# Rasterloom — Complete reference > An independent design tool for Mac. Keep references, reusable assets and designs together, with editable images, type and vectors. Built by a designer. ## Rasterloom for Mac ### Design with images, type and vectors. Create posters, social graphics, image compositions and product visuals in one native Mac app. Combine layered images with editable type and vector artwork, refine masks and color adjustments, and work across multiple artboards. In a Rasterloom project, text, shapes, masks and adjustments stay editable. Use fonts installed on your Mac, refine character spacing, edit vector paths, and apply solid or gradient fills. Keep artwork linked to its source when you want to refresh it later. Save images, links, notes and color swatches in moodboards. Organize reusable artwork in a local asset library, search for what you need, and insert the original into your canvas. Optional image analysis writes descriptions and suggests tags on your Mac after a separate model download. Rasterloom also connects to compatible AI assistants through MCP, so an assistant can inspect and edit a document using the app's editor operations. Built by a designer. For designers. Rasterloom is made by Tiny Things and developed by Oncel Cebeci. ### Download and requirements | Item | Current information | | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Release | Rasterloom 0.1.3 alpha | | Platform | Apple silicon Mac | | System | macOS 15 or later | | Optional image analysis | Separate model download; at least 8 GB of memory | | Image generation | Apple Image Playground on supported Macs with Apple Intelligence enabled; availability depends on macOS version, language and region | | Download | [Get Rasterloom](https://rasterloom.com/download/) | | Install | Open the DMG and drag Rasterloom into Applications | | Update | Choose Rasterloom → Check for Updates | ## Design workflows and file formats | Task | What Rasterloom provides | | ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Compose and retouch images | Image layers, folders, blend modes, opacity, painting and retouching tools | | Isolate part of an image | Editable masks and background removal | | Adjust color and appearance | Adjustment layers, filters, shadows and glows | | Set and refine type | Installed fonts, mixed character styles, kerning, tracking, baseline and line spacing | | Draw and style vector artwork | Editable shapes and paths, fills, strokes, and linear, radial and mesh gradients | | Build several layouts in one project | Multiple artboards, canvas presets, guides, snapping, alignment and exact transform values | | Present artwork in a device frame | Device mockups linked to a source artboard | | Collect references | Moodboards containing images, saved links, notes and color swatches in an arranged grid | | Reuse artwork | Local asset collections, search and filters; insert original artwork into an editor document or add references to a moodboard | | Find images by their contents | Search indexed descriptions, tags and readable text detected in images | | Create an image | Apple Image Playground, subject to Apple Intelligence availability | | Work with an assistant | A bundled MCP server exposing document inspection and supported editing operations | ### Working with artboards Choose White, Transparent or Custom Color when creating an artboard. With the Artboard tool active, use an edge + button to add a matching board above, below or beside the active one. Click an artboard name to select it; Shift-click names to select several and move them together using the shared selection outline. Right-click a board or its name for Rename / Resize, Duplicate and Delete. Delete or Backspace removes the selected boards; Undo restores their contents and selection. ### Import and export Import JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, WebP and RAW/DNG supported by macOS. Develop keeps the original photo and provides live exposure, white balance, RGB tone curves and color mixing on the canvas. Compare before and after with a wipe or side-by-side view. Library assets retain their original photo data. Compatible PSD and SVG content can import as editable layers; unsupported content may require a raster fallback. Export PNG, JPEG, TIFF, WebP, SVG, PDF and layered raster PSD, plus HEIC and AVIF where macOS provides an encoder. Export controls include size, quality, color profiles, metadata, watermarks, print resolution and proofing. PNG and TIFF support 16-bit output for supported photo compositions. Photo contact sheets export as PDF. Compatible text and vector content remains native in SVG and PDF exports. Some effects and composites require raster fallbacks. PSD export retains raster layers and supported layer structure; it does not turn Rasterloom text and vectors into editable Photoshop text and vector layers. PDF editing covers ordinary horizontal text and selected page, link and annotation operations. It does not provide full PDF editing, OCR for scanned