How to Install G'MIC for GIMP (16 Steps)

Download the G'MIC package for your system from the developer's website. If your system runs the 32-bit version of Windows, choose the 32-bit package; if your PC runs 64-bit Windows, download and install either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the plug-in.

Click “Save” to start downloading G'MIC and then click “Open folder” to open the directory containing the plugin ZIP file when the download is complete. If you're using Google Chrome, click the arrow next to the file's name in the downloads bar and then select "Show in folder." For Firefox, click "Show All Downloads" and then press the "Open Containing Folder" button beside the file's name.

Double-click the G'MIC ZIP file's name to open it with the archive manager and double-click the GMIC folder within to view its contents. The Windows version of the G'MIC plug-in includes one folder and several library files.

Press "Ctrl-A" to select all the files and folders within the archive and press "Ctrl-C" to copy them to your system's clipboard.

Browse to GIMP's user preferences folder and open the "plug-ins" folder. To locate this folder, click "Local Disk" on File Explorer's left pane, select "Users," click your username and then select the folder for GIMP. For example, if you're running GIMP version 2.8, double-click the folder named ".gimp-2.8."

Double-click the "Plug-ins" folder and press "Ctrl-V" to paste G'MIC's files from the clipboard. The next time you run GIMP, the program scans the plug-ins directory and loads all G'MIC's plugin files into memory. G'MIC's filter options are grayed-out and unavailable until you open an image to edit.

Download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of G'MIC from the developer's website, depending on the version of Linux you use.

Click "Show All Downloads" and then press the "Open Containing Folder" button beside the file's name to open the file manager in the directory containing the plug-in ZIP file. If you're using Google Chrome, click the arrow next to the file's name in the downloads bar and select "Show in folder."

Right-click the G'MIC ZIP file's name and select “Extract here” to extract the ZIP file's contents to your disk. The Linux version of G'MIC has a README text document and a single executable file.

Double-click the folder to open it, press "Ctrl-A" to select all files and folders within the archive and then press "Ctrl-C" to copy them to your system's clipboard.

Go to your home folder and open GIMP's preferences folder. For example, if you're running Gimp version 2.8, double-click the folder named ".gimp-2.8." If you don't see this hidden folder, click “Edit,” select “Preferences,” check the “Show hidden and backup files” box and then click "Close.”

Double-click the "plug-ins" folder and then press "Ctrl-V" to paste G'MIC's files from the clipboard. G'MIC is available for use the next time you run GIMP.

Download G'MIC for Macs from the developer's website, click the G'MIC filename in the downloads bar to open its contents, select “gmic_gimp” and press “Ctrl-C” to copy the file to your clipboard. The G'MIC archive contains one folder, a README document and two other files.

Launch Finder, click “Go,” hold down the “Option” key and then click “Library.” Library is a system folder used to hold your application and OS X personal preferences.

Click “Application Support,” select "GIMP," choose the GIMP version number folder and then click “plug-ins.” For example, if you're using GIMP 2.8, the full path to the plug-ins folder should resemble this path:

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Application\ Support/GIMP/2.8/plug-ins

The "2.8" in this path is the version number for GIMP.

Press “Ctrl-V” to paste the G'MIC plugin to the folder. G'MIC will be available for use the next time you run GIMP.