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ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS3
®

USER GUIDE

Adobe® Photoshop® CS3 User Guide for Windows® and Mac OS.
If this guide is distributed with software that includes an end user agreement, this guide, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may be used or
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Adobe Systems Incorporated, 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, California 95110, USA.

iii

Contents
Chapter 1: Getting started
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Adobe Help
Resources

............................................................................... 2
................................................................................ 5

What’s new?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Chapter 2: Workspace
Workspace basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Palettes and menus
Tools

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Viewing images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Rulers, the grid, and guides

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Work with the Preset Manager
Preferences
Plug-ins

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Recovery and undo

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Memory and performance

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Chapter 3: Opening and importing images
Photoshop images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Image size and resolution

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Acquiring images from cameras and scanners
Creating, opening, and importing images
Placing files

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

High dynamic range images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Chapter 4: Camera Raw
Introduction to Camera Raw

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Navigating, opening, and saving images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Making color and tonal adjustments in Camera Raw
Modifying images with Camera Raw
Camera Raw settings

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Chapter 5: Color
About color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Color modes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Converting between color modes
Choosing colors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Chapter 6: Color management
Understanding color management
Keeping colors consistent

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Color-managing imported images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Color-managing documents for online viewing
Proofing colors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Color-managing documents when printing
Working with color profiles
Color settings

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Chapter 7: Making color and tonal adjustments
Viewing histograms and pixel values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Understanding color adjustments
Adjusting image color and tone
Targeting images for press

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Matching, replacing, and mixing colors
Making quick image adjustments

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Applying special color effects to images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Chapter 8: Retouching and transforming
Adjusting crop, rotation, and canvas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Retouching and repairing images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Correcting image distortion and noise
Adjusting image sharpness and blur
Transforming objects
Liquify filter

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Vanishing Point

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Create panoramic images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

Chapter 9: Selecting
Making selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Adjusting pixel selections

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Moving and copying selected pixels
Deleting and extracting objects
Channels

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Saving selections and using masks
Channel calculations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Chapter 10: Layers
Layer Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Selecting, grouping, and linking layers
Moving, stacking, and locking layers
Managing layers

Layer effects and styles
Adjustment and fill layers
Nondestructive editing
Masking layers

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289

Setting opacity and blending

Layer comps

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Chapter 11: Painting
Painting tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Brush presets

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Creating and modifying brushes
Blending modes
Gradients

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

Filling and stroking selections, layers, and paths
Creating and managing patterns
Chapter 12: Drawing
Drawing vector graphics
Drawing shapes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359

Drawing with the Pen tools
Managing paths
Editing paths

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371

Converting between paths and selection borders
Adding color to paths

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380

Chapter 13: Filters
Filter basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Filter effects reference

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388

Applying specific filters
Add Lighting Effects

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Chapter 14: Type
Creating type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Editing text

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406

Formatting characters
Fonts

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

Line and character spacing
Scaling and rotating type
Formatting paragraphs
Creating type effects
Asian type

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433

Chapter 15: Saving and exporting images
Saving images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Saving PDF files

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

Saving and exporting files in other formats
File formats

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459

Metadata and annotations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466

Adding and viewing Digimarc copyright protection
Presentations and photo layouts

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Placing Photoshop images in other applications

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478

Chapter 16: Printing
Printing from Photoshop

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483

Printing with color management

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487

Printing images to a commercial printing press
Printing duotones
Printing spot colors

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

Chapter 17: Web graphics
Working with web graphics
Slicing web pages
Modifying slices

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510

Slice output options

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514

Creating web photo galleries
Optimizing images

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523

Web graphics optimization options
Output settings for web graphics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541

Chapter 18: Video and animation
Video and animation in Photoshop
Creating images for video

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549

Import video files and image sequences (Photoshop Extended)
Interpreting video footage (Photoshop Extended)

Painting frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557

Editing video and animation layers (Photoshop Extended)
Creating frame animations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564

Creating timeline animations (Photoshop Extended)
Preview video and animations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579

Save and export video and animations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581

Chapter 19: Technical imaging
Photoshop and MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)
DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592

Image Stacks (Photoshop Extended)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594

Measurement (Photoshop Extended)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Counting objects in an image (Photoshop Extended)
Working with 3D files (Photoshop Extended)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 604

Chapter 20: Automating tasks
Automating with actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Creating actions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614

Processing a batch of files
Scripting

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622

Creating data-driven graphics

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623

vii

Chapter 21: Keyboard shortcuts
Customizing keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629
Default keyboard shortcuts
Index

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653

Chapter 1: Getting started
If you haven’t installed your new software, begin by reading some information on installation and other preliminaries. Before you begin working with your software, take a few moments to read an overview of Adobe Help and of
the many resources available to users. You have access to instructional videos, plug-ins, templates, user communities,
seminars, tutorials, RSS feeds, and much more.

Installation
Requirements
❖ To review complete system requirements and recommendations for your Adobe® software, see the Read Me file

on the installation disc.

Install the software
1 Close any other Adobe applications open on your computer.
2 Insert the installation disc into the disc drive, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: For more information, see the Read Me file on the installation disc.

Activate the software
If you have a single-user retail license for your Adobe software, you will be asked to activate your software; this is a
simple, anonymous process that you must complete within 30 days of starting the software.
For more information on product activation, see the Read Me file on your installation disc, or visit the Adobe website
at www.adobe.com/go/activation.
1 If the Activation dialog box isn’t already open, choose Help > Activate.
2 Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If you want to install the software on a different computer, you must first deactivate it on your computer. Choose
Help > Deactivate.

Register
Register your product to receive complimentary installation support, notifications of updates, and other services.
❖ To register, follow the on-screen instructions in the Registration dialog box, which appears after you install and

activate the software.
If you postpone registration, you can register at any time by choosing Help > Registration.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 2
User Guide

Read Me
The installation disc contains the Read Me file for your software. (This file is also copied to the application folder
during product installation.) Open the file to read important information about the following topics:

• System requirements
• Installation (including uninstalling the software)
• Activation and registration
• Font installation
• Troubleshooting
• Customer support
• Legal notices

Adobe Help
Adobe Help resources
Documentation for your Adobe software is available in a variety of formats.
In-product and LiveDocs Help

In-product Help provides access to all documentation and instructional content available at the time the software
ships. It is available through the Help menu in your Adobe software.
LiveDocs Help includes all the content from in-product Help, plus updates and links to additional instructional
content available on the web. For some products, you can also add comments to the topics in LiveDocs Help. Find
LiveDocs Help for your product in the Adobe Help Resource Center, at www.adobe.com/go/documentation.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 3
User Guide

Most versions of in-product and LiveDocs Help let you search across the Help systems of multiple products. Topics
may also contain links to relevant content on the web or to topics in the Help of another product.
Think of Help, both in the product and on the web, as a hub for accessing additional content and communities of
users. The most complete and up-to-date version of Help is always on the web.
Adobe PDF documentation

The in-product Help is also available as a PDF that is optimized for printing. Other documents, such as installation
guides and white papers, may also be provided as PDFs.
All PDF documentation is available through the Adobe Help Resource Center, at www.adobe.com/go/documentation. To see the PDF documentation included with your software, look in the Documents folder on the installation
or content DVD.
Printed documentation

Printed editions of the in-product Help are available for purchase in the Adobe Store, at www.adobe.com/go/store.
You can also find books published by Adobe publishing partners in the Adobe Store.
A printed workflow guide is included with all Adobe Creative Suite® 3 products, and stand-alone Adobe products
may include a printed getting started guide.

Using Help in the product
In-product Help is available through the Help menu. After you start the Adobe Help Viewer, click Browse to see Help
for additional Adobe products installed on your computer.
These Help features facilitate cross-product learning:

• Topics may contain links to the Help systems of other Adobe products or to additional content on the web.
• Some topics are shared across two or more products. For instance, if you see a Help topic with an Adobe
Photoshop® CS3 icon and an Adobe After Effects® CS3 icon, you know that the topic either describes functionality
that is similar in the two products or describes cross-product workflows.

• You can search across the Help systems of multiple products.
If you search for a phrase, such as “shape tool,” enclose it in quotation marks to see only those topics that include all
the words in the phrase.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 4
User Guide

C
D

Adobe Help
A. Back/Forward buttons (previously visited links) B. Expandable subtopics C. Icons indicating shared topic D. Previous/Next buttons (topics
in sequential order)

Accessibility features

Adobe Help content is accessible to people with disabilities—such as mobility impairments, blindness, and low
vision. In-product Help supports these standard accessibility features:

• The user can change text size with standard context menu commands.
• Links are underlined for easy recognition.
• If link text doesn’t match the title of the destination, the title is referenced in the Title attribute of the Anchor tag.
For example, the Previous and Next links include the titles of the previous and next topics.

• Content supports high-contrast mode.
• Graphics without captions include alternate text.
• Each frame has a title to indicate its purpose.
• Standard HTML tags define content structure for screen reading or text-to-speech tools.
• Style sheets control formatting, so there are no embedded fonts.
Keyboard shortcuts for Help toolbar controls (Windows)
Back button Alt+Left Arrow
Forward button Alt+Right Arrow
Print Ctrl+P
About button Ctrl+I
Browse menu Alt+Down Arrow or Alt+Up Arrow to view Help for another application
Search box Ctrl+S to place the insertion point in the Search box

PHOTOSHOP CS3 5
User Guide

Keyboard shortcuts for Help navigation (Windows)

• To move between panes, press Ctrl+Tab (forward) and Shift+Ctrl+Tab (backward).
• To move through and outline links in a pane, press Tab (forward) or Shift+Tab (backward).
• To activate an outlined link, press Enter.
• To make text bigger, press Ctrl+equal sign.
• To make text smaller, press Ctrl+hyphen.

