to restore it. Share a common set of image optimization presets across a production or design team to keep quality consistent.
🌓 Appearance (System Default / Light / Dark)
“System Default” (the default) follows the macOS appearance. Choose “Light” or “Dark” to show every window of the app in that appearance, whatever macOS is set to. Open windows change right away.
🌐 Language
Click “Open System Preferences” to open the Language & Region settings in macOS, and choose a language for “Image Tool+” in the Applications section. The app is available in Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese (Simplified).
🚀 Operating Mode (images processed at once)
Choose how many images are converted at the same time: Speed, Balance, or Stability (Balance is the default). Speed uses the larger of your CPU core count and 32, Balance uses the smaller of half your installed memory (in GB) and your CPU core count, and Stability processes two images at a time. Choose Stability to keep working comfortably while images convert, or Speed to use every core and finish as fast as possible.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Common actions are also available from the keyboard.
Main window
| Shortcut | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ⇧ + ⌘ + S | Start Conversion | Converts the selected images (or every image in the list if none are selected). If the output is “Not yet specified”, a folder dialog opens first and conversion starts right after you choose. |
| ⇧ + ⌘ + P | Preview Result... | Opens the comparison preview window for the selected image. |
| ⇧ + ⌘ + W | Open Watermark... | Opens the Watermark window. |
| ⌘ + O | Add Images... | Choose files or folders to add to the list. |
| ⌘ + V | Add Images from Clipboard | Adds image files you copied in Finder to the list. |
| ⌘ + A | Select All | Selects every image in the list. |
| ⌘ + ⌫ | Clear Images | Removes the selected images from the list (the original files aren't deleted). |
| ⌘ + F | Search... | Shows a search field for filtering the list by file name. |
| ⌘ + 1 – 9 | Switch preset | Switches to saved presets 1–9. Numbers with no saved preset can't be chosen. |
| ⌘ + 0 | None (no preset) | Deselects the preset. Your current settings stay as they are. |
| ⌘ + , | Settings... | Opens the Settings window. |
| ⌘ + ← / → | Show or hide sidebars | Shows or hides Status on the left / the right sidebar. |
| ↑ / ↓ | Move the selection | Moves the selection up or down in the list (hold ⇧ to extend it). |
| esc | Deselect | Clears the selection (or closes the search field if it's open). |
Preview window
| Shortcut | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ⌘ + R | Reconvert | Converts the displayed image again. |
| ⌘ + S | Save | Saves the converted result as a file. |
| ⌘ + C | Copy as File | Copies the converted file to the clipboard. |
| ⌘ + D | Copy as Data | Copies the converted image to the clipboard as image data. |
| ⌘ + I | Show image metadata | Overlays the color, HDR, and EXIF information of both the original and the converted image. |
| Space | Toggle full view | Switches between showing only the converted image and only the original. |
| ← / → | Previous / next image | Moves to the previous or next image in the list. |
| ⌘ + ← / → | Move the slider to an edge | ⌘ + ← moves the slider to the left edge to show only the converted image, and ⌘ + → moves it to the right edge to show only the original. |
| ⌘ + = / ⌘ + - | Zoom in / out | Zooms the view in or out. |
| ⌘ + 0 | Fit to window | Resets the zoom and position so the whole image fits the window (while the preview window is in front, this key doesn't switch presets). |
| esc | Reset the view | Resets the zoom and position and moves the slider back to the center. |
| ⌘ + W | Close | Closes the preview window. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about converting images and the app's settings.
Q. Could my original images be overwritten or deleted?
Converting to a different format changes the extension, so the originals stay as they are. If a file with the same name already exists where you save, the new file gets a number added, as in IMG_1234(1).webp, and removing images from the list doesn't delete the original files.
However, if you turn on “Overwrite existing images”, saving in the same format to the same folder overwrites the original. And if you turn on “Trash original images” under POST-CONVERSION, the originals are moved to the Trash after conversion (you can put them back with “Initialize Process Status” in the right-click menu).
Q. Can a converted file end up larger than the original?
Yes, for example when the original is already heavily compressed. The list then shows +NN%. Turn on “Save only if file size is reduced” under “Output Conditions” in the INPUT / OUTPUT section, and files that don't get smaller aren't saved and are shown as errors (it's off by default).
Q. Why can't I find the Start button?
While the output is “Not yet specified”, the button reads “Select Output Folder”. Click it and choose a folder, or choose “Save in Original Image's Folder” from the “Output Folder” pop-up menu in the INPUT / OUTPUT section, and the button changes to Start. The button also shows “Please select convert type” while no format is checked, “Please input resized value” when Max width or Max height is on with a value of 0, and “Please input folder name” when “Create a new folder in the output folder” is on with an empty name.
Q. Why can't I find or turn on “Automatically Start Conversion”?
“Automatically Start Conversion” only appears while the list is empty. If there are images in the list, clear it by clicking the − button with nothing selected. It also can't be turned on while the output is “Not yet specified”, so choose an output folder first.
Q. Why does the app ask me to permit access to a folder?
Because Image Tool+ runs in the macOS sandbox, this dialog appears for each folder of your images that you haven't given access to yet. It appears when you add images with “Save in Original Image's Folder” selected, when you switch to “Save in Original Image's Folder” with images in the list, and when you choose “Prefix”, “Suffix”, or “Replace” or turn on “Keep original filename extension”. Click Permit in the dialog. You won't be asked again for a folder you've already allowed.
Q. Why aren't images in subfolders loaded?
By default, only the images directly inside a folder are loaded. Turn on “Include subfolders” in the INPUT / OUTPUT section of the right sidebar to load the images in all its subfolders too.
Q. Are EXIF and location data kept?
With the default, “Delete metadata”, EXIF and location data aren't kept in converted files. To keep them, choose “Preserve metadata” in the METADATA section of the right sidebar. “Edit metadata” lets you write the artist, copyright, and more, and “Remove GPS location” deletes the location (see Output & Post-Conversion). You can check what was kept with ⓘ in the comparison preview (⌘ + I).
Q. What happens when I convert HDR photos?
HDR is kept when you convert to HEIC, AVIF, JPEG XL, PNG, or JPG, and tone-mapped to SDR for WebP, TIFF, BMP, and GIF, which can't hold HDR (see Converting HDR Images).
Q. Should I use WebP or AVIF for my website?
WebP works in every modern browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge) and has the widest compatibility, so it's the first choice.
AVIF has the edge when you want even smaller files or need to deliver 10-bit HDR.
Q. How do I reset all settings to their defaults?
Hold down the ⌥ (Option) key while you open Image Tool+, and the app asks “Do you want to reset all settings?” Choose “Yes, reset and open app” to erase your settings, presets, watermark image, and folder access permissions and go back to the state of the first launch (the window position and the app's language are kept). This can't be undone.