# Edit View

> Your workspace in Darkroom — where you inspect, compare, and apply every tool non-destructively. A map of the editor and where each tool fits in your workflow.

Source: https://darkroom.co/help/edit/edit-view
Section: Edit
Updated: 2026-06-10

The Edit view is your darkroom: the workspace where you inspect detail, compare before and after, and reach for every tool. Open any photo or video from your library grid to enter it. The toolbar sits along the bottom on a phone and to the side on larger screens, and the **•••** action menu holds share, export, and copy/paste. Everything you do here is **non-destructive** — edits render live on top of the original, so you can change or undo any of them at any time, and your file isn't actually altered until you export.

![Darkroom edit controls across iPhone and iPad](https://darkroom.co/assets/images/posts/2025-12-09-controls.jpg)

*The Edit view across devices — the same tools and gestures whether you're on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.*

A couple of habits make everything that follows easier: pinch or double-tap to zoom in for detail and back out to judge overall balance, and **tap and hold** the image to flash the original so you can see whether each change is actually helping. Turn on the [Histogram](/help/edit/histogram) for an objective read on exposure, and judge on a neutral screen brightness.

## A map of the tools

**Start with the frame.** Composition comes first — set your crop, straighten, and geometry in [Crop, Rotate, and Transform](/help/edit/crop-rotate-transform) before any color work, since later edits depend on it.

**Get a head start.** A [Preset](/help/edit/presets) applies a complete look in one tap that you can then refine, and it's the fastest route to a strong, consistent result.

**Shape light and color.** The [Adjustment Sliders](/help/edit/adjustment-sliders) handle exposure, color, and texture and are where most edits live. From there, [Curves](/help/edit/curves-rgb) give precise control over brightness, contrast, and tone; [Color (HSL)](/help/edit/color-hsl) targets individual color families; and [Color Grading](/help/edit/color-grading) tints shadows, midtones, and highlights for mood.

**Work locally.** When a change should affect only part of the frame, [Masks](/help/edit/masks-local-adjustments) let you brighten a subject or hold back a sky without touching the rest.

**Add character.** [Bloom & Halation](/help/edit/bloom-halation) bring analog-style glow and warmth, and [Frames](/help/edit/frames) wrap the finished image for its destination.

**Check your work.** The [Histogram](/help/edit/histogram) keeps exposure and color honest, and [Metadata](/help/edit/metadata) tells you how the shot was captured.

**Stay efficient.** [History](/help/edit/history) handles undo/redo, reset, and copy/paste across a set, and the whole toolset applies to motion in [Video](/help/edit/video) too.

## Related

- [Interface Overview](/help/start/interface-overview) — how the library, editor, and export fit together
- [Keyboard Shortcuts](/help/app/keyboard-shortcuts) for faster navigation and editing
- [Export View](/help/export/export-view) — saving and sharing your finished edit