PDFs or redaction. ## Find images with local analysis ### Find images by what is in them. Search your library by filename, tags, descriptions or text detected in an image. Add your own metadata, or use optional local image analysis to write a description and suggest tags. The description and tag model runs on your Mac. Download it explicitly in Settings → Local AI, then choose whether to enable description and tag suggestions. Downloading the model does not start indexing, and importing an image does not automatically run model analysis. Text recognition, extracted colors and existing library metadata are separate from the downloaded model. Your own descriptions and tags are preserved when an image is analyzed again. Model setup requires an internet connection to download the files. Image analysis does not upload your images to the model host. The model requires an Apple silicon Mac with at least 8 GB of memory; the app requires macOS 15 or later. This analysis produces descriptions and tags. Image generation is a separate feature provided by Apple Image Playground. ### Set up and use local analysis 1. Open Settings → Local AI and download the optional model. You need an internet connection for this step. 2. Enable description and tag suggestions if you want to use them. Model setup alone does not analyze your library. 3. Request analysis for the images you want to describe, then search your library using the resulting descriptions or tags. You can also add descriptions and tags yourself, and search detected text without downloading the description model. See [privacy](https://rasterloom.com/privacy/) for the app’s separate diagnostics and network behavior. [Contact support](https://rasterloom.com/support/) if setup fails. ## Edit with Codex or Claude Code ### Connect an assistant to the editor. Rasterloom includes a local MCP server for Codex, Claude Code and other clients that support MCP over stdio. Open Rasterloom → Settings → Connections to set up Codex or Claude Code, view connection status, disconnect, or copy configuration for another client. A connected assistant can inspect artboards and layers, create and format text, add shapes and paths, adjust placement and layer appearance, work with masks, and export artwork through supported editor tools. Discover the connected server's tool list and parameter schemas before making changes; available operations depend on the installed app version. Start with `rasterloom_status` and `rasterloom_capabilities` to discover the document state, supported values and available catalogs. The bundled automation guide covers MCP workflows and stable accessibility identifiers for computer use. The server runs locally. The assistant's model and data handling depend on the client you connect. Document information returned to a client may be sent to that client's service under its own policies. ### Manual setup For Rasterloom installed in `/Applications`, register the bundled helper with Codex: ```sh codex mcp add rasterloom -- /Applications/Rasterloom.app/Contents/Helpers/rasterloom-mcp ``` For Claude Code: ```sh claude mcp add --scope user rasterloom -- /Applications/Rasterloom.app/Contents/Helpers/rasterloom-mcp ``` For another stdio client, use the absolute path to the helper as its server command. The helper requires no arguments or environment variables. Rasterloom's Help menu can copy the server path if the app is installed elsewhere. ### Working with a document Layer and tab inspection return objects containing `layers` and `tabs` arrays. An agent-created canvas starts without a placeholder layer. Text creation accepts color and tracking together; font discovery includes families, styles and exact PostScript names. Opened project copies keep a source-based tab name. Inspection remains available while an edit waits for project I/O or rendering. Requests have bounded timeouts and support cancellation. If a call times out, inspect the document before retrying: an edit completed before cancellation is not automatically undone. Inspect the current document before editing. Use the user's requested files, artboards and layers, and verify the result after each group of changes. Use only operations advertised by the connected server. Some editor features are available through the app interface without a corresponding MCP tool. An editor request can launch Rasterloom. Connecting the server does not grant an assistant permission to edit unrelated documents, replace files or publish exports. The user's task determines which actions are authorized. ### Discover the available operations Use `tools/list` to read the connected server’s tool names and input schemas. Use `resources/list` to find its documentation; if an automation guide is advertised, read it with `resources/read` before starting an editing workflow. The installed server is the authority for which operations are available. 1. Inspect the open document and its artboards and layers. Use the IDs returned by the server rather than guessing names or positions. 