Resources
Adobe Video Workshop
The Adobe Creative Suite 3 Video Workshop offers over 200 training videos covering a wide range of subjects for
print, web, and video professionals.
You can use the Adobe Video Workshop to learn about any Creative Suite 3 product. Many videos show you how to
use Adobe applications together.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 6
User Guide

When you start the Adobe Video Workshop, you choose the products you want to learn and the subjects you want
to view. You can see details about each video to focus and direct your learning.

Community of presenters

With this release, Adobe Systems invited the community of its users to share their expertise and insights. Adobe and
lynda.com present tutorials, tips, and tricks from leading designers and developers such as Joseph Lowery, Katrin
Eismann, and Chris Georgenes. You can see and hear Adobe experts such as Lynn Grillo, Greg Rewis, and Russell
Brown. In all, over 30 product experts share their knowledge.
Tutorials and source files

The Adobe Video Workshop includes training for novices and experienced users. You’ll also find videos on new
features and key techniques. Each video covers a single subject and typically runs about 3-5 minutes. Most videos
come with an illustrated tutorial and source files, so you can print detailed steps and try the tutorial on your own.
Using Adobe Video Workshop

You can access Adobe Video Workshop using the DVD included with your Creative Suite 3 product. It’s also available
online at www.adobe.com/go/learn_videotutorials. Adobe will regularly add new videos to the online Video
Workshop, so check in to see what’s new.

Photoshop CS3 videos
Adobe Video Workshop covers a wide range of subjects for Adobe Photoshop® CS3 and Adobe Photoshop® CS3
Extended, including these:

• Using and aligning layers
• Making selections
• Applying Smart Filters
• Using Vanishing Point

PHOTOSHOP CS3 7
User Guide

• Printing photos
Videos also show you how to use Photoshop CS3 with other Adobe products:

• Using shared elements in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator®, InDesign®, and Flash®
• Using Smart Objects and Live Color
• Using Bridge in a photography workflow
To access Adobe Creative Suite 3 video tutorials, visit Adobe Video Workshop at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_videotutorials.

Extras
You have access to a wide variety of resources that will help you make the most of your Adobe software. Some of
these resources are installed on your computer during the setup process; additional helpful samples and documents
are included on the installation or content disc. Unique extras are also offered online by the Adobe Exchange
community, at www.adobe.com/go/exchange.
Installed resources

During software installation, a number of resources are placed in your application folder. To view those files, navigate
to the application folder on your computer.

• Windows®: [startup drive]\Program Files\Adobe\[Adobe application]
• Mac OS®: [startup drive]/Applications/[Adobe application]
The application folder may contain the following resources:
Plug-ins Plug-in modules are small software programs that extend or add features to your software. Once installed,

plug-in modules appear as options in the Import or Export menu; as file formats in the Open, Save As, and Export
Original dialog boxes; or as filters in the Filter submenus. For example, a number of special effects plug-ins are
automatically installed in the Plug-ins folder inside the Photoshop CS3 folder.
Presets Presets include a wide variety of useful tools, preferences, effects, and images. Product presets include

brushes, swatches, color groups, symbols, custom shapes, graphic and layer styles, patterns, textures, actions,
workspaces, and more. Preset content can be found throughout the user interface. Some presets (for example,
Photoshop Brush libraries) become available only when you select the corresponding tool. If you don’t want to create
an effect or image from scratch, go to the preset libraries for inspiration.
Templates Template files can be opened and viewed from Adobe Bridge CS3, opened from the Welcome Screen, or
opened directly from the File menu. Depending on the product, template files range from letterheads, newsletters,

PHOTOSHOP CS3 8
User Guide

and websites to DVD menus and video buttons. Each template file is professionally constructed and represents a
best-use example of product features. Templates can be a valuable resource when you need to jump-start a project.

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Samples Sample files include more complicated designs and are a great way to see new features in action. These files
demonstrate the range of creative possibilities available to you.
Fonts Several OpenType® fonts and font families are included with your Creative Suite product. Fonts are copied to

your computer during installation:

• Windows: [startup drive]\Windows\Fonts
• Mac OS X: [startup drive]/Library/Fonts
For information about installing fonts, see the Read Me file on the installation DVD.
DVD content

The installation or content DVD included with your product contains additional resources for use with your
software. The Goodies folder contains product-specific files such as templates, images, presets, actions, plug-ins, and
effects, along with subfolders for Fonts and Stock Photography. The Documentation folder contains a PDF version
of the Help, technical information, and other documents such as specimen sheets, reference guides, and specialized
feature information.
Adobe Exchange

For more free content, visit www.adobe.com/go/exchange, an online community where users download and share
thousands of free actions, extensions, plug-ins, and other content for use with Adobe products.

Bridge Home
Bridge Home, a new destination in Adobe Bridge CS3, provides up-to-date information on all your Adobe Creative
Suite 3 software in one convenient location. Start Adobe Bridge, then click the Bridge Home icon at the top of the
Favorites panel to access the latest tips, news, and resources for your Creative Suite tools.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 9
User Guide

Note: Bridge Home may not be available in all languages.

Adobe Design Center
Adobe Design Center offers articles, inspiration, and instruction from industry experts, top designers and Adobe
publishing partners. New content is added monthly.

You can find hundreds of tutorials for design products and learn tips and techniques through videos, HTML
tutorials, and sample book chapters.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 10
User Guide

New ideas are the heart of Think Tank, Dialog Box, and Gallery:

• Think Tank articles consider how today’s designers engage with technology and what their experiences mean for
design, design tools, and society.

• In Dialog Box, experts share new ideas in motion graphics and digital design.
• The Gallery showcases how artists communicate design in motion.
Visit Adobe Design Center at www.adobe.com/designcenter.

Adobe Developer Center
Adobe Developer Center provides samples, tutorials, articles, and community resources for developers who build
rich Internet applications, websites, mobile content, and other projects using Adobe products. The Developer Center
also contains resources for developers who develop plug-ins for Adobe products.

In addition to sample code and tutorials, you'll find RSS feeds, online seminars, SDKs, scripting guides, and other
technical resources.
Visit Adobe Developer Center at www.adobe.com/go/developer.

Customer support
Visit the Adobe Support website, at www.adobe.com/support, to find troubleshooting information for your product
and to learn about free and paid technical support options. Follow the Training link for access to Adobe Press books,
a variety of training resources, Adobe software certification programs, and more.

Downloads
Visit www.adobe.com/go/downloads to find free updates, tryouts, and other useful software. In addition, the Adobe
Store (at www.adobe.com/go/store) provides access to thousands of plug-ins from third-party developers, helping
you to automate tasks, customize workflows, create specialized professional effects, and more.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 11
User Guide

Adobe Labs
Adobe Labs gives you the opportunity to experience and evaluate new and emerging technologies and products from
Adobe.
At Adobe Labs, you have access to resources such as these:

• Prerelease software and technologies
• Code samples and best practices to accelerate your learning
• Early versions of product and technical documentation
• Forums, wiki-based content, and other collaborative resources to help you interact with like-minded developers
Adobe Labs fosters a collaborative software development process. In this environment, customers quickly become
productive with new products and technologies. Adobe Labs is also a forum for early feedback, which the Adobe
development teams use to create software that meets the needs and expectations of the community.
Visit Adobe Labs at www.adobe.com/go/labs.

User communities
User communities feature forums, blogs, and other avenues for users to share technologies, tools, and information.
Users can ask questions and find out how others are getting the most out of their software. User-to-user forums are
available in English, French, German, and Japanese; blogs are posted in a wide range of languages.
To participate in forums or blogs, visit www.adobe.com/communities.

What’s new?
Productivity enhancements
Streamlined interface

Take advantage of the self-adjusting docks, workspace presets for specialized tasks, and other refinements in the
streamlined interface. See “Workspace basics” on page 14.
Zoomify report

Export full-resolution images in the Zoomify format so you can display them on the Internet or send them by e-mail
without having to first decrease their resolution. See “Export to Zoomify” on page 506.
Adobe Bridge CS3 with stacks and filters

Organize and manage your images with the new tools—the Loupe tool, filters, and stacks—in Adobe Bridge.
Improved print experience

Get better control over print quality with color management and better print preview features. See “Printing from
Photoshop” on page 483.
Adobe Device Central

Create and view artwork for display on cell phones and other mobile devices, and preview how your photos will look
on different devices. See “Testing Photoshop images for mobile devices with Adobe Device Central” on page 443.

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Next generation Camera Raw

Process raw data—at high quality—from more than 150 digital cameras. You can also apply Camera Raw processing
to JPEG and TIFF files. See “Camera Raw” on page 85.

