Qwen has launched a new AI-backed image editing tool that promises to make advanced image editing accessible to everyone. It is completely free, local, and open source. The tool is built on the company’s 20B Qwen-Image model and focuses on one area that most AI image editors still struggle with: precise text editing. It supports both English and Chinese languages and ensures bilingual accuracy while preserving the original style of the image.
According to Qwen, the tool handles both high-level semantic edits (like rotating objects or changing viewpoints) and low-level appearance edits (like adding, deleting, or inserting objects). In practice, this means you can do everything from swapping out text on Scrabble tiles to turning a side-profile photo into a front-facing one, or even reimagining cartoon characters in new outfits and roles.
Furthermore, the company has shared a bunch of demo images showing its versatility. In one example, the tool seamlessly changes “HEALTH INSURANCE” spelled out in Scrabble tiles to “FINANCIAL PLANNING” without breaking the natural look of the tiles. Another demo shows a child’s photo rotated to reveal the side view, a crow turned to show its back, and even a lion viewed from behind. For creative use cases, the tool transforms a simple bear mascot into multiple personas.
When I tested the tool, I uploaded a profile image and prompted it to generate the back side view, swap the cityscape background with a village setting, and replace the suit with traditional Indian attire. The output was spot-on, capturing every detail exactly as described in the prompt, which gave me a strong first impression of how capable and reliable this tool is.
So, with the impressive first impression, I can say one thing for sure: if you are paying for expensive image editing subscriptions, Qwen’s offering is definitely worth checking out. It’s free, open source, and capable of delivering results that could rival professional-grade software. However, I am not a professional photographer or an editor, so how well-suited the tool is for professional use cases is something I can not determine. But for a normal user like me, Qwen’s image editing capabilities feel like magic.