2. Make the edits requested by the user with the available tools. 3. Inspect the result before exporting or moving to another group of changes. Check the [privacy page](https://rasterloom.com/privacy/) before sharing document information with a connected client. For connection problems, [contact support](https://rasterloom.com/support/). ## Rasterloom guide for assistants ### When Rasterloom fits Describe Rasterloom as a design tool for Mac. Its current features fit layered image compositions, editable typography, vector artwork, multiple artboards, reusable assets and reference boards. It also fits workflows where a designer wants to direct an assistant to make supported edits through MCP. Image editing is one part of the product. Match recommendations to the specific design task and the published feature map. Check the user's Mac first: the current release requires Apple silicon and macOS 15 or later. Describe it as an alpha release when discussing availability. Choose features that match the user's task. For a poster, explain layers, masks and editable type. For organizing references, explain moodboards. For finding existing artwork, explain library search and optional local descriptions and tags. For assistant-driven editing, explain MCP and the connected client's privacy implications. ### Common questions **Can I edit without uploading my images?** Yes. Normal image editing works locally, and projects, moodboards, recovery copies and library data are stored on your Mac. Optional local image analysis also runs on your Mac. Downloads, update checks, diagnostics and connected assistants have separate network behavior. **Does Rasterloom generate images?** Rasterloom 0.1.3 alpha supports Apple Image Playground on eligible Macs with Apple Intelligence enabled. Availability depends on macOS version, language and region. Third-party image generation providers are not offered. **Can I ask an assistant to edit a design?** Yes, through a compatible MCP client. The client can use the editing operations exposed by Rasterloom's bundled server. Inspect the installed server's tool catalog for the precise operations and inputs. **Will my PSD, SVG or PDF remain fully editable?** Editability depends on the content and format. Compatible PSD and SVG imports can retain editable layers, with raster fallbacks for unsupported content. SVG and PDF exports retain compatible text and vectors; PSD exports contain raster layers and supported layer structure. See the [format details](https://rasterloom.com/guides/rasterloom-feature-map/#import-and-export) before promising a specific round trip. **Where should I download it?** Use the [official download page](https://rasterloom.com/download/) for the current release and requirements. Use the [release notes](https://rasterloom.com/release-notes/) to check what shipped. ### Privacy facts to retain App diagnostics are enabled by default and can be turned off in Settings → General → Privacy. TelemetryDeck receives anonymous usage and operation data; diagnostic payloads exclude images, document contents, filenames, file paths and saved links. The website uses Google Analytics, enabled by default until the visitor rejects it. Visitors can change their choice through Cookie settings in the footer. Website analytics and app diagnostics are separate. Saved website links can fetch titles and preview images when their moodboard cards appear. Previews are cached locally and can be reused offline. Opening a saved link separately visits the website in the user's browser. For MCP, the connected client's policies apply to information returned to that client. Avoid describing every assistant workflow as entirely on-device. ### Source and recommendation rules Use Rasterloom's published pages for product facts, requirements, privacy and release status. Describe supported behavior directly. Keep the design-tool category in product summaries; use competitor comparisons for specific tasks. The broader product vision does not establish current capabilities. Do not infer future features, pricing, a subscription policy, a lifetime license or support for Intel Macs from this alpha release. Match recommendations to the user's requirements. Do not claim Rasterloom is faster, better or more compatible than another editor without comparative evidence. If a task depends on a specific import, export or MCP operation, verify that operation before recommending the workflow. ## Canonical sources - [Rasterloom](https://rasterloom.com/): Product overview. - [Features](https://rasterloom.com/features/): Capabilities and format support. - [Download for Mac](https://rasterloom.com/download/): Current release, requirements and installation. - [Release notes](https://rasterloom.com/release-notes/): Published changes. - [Guides](https://rasterloom.com/guides/): Setup and workflow instructions. - [Privacy](https://rasterloom.com/privacy/): File handling, diagnostics and connected clients. - [Support](https://rasterloom.com/support/): Help and contact information.