GIMP 3.2 RC2 brings restriction removal, improved SVG paths, faster startup time, and more

GIMP has reached a major development milestone with the availability of its second release candidate for version 3.2, arriving one month after the project’s first RC. This release brings several workflow improvements that aim to streamline the image editing process for users.

One significant change is the removal of the requirement to have a layer selected before exporting an image, addressing a long-standing limitation from GIMP 2.10. Users can now save or export images directly, regardless of selection state. Alongside this, the clipboard brush and clipboard pattern now support much larger temporary creations, with the size limit increased from 1024 pixels to 8192 pixels for 64-bit builds, taking advantage of modern system capabilities.

Following enhancements to the export and clipboard features, the SVG import code has been updated to correctly handle a wider range of path types, improving compatibility for users working with vector artwork. Several updates planned as part of the future GIMP 3.4 roadmap are also introduced, including notable UI and performance improvements to the Paint Select tool, as well as faster load times when working with many fonts. Additional minor enhancements and bug fixes are also included throughout this release.