Image editing improvements
Smart Filters

Preserve image data integrity as you enhance your images with flexible, nondestructive smart filters. These filters
may be added, replaced, and re-edited at any time. See “About Smart Filters” on page 312.
Black and white conversion

Quickly remap colors in an image to monochrome, or have Photoshop analyze the image and recommend
conversion settings. See “Convert a color image to black and white” on page 170.
Improved curves

Use the color-correction presets to make automatic adjustments to curves. You can also create your own Curve
presets. See “Curves overview” on page 163.
Adjusted cloning and healing with preview overlay

Control multiple clone sources, as well as rotate and scale each clone source. You can also view an overlay of the clone
source as you paint. See “Retouch with the Clone Stamp tool” on page 195.
Expanded 32-bit HDR functionality

Capture bracketed exposures and then combine them into a single 32-bit HDR image with maximum range and
fidelity using nearly every tool and feature in Photoshop, including brushes, layers, selection tools, and other imageadjustment and filter features. See “High dynamic range images” on page 77.

Compositing enhancements
Quick Selection tool

Make a quick, accurate selection of an irregularly shaped object without having to manually trace the object’s edges.
You just paint the selection using a brush tool and apply the Photoshop automatic edge enhancement for greater
selection accuracy. See “Select with the Quick Selection tool” on page 249.
Refine Edge feature

Modify the edge of a selection by expanding or contracting, feathering, or smoothing it using slider controls. Refine
Edge is a simple, flexible way to modify the edge of a selection. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.
Photomerge with advanced alignment blending

Create advanced composite images with Photoshop. Place images with overlapping content on separate layers and
let Photoshop analyze the contents and blend the images seamlessly into a continuous image. See “Create panoramic
images” on page 239.

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3D and motion advances
Vanishing Point with 3D support

Edit images in perspective across multiple planes at any angle, and export 3D information in formats supported by
3D applications. See “Vanishing Point” on page 225.
3D visualization and texture editing (Photoshop Extended)

Import 3D models; change model position, lighting, or rendering; edit model textures; and easily composite models
with 2D content. See “Working with 3D files (Photoshop Extended)” on page 604.
Motion graphics and video layers (Photoshop Extended)

Edit a video on a frame-by-frame basis, or add a layer to the video and create edits that will appear in every frame.
The Animation palette now includes a new timeline with keyframe capabilities in addition to the frame-based
interface. See “Video and animation in Photoshop” on page 544.
Movie paint (Photoshop Extended)

Quickly find and edit any frame of a movie file with Photoshop tools. Photoshop painting, retouching, and pixellevel editing is available for every frame of your movie file. See “Painting frames in video layers (Photoshop
Extended)” on page 557.

Comprehensive image analysis
Measurement (Photoshop Extended)

Assign a measurement scale to an image and measure length, area, perimeter, density, or other values in accurate
scale units. Record results in the Measurement Log as well as export the measurement data to a spreadsheet or
database. See “About measurement (Photoshop Extended)” on page 597.
Ruler and Count tool

Measure distance across an image, or count features in an image or in a selection. You can count manually, count
automatically, or use a script. See “Counting objects in an image (Photoshop Extended)” on page 603.
DICOM file support (Photoshop Extended)

Open, edit, annotate or animate single-frame or multi-frame radiological images. View and edit metadata stored in
DICOM files. See “DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)” on page 592.
MATLAB support (Photoshop Extended)

Access Photoshop from the MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory) command prompt, run image-processing routines, and
view the results in Photoshop. See “Photoshop and MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)” on page 590.
Image stack processing

Combine multiple images and apply advanced rendering options to produce enhanced composite images, eliminating noise or unwanted content. See “Image Stacks (Photoshop Extended)” on page 594.

Chapter 2: Workspace
The Adobe® Photoshop® CS3 workspace is arranged to help you focus on creating and editing images. The workspace
includes menus and a variety of tools and palettes for viewing, editing, and adding elements to your images.

Workspace basics
Workspace overview
You create and manipulate your documents and files using various elements such as panels, bars, and windows. Any
arrangement of these elements is called a workspace. When you first start an Adobe Creative Suite component, you
see the default workspace, which you can customize for the tasks you perform there. For instance, you can create one
workspace for editing and another for viewing, save them, and switch between them as you work.
You can restore the default workspace at any time by choosing the default option on the Window > Workspace menu.
Although default workspaces vary across Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, and Photoshop, you manipulate the
elements much the same way in all of them. The Photoshop default workspace is typical:

• The menu bar across the top organizes commands under menus.
• The Tools panel (called the Tools palette in Photoshop) contains tools for creating and editing images, artwork,
page elements, and so on. Related tools are grouped together.

• The Control panel (called the options bar in Photoshop) displays options for the currently selected tool. (Flash has
no Control panel.)

• The Document window (called the Stage in Flash) displays the file you’re working on.
• Panels (called palettes in Photoshop) help you monitor and modify your work. Examples include the Timeline in
Flash and the Layers palette in Photoshop. Certain panels are displayed by default, but you can add any panel by
selecting it from the Window menu. Many panels have menus with panel-specific options. Panels can be grouped,
stacked, or docked.

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D
E
G

Default Photoshop workspace
A. Document window B. Dock of panels collapsed to icons C. Panel title bar D. Menu bar E. Options bar F. Tools palette G. Collapse To
Icons button H. Three palette (panel) groups in vertical dock

For a video on understanding the workspace, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0187.
Hide or show all panels

• (Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, Photoshop) To hide or show all panels, including the Tools panel and options bar
or Control panel, press Tab.

• (Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, Photoshop) To hide or show all panels except the Tools panel and options bar or
Control panel, press Shift+Tab.
You can temporarily display panels hidden by these techniques by moving the pointer to the edge of the application
window (Windows) or to the edge of the monitor (Mac OS) and hovering over the strip that appears.

• (Flash) To hide or show all panels, press F4.
Display panel menu options
❖ Position the pointer on the panel menu icon

in the upper-right corner of the panel, and press the mouse

button.
(Illustrator) Adjust panel brightness
❖ In User Interface preferences, move the Brightness slider. This control affects all panels, including the Control

panel.

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Reconfigure the Tools panel

You can display the tools in the Tools panel in a single column, or side by side in two columns.
In InDesign, you also can switch from single-column to double-column display by setting an option in Interface
preferences.
❖ Click the double arrow at the top of the Tools panel.

Customize the workspace
To create a custom workspace, move and manipulate panels (called palettes in Photoshop and in Adobe Creative
Suite 2 components).
A
B

Narrow blue drop zone indicates Color panel will be docked on its own above Layers panel group.
A. Title bar B. Tab C. Drop zone

You can save custom workspaces and switch among them.
In Photoshop, you can change the font size of the text in the options bar, palettes, and tool tips. Choose a size from
the UI Font Size menu in General preferences.
Note: For a video on customizing the workspace in Illustrator, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0032. For a video on customizing the workspace in InDesign, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0065.
Dock and undock panels

A dock is a collection of panels or panel groups displayed together, generally in a vertical orientation. You dock and
undock panels by moving them into and out of a dock.
Note: Docking is not the same as stacking. A stack is a collection of free-floating panels or panel groups, joined top to
bottom.

• To dock a panel, drag it by its tab into the dock, at the top, bottom, or in between other panels.
• To dock a panel group, drag it by its title bar (the solid empty bar above the tabs) into the dock.
• To remove a panel or panel group, drag it out of the dock by its tab or title bar. You can drag it into another dock
or make it free-floating.

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Navigator panel being dragged out to new dock, indicated by blue vertical highlight

Navigator panel now in its own dock

To prevent panels from filling all space in a dock, drag the bottom edge of the dock up so it no longer meets the edge
of the workspace.
Move panels

As you move panels, you see blue highlighted drop zones, areas where you can move the panel. For example, you can
move a panel up or down in a dock by dragging it to the narrow blue drop zone above or below another panel. If you
drag to an area that is not a drop zone, the panel floats freely in the workspace.

• To move a panel, drag it by its tab.
• To move a panel group or a stack of free-floating panels, drag the title bar.
Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Mac OS) while moving a panel to prevent it from docking.

Add and remove docks and panels

If you remove all panels from a dock, the dock disappears. You can create new docks by moving panels to drop zones
next to existing docks or at the edges of the workspace.

• To remove a panel, click its close icon (the X at the upper-right corner of the tab), or deselect it from the Window menu.
• To add a panel, select it from the Window menu and dock it wherever you wish.
Manipulate panel groups

• To move a panel into a group, drag the panel’s tab to the highlighted drop zone at the top of the group.

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Adding a panel to a panel group

• To rearrange panels in a group, drag a panel’s tab to a new location in the group.
• To remove a panel from a group so that it floats freely, drag the panel by its tab outside the group.
• To make a panel appear at the front of its group, click its tab.
• To move grouped panels together, drag their title bar (above the tabs).
Stack free-floating panels

When you drag a panel out of its dock but not into a drop zone, the panel floats freely, allowing you to position it
anywhere in the workspace. Panels may also float in the workspace when first selected from the Window menu. You
can stack free-floating panels or panel groups together so that they move as a unit when you drag the topmost title
bar. (Panels that are part of a dock cannot be stacked or moved as a unit in this way.)

Free-floating stacked panels

• To stack free-floating panels, drag a panel by its tab to the drop zone at the bottom of another panel.
• To change the stacking order, drag a panel up or down by its tab.
Note: Be sure to release the tab over the narrow drop zone between panels, rather than the broad drop zone in a title bar.

• To remove a panel or panel group from the stack, so that it floats by itself, drag it out by its tab or title bar.
Resize or minimize panels

• To resize a panel, drag any side of the panel or drag the size box at its lower-right corner. Some panels, such as the
Color panel in Photoshop, cannot be resized by dragging.

• To change the width of all the panels in a dock, drag the gripper

at the top left of the dock.

