Affinity’s latest update brings light mode, pixel to vector conversion, and layer blending

Canva has introduced a major update for Affinity, five months after acquiring the software suite and integrating it into a unified free design platform. Among the headline features, Affinity now offers a light UI mode, letting users select a brighter workspace and fine-tune the brightness to match their preference. Designers who transform raster images into vector art will find the new Convert to curves feature valuable, as it enables users to turn pixel selections into editable vector curves in seconds.

Building on these interface and workflow enhancements, Affinity now provides Live Tone Blend Groups. This tool blends layers dynamically and non-destructively, allowing users to add layers that instantly start blending without manual adjustment. For those who frequently switch brushes, the new right-click brush menu enables instant access to the entire brush library directly from the canvas.

The update also introduces the Tone Brush tool. This lets users sample brush nozzles from underlying layers, allowing for dynamic color blending based on the underlying content. In addition to these features, Affinity’s update includes various enhancements and bug fixes to improve stability and user experience for all creatives.