1. PICASA The Picasa software provides a simple way to view, edit, and organize the photos on your computer. As you get started, there are two things you should always remember: Picasa does not store the photos on your computer. When you open Picasa, it simply looks at the folders on your computer and displays the photos it finds. It displays the file types that you tell it to find, in the folders that you tell it to search. Your original photos are always preserved. When using editing tools in Picasa, your original files are never touched. The photo edits you make are only viewable in Picasa until you decide to save your changes. Even then, Picasa creates a new version of the photo with your edits applied, leaving the original file totally preserved.

2. Once you have launched Picasa and allowed it to scan your hard drive, you will see an interface that is divided into three areas: the Folder List on the left which lists the folders on your hard drive containing photos as well as any albums you create the Lightbox, which is the main area where images in your folders are displayed as thumbnails and the Photo Tray, where you can perform several actions on one or more images selected from the Lightbox.

4. The Lightbox The Lightbox displays your photos and movies as thumbnails. You can change the size of the thumbnails displayed in the Lightbox by using the slider below it. To navigate the Lightbox, you can use either the arrow keys on your keyboard or the scroll bar on the right. When you find a photo you need to edit, open it by double-clicking on it.

5. You can open a folder listed in the Lightbox using Windows Explorer by double-clicking on the large folder icon that appears next to the folder name.

6. The Photo Tray The Photo Tray is used to collect photos and movies from one or more folders or albums so that you may work on them as a group. By default, the photo you have currently selected in the Lightbox is automatically added to the Photo Tray (you can select multiple photos by pressing and holding down the Shift key as you make your selections). You can also drag and drop photos from the Lightbox into the Photo Tray.

7. Edit photos Picasa provides a variety of fixes and effects to you improve almost any photo or to create something totally unique. Double-click a photo to find five tabs full of tools: Don't worry -- Picasa always preserves your original photo. The photo edits you make are only viewable in Picasa until you decide to save your changes. Even then, Picasa creates a new version of the photo with your edits applied, leaving the original totally preserved.save your changes

8. Basic FixesTuning Make simple edits -- such as cropping, straightening, removing redeye, retouching blemishes, or adding text -- to your photos. Or click I'm Feeling Lucky to try Picasa's all-in-one lighting and contrast fix.. Use the sliders to adjust the color and lighting aspects of your photo to produce a more visually enhanced image.

9. EffectsPicnik Effects Choose from 12 effects to make your photos more interesting: Sharpen, convert to sepia or black and white, warm the photo, apply tint, saturate the colors, and more. Editing tools powered by the good people at Picnik. We've built two tabs worth of Picnik effects - like Vignette, Orton-ish, Cross Process, and Comic Book - directly into the Picasa software.