• To minimize a panel, panel group, or stack of panels, click the Minimize button in its title bar.
You can open a panel menu even when the panel is minimized.

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Minimize button

Manipulate panels collapsed to icons

Collapse panels to icons to reduce clutter on the workspace. (In some cases, panels are collapsed to icons in the
default workspace.) Click a panel icon to expand the panel. You can expand only one panel or panel group at a time.

Panels collapsed to icons

Panels expanded from icons

• To collapse or expand all panels in a dock, click the double arrow at the top of the dock.
• To resize panel icons so that you see only the icons (and not the labels), drag the gripper

at the top of the dock
toward the icons until the text disappears. (To display the icon text again, drag the gripper away from the panels.)

• To expand a single panel icon, click it.
• To collapse an expanded panel back to its icon, click its tab, its icon, or the double arrow in the panel’s title bar.
If you select Auto-Collapse Icon Panels from the Interface or User Interface Options preferences, an expanded panel
icon will collapse automatically when you click away from it.

• To add a panel or panel group to an icon dock, drag it in by its tab or title bar. (Panels are automatically collapsed
to icons when added to an icon dock.)

• To move a panel icon (or panel icon group), drag the bar that appears above the icon. You can drag panel icons up
and down in the dock, into other docks (where they appear in the panel style of that dock), or outside the dock
(where they appear as free-floating, expanded panels).

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Save, delete, and switch between workspaces
By saving the current size and position of panels as a named workspace, you can restore that workspace even if you
move or close a panel. The names of saved workspaces appear in the Window > Workspace menu.
In Photoshop, the saved workspace can include a specific keyboard shortcut set and menu set.
Save a custom workspace
1 With the workspace in the configuration you want to save, do one of the following:

• (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) Choose Window > Workspace > Save Workspace.
• (Flash) Choose Window > Workspace > Save Current, or choose Save Current from the Workspace menu in the
Edit bar.

• (Photoshop) Choose Save Workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar.
2 Type a name for the workspace.
3 (Photoshop) Under Capture, select one or more options:
Palette Locations Saves the current palette locations.
Keyboard Shortcuts Saves the current set of keyboard shortcuts.
Menus Saves the current set of menus.

4 Click OK.
Display or switch between workspaces

Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop include preset workspaces designed to make certain tasks easier.

• Choose Window > Workspace, and select a workspace.
• (Photoshop) Select a workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar.
• (Flash) Select a workspace from the Workspace menu in the Edit bar.
(InDesign and Photoshop) Assign keyboard shortcuts to each workspace to navigate among them quickly.

Delete a custom workspace

• (Illustrator) Choose Window > Workspace > Manage Workspaces, select the workspace, and then click the Delete icon.
• (InDesign) Choose Window > Workspace > Delete Workspace, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
• (Flash) Choose Manage from the Workspace menu in the Edit bar, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
Alternatively, choose Window > Workspace > Manage, select the workspace, and then click Delete.

• (Photoshop) Choose Delete Workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar. Alternatively, choose
Window > Workspace > Delete Workspace, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
(Photoshop) Start with the last or default palette locations

When you start Photoshop, palettes can either appear in their original default locations, or appear as you last used them.
❖ In Interface preferences:

• To display palettes in their last locations on startup, select Remember Palette Locations.
• To display palettes in their default locations on startup, deselect Remember Palette Locations.

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Display or hide tool tips
❖ In Interface preferences, select or deselect Show Tool Tips.

Note: Tool tips may not be available in some dialog boxes.

Adobe Bridge
Adobe® Bridge is a cross-platform application included with Adobe® Creative Suite® 3 components that helps you
locate, organize, and browse the assets you need to create print, web, video, and audio content. You can start Bridge
from any Creative Suite component, and use it to access both Adobe and non-Adobe assets.
From Adobe Bridge, you can:

• Manage image, footage, and audio files: Preview, search, sort, and process files in Bridge without opening
individual applications. You can also edit metadata for files, and use Bridge to place files into your documents,
projects, or compositions.

• Manage your photos: Import and edit photos from your digital camera card, group related photos in stacks, and
open or import camera raw files and edit their settings without starting Photoshop. You can also search leading
stock libraries and download royalty-free images by way of Adobe Stock Photos.

• Work with Adobe Version Cue®-managed assets.
• Perform automated tasks, such as batch commands.
• Synchronize color settings across color-managed Creative Suite components.
• Start a real-time web conference to share your desktop and review documents.

Palettes and menus
Enter values in palettes, dialog boxes, and the options bar
❖ Do any of the following:

• Type a value in the text box, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).
• Drag the slider.
• Move the pointer over the title of a slider or pop-up slider. When the pointer turns to a pointing finger, drag the
scrubby slider to the left or right. This feature is available only for selected sliders and pop-up sliders.

• Drag the dial.
• Click the arrow buttons in the palette to increase or decrease the value.
• (Windows) Click the text box and then use the Up Arrow key and the Down Arrow key on the keyboard to
increase or decrease the value.

• Select a value from the menu associated with the text box.

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Ways to enter values
A. Menu arrow B. Scrubby slider C. Text box D. Dial E. Slider

See also
“About scrubby sliders” on page 22

About pop-up sliders
Some palettes, dialog boxes, and options bars contain settings that use pop-up sliders (for example, the Opacity
option in the Layers palette). If there is a triangle next to the text box, you can activate the pop-up slider by clicking
the triangle. Position the pointer over the triangle next to the setting, hold down the mouse button, and drag the
slider or angle radius to the desired value. Click outside the slider box or press Enter to close the slider box. To cancel
changes, press the Esc key.
To increase or decrease values in 10% increments when the pop-up slider box is open, hold down Shift and press the
Up Arrow or Down Arrow key.
A
B

Using different kinds of pop-up sliders
A. Click to open pop-up slider box. B. Drag slider or angle radius.

You can also “scrub” some pop-up sliders. For example, if you hold the pointer over the word “Fill” or “Opacity” in
the Layers palette, the pointer changes to the Hand icon. Then you can move the pointer left or right to change the
fill or opacity percentage.

About scrubby sliders
In some palettes, dialog boxes, and options bars, you can drag scrubby sliders to change option values. Scrubby
sliders are hidden until you position the pointer over the title of sliders and pop-up sliders. When the pointer changes
to a pointing finger, you drag to the left or right. Holding down the Shift key while dragging accelerates the scrubbing
by a factor of 10.

Hovering over the title of a slider or pop-up slider shows the scrubby slider

Working with pop-up palettes
Pop-up palettes provide easy access to available options for brushes, swatches, gradients, styles, patterns, contours,
and shapes. You can customize pop-up palettes by renaming and deleting items and by loading, saving, and replacing
libraries. You can also change the display of a pop-up palette to view items by their names, as thumbnail icons, or
with both names and icons.

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Click a tool thumbnail in the options bar to show its pop-up palette. Click an item in the pop-up palette to select it.
A

Viewing the Brush pop-up palette in the options bar
A. Click to show the pop-up palette. B. Click to view the pop-up palette menu.

Rename or delete an item in a pop-up palette
❖ Select an item, click the triangle in the upper right corner of the pop-up palette, and choose one of the following:
Rename Lets you enter a new name for the item.
Delete Deletes an item in the pop-up palette.

Note: You can also delete an item in a pop-up palette by holding down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) and clicking
the item.
Customize the list of items in a pop-up palette
1 Click the triangle in the upper right corner of the pop-up palette to view the palette menu.
2 To return to the default library, choose the Reset command. You can either replace the current list or add the
default library to the current list.
3 To load a different library, do one of the following:

• Choose the Load command to add a library to the current list. Then select the library file you want to use, and
click Load.

• Choose the Replace command to replace the current list with a different library. Then select the library file you
want to use, and click Load.

• Choose a library file (displayed at the bottom of the palette menu). Then click OK to replace the current list, or
click Append to add it to the current list.
4 To save the current list as a library for later use, choose the Save command. Then enter a name for the library file,
and click Save.

(Mac OS) Include the extension of the library file name so that you can easily share the libraries across operating
systems. Select Append File Extension Always in the File Handling Preferences to append extensions to file names.
Change the display of items in a pop-up palette
1 Click the triangle in the upper right corner of the pop-up palette to view the palette menu.
2 Select a view option: Text Only, Small List, or Large List.

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Display context menus
Context menus display commands relevant to the active tool, selection, or palette. They are distinct from the menus
across the top of the workspace.

Viewing the context menu for the Eyedropper tool

1 Position the pointer over an image or palette item.
2 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS).

Define a set of menus
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Menus.
• Choose Window > Workspace > Keyboard Shortcuts & Menus and click the Menus tab.
2 In the Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus dialog box, choose a set of menus from the Set menu (Photoshop Defaults
is the only option until you create a new set). For information on customizing keyboard shortcuts, see “About
customizing keyboard shortcuts” on page 629.
3 Choose a type from the Menu For menu:
Application Menus Lets you show, hide, or add color to items in the application menus.
Palette Menus Lets you show, hide, or add color to items in palette menus.

4 Click the triangle next to a menu or palette name.
5 Do one of the following:

• To hide a menu item, click the Visibility button

• To show a menu item, click the empty Visibility button.
• To add color to a menu item, click the color swatch and choose a color.
6 When you finish changing the menus, do one of the following:

• To save all changes to the current set of menus, click the Save Set button

. Changes to a custom set are saved.
If you’re saving changes to the Photoshop Defaults set, the Save dialog box opens. Enter a name for the new set
and click Save.

