
GIMP is a free alternative to Ps that may be the finest you can find. Plugins are used to enhance the functionality of GIMP. To utilize them, you must first locate, download, and install them, which is not easy due to their age.
Don’t be worried; we’ve got you covered. If you continue reading, you will learn all there is to know about the GIMP DDS plugins and how to install it. Additionally, the finest supplementary plugins will be mentioned.
How to Install GIMP DDS Plugin
Plugins were formerly packaged together in a registry, however the GIMP registry was sadly deleted. You got it: the internet is where you’ll discover plugins. Many of these plugins, including famous ones like the GIMP DDS Plugins, are no longer supported and get no updates.
The DDS file format was developed by Microsoft for use in the Direct X SDK software development kit. Direct X is a programming language for creating 3D applications, such as video games. GIMP is a free version of Photoshop that can’t create or read DDS files unless the GIMP DDS plugin is installed.
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Here’s how to get the DDS plugin and install it. This plugin is only compatible with GIMP 2.8 and enables you to save pictures in the Direct Draw Surface format. After you’ve closed GIMP, go through the following steps:
- Download GIMP DDS Plugin
To get the DDS plugin for GIMP, go to this website. Click Downloads and choose the version that corresponds to your Windows operating system (32 or 64-bit). You’ll see that it hasn’t been updated since 2013. It’s very ancient, but it still works. Save the file to a convenient location, such as your desktop. You’re going to need it shortly. - Navigate to the GIMP Plugins folder
Open File Explorer on Windows 10 64-bit, then choose This PC (it used to be My Computer on older versions of Windows). Go to Program Files x86 on Local Disk C. (just Program Files for 32-bit Windows).
Go to GIMP-2.0 and then to lib. After that, go to gimp, select 2.0, and then plug-ins. - Drag and drop the downloaded file into the GIMP Plugins folder
Return to your desktop and double-click the plugin file you previously downloaded. Unzip it, then drag and drop the dds.exe file into your GIMP plug-ins folder.
You should be able to open Direct Draw Surface files when you reopen GIMP. If it doesn’t work, try the Installer that comes with the downloaded file. Simply double-click it and follow the prompts.

Additional GIMP Plugins
Here’s a list of some of the finest GIMP plugins to look into:
#1. Resynthesizer
Resynthesizer is a classic but still useful plugin. It comes with a slew of tools for working with textures. Heal Selection, which can be found under the Enhance menu, is the finest part. You may use it to remove things from your picture that you don’t want to be there.
Download
#2. Lensfun
This helpful plugin will assist you in correcting picture lens distortion. It reads the EXIF data to determine the make and model of your camera, and your current lens settings. However, the settings in the plugin may be customized. To use the plugin, you must first download and install it. Then, locate the plugin under the Filters – Enhance menu.
Download
#3. Refocus
A photograph’s focus may become blurry if you’re too close or too far away from the subject. Or your hands were unsteady, perhaps you had taken them hastily. No matter; because Refocus is sure to solve the issues using a specific technique known as FIR Wiener filtering, it doesn’t matter. It is possible to alter the settings in the plugin interface and see the result of the new picture before using it.
Download
#4. Hugin
Hugin is a fantastic tool for creating picture collages that is very simple to use. You just load your pictures, identify their common spots, and this plugin will connect them. It may also correct any inconsistencies.
Download
#5. Stitch Panorama
Standalone panoramic picture creation programs are easy to find, but if you want to use GIMP directly to make panoramas, then this plugin is a good option. Multiple pictures may be stitched together, and other image operations including blending, distortion matching, and color correction can be performed if needed.
Download
#6. UFRaw
GIMP users will benefit greatly from using UFRaw, a powerful plugin for professional photographers. RAW photo compatibility means GIMP has the ability to manipulate the RAW picture data in ways that you can use to edit, adjust, and fix your photos. Batch mode, in which you may edit multiple pictures at once, is another additional feature of the plugin.
Download
#7. Liquid Rescale
A sophisticated GIMP plugin called Liquid Rescale allows you resize any picture without distortion, as well as removing certain elements of the image. This plugin is equivalent to Content-Aware Scaling in Photoshop, which you may be acquainted with. The plugin dialog has a preview window which you may use to experiment with the settings. Once the application is installed successfully, you can find Liquid Rescale under the “Layers” menu.
Download
Make a copy of the original image
Another basic plugin, Duplicate to Another Image, has a name that explains what it does. GIMP already has this capability, although it isn’t very good. By duplicating just a portion of a picture to a new image of the same size as the original, you may create a distinct image backdrop.
It may also be used to isolate certain items by copying them to a new picture and cropping it to fit. This item may then be pasted into a new picture. The plugin is available for download here.
Hooray, GIMP!
Make sure you preserve copies of GIMP plugins since they may vanish at any time, preventing you from using them in GIMP. Even though GIMP may be difficult to use at times, it is still flexible and free to use, thus it’s difficult to find fault with it.
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