Thousands of photos in a folder and no idea where that sunset shot went? ImageSorter, a free tool from HTW Berlin's Visual Computing group, lays out a whole folder by color so similar-looking pictures sit together, which makes the one you want easy to spot.
ImageSorter groups pictures by color and file details
Color sorting places pictures with similar tones near one another, such as blue-toned images in the same area. This gives the collection a visual order that can reveal pictures by their dominant color even when their names offer little guidance.
For more conventional ordering, ImageSorter can arrange pictures by name, date, or size. Choose one of these criteria when you want the displayed collection ordered by a file detail instead of its colors. The available choices make it possible to switch between visual grouping and familiar file-based sorting.
The same sorted collection appears flat or in a sphere
After choosing a sorting method, select a flat layout or the spherical view. The flat presentation lays out the images on a plane, while the sphere places them around a rounded 3D display. The sphere is available when a sort criterion is active.
These layouts change how the pictures are presented, while the chosen sort determines their order. A flat arrangement keeps the pictures in a planar view; the sphere offers a way to browse the collection in three dimensions.
Zoom in on a picture while browsing
Scroll to zoom the displayed pictures, or double-click an image to enlarge it. These controls let you move from viewing the collection as a whole to examining a particular picture without changing the selected sorting method.
Because similar images cluster together, ImageSorter is also handy for spotting near-duplicates and picking the best shot from a burst. The source code is published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license.
Pros
- Groups images by color tone as well as name, date, or size
- Offers flat and spherical views of sorted pictures
- Zooms with the mouse wheel or a double-click
Cons
- Old freeware that no longer receives updates
- No tagging, editing or file-management tools
System requirements: 64-bit only
What sorting options does ImageSorter provide?
Color similarity, name, date and size.
Can ImageSorter show pictures in 3D?
Yes. Choose the sphere view after selecting a sort order; scroll or double-click to zoom in.
Is ImageSorter still developed?
No. Version 4 is the final release, but the source code is available on GitHub under the GPL.
Does it run on a 32-bit PC?
No. The current Windows build is 64-bit only.