• To create a new set based on the current set of menus, click the Save Set As button

Note: If you haven’t saved the current set of changes, you can click Cancel to discard all changes and close the dialog box.
7 In the Save dialog box, enter a name for the set and click Save.

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Choosing a color for a menu item using the Keyboard Shortcuts & Menus dialog box

Delete a set of menus
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Menus.
• Choose Window > Workspace > Keyboard Shortcuts & Menus and click the Menu tab.
2 In the Keyboard Shortcuts & Menus dialog box, choose a set of menus from the Set menu.
3 Click the Delete Set icon

Temporarily show hidden menu items
It’s possible to temporarily show items that you’ve hidden in a menu. After the menu closes, the items return to their
hidden state.
❖ Do one of the following:

• From a menu with hidden items, choose Show All Menu Items.
• Shift-click a menu with hidden items.

Turn menu colors on or off
❖ In Interface preferences, select or deselect Show Menu Colors.

Tools
About tools
When you start Photoshop, the Tools palette appears at the left of the screen. Some tools in the Tools palette have
options that appear in the context-sensitive options bar. These include the tools that let you use type, select, paint,
draw, sample, edit, move, annotate, and view images. Other tools allow you to change foreground/background
colors, go to Adobe Online, and work in different modes.
You can expand some tools to show hidden tools beneath them. A small triangle at the lower right of the tool icon
signals the presence of hidden tools.

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You can view information about any tool by positioning the pointer over it. The name of the tool appears in a tool tip
below the pointer. Some tool tips contain links leading to additional information about the tool.

Toolbox overview
A

Selection tools

Blur (R)
Sharpen (R)
Smudge (R)

Move (V)*
Rectangular
Marquee (M)
Elliptical Marquee (M)
Single Column
Marquee
Single Row
Marquee

Dodge (O)
Burn (O)
Sponge (O)

Lasso (L)
Polygonal Lasso (L)
Magnetic Lasso (L)
C

Gradient (G)
Paint Bucket (G)

Crop (C)

Retouching tools
Spot Healing Brush (J)
Healing Brush (J)
Patch (J)
Red Eye (J)
Clone Stamp (S)
Pattern Stamp (S)

Rectangle (U)
Rounded
Rectangle (U)
Ellipse (U)
Polygon (U)
Line (U)
Custom Shape (U)

Painting tools

History Brush (Y)
Art History Brush (Y)

Crop and slice tools
Slice (K)
Slice Select

Path Selection (A)
Direct Selection (A)

Brush (B)
Pencil (B)
Color
Replacement (B)

Quick Selection (W)
Magic Wand (W)

Horizontal Type (T)
Vertical Type (T)
Horizontal Type
Mask (T)
Vertical Type
Mask (T)

Drawing and type
tools
Pen (P)
Freeform Pen (P)
Add Anchor
Point
Delete Anchor
Point
Convert Anchor
Point

Annotation,
measuring, and
navigation tools
Notes (N)
Audio Annotation (N)
Eyedropper (I)
Color Sampler (I)
Ruler (I)
Count (I)†
Hand (H)
Zoom (Z)

Eraser (E)
Background Eraser (E)
Magic Eraser (E)
Indicates default tool * Keyboard shortcuts appear in parenthesis † Extended only

See also
“Workspace overview” on page 14

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Selection tools gallery

The marquee tools make
rectangular, elliptical, single
row, and single column selections.

The Move tool moves selections, layers, and guides.

The lasso tools make
freehand, polygonal
(straight-edged), and
magnetic (snap-to) selections.

The Quick Selection tool lets
you quickly “paint” a
selection using an adjustable
round brush tip

The Magic Wand tool selects
similarly colored areas.

Crop and slice tools gallery

The Crop tool trims images.

The Slice tool creates slices.

The Slice Select tool selects
slices.

Retouching tools gallery

The Spot Healing Brush tool
removes blemishes and
objects

The Healing Brush tool
paints with a sample or
pattern to repair imperfections in a image.

The Patch tool repairs
imperfections in a selected
area of an image using a
sample or pattern.

The Red Eye tool removes
the red reflection caused by a
flash.

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The Clone Stamp tool paints
with a sample of an image.

The Pattern Stamp tool
paints with part of an image
as a pattern.

The Eraser tool erases pixels
and restores parts of an
image to a previously saved
state.

The Background Eraser tool
erases areas to transparency
by dragging.

The Magic Eraser tool
erases solid-colored areas to
transparency with a single
click.

The Blur tool blurs hard
edges in an image.

The Sharpen tool sharpens
soft edges in an image.

The Smudge tool smudges
data in an image.

The Dodge tool lightens
areas in an image.

The Burn tool darkens areas
in an image.

The Sponge tool changes the
color saturation of an area.

Painting tools gallery

The Brush tool paints brush
strokes.

The Pencil tool paints hardedged strokes.

The Color Replacement tool
replaces a selected color with
a new color.

The History Brush tool
paints a copy of the selected
state or snapshot into the
current image window.

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The Art History brush tool
paints with stylized strokes
that simulate the look of
different paint styles, using a
selected state or snapshot.

The gradient tools create
straight-line, radial, angle,
reflected, and diamond
blends between colors.

The Paint Bucket tool fills
similarly colored areas with
the foreground color.

Drawing and type tools gallery

The path selection tools
make shape or segment selections showing anchor points,
direction lines, and direction
points.

The type tools create type on
an image.

The shape tools and Line
tool draw shapes and lines in
a normal layer or a shape
layer.

The Custom Shape tool
makes customized shapes
selected from a custom shape
list.

The type mask tools create a
selection in the shape of type.

The pen tools let you draw
smooth-edged paths.

Annotation, measuring, and navigation tools gallery

The annotation tools make
notes and audio annotations
that can be attached to an
image.

The Eyedropper tool
samples colors in an image.

The Ruler tool measures
distances, locations, and
angles.

The Hand tool moves an
image within its window.

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The Zoom tool magnifies
and reduces the view of an
image.

Use a tool
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click a tool in the Tools palette. If there is a small triangle at a tool’s lower right corner, hold down the mouse
button to view the hidden tools. Then click the tool you want to select.

• Press the tool’s keyboard shortcut. The keyboard shortcut is displayed in its tool tip. For example, you can select
the Move tool by pressing the V key.
A
D

B
C

Using the selecting tools
A. Tools palette B. Active tool C. Hidden tools D. Tool name E. Tool shortcut F. Hidden tool triangle

Cycle through hidden tools
You can select a preference that allows you to cycle through a set of hidden tools by holding down the Shift key. When
this preference is not selected, you can cycle through a set of hidden tools by pressing the tool’s shortcut key (without
holding down Shift).
1 Choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS).
2 Select Use Shift Key For Tool Switch.

Change tool pointers
Each default pointer has a different hotspot, where an effect or action in the image begins. With most tools, you can
switch to precise cursors, which appear as cross hairs centered around the hotspot.
In most cases, the pointer for a tool is the same as the icon for that tool; you see that pointer when you select the tool.
The default pointer for the marquee tools is the cross-hair pointer ; for the text tool, the default pointer is the
I-beam ; and for the painting tools the default pointer is the Brush Size icon.
1 Choose Edit > Preferences > Cursors (Windows) or choose Photoshop > Preferences > Cursors (Mac OS).
2 Choose tool pointer settings under Painting Cursors or Other Cursors:
Standard Displays pointers as tool icons.

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Precise Displays pointers as cross hairs.
Brush Size (painting cursors only) Displays the painting tool cursors as brush shapes representing the size of the

current brush. Brush Size cursors may not appear for very large brushes.
3 Select Brush Cursor options if you selected Brush Size as the tool pointer setting:
Normal The pointer outline corresponds to approximately 50% of the area that the tool will affect. This option shows
the pixels that would be most visibly affected.
Full Size The pointer outline corresponds to nearly 100% of the area that the tool will affect, or nearly all the pixels
that would be affected.
Always Show Crosshair Displays cross hairs in the center of the brush shape.

4 Click OK.

The Painting Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:
Eraser, Pencil, Paintbrush, Healing Brush, Rubber Stamp, Pattern Stamp, Quick Selection, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen,
Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools
The Other Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:
Marquee, Lasso, Polygonal Lasso, Magic Wand, Crop, Slice, Patch, Eyedropper, Pen, Gradient, Line, Paint Bucket,
Magnetic Lasso, Magnetic Pen, Freeform Pen, Measure, and Color Sampler tools
To toggle between standard and precise cursors in some tool pointers, press Caps Lock.

Using the options bar
The options bar appears below the menu bar at the top of the workspace. The options bar is context sensitive—it
changes as you select different tools. Some settings in the options bar (such as painting modes and opacity) are
common to several tools, and some are specific to one tool.
You can move the options bar in the workspace by using the gripper bar, and you can dock it at the top or bottom of
the screen. Tool tips appear when you position the pointer over a tool. To show or hide the options bar, choose
Window > Options.

Lasso options bar
A. Gripper bar B. Tool tip

To return tools to their default settings, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the tool icon in the options
bar, and then choose Reset Tool or Reset All Tools from the context menu.
For more information on setting options for a specific tool, search for the tool’s name in Photoshop Help.

Create and use tool presets
Tool presets let you save and reuse tool settings. You can load, edit, and create libraries of tool presets using the Tool
Preset picker in the options bar, the Tool Presets palette, and the Preset Manager.

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To choose a tool preset, click the Tool Preset picker in the options bar, and select a preset from the pop-up palette.
You can also choose Window > Tool Presets and select a preset in the Tools Presets palette.
A

Viewing the Tool Preset picker
A. Click the Tool Preset picker in the options bar to show the Tool Preset pop-up palette. B. Select a preset to change the tool’s options to the
preset, which applies each time you select the tool until you choose Reset Tool from the palette menu. C. Deselect to show all tool presets; select
to show presets for only the tool selected in the toolbox.

Create a tool preset
1 Choose a tool, and set the options you want to save as a tool preset in the options bar.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click the Tool Preset button next to the tool at the left of the options bar.
• Choose Window > Tool Presets to display the Tool Presets palette.
3 Do one of the following:

• Click the Create New Tool Preset button

• Choose New Tool Preset from the palette menu.
4 Enter a name for the tool preset, and click OK.
Change the list of tool presets
❖ Click the triangle to open the Tool Presets pop-up palette menu and choose one of the following:
Show All Tool Presets Shows all loaded presets.
Sort By Tool Sorts the presets by tool.
Show Current Tool Presets Shows only the loaded presets for the active tool. You can also select the Current Tool
Only option in the Tool Presets pop-up palette.
Text Only, Small List, or Large List Determines how presets are displayed in the pop-up palette.

Note: To create, load, and manage libraries of tool presets, see “Working with pop-up palettes” on page 22 and “Work
with the Preset Manager” on page 46.

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Viewing images
Change the screen mode
You can use the screen mode options to view images on your entire screen. You can show or hide the menu bar, title
bar, and scroll bars.
❖ Do one of the following:

• To display the default window, (menu bar at the top and scroll bars on the side), choose View > Screen Mode >
Standard Screen Mode, or click the Screen Mode button
appears.

in the Tools palette until Standard Screen Mode

• To display a full-screen window with a menu bar and a 50% gray background, but no title bar or scroll bars, choose
View > Screen Mode > Full Screen Mode With Menu Bar, or click the Screen Mode button
until Full Screen Mode With Menu Bar appears.

in the Tools palette

• To display a full-screen window with only a black background (no title bar, menu bar, or scroll bars), choose
View > Screen Mode > Full Screen Mode, or click the Screen Mode button
Screen Mode appears.

in the Tools palette until Full

• To display a maximized document window that fills all available space between docks and that resizes when dock
widths change, choose View > Screen Mode > Maximized Screen Mode, or click the Screen Mode button
the Tools palette until Maximized Screen Mode appears.

View another area of an image
❖ Do one of the following:

• Use the window scroll bars.
• Select the Hand tool and drag to pan over the image.

Dragging the Hand tool to view another area of an image

• Drag the colored box (proxy view area) in the Navigator palette.
To use the Hand tool while another tool is selected, hold down the spacebar as you drag in the image.

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Use the Navigator palette
You use the Navigator palette to quickly change the view of your artwork using a thumbnail display. The colored box
in the Navigator (called the proxy view area) corresponds to the currently viewable area in the window.
❖ Do one or more of the following:

• To display the Navigator palette, select Window > Navigator.
• To change the magnification, type a value in the text box, click the Zoom Out or Zoom In button, or drag the zoom
slider.

• To move the view of an image, drag the proxy view area in the image thumbnail. You can also click the image
thumbnail to designate the viewable area.

• To change the color of the proxy view area, select Palette Options from the palette menu. Select a preset color from
the Color pop-up menu, or double-click the color box to choose a custom color.
A
B
C

Navigator palette
A. Palette menu button B. Thumbnail display of artwork C. Proxy preview area D. Zoom text box E. Zoom Out button F. Zoom slider
G. Zoom In button

Zoom in or out
❖ Do any of the following:

• Select the Zoom tool

, and click either the Zoom In
area you want to magnify.

or Zoom Out button

in the options bar. Click the

• Select the Zoom tool. The pointer becomes a magnifying glass with a plus sign in its center. Click the center of the
area that you want to magnify, or hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) and click the center of the area
that you want to reduce. Each click magnifies or reduces the view to the previous preset percentage.
Note: When you use the Zoom or Zoom Out tool, each click magnifies or reduces the image to the next preset percentage
and centers the display around the point you click. When the image has reached its maximum magnification level of
1600% or minimum size of 1 pixel, the magnifying glass appears empty.

• Select the Zoom tool and drag a dotted rectangle, called a marquee, around the area you want to magnify. To move
the marquee around the artwork, hold down the spacebar and continue dragging until the marquee is in the
desired location.

• Choose View > Zoom In or View > Zoom Out. When the image reaches its maximum or minimum magnification, the command is dimmed.

• Set the zoom level at the lower left corner of the document window or in the Navigator palette.
• To display a file at 100%, choose View > Actual Pixels.
• To change the view to fit the document window, choose View > Fit on Screen.
If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use it to zoom in or out after selecting the Zoom tool. Choose Edit >
Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS) and select the Zoom With Scroll
Wheel option to enable this behavior.

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Zoom into or out of multiple images
1 Open one or more images, or copies of a single image.
2 Choose Window > Arrange > Tile Horizontally/Tile Vertically to display the images edge to edge.
3 Select the Zoom tool, and then do one of the following:

• Select Zoom All Windows in the options bar, and then click one of the images. The other images zoom in or out
at the same time.

• Choose Window > Arrange > Match Zoom. Hold down the Shift key and click one of the images. The other
images zoom in or out at the same magnification.
Magnify by dragging
1 Select the Zoom tool.
2 Drag over the part of the image that you want to magnify.

Dragging the Zoom tool to magnify the view of an image

The area inside the zoom marquee is displayed at the highest possible magnification. To move the marquee around
the artwork in Photoshop, begin dragging a marquee and then hold down the spacebar while dragging.
Automatically resize the window when zooming
❖ With the Zoom tool active, select Resize Windows To Fit in the options bar. The window is resized when you

magnify or reduce the view of the image.
When Resize Windows To Fit is deselected (the default), the window maintains a constant size regardless of the
image magnification. This can be helpful when using smaller monitors or working with tiled views.
Note: To automatically resize the window when using keyboard shortcuts to reduce or magnify an image view, choose
Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS), then select the Zoom Resizes
Windows preference and click OK.
Display an image at 100%
❖ Do one of the following:

• Double-click the Zoom tool in the toolbox.
• Choose View > Actual Pixels.
• Enter 100% in the Status Bar and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).
Note: The 100% view of an image displays an image as it will appear in a browser (based on the monitor resolution and
the image resolution).

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Fit an image to the screen
❖ Do one of the following:

• Double-click the Hand tool in the toolbox.
• Choose View > Fit On Screen.
• Select a zoom tool or the Hand tool, and click the Fit On Screen button in the options bar.
These options scale both the zoom level and the window size to fit the available screen space.

View images in multiple windows
The document window is where your images appear. You can open multiple windows to display different images or
different views of the same one. A list of open windows appears in the Window menu. To bring an open image to the
front, choose the file name from the bottom of the Window menu. Available memory may limit the number of
windows per image.
1 Choose Window > Arrange > New Window For [Image File Name].
2 If you want to arrange the windows, choose Window > Arrange and then choose one of the following:
Cascade Displays windows stacked and cascading from the upper left to the lower right of the screen.
Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically Displays windows edge to edge. As you close images, the open windows are

resized to fill the available space.
(Windows) Arrange Icons Aligns minimized image windows along the bottom of the screen.

You can use the Hand tool’s Scroll All Windows option to scroll through all open images. Select it in the options bar
and drag in one image to scroll through all visible images.

Match locations in images
1 Open one or more images, or multiple copies of a single image.
2 Choose either Window > Arrange > Tile Horizontally/Tile Vertically to display the images edge to edge.
3 Select the Hand tool, and then do one of the following:

• Select Scroll All Windows in the options bar, and then drag to view another area in one of the images.
• Choose Window > Arrange > Match Location, hold down the Shift key, and click or drag an area in one of the
images. The other images snap to the corresponding area.

Match zoom and locations in images
1 Open one or more images, or multiple copies of a single image.
2 Choose Window > Arrange > Tile Horizontally/Tile Vertically.
3 Choose Window > Arrange > Match Zoom And Location.

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Without Match Zoom And Location (top), and with Match Zoom And Location (bottom) selected

4 Select the Zoom tool or the Hand tool.
5 Select one of the images, hold down the Shift key, and click in or drag an area of an image. The other images are
magnified to the same percentage and snap to the area you clicked.

Work with the Info palette
The Info palette shows the color values beneath the pointer and, depending on the tool in use, gives other useful
information. The Info palette also displays a hint on using the selected tool, gives document status information, and
can display 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit values.
The Info palette displays the following information:

• Depending on the option you specify, the Info palette displays 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit values.
• When displaying CMYK values, the Info palette displays an exclamation point next to the CMYK values if the
color beneath the pointer or color sampler is out of the printable CMYK color gamut.

• When a marquee tool is being used, the Info palette displays the x and y coordinates of the pointer position and
the width (W) and height (H) of the marquee as you drag.

• When the Crop tool or Zoom tool is being used, the Info palette displays the width (W) and height (H) of the
marquee as you drag. The palette also shows the angle of rotation of the crop marquee.

