Windows | Pare and Focus

GIMP Quick-Start Guide For Windows

GIMP is very easy to install on a Windows System. Just make sure you meet these System Requirements:

You must have a Pentium II, Celeron, Athlon or better CPU.

Was your computer made after 1998? You’re probably ok. Many CPUs have a decal on the front telling you what kind of processor it uses. Look for the “Intel Inside” or “AMD Athlon” logo on the front of your CPU or somewhere on your laptop.

No decal? Right click on the My Computer Icon and choose Properties. Go to the Hardware Tab and choose Device Manager. Click on Processors. This should tell you what processor your computer uses.

1) Download GIMP

Go to http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html and download the stable version of GIMP 2.6.9.
Download Help Files in your language from the same site. These aren’t necessary to run GIMP, but they are… helpful.

2) Set Up GIMP

Set up GIMP from the start so you always have what you need. Follow the Pare and Focus guide for setting up and learning GIMP here.

Need more help?

I recommend starting at the official GIMP website: http://www.gimp.org/windows/
Use the search function at http://www.gimpusers.com/ to look for GIMP 2.6 and your flavor of OSX. If you can’t find what you need, post a question in the forums there. These guys can use a lot of tech speak. If you need them to go slow, just ask.
Check the discussions in flickr’s GIMP group. This is just one of a few groups, but it’s a good place to start. You can search the discussions too. Make sure to join the group and introduce yourself if you need to ask a new question. There are over 7,000 members, so someone’s bound to have an answer. Discussions and the photo community are just two of the reasons I love flickr.
While you’re at it, join the Pare and Focus Flickr Group too! Share your before and after photos, shots your proud of, shots you need help with or anything else you like. (Just keep it “G” rated please.)

3) That’s it