Open Images, your Android app for royalty free images.

Open Images, a FREE Android app, lets you access Pixabay’s “…over 440,000 free photos, vectors and art illustrations.”

Pixabay is “…a repository for stunning public domain pictures. It’s “…your source for royalty free stock photos and copyright free vector graphics.”

“You can use any Pixabay image without attribution in digital and printed form, even for commercial applications.”

Please note that the developer of Open Images is not in any way affiliated to Pixabay. 

Regrettably this app will not work after 31 January 2016 and is no longer available on Google Play. Please see Open Images Gold.

Open Images lets you:

• Search Pixabay’s database for that perfect image
• Select favourite images that you can save and review later
• Save images in your Google Drive which you can then access from any device
• Share images using your favourite application
• Go directly to Pixabay’s website where you can view detailed information about an image or download it in various sizes

 Using Open Images

You will need an internet connection to use Open Images. An error page displays if you’re not connected.

You also need to have Google Play Services (usually comes pre-installed on newer devices) and the app installed if you want to save the images in your Google Drive.

Once connected, you’ll see the start-up page which is displayed while the app prepares itself in the background. Once everything is ready, a Go button appears. Click the Go button to display the search screen.

Starting out

The not connected screen appears if there is no internet connection. Press the Go button to get started

Doing the search

Enter your search terms, separated by a space (maximum of 100 characters)

A Reset button appears as soon as you enter any text. Press the Reset button to clear the text field and start again.

Press Go to start the search or Filter to refine your search.

Refine your search

Make your selection to refine your query and press Done when you’re ready

Select the Filter button or the Refine menu option to display the refine screen. Make your selections then press the Done button when you’re finished. Your query will now return results matching your selection.

The results

Query results are displayed as thumbnails in a grid. You can view them in either portrait or landscape mode

Change the background colour on the fly

You can change the background colour, between black or white at any time

Selecting images

The Context menu

Long-press on an image and a Context menu appears. Choose from the context menu what you want to do with the image

Long-press an image to display a Context menu. Selecting a menu item will now apply to that image. The options are:

• Go to Pixabayopens the Pixabay website’s page for the selected image
• Show large imagedisplays a larger version of the selected thumbnail
• Share imagelets you share the selected image. On selection It displays a list of all the apps installed on your device capable of sharing an image, or it will open the only installed app capable of sharing an image. Nothing happens if there are no apps capable of sharing an image
• Save in Google Drivesaves the selected image in your Google Drive. A notification appears after a successful save. Press the notification to open your Google Drive to view your saved files

Opening the Pixabay page

 The Pixabay website displays more information about your selected image and also offers more download options

The Pixabay website page for the selected images lets you:

• View information about the image
• Download larger versions of the image

The Pixabay page offers more download options and gives you more information about the selected image

Showing a larger image

You can also display a larger version of the thumbnail image

Sharing an image

You can select from the list of apps installed on your device capable of sharing an image to share the selected image

Sharing an image displays the Chooser if there is more than one application capable of sharing the image. You can then choose an app to share the image.

Saving images in your Google Drive

Double-tap an image to save it in your Google Drive

Double tap the image to save it in your Google Drive. (You can also select the Save in Google Drive option from the Context menu). A notification is sent on successfully saving the image in your Google Drive. Touch the notification to open your Google Drive (you can also select Open Google Drive from the options menu).

Saving selected images for later browsing

Single-tap an image to select and save it for later browsing

Single-tap an image to select it. This “saves” the image, enabling you to review it later.

The Toolbar

Toolbar icons provide for easy navigation

Use the toolbar icons to help you navigate through the app.

The Overflow options menu

More options are provided in the overflow menu

The Options menu offers the following options:

• Help – displays an easy to follow diagram showing how to use the app
• Refine search – opens up the refine search page where you can make selections to refine your search, increasing the likelihood that you’ll get the images that you’re looking for
• Open Google Drive – opens your Google Drive, giving you access to all the files saved in your Google Drive
• Change background colour – lets you change the background colour at any time. Choose between black or white
• More – opens another menu:
  • About – displays the app version and a link to the developer’s website
  • Developer Website – opens up the developer’s website
  • More apps – opens up the developer’s Google Play store page where you can view all their apps
  • Legal notice – displays the required Google Play Services legal notice

Regrettably this app is no longer available. Please see Open Images Gold.

You may also want to check out the Free Clip Art, Gold edition app for downloading great clip art. It's built with Android's Material design visual language, making for a better user experience.