Tutorial on how to open JPG files

What are JPG files?

JPG is a lossy bitmap image format that is used by digital cameras and also by the World Wide Web. JPG files have many uses and are often used to transfer and display photographs on the web. This is a compressed graphic format standardized by the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). The lossy compression can noticeably reduce the quality of the image in cases where high amount of compression is used.

The JPG files are very common files and are used by many people to store photographs or display graphics on the Web. Because of this, there are many programs that can open the file available on the market today. Most of them are free and can be downloaded in just a few easy steps. Here is a list of programs that can open JPG files:

Under Mac OS:

Under Windows:

Finding and downloading the best tool available

One of the best tools available is ACDSee Photo Editor. To get the latest version you must go to their website: http://www.acdsee.com/.

ACDSee webpage

As you can see, the latest version costs $138.99. This is quite expensive but the software is the pro version. It is the ACDSee Pro 2.5 and is designed to customize your workflow to fit your unique perspective. This is one of the most flexible and adaptable workflow software packets available on the market. This is why it is so expensive.

We need something a little cheaper. So we will look at the For Home section of the website. Click on “See all products for home" and you will reach the following page:

See all products

As you can see, we can find some cheap products here. For example, the ACDSee Photo Manager 2009 is just $49.99 and it can manage your memories with ease, while allowing you to view and find photos, fix flaws and share your favorite photos. The ACDSee Photo Editor 2008 comes at the same price and has all the tools, inspiration and clear instruction you need to turn your digital photos into truly captivating keepsakes.

You can purchase any of these software products. However, there is a free way (for 7 days) to obtain ACDSee: the Internet. Although we will not find the latest versions, we will find a tool that will open our JPG files. However, be advised that what we find on the Internet are trial versions. If this is not what you are looking for, go ahead and buy the product. However, it is always best practice to first try the software before buying it. Go to Google and search for “download ACDSee". Google will return some relevant results. You can pick one of them and see what version of ACDSee you can find there. For example, I have picked http://www.brothersoft.com/acdsee-download-3740.html. Here is how the page looks like:

Brothersoft webpage

If you notice, I just found ACDSee 7. This is an older version of ACDSee but it provides photo management software for finding, organizing, linking and sharing photos. This is just what we need. Go ahead and click on “Click to Download". Here is what appears next:

Download Window

This window allows you to choose where to save the file. Click Save File and select a location on your hard drive. Remember the path because you will need it later. The download will begin and end shortly. Before we get to the actual installation, there is one more thing you should do. Burn the file on a CD or DVD for easy access. Whenever you need to reinstall Windows, you will need to reinstall this tool.

Installing ACDSee

Now that we have the file safely burned on a CD or DVD, we can proceed with the actual installation. Go to where you saved the file and double-click it. You should see the following window:

Windows security warning

This is a security warning from Microsoft. Whenever you download a file from the Internet you must make sure the source is secure. If you download from unsure sources, you might receive a file that respect with viruses, Trojans, or other malicious software. If downloading a file causes these security risks, imagine what running the file means. Attackers could gain access to your system and steal personal data or simply destroy it. In any case, it is an unpleasant experience. So, Windows’s warning is welcome.

As you can see, the publisher is ACD Systems Ltd. This provides information about who created the file. In our case, it is a secure file. Go ahead and click Run:

Installation first window

This window tells you that ACDSee 7.0 Setup is preparing the InstallShield Wizard, which will guide you through the program setup process. It should take maximum 20 seconds but it always depends on your hardware. Here is what appears next:

The welcome window

This window recommends you to uninstall previous versions of ACDSee to minimize potential conflicts between them and this new one. Do this before proceeding with the installation. After you do this, go ahead and click Next:

The license agreement

This is the End User License Agreement. You should read this agreement because you are forced to accept it. I say forced because if you do not accept the terms in the license agreement, the Next button will not be available. You will only have the option to cancel or go back. Clicking Cancel will terminate the installation. After you read the agreement, click on Next:

Enter your name and organization

Make sure you enter your User Name and Organization. Also make sure that Trial is checked like in the image above. Once you are finished, click Next. Here is what you will see next:

Type of installation

If you choose Complete, all program features will be installed (this requires the most disk space). You are also unable to choose the destination folder. If you click on Custom, you can choose which program features you want installed and where they will be installed. This is recommended for advanced users. Since we are advanced users, we will use this option. Here is how the next window looks like:

Choose components to install

As you can see, you can choose what to install by clicking on an icon in the list. You can also see how much space is required for the installation: 19 MB. You can change the installation folder by clicking Change. I suggest leaving the folder as it is. In Program Files you can find all of your applications. Add ACDSee to them so you can find it easily.

Once you're finished with customizing your install, click Next. Here is what should appear:

file types can be handled by ACDSee

In this window, you can set which file types can be handled by ACDSee. I suggest leaving this on All. Once you choose your option, click Next:

Installation final window

This is the final window before the installation begins. If you have something to change, go back now. Once you click install, there is no going back. If you are sure you want to install, go ahead and click Install.

After the installation finishes, you will see the following window:

Installation is finished

This window announces that the InstallShield Wizard has successfully installed ACDSee 7.0. You can view the ACDSee Quick Start Guide if you leave that option checked. Click Finish.

Verifying the installation

Go to your desktop and you will see the ACDSee icon. Try opening a JPG file:

ACDSee working

As you can see, ACDSee can now open JPG files. This is the end of our tutorial. Congratulations!

Related content: