Athentech Perfectly Clear 1.7.1 For Photoshop -32 May 2026

Athentech has moved on to Perfectly Clear QuickDesk and Perfectly Clear WorkBench (which are excellent 64-bit applications with video support). However, if you are a photographer who refuses to subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud (sticking with CS6 or earlier), or if you have a dedicated Windows 7/32-bit workstation for a specific task, version 1.7.1 remains a gold standard.

When you run the PerfectlyClear_1.7.1_32bit.exe installer, it will ask for your Photoshop directory. Point it to the folder above. If the installer does not detect Photoshop, simply extract the .8bf file (Photoshop plugin file) and copy it manually into the Plug-ins folder.

In this article, we will explore what makes this specific version so powerful, how to install it, and why you might want to keep a 32-bit workflow alive just to use it. Before diving into the specifics of version 1.7.1, it is essential to understand the technology. Unlike standard "auto-levels" or "auto-contrast" functions, Athentech Perfectly Clear uses a massive database of image analysis. The developers studied thousands of professionally retouched images to build algorithms that understand what looks "right" to the human eye. Athentech Perfectly Clear 1.7.1 For Photoshop -32

Open Photoshop. Go to Help > About Photoshop . If it does not say "(64 Bit)" next to the version number, you are running 32-bit. If you are running 64-bit, this plugin will not work; you will need Perfectly Clear 2.0 or higher.

Photoshop typically looks for plugins in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Your Version]\Plug-ins (Note the (x86) indicates 32-bit folders on a 64-bit OS). Athentech has moved on to Perfectly Clear QuickDesk

While the rest of the world moves toward cloud-based AI and neural filters, there is a quiet army of legacy users who know that their 32-bit Photoshop and Perfectly Clear 1.7.1 still boot up in under 2 seconds and never crash.

| Feature | Perfectly Clear 1.7.1 (32-bit) | Modern AI Editors | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Extremely fast (low CPU/GPU usage) | Slow (requires high-end GPU) | | Control | High (sliders are logical and limited to essentials) | Very High (but overwhelming) | | Face Detection | Good (detects 3-5 faces concurrently) | Excellent (detects 50+ faces) | | System Cost | Runs on a $100 refurbished PC | Requires a $1,000+ modern rig | | Internet | Fully offline, no subscription | Often requires cloud activation | Point it to the folder above

Enter . While newer versions of Perfectly Clear have been released (including the 64-bit and standalone versions), version 1.7.1 remains a legendary tool for users running legacy 32-bit systems or older versions of Photoshop (CS2 through CS5). This plugin is not just an auto-fix button; it is a sophisticated image correction engine that mimics the human eye’s perception of beauty.