I didn’t plan to start using Photoshop on my iPad. It just kind of happened.

One afternoon, stuck at a client’s office with only my iPad Pro and a deadline breathing down my neck, I thought, “Well… maybe I can get away with a few edits on this thing.” I opened the Photoshop app, tapped into a cloud document, and started retouching. It felt weird. And then it didn’t. In fact, it worked better than I expected.

That was the moment I realized something most people still don’t know: there are actually two very different ways to run Photoshop on an iPad.

The first is what everyone assumes, Adobe’s official Photoshop app from the App Store. It’s touch-friendly, Apple Pencil-aware, and surprisingly powerful for what it is. But it’s not full Photoshop. If you’ve used the desktop version for any serious work, you’ll hit the ceiling fast.

The second option is way less obvious, but way more powerful. You can actually run the full, desktop version of Photoshop, plug-ins, Smart Objects, the whole deal, on a cloud computer. Then stream that experience directly to your iPad using a platform like Vagon.

So yeah, you’ve got choices.
And depending on what kind of creative work you’re doing, one of them might save your sanity.

Let’s break both options down. No fluff. Just what works, what doesn’t, and how to actually make Photoshop on iPad part of a real workflow.

#1. The Native Photoshop App: Fast, Simple, but Limited

Let’s start with the obvious one: the Photoshop app you can download straight from the App Store.

It’s made by Adobe. It syncs with your Creative Cloud account. It looks like Photoshop. It even opens .PSD files, layers intact. So far, so good.

And to be fair? It does a lot more than people give it credit for.

Once you get the hang of the layout, which is completely rethought for touch, it’s actually pretty satisfying to use. The toolbar lives on the left, context menus on the right, and a floating “touch modifier” button gives you alternate functions when using your finger or Apple Pencil.

What’s surprisingly good:

• Apple Pencil support is excellent. Masking and brushing feel smooth and responsive, especially on newer iPads. Pressure sensitivity works out of the box.

• Layer-based editing is there. You can add adjustment layers, clipping masks, text, vector shapes, and blend modes.

• Cloud Document sync means you can start on iPad and finish on desktop, or vice versa, without zipping or emailing anything.

• Touch gestures (like pinch-to-zoom, two-finger undo, and long-press selects) feel intuitive. I found myself missing them on the desktop after a while.

• Select Subject, Healing Brush, Clone Stamp — all working, and surprisingly fast on a good iPad.

If your workflow involves reviewing comps, making minor adjustments, doing light retouching, or even creating social media visuals from scratch, it can definitely keep up.

But once you cross into more serious territory, you’ll feel the cracks.

What’s still missing (and it stings):

• No plug-ins. None. If your workflow depends on Portraiture, Retouch4Me, or custom panels, you’re out of luck.

• Smart Objects are mostly read-only. You can view them, but not edit them in the same way as on desktop.

• No Camera Raw. You’ll need to pre-process your RAWs elsewhere—Lightroom, maybe—but that slows things down.

• No Liquify (last time I checked), or at least not the full desktop-style version. Same for Puppet Warp and some blending tools.

• Performance dips start showing when you’re working with high-res files (like 5000x5000px) or 30+ layers. Especially if your iPad is more than a few years old.

It’s also worth noting that some features randomly behave differently than you'd expect. The UI is simple, yes, but not always predictable. You might go hunting for something that “should” be there… and it just isn’t. That frustration adds up.

If the iPad version’s limitations are too frustrating, and cloud setups aren’t your thing, there are some solid Photoshop alternatives worth exploring too.

My take?
It’s not a bad version of Photoshop. It’s just not all of Photoshop.

If you know what you’re walking into, and you’re doing the kind of creative work it’s built for, it can be an absolute lifesaver. But if you’re the kind of person who has to flatten layers just to keep the file from crashing, or who builds custom actions and relies on plug-ins daily? You’ll hit the ceiling fast.

And that’s exactly where Option 2 comes in.

#2. Vagon: Full Desktop Photoshop, Running on Your iPad

This is the part most people don’t know exists.

If you’ve ever yelled at the iPad Photoshop app because it couldn’t handle your file or didn’t support your plug-in, yeah, same. That’s when I started looking for another way. Something that didn’t feel like a watered-down version of what I actually needed.

Enter: Vagon Cloud Computer.

It’s not a new app or a Photoshop clone. Vagon is a high-performance computer in the cloud. You log in from your iPad, launch full Windows, yes, full Windows, and open real desktop Photoshop. The version you’ve used for years, exactly as it is, running on a machine with actual power behind it.

And it’s not just a screen share or laggy remote desktop. Vagon is optimized for creative workflows. Think of it like a remote workstation designed to run massive PSDs, plug-ins, GPU-heavy tools, and multitasking without gasping for air.

