SilverLayer

DEMO PREVIEW BUILD · 0.6-demo-preview · under development

Development update — September 2026

We're actively implementing full RAW develop. RAW import already works for most major brands and formats. In this preview, the viewport edits a baked JPEG/PNG preview — not true 16-bit RAW develop yet — but you still get full-resolution import and export.

RAW develop is our main focus, alongside menu cleanup and making each tool behave as intended. This demo showcases the UI/UX; the app is already usable for real finishing work using layer-based Exposure, Color, and Detail on the left.

Our goal: 100% working RAW support, a tool for hobbyists and professionals, with an affordable one-time purchase — no subscription.

A desktop finishing app for digital photos: import a roll, stack film grades, overlays, and optical effects, then export. Built for analog-looking results — not for cataloguing thousands of files or general photo retouching.

This is a preview demo from BrutalHaus: explore freely; exports are watermarked and some save paths are locked.

What this app is

So you know the benefits — and the limits — before you download.

Structure

Open images into a working session (filmstrip + canvas)
Grade with a stack of layers: film stock, color, grain, overlays, effects
Each tool adds or adjusts a layer; masks limit where an effect shows
Export the finished frame (or a batch) when you're done

Best for

Film-look finishing on digital stills (JPEG / PNG / RAW)
Trying stocks, dust, leaks, halation, bloom, and paper looks quickly
Scan-to-positive work via Negative Development (in the app today; still being refined — worth trying if you shoot or scan film)
Small-to-medium rolls on a capable machine

Not built for

Huge photo libraries or asset management
Portrait / beauty retouching toolkits
Always-on cloud sync of your images
Instant full-res RAW on low-RAM machines (develop is heavy)

Screenshots

A look at the editor. Click any image for fullscreen.

Download the demo

Version 0.6-demo-preview — Windows and Mac (Apple Silicon). Same demo gates on both platforms.

Download for Windows Download for Mac

Windows 10/11 64-bit. Mac: Apple Silicon (arm64) only, macOS 12+. The Mac build is unsigned — on first open, right-click the app → Open → Open. If Gatekeeper still blocks it, use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.

Demo limitations

Exports are watermarked (app icon + SilverLayer brand marks)
User presets and sessions do not save to disk
Preset import/export disabled
UI shows DEMO PREVIEW BUILD in the viewport
RAW import works for most major brands and formats
RAW Develop sidebar is inactive in this preview — use left-toolbar Exposure, Color, and Detail layers
Negative Development is usable but unfinished
Software under development — expect rough edges

Requirements & tested on

OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit, or macOS 12+ on Apple Silicon (arm64)
CPU: modern 4+ cores · RAM: 16 GB min · 32 GB comfortable for large RAW rolls
GPU: discrete or integrated with current drivers (WebGL2 for effects)
Storage: SSD with headroom for masters and exports · Display: 1080p+
Files: JPEG, PNG, and RAW import. Sony .ARW is fully tested. Other RAW types (CR2/CR3, NEF, RAF, …) are only briefly tested — they may work, with more rough edges.

Stress tested with 61 MP Sony .ARW on a low/mid-range Windows laptop (Core Ultra 5 125H, 16 GB, Intel Arc, 512 GB SSD). Preview appears quickly from the camera embed; full-resolution demosaic continues in the background (~30 s for a 61 MP ARW; Fujifilm RAF often 35–40 s). That is expected for a local full-res pipeline — not a hang.

Planned improvements

Focused on making SilverLayer faster, clearer, and more useful — without turning it into a bloated suite.

Faster import and export
Better RAW support (development focused mainly on .ARW)
Finishing Negative Development (color, contrast, workflow)
Improving masking tools
Cleaning up names, sorting, and related organization
Help documentation
Session library that works without original files on disk
General UI improvements
More Film Stock and Effects presets
And more to come

Full transparency

SilverLayer is built to stay simple, powerful, and honest about how it is made and how it runs.

Human-led development. Parts of the codebase were written with help from AI tools, but the app is developed, directed, and tested by humans. Every function, preset, and workflow is narrated and/or handmade by a person — not left to automated "AI product" defaults.
Private by design. SilverLayer is an offline desktop app. The only optional network use is checking for updates or connecting to your own Dropbox. Nothing about your photos or edits is stored on developer servers.
No subscriptions. The final product is intended as a one-time payment — buy it, own it, keep working.
One-person project. For the time being, updates and support will be sparse. That also means no surprise feature bloat and no intentional performance regressions — changes should stay focused on keeping the app simple and powerful.

Survey

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