When it comes to photo-editing apps, Pixelmator Pro offers the rare mix of simplicity and power: the app’s machine-learning-powered features – including ML Denoise and ML Super Resolution – let anyone improve photos with a few clicks, while experienced photographers can fine-tune their work using a full complement of tools, brushes, shapes, adjustments, effects and styles.

The latest version is even more versatile, thanks to AI-powered template editing and mock-ups. These features help you create visually appealing print, web and social media designs in seconds – no design experience required – then customise them to your liking. Even pros can find inspiration for a project.

Here’s how to dive in.

Create a new document in Pixelmator Pro to see the new Templates browser, which hosts a range of templates organised by type: poster, card, profile picture, social media post, logo and more. Or select one of the Brand Templates for a collection of starters based on a common theme – perfect for creating a range of designs for a business or personal identity.

Each template offers a slew of customisation options to make your work unique. First use the Alternatives button (it looks like a circle with two arrows inside) to cycle through variations on the template’s theme. Then click the Document Color button in the toolbar to pick your favourite palette – or to replace a single colour. Any elements that use the colour(s) you change get updated automatically.

Personalise the template by replacing shapes and images with your own, then edit the text to fit your project. Don’t worry about imperfect images or placements: Pixelmator Pro uses ML and AI to automatically improve the quality of lo-res imports, remove unwanted backgrounds and optimise image placement to best suit the composition.

Pro tip: Templates are standard Pixelmator Pro documents; experienced users can jump into the Layers panel to make deeper edits.

Want to see what your work will look like in the real world? At the bottom of the Templates browser you’ll find mock-ups for computer, tablet and phone screens, book and magazine covers, flyers, posters and more.

Just drag an image or Pixelmator Pro document into the mock-up. As with other templates, you can customise the result by choosing a variation, changing colour palettes and otherwise making tweaks to get the look you want.