Help & User Guide
Manip processes images in batches using a pipeline of rules. Drop in any number of photos, add operations, preview the result in real time, then export — at every size and format you need — in one click. This guide covers every part of the app.
Quick Start
- Add images — drag image files or folders onto the Manip window, or use the add button to pick files.
- Add rules — click Add Rule and choose an operation. Stack as many rules as you need.
- Check the preview — select any image in the list to see the result of your full pipeline applied to it. The preview updates instantly as you change settings.
- Set output options — choose the output folder and add any size variants you need.
- Export — click Export. Every image is processed at every variant in one pass.
Rules Reference
Rules are applied in the order they appear, top to bottom. Each rule's output is passed to the next. Drag to reorder; click × to remove.
Transform
Resize
Changes the pixel dimensions of the image. Four modes:
- Fit within bounds — scales the image down (or up) so it fits inside a maximum width × height, keeping the original aspect ratio. No cropping.
- Fill and crop — scales the image to fill the target dimensions exactly, cropping any overflow.
- Exact dimensions — forces a precise width and height, potentially distorting the image.
- Scale by percentage — resizes by a percentage of the original size (e.g. 50% halves both dimensions).
Crop
Trims the image to a target shape. Choose an aspect ratio (1:1, 4:3, 16:9, 3:2, and more) or fixed pixel dimensions. A 9-point anchor grid lets you choose which part of the image to keep — centre, top-left, bottom-right, and so on.
Rotate
Rotates the image by 90°, 180°, or a custom angle. Custom angles add a background colour to fill the corners created by the rotation.
Flip
Mirrors the image horizontally (left–right) or vertically (top–bottom).
Colour & Tone
Adjust Colour
Six sliders for basic tonal and colour adjustments: brightness, contrast, saturation, hue rotation, exposure, and vibrance. Each slider has a reset button to return to neutral.
Temperature & Tint
Corrects the white balance of an image. Temperature shifts from cool (blue) to warm (orange). Tint shifts from green to magenta. Use this to warm up indoor shots or cool down overcast exteriors.
Highlights & Shadows
Targeted tonal adjustments without affecting the whole image. Recover clipped highlights (blown-out whites) by lowering the Highlights slider; lift underexposed shadow areas by raising Shadows.
Sharpen
Applies an unsharp mask to increase perceived detail. Set the radius (how wide the sharpening halo is) and intensity. Use sparingly — over-sharpening creates halos around edges.
Noise Reduction
Smooths grain and digital noise without losing structural detail. Useful for photos taken at high ISO settings.
Blur
Applies a Gaussian blur for a soft-focus effect. Set the blur radius to control the intensity.
Style & Finish
Grayscale
Converts the image to black and white in one step.
Sepia
Applies a warm vintage brown tone. Adjust the intensity slider to control how strong the effect is.
Vignette
Darkens the edges of the image to draw attention to the centre. Adjust radius and intensity for a subtle or dramatic effect.
Canvas
Extends the image by adding padding around it. Set the padding amount for each edge and choose a background colour. The original image sits centred on the new canvas. Useful for adding uniform whitespace before uploading to marketplaces.
Border
Draws a coloured frame around the image. Set the border width, colour, and optionally round the corners.
Watermark (Text)
Overlays text on the image. Set the text content, font, size, colour, opacity, and position (using a 9-point anchor grid or custom offset). Add a copyright notice or branding to every image in the batch at once.
Watermark (Image)
Overlays a logo or graphic. Choose the image file, set position, scale it relative to the image width, and adjust opacity. PNG files with transparency work best.
Export & Utility
Convert Format
Saves the output in a different file format. Options: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, or WebP. For JPEG and WebP, set the quality level (0–100). JPEG is the most compatible; WebP produces the smallest files for web use; PNG is lossless.
Strip Metadata
Removes all EXIF, GPS, and IPTC metadata from the output file. The pixel content is unchanged. Use this before publishing photos online to prevent location data and device information from being shared.
Remove Background
Uses Apple's on-device Vision framework to detect the main subject in the photo and remove the background, producing a PNG with a transparent background. Works best on photos with a clear foreground subject (people, objects) against a contrasting background.
Output Size Variants
Manip can generate multiple output sizes from each source image in a single run. For example: add a @1x variant at 800×600 and a @2x variant at 1600×1200, and every image in your batch is exported at both sizes simultaneously.
To add a variant, click the + button in the output section, give it a name (e.g. "@2x" or "thumbnail"), and set its dimensions. All variants use the same rule pipeline — the pipeline runs once per variant per image.
Presets
Manip ships with eleven built-in presets: Web Export, Square Thumbnail, Retina Web (@1x + @2x), App Icon Prep, Email Attachment, Blog Hero, Print Ready, Profile Photo, and more. Load a preset to start immediately with a sensible rule stack.
Save your own preset by clicking Save Preset after building a rule stack. Your presets persist between sessions and appear alongside the built-in ones.
Undoing an Export
After an export, an Undo button appears. Clicking it moves every output file from that run to the Trash in one action. Your original files are always safe — Manip never modifies them.
Tips & Tricks
- Put Resize before Watermark. If you resize first, the watermark is stamped on the final output size — so it appears at the right scale. If you watermark before resizing, the text may become tiny or blurry.
- Use Remove Background + Canvas for product shots. Stack Remove Background followed by Canvas (white padding) to produce clean marketplace-ready product images in bulk.
- Preview on multiple images before exporting. Click through several images in the list to make sure the pipeline looks right on different aspect ratios and lighting conditions.
- Strip Metadata before publishing. Add a Strip Metadata rule to remove GPS location and device info from every photo in the batch — a good habit before any public upload.
- Use WebP for web output. WebP files are significantly smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality. Add a Convert Format rule set to WebP as the last step in your pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Manip modify my original files?
Never. Manip always writes output files to a separate destination folder. Your originals are read but never modified.
What image formats does Manip accept as input?
Manip accepts any image format that macOS can open — including JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, WebP, GIF, and most RAW formats from popular camera manufacturers.
Remove Background didn't work well on my photos
Background removal works best with a clear, distinct subject against a contrasting background. Busy scenes, hair, transparent objects, and complex edges are harder for the AI to handle. Review each result before using them.
Can I use Manip on RAW files?
Yes — macOS includes RAW decoding for most common cameras. Manip will read your RAW files, process them through the pipeline, and write output in your chosen format (JPEG, PNG, etc.). The original RAW file is not modified.
Troubleshooting
Export is slow with many large images
Processing large images (especially RAW or TIFF files) through multiple rules is CPU-intensive. Manip processes files in parallel where possible, but very large batches with heavy rules (Remove Background, multiple adjustments) will take time. This is normal.
Output files are larger than expected after Convert Format
PNG is lossless and always larger than JPEG at the same visual quality. If file size matters, use JPEG or WebP and set the quality slider to around 80–85 for a good balance.
Crop is cutting off the wrong part of my images
Adjust the anchor position in the Crop rule settings. By default, the crop is centred. Set the anchor to top-left, bottom-right, or another position to keep the relevant part of the image.