GIMP Clone Tool Alignment Settings Explained

The Clone tool in GIMP allows you to duplicate pixels from a source point to a target area, but how the source point follows your brush strokes depends entirely on the Alignment setting. In the tool options, GIMP provides four alignment modes: None, Aligned, Registered, and Fixed. Understanding the differences among these options is essential for precise photo retouching, seamless texture cloning, and efficient layer-to-layer editing.

None

In None mode, the source point is reset every time you release the mouse button and start a new brush stroke.

  • How it works: When you define a source point (Ctrl+click) and paint, the source tracks your movement. However, as soon as you lift the mouse and paint elsewhere, the source resets back to the original point you first selected.
  • Best used for: Duplicating a single, specific object or texture multiple times across an image, treating the original source like a reusable stamp.

Aligned

In Aligned mode, the spatial relationship (offset) between your source point and your initial brush stroke is permanently locked until you set a new source.

  • How it works: When you make your first stroke, GIMP calculates the distance and angle between the source and target. Even if you release the mouse, move to an entirely different part of the canvas, and paint again, the source moves in tandem with your cursor, maintaining that exact offset.
  • Best used for: Reconstructing large objects, blending patterns across wide gaps, or painting an element incrementally using multiple short strokes without accidentally overwriting or misaligning parts of the cloned image.

Registered

In Registered mode, GIMP matches pixel coordinates directly from the source layer to the target layer.

  • How it works: This mode ignores relative offsets. A stroke painted at coordinates (X: 150, Y: 200) on your destination will sample directly from (X: 150, Y: 200) on your source, regardless of where you initial click occurs.
  • Best used for: Cloning between two different layers or images of the exact same dimensions. It is ideal for compositing, repairing localized areas from an original backup layer, or transferring details between different exposure passes.

Fixed

In Fixed mode, the source point remains locked onto a single location and never moves, regardless of how far you drag your brush.

  • How it works: Unlike "None," which moves the source along with your brush during an active stroke, "Fixed" continuously samples exclusively from the exact pixel area you selected.
  • Best used for: Sampling a solid color, gradient center, or uniform texture to paint continuously like a standard brush while retaining the sampled area's exact color profile.