What it does differently (and better):

• You get 100% of Photoshop’s features. Smart Filters. Camera Raw. Liquify. Actions. Plug-ins. Nothing’s cut.

• File size stops being a problem. I opened a 2.1 GB, 12-bit layered composite from a commercial shoot without a hiccup. Try doing that on the iPad app.

• Plug-ins work. That’s huge. I’ve run everything from Nik Collection to custom portrait retouching panels. No hacks. No workarounds.

• Performance is real. You’re using a multi-core CPU, dedicated GPU, 32+ GB RAM, on a machine built for this stuff. And your iPad’s doing zero of the heavy lifting.

• Apple Pencil still works. Same with gestures. Same with a connected keyboard or even mouse input.

If you’ve ever had Photoshop crash mid-edit on a giant PSD, you’re not alone—there are actually some surprisingly common reasons why that happens, and most of them are avoidable.

So now, instead of worrying about whether the iPad version can handle a project, I just fire up Vagon and treat my iPad like a window into a powerful desktop rig.

And no, you don’t need to install anything.

Vagon runs in your browser, Safari, Chrome, whatever. You log in, choose your machine (they have multiple performance tiers), and launch Photoshop. That’s it. Your files can be synced via Dropbox, Google Drive, or Vagon’s own file system (Vagon Files), so moving assets between local and cloud is pretty seamless.

If you’re stuck on a setup without a powerful graphics card, don’t worry—there are smart ways to keep Photoshop running smoothly even without a GPU.

Of course, it’s not magic. There are tradeoffs.

• You’ll need a solid internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is flaky or you’re on hotel internet, things can feel laggy. But even on 4G, I’ve managed solid sessions.

• You’re streaming from the cloud. So yeah, battery life on your iPad is better than if you were processing locally, but you do need to be online.

The first time I edited a full client deliverable on my iPad with full desktop Photoshop, plug-ins running, files syncing, no crashes, it honestly felt like cheating.

Bottom line: If the official Photoshop app is great for 80% of tasks, Vagon unlocks the final 20%, the demanding, high-stakes, can’t-fail work that actually pays your bills.

So now the question becomes: how do you decide which one to use, and when?

That’s next.

What’s It Like to Actually Work This Way?

Here’s where theory meets reality.

I’ve been using both the Photoshop iPad app and Vagon for months now, not as an experiment, but as part of my real, deadline-driven creative work. And honestly? The combo works better than I expected.

How I Use the Photoshop App

When I’m out, coffee shop, train, sitting on my couch, I reach for the official iPad app. It’s quick to open, loads recent projects via Cloud Documents, and gives me just enough tools to review, clean up, or build something light. Things like:

• Masking out a background from a product shot

• Fixing small retouch notes from a client

• Laying out rough compositions or templates

The touch gestures, two-finger undo, and Apple Pencil all make it feel fun. Less like work, more like sketching. And for simple edits? It's honestly faster than firing up a desktop.

But when I get that message, “can you export this as layered TIFF with all masks intact and rework the composite with updated files?”, that’s when I launch Vagon.

Switching to Vagon for Heavy Lifting

Opening the same project in full Photoshop through Vagon gives me the power I need to finish the job. I’ve run:

• Full commercial retouching workflows

• Composite design mockups with 100+ layers

• Plug-in-based batch processes and color grading setups

• Multi-file exports in weird formats clients still insist on using (🙃)

It’s the same Photoshop you’d run on a beefy PC. Just... accessible on your iPad.

Exporting layered TIFFs or weird file formats? You can speed things up with these quick export tips for Photoshop that save tons of time in crunch mode.

Workflow Tips I’ve Picked Up

• Use Creative Cloud, Dropbox, or Vagon Files to sync projects between your iPad and your cloud computer. Vagon Files is built in, super straightforward, and works well for large PSDs and folder structures. I still keep Dropbox around out of habit, but honestly, Vagon’s native tool has saved me more than once when I needed to upload something fast from my tablet.

• Use a keyboard if possible. iPad keyboard cases or even a Bluetooth keyboard make shortcuts and file management way easier.

• Apple Pencil still works great in Vagon. You get pressure sensitivity, smooth brushing, and good precision—even though you’re technically streaming a remote machine.

• Don't wait until you're stuck. I often start in the iPad app, and once I feel the limitations creeping in, I just launch Vagon and finish there. It’s a clean switch.

This back-and-forth workflow isn’t clunky, it’s kind of elegant. The iPad becomes both sketchpad and control center. Light work or heavy work, I’m covered.

And that’s the key: you don’t have to choose one tool forever.
Just pick the one that fits the moment.

Let’s talk about how to figure that out.

Which One Should You Use?