• When the Line tool, the Pen tool, or Gradient tool is being used, or when a selection is being moved, the Info
palette displays the x and y coordinates of your starting position, the change in X (DX), the change in Y (DY), the
angle (A), and the length (D) as you drag.

• When a two-dimensional transformation command is being used, the Info palette displays the percentage change
in width (W) and height (H), the angle of rotation (A), and the angle of horizontal skew (H) or vertical skew (V).

• When any color adjustment dialog box (for example, Curves) is being used, the Info palette displays before-andafter color values for the pixels beneath the pointer and beneath color samplers.

• If the Show Tool Hints option is enabled, you see hints for using the tool selected in the toolbox.
• Depending on the options selected, the Info palette displays status information, such as document size, document
profile, document dimensions, scratch sizes, efficiency, timing, and current tool.

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Use the Info palette

The Info palette displays file information about an image and also provides feedback about the color values as you
move a tool pointer over an image. Make sure the Info palette is visible in your workspace if you want to view information while dragging in the image.
1 (Optional) Do one of the following if you need to display the Info palette:

• Click the Info palette tab if it’s docked with other palettes.
• Choose Window > Info. File information about the image is displayed at the bottom of the Info palette. You can
change the information displayed by clicking the triangle in the upper right corner of the palette and choosing
Palette Options from the palette menu.
2 Set the options for the information you want displayed in the Info Palette by doing any of the following:

• Choose Palette Options from the Info palette menu and specify options in the Info Palette Options dialog box.
• Click an eyedropper icon and choose display options from the pop-up menu. You can also use the pop-up menu
to specify whether the Info palette displays 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit values.

• Click the cursor coordinates icon

and choose a unit of measurement.

3 Select a tool.
4 Move the pointer in the image, or drag in the image to use the tool. The following information may appear,
depending on which tool you’re using:

Displays the numeric values for the color beneath the pointer.
Displays the x and y coordinates of the pointer.
Displays the width (W) and height (H) of a marquee or shape as you drag, or the width and height of an active
selection.
Change the Info palette options
1 Click the triangle in the upper right corner to open the Info palette menu and choose Palette Options.
2 In the Info Palette Options dialog box, for First Color Readout, choose one of the following display options:
Actual Color Displays values in the current color mode of the image.
Proof Color Displays values for the output color space of the image.
A color mode Displays the color values in that color mode.
Total Ink Displays the total percentage of all CMYK ink at the pointer’s current location, based on the values set in

the CMYK Setup dialog box.
Opacity Displays the opacity of the current layer. This option does not apply to the background.
Version Cue Displays Version Cue workgroup status. This option is valid when Version Cue is active.
Measurement Scale Displays the scale of the document.

You can also set the readout options by clicking the eyedropper icon in the Info palette. In addition to the First Color
Readout options, you can also display 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit values.
3 For Second Color Readout, choose a display option from the list in step 2. For the second readout, you can also
click the eyedropper icon in the Info palette and choose readout options from the pop-up menu.

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Clicking an eyedropper icon and choosing a readout mode from the pop-up menu

4 For Ruler Units, choose a unit of measurement.
5 Under Status information, select from the following to display file information in the Info palette:
Document Sizes Displays information on the amount of data in the image. The number on the left represents the

printing size of the image—approximately the size of the saved, flattened file in Adobe Photoshop format. The
number on the right indicates the file’s approximate size including layers and channels.
Document Profile Displays the name of the color profile used by the image.
Document Dimensions Displays the dimensions of the image.
Scratch Sizes Displays information on the amount of RAM and the scratch disk used to process the image. The

number on the left represents the amount of memory that is currently being used by the program to display all open
images. The number on the right represents the total amount of RAM available for processing images.
Efficiency Displays the percentage of time spent performing an operation instead of reading or writing to the scratch
disk. If the value is below 100%, Photoshop is using the scratch disk and is therefore operating more slowly.
Timing Displays the amount of time it took to complete the last operation.
Current Tool Displays the name of the active tool.

6 (Optional) Select Show Tool Hints to display a hint for using a selected tool at the bottom of the Info palette.
7 Click OK.

To change measurement units, click the cross-hair icon in the Info palette and choose from the menu.

Display file information in the document window
The status bar is located at the bottom of every document window and displays useful information—such as the
current magnification and file size of the active image, and brief instructions for using the active tool. The status bar
also displays Version Cue information if you have Version Cue enabled.
Note: You can also view copyright and authorship information that has been added to the file. This information includes
standard file information and Digimarc watermarks. Photoshop automatically scans opened images for watermarks
using the Digimarc Detect Watermark plug-in. If a watermark is detected, Photoshop displays a copyright symbol in the
image window’s title bar and updates the Copyright & URL area of the File Info dialog box.
1 Click the triangle in the bottom border of the document window.

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File information view options when Version Cue is enabled

2 Choose a view option from the pop-up menu:

Note: If you have Version Cue enabled, choose from the Show submenu.
Version Cue Displays the Version Cue workgroup status of your document, such as open, unmanaged, unsaved, and

so forth. This option is available only if you have Version Cue enabled.
Document Sizes Information on the amount of data in the image. The number on the left represents the printing

size of the image—approximately the size of the saved, flattened file in Adobe Photoshop format. The number on the
right indicates the file’s approximate size, including layers and channels.
Document Profile The name of the color profile used by the image.
Document Dimensions The dimensions of the image.
Measurement Scale The scale of the document.
Scratch Sizes Information on the amount of RAM and the scratch disk used to process the image. The number on

the left represents the amount of memory currently being used by the program to display all open images. The
number on the right represents the total amount of RAM available for processing images.
Efficiency The percentage of time actually spent performing an operation instead of reading or writing to the scratch
disk. If the value is below 100%, Photoshop is using the scratch disk and is therefore operating more slowly.
Timing The time it took to complete the last operation.
Current Tool The name of the active tool.
32-bit Exposure Option for adjusting the preview image for viewing 32-bits-per-channel high dynamic range
(HDR) images on your computer monitor. The slider is available only when the document window displays an HDR
image.

Click anywhere in the file information area of the status bar to see a thumbnail preview showing how your document
(at its current image size) will be printed in the current page setup.

Click the file information area in the status bar to see a thumbnail preview of how the image will be printed.

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See also
“Adjust dynamic range view for HDR images” on page 81

Duplicate an image
You can duplicate an entire image (including all layers, layer masks, and channels) into available memory without
saving to disk.
1 Open the image you want to duplicate.
2 Choose Image > Duplicate.
3 Enter a name for the duplicated image.
4 If you want to duplicate the image and merge the layers, select Duplicate Merged Layers Only. To preserve the
layers, make sure this option is deselected.
5 Click OK.

Rulers, the grid, and guides
About rulers
Rulers help you position images or elements precisely. When visible, rulers appear along the top and left side of the
active window. Markers in the ruler display the pointer’s position when you move it. Changing the ruler origin (the
(0, 0) mark on the top and left rulers) lets you measure from a specific point on the image. The ruler origin also determines the grid’s point of origin.
To show or hide rulers, choose View > Rulers.

Change a ruler’s zero origin
1 (Optional) Choose View > Snap To, then choose any combination of options from the submenu. This snaps the
ruler origin to guides, slices, or document bounds. You can also snap to the grid.
2 Position the pointer over the intersection of the rulers in the upper left corner of the window, and drag diagonally
down onto the image. A set of cross hairs appears, marking the new origin on the rulers.

You can hold down Shift as you drag to make the ruler origin snap to the ruler ticks.
To reset a ruler’s origin to its default value, double-click the upper left corner of the ruler.

Dragging to create new ruler origin

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See also
“Warp an item” on page 217

Flip or rotate precisely
1 Select what you want to transform.
2 Choose Edit > Transform and choose one of the following commands from the submenu:

• Rotate 180˚ to rotate by a half-turn
• Rotate 90˚ CW to rotate clockwise by a quarter-turn
• Rotate 90˚ CCW to rotate counterclockwise by a quarter-turn
• Flip Horizontal to flip horizontally, along the vertical axis
• Flip Vertical to flip vertically, along the horizontal axis

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Note: If you are transforming a shape or entire path, the Transform command becomes the Transform Path command.
If you are transforming multiple path segments (but not the entire path), the Transform command becomes the
Transform Points command.

Repeat a transformation
❖ Choose Edit > Transform > Again, Edit > Transform Path > Again, or Edit > Transform Points > Again.

Duplicate an item when transforming it
❖ Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) when selecting the Transform command.

Transform freely
The Free Transform command lets you apply transformations (rotate, scale, skew, distort, and perspective) in one
continuous operation. You can also apply a warp transformation. Instead of choosing different commands, you
simply hold down a key on your keyboard to switch between transformation types.
Note: If you are transforming a shape or entire path, the Transform command becomes the Transform Path command.
If you are transforming multiple path segments (but not the entire path), the Transform command becomes the
Transform Points command.
1 Select what you want to transform.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Free Transform.
• If you are transforming a selection, pixel-based layer, or selection border, choose the Move tool

. Then select

Show Transform Controls in the options bar.

• If you are transforming a vector shape or path, select the Path Selection tool

. Then select Show Transform

Controls in the options bar.
3 Do one or more of the following:

• To scale by dragging, drag a handle. Press Shift as you drag a corner handle to scale proportionately.
• To scale numerically, enter percentages in the Width and Height text boxes in the options bar. Click the Link
icon

to maintain the aspect ratio.

• To rotate by dragging, move the pointer outside the bounding border (it becomes a curved, two-sided arrow), and
then drag. Press Shift to constrain the rotation to 15˚ increments.

