In iOS 8, Apple added support for extensions, allowing apps to extend some of their function and content throughout iOS 8. One popular category of extensions plug into the Photos app and add editing tools such as filters, text and other effects. While there are many photo and video apps in the iOS App Store, only a subset of these apps support iOS 8 extensions. Below you will find some of the best extensions for editing your photos on your iPhone or iPad.
Quick
Quick allows you to quickly and easily add text to your images when viewing them in the Photos app. It’s great for creating a meme, adding information for an auction listing or The app resides in the Edit section of the Photos app and provides options for changing text attributes, such as font size, color and style. You also can drag the text box and place it anywhere you would like on the photo. The app adds a small overlay watermark on the photo that can be removed via a $1.99 in-app purchase.
➤ Free – Download now
Crop Video Square
Instead of sharing a widescreen video like everyone else, Crop Video Square provides you with a convenient way to distinguish your video by cropping it to a square. You can pinch, zoom, and drag to adjust the size and location of the square that’ll set the new border for your clip. Not only does a square video look unique, it also allows you to trim the video to remove unsightly blemishes like your finger, which often sneaks it way into the edges of your frame.
More than a crop tool, Crop Video Square also allows you to add text and filters to your video. While editing, you can preview your changes within the extension or hop to the full app to finish off the video. When you are done, you can save the video to your camera roll or share it on your social media circles.
➤ $0.99 – Download now
Camera+
Looking to use the Photos app for all your editing needs? Then you need to install popular iOS photography app Camera+, which inserts a full suite of editing tools into the default iOS Photos app. Similar to other tools, Camera+ is available when you are editing a photo and complements the existing Photo editing options.
The included Camera+ tools allow you tweak fine details such as clarity, add a soft focus, straighten out a crooked shot and apply a tint. There’s also a pack of frames, a bundle of filters and a collection of preset scenes that alter the appearance of a photo in just one tap. It’s easy to use, produces powerful results and does so all within the iOS photos app.
➤ $2.99 – Download now
PaperCamera
As a standalone app, PaperCamera is known for its ability to take a photo or video and turn it into a sketch. Thanks to the iOS 8 extension, these unique effects are now available when you edit a photo in the iOS Photos app.
The PaperCamera extension allows you to scroll through the different presets that’ll add halftone, cartoon, comic book, noir and many other effects to your photo. You can adjust the contrast, brightness and lines of the effect in order to achieve the desired appearance. When you are done, you can save the photo with the applied effect by pressing “Done.”
Though the app is a free download and the iOS extension is free to use, the PaperCamera standalone app does include in-app purchases that open up all the features of the app. For example, you will need to pay $1.99 or subscribe for 99-cents per month to access features such as strokes, vignette and edges.
➤ Free – Download now
Fragment
Fragment is a creative photo editing tool that allows you to add prismatic effects to your existing photos. When you load Fragment, you can add a geometric or kaleidoscope-like effect to a portion of your photo and turn that plain landscape shot into an eye-catching work of art. Fragment allows you to change the geometric properties of each effect by adjusting its zoom level and rotating it 360 degrees. Fragment costs $1.99 and ships with a handful of stock effects, but you can purchase additional packs for 99-cents each or buy the entire master collection for $1.99.
➤ $1.99 – Download now
ViewExif
ViewExif allows you to view the exif information that is saved with your photos. This exif data includes details about the photo (ISO Speed, aperture, white balance) and the hardware (camera and lens information) used to take the photo. This information is useful for photographers who want to review the settings for a photo so they can duplicate those parameters and achieve the same effect in future shots.
The ViewExif option appears in the second row of the iOS share sheets, which is accessible by tapping the “Share” button when you are viewing a photo. ViewExif works with the default Photos app and third-party apps such as Dropbox and Google Drive .
➤ Free – Download now
Metapho
Similar to ViewExif, Metapho allows you to view and remove exif data from photos in your iPhone’s or iPad’s camera roll. While ViewExif sits in the share sheets and is available to multiple apps. Metapho is available in the editing menu of the Photos app, making it easy to use when you are editing your photos.
Metapho is flexible, allowing you to remove the exif data before sharing a photo and then restore this information when you are done. This is useful for iOS owners who want to keep this exif data for future reference, but prefer to share their photos with this sometimes sensitive data removed. If you want to see how Metapho works, check out our post on sharing photos without location and other metadata. Metapho can be downloaded for free, but it requires a $1.99 in-app purchase to unlock all the app’s features.
➤ Free – Download now
If you have any other favorite photo extensions for iOS 8 that are not listed above, please share them in the comments.