By now, you’ve probably got a sense of where this is going.

Both options, Adobe’s Photoshop iPad app and Vagon’s cloud-based Photoshop, are good. But they’re good at different things. It’s not about which one is better overall. It’s about which one fits what you need, right now.

Here’s how I break it down:

Use the official Photoshop iPad app if...

• You’re doing light work: social media graphics, concept sketches, quick edits

• You like drawing or masking with the Apple Pencil

• You want speed, simplicity, and portability

• Your files are under 500MB and don’t rely on advanced features or plug-ins

• You’re offline often, or working in places with weak internet

Honestly, if I’m just sketching out ideas or working on something non-destructive, I’ll stay in the native app. It’s fast and responsive, and you don’t need to think too hard about the tech behind it.

If you’re just getting started or want to level up your skills, these top-rated Photoshop courses are a great way to learn fast—no matter which version you’re using.

Use Vagon Cloud Computer if...

• You need plug-ins, advanced compositing, or full Photoshop features

• You’re working with massive PSDs (1GB+) or dozens of layers

• You need performance that your iPad just can’t offer

• You’re on a deadline, and “it kind of works” isn’t good enough

• You want to turn your iPad into a serious creative workstation, no compromises

In my workflow, both tools have a place. I don’t see them as competitors. One is my sketchpad. The other is my powerhouse.

And when you set them up to work together, cloud files, synced storage, consistent projects, it starts to feel seamless. Like Photoshop on iPad isn’t a compromise anymore. It’s just flexible.

Use the light one for light work. Fire up the heavy-duty rig when it’s time to get serious.

Let’s wrap it up.

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

There was a time when “Photoshop on iPad” felt like a gimmick. A half-step solution for casual users, not pros. That time’s over.

The official Photoshop app has grown into something genuinely useful. It’s sleek, responsive, and great for a surprising amount of real work, especially when paired with an Apple Pencil and Creative Cloud. If you’ve never tried it, you should. If you need a push to start experimenting, here are some inspiring Photoshop projects that show what’s possible—even with just an iPad and good workflow.

But it’s not the whole picture. Not even close.

The second option, running full Photoshop through Vagon, unlocks everything Adobe left out. Plug-ins. Batch actions. Giant files. It turns your iPad into a proper workstation, no matter where you are. I’ve literally worked on full client projects from a hotel room using just my iPad and a stable Wi-Fi connection.

That’s the shift: you’re no longer limited by the device in your hands. If the hardware can’t handle it, offload it to the cloud.

I don’t use Photoshop on iPad instead of desktop Photoshop.
I use both—because now, I can. And I use them together.

So yes, Photoshop on iPad is real. It works.
You just have to choose the right version for the job.

And when you do?
You might never open your laptop again.

FAQs

1. Can you use full Photoshop on iPad?
Not natively. The App Store version of Photoshop is a stripped-down version made for touch and mobility. If you want full Photoshop, with plug-ins, Smart Filters, and all features, you’ll need to stream it using a cloud platform like Vagon Cloud Computer. That gives you access to the full desktop version, running remotely but controlled from your iPad.

2. Does Photoshop on iPad support plug-ins?
Nope. As of now, the official Photoshop iPad app does not support any third-party plug-ins. If your workflow depends on tools like Portraiture, Nik Collection, or Retouch4Me, you’ll need to use full Photoshop through something like Vagon.

3. Is Photoshop for iPad free?
You can download it for free, but to actually use it, you’ll need a Creative Cloud subscription. The mobile version doesn’t require a separate license if you’re already paying for the Photoshop or All Apps plan.

4. Does Photoshop on iPad support Apple Pencil?
Yes, and it’s one of the app’s best features. Pressure sensitivity, tilt, and brush precision all work great. Most tools are Pencil-friendly, and you can customize gestures and touch shortcuts in settings.

5. Can I open PSD files on iPad?
Yes, both the Photoshop iPad app and Photoshop via Vagon support .PSD files. The native app has some file size and feature limitations, but it opens layered files just fine. Vagon, on the other hand, lets you open any PSD you could run on a full PC.

6. What’s the best iPad for Photoshop?
If you’re using the native Photoshop app, the iPad Pro M1 or newer gives the best experience, fast brushes, less lag, better multitasking. For running Photoshop via Vagon, even older iPads or base models can work fine since the heavy lifting happens in the cloud. Whether you’re using Photoshop on your iPad or in the cloud, these step-by-step tutorials can help sharpen your workflow and teach some cool tricks along the way.

7. Can I use Photoshop on an iPad without the internet?
Only the native Photoshop app works offline, and even then, you’ll need to plan ahead by saving files locally. Vagon requires an internet connection since it streams the desktop Photoshop environment live to your iPad.