• To rotate numerically, enter degrees in the rotation text box

in the options bar.

• To distort relative to the center point of the bounding border, press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag
a handle.

• To distort freely, press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS), and drag a handle.
• To skew, press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Command+Shift (Mac OS), and drag a side handle. When positioned over
a side handle, the pointer becomes a white arrowhead with a small double arrow.

• To skew numerically, enter degrees in the H (horizontal skew) and V (vertical skew) text boxes in the options bar.
• To apply perspective, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS), and drag a corner
handle. When positioned over a corner handle, the pointer becomes a gray arrowhead.

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• To warp, click the Switch Between Free Transform And Warp Modes button

in the options bar. Drag control
points to manipulate the shape of the item or choose a warp style from the Warp pop-up menu in the options bar.
After choosing from the Warp pop-up menu, a square handle is available for adjusting the shape of the warp.

• To change the reference point, click a square on the reference point locator

in the options bar.

• To move an item, enter values for the new location of the reference in the X (horizontal position) and Y (vertical
position) text boxes in the options bar. Click the Relative Positioning button
relation to the current position.

to specify the new position in

To undo the last handle adjustment, choose Edit > Undo.
4 Do one of the following:

• Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), click the Commit button

in the options bar, or double-click inside

the transformation marquee.

• To cancel the transformation, press Esc or click the Cancel button

in the options bar.

Warp an item
The Warp command lets you drag control points to manipulate the shape of images, shapes, or paths, and so on. You
can also warp using a shape in the Warp Style pop-up menu in the options bar. Shapes in the Warp Style pop-up
menu are also malleable; drag their control points.
When using the control points to distort an item, choosing View > Extras shows or hides the warp mesh and control
points.

Using Warp
A. Selecting the shape to be warped B. Choosing a warp from the Warp Style pop-up menu in the options bar C. Result using several warp
options

1 Select what you want to warp.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Transform > Warp.

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• If you chose a different transform command or the Free Transform command, click the Switch Between Free
Transform And Warp Modes button

in the options bar.

3 Do one or more of the following:

• To warp using a specific shape, choose a warp style from the Warp pop-up menu in the options bar.

Dragging a control point to warp the mesh

• To the manipulate the shape, drag the control points, a segment of the bounding box or mesh, or an area within
the mesh. When adjusting a curve, use the control point handles. This is similar to adjusting the handles in the
curved segment of a vector graphic.
To undo the last handle adjustment, choose Edit > Undo.

Manipulating the shape of a warp
A. Original warp mesh B. Adjusting the handles, mesh segments, and areas within the mesh

• To change the orientation of a warp style that you chose from the Warp menu, click the Change The Warp Orientation button

in the options bar.

• To change the reference point, click a square on the Reference point locator

in the options bar.

• To specify the amount of warp using numeric values, enter the values in the Bend (set bend), X (set horizontal
distortion) and Y (set vertical distortion) text boxes in the options bar. You can’t enter numeric values if you have
chosen None or Custom from the Warp Style pop-up menu.
4 Do one of the following:

• Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), or click the Commit button
• To cancel the transformation, press Esc or click the Cancel button

in the options bar.

Important: When you warp a bitmap image (versus a shape or path), the image becomes slightly less sharp each time
you commit a transformation; therefore, performing multiple commands before applying the cumulative transformation
is preferable to applying each transformation separately.

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Liquify filter
Liquify filter overview
The Liquify filter lets you push, pull, rotate, reflect, pucker, and bloat any area of an image. The distortions you create
can be subtle or drastic, which makes the Liquify command a powerful tool for retouching images as well as creating
artistic effects. The Liquify filter can be applied to 8-bits-per-channel or 16-bits per-channel images.

Distorting an image using the Liquify filter

Tools, options, and an image preview for the Liquify filter are available in the Liquify dialog box. To display the dialog
box, choose Filter > Liquify.
A

Liquify dialog box
A. Toolbox B. Preview image C. Options

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Magnify or reduce the preview image
❖ Select the Zoom tool in the Liquify dialog box, and click or drag in the preview image to zoom in; hold down Alt

(Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click or drag in the preview image to zoom out. Alternatively, you can specify
a magnification level in the Zoom text box at the bottom of the dialog box.
Navigate in the preview image
❖ Select the Hand tool in the Liquify dialog box, and drag in the preview image. Alternatively, hold down the

spacebar with any tool selected, and drag in the preview image.

Distortion tools
Several tools in the Liquify dialog box distort the brush area when you hold down the mouse button or drag. The
distortion is concentrated at the center of the brush area, and the effect intensifies as you hold down the mouse
button or repeatedly drag over an area.
Forward Warp tool

Pushes pixels forward as you drag.

Shift-click with the Warp tool, the Push Left tool, or the Mirror tool to create the effect of dragging in a straight line
from the previous point you clicked.
Twirl Clockwise tool
Rotates pixels clockwise as you hold down the mouse button or drag. To twirl pixels
counterclockwise, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you hold down the mouse button or drag.

Moves pixels toward the center of the brush area as you hold down the mouse button or drag.

Pucker tool
Bloat tool

Moves pixels away from the center of the brush area as you hold down the mouse button or drag.

Moves pixels to the left when you drag the tool straight up (pixels move to the right if you drag
down). You can also drag clockwise around an object to increase its size, or drag counterclockwise to decrease its
size. To push pixels right when you drag straight up (or to move pixels left when you drag down), hold down Alt
(Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag.

Push Left tool

Copies pixels to the brush area. Drag to mirror the area perpendicular to the direction of the stroke
(to the left of the stroke). Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to mirror the area in the direction opposite
to that of the stroke (for example, the area above a downward stroke). Usually, Alt-dragging or Option-dragging
gives better results when you have frozen the area you want to reflect. Use overlapping strokes to create an effect
similar to a reflection in water.

Mirror tool

Turbulence tool

Smoothly scrambles pixels. It is useful for creating fire, clouds, waves, and similar effects.

Liquify tool options

In the tool options area of the dialog box, set the following options:
Brush Size Sets the width of the brush you’ll use to distort the image.
Brush Pressure Sets the speed at which distortions are made when you drag a tool in the preview image. Using a low
brush pressure makes changes occur more slowly, so it’s easier to stop them at exactly the right moment.
Brush Rate Sets the speed at which distortions are applied when you keep a tool (such as the Twirl tool) stationary
in the preview image. The higher the setting, the greater the speed at which distortions are applied.
Brush Density Controls how a brush feathers at the edge. An effect is strongest in the center of the brush and lighter

at the edge.
Turbulent Jitter Control how tightly the Turbulence tool scrambles pixels.

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Reconstruct Mode Used for the Reconstruct tool, the mode you choose determines how the tool reconstructs an area

of the preview image.
Select Stylus Pressure Uses pressure readings from a stylus tablet. (This option is available only when you are
working with a stylus tablet.) When selected, the brush pressure for the tools is the stylus pressure multiplied by the
Brush Pressure value.

Distort an image
Note: If a type layer or a shape layer is selected, you must rasterize the layer before proceeding, making the type or shape
editable by the Liquify filter. To distort type without rasterizing the type layer, use the Warp options for the Type tool.
1 Select the layer you want to distort. To change only part of the current layer, select that area.
2 Choose Filter > Liquify.
3 Freeze areas of the image that you don’t want to alter.
4 Choose any of the liquify tools to distort the preview image. Drag in the preview image to distort the image.
5 After distorting the preview image, you can use the Reconstruct tool
reverse the changes or to change the image in new ways.

or other controls to fully or partially

6 Do one of the following:

• Click OK to close the Liquify dialog box and apply the changes to the active layer.
• Click Cancel to close the Liquify dialog box without applying changes to the layer.
• Click Restore All to revert all distortions to the preview image, leaving all options in their current settings.
• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) and click Reset to revert all distortions to the preview image and
reset all options to their defaults.
You can use the Edit > Fade command to create additional effects.

See also
“Blend and fade filter effects” on page 386

Freeze and thaw areas
You can freeze areas that you don’t want to modify, thaw frozen areas, and invert frozen and thawed areas.
Freeze areas

By freezing areas of the preview image, you protect those areas from changes. Frozen areas are covered by a mask
that you paint using the Freeze tool
. You can also use an existing mask, selection, or transparency to freeze areas.
You can view the mask in the preview image to help you apply distortions.
You can use the icons’ pop-up menus in the Mask Options area of the Liquify dialog box to choose how the frozen,
or masked, areas of the preview image work.
Using the Freeze tool Select the Freeze tool
and drag over the area you want to protect. Shift-click to freeze in a
straight line between the current point and the previously clicked point.
Using a selection, mask, or transparency channel Choose Selection, Layer Mask, Transparency, or Quick Mask from
the pop-up menu of any the five options in the Mask Options area of the dialog box.

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Freezing all thawed areas Click the Mask All button in the Mask Options area of the dialog box.
Inverting thawed and frozen areas Click Invert All in the Mask Options area of the dialog box.
Showing or hiding frozen areas Select or deselect Show Mask in the View Options area of the dialog box.
Changing the color of frozen areas Choose a color from the Mask Color pop-up menu in the View Options area of

the dialog box.
Mask options with the Liquify filter

When you have an existing selection or mask in an image, that information is retained when the Liquify dialog box
opens. You can choose one of the following mask options:
Shows the selection, mask, or transparency in the original image.

