How Open With and Edit With work in Capture One

Capture One lets you send images to external applications using two different commands: Open With and Edit With. While they look similar, they behave very differently. Understanding when to use each one helps you avoid missing adjustments or unexpected results.

Open With

Use Open With when you want to open the original file in another application without applying Capture One adjustments.

When you choose Image > Open With, Capture One sends the original file to the selected app. For RAW files, this means the external application opens the untouched source file, and Capture One does not bake in any adjustments.

This option works best for:

• Previously processed files, such as TIFF, PSD, or JPEG
• Returning to an external editor to continue work
• Opening files without Capture One adjustments

Edit With

Use Edit With when you want to bake Capture One adjustments into the file before sending it to another application.

When you choose Image > Edit With, Capture One processes the image first and applies your adjustments. It then creates a new file, such as a TIFF, PSD, or JPEG, and opens that file in the external editor. Capture One imports the edited file back as a new variant.

This option works best for:

• Further editing in applications like Photoshop
• Workflows that require Capture One color and exposure adjustments
• Round‑trip editing

Keyboard shortcuts for external editors

You can assign different keyboard shortcuts to send images to specific applications.

1. Open Edit > Edit Keyboard Shortcuts.
   

2. Select the Custom Shortcuts tab.

   

3. Click the + icon to create a new shortcut.
4. Choose an external app under Open With or Edit With.
5. Assign a shortcut.

This setup lets you send images to different apps with a single keystroke, depending on whether you want Capture One adjustments applied.

Key difference at a glance

• Open With: Opens the original file, no Capture One adjustments applied.
• Edit With: Creates a processed file with Capture One adjustments baked in.

For a more detailed overview of external editing, see the Capture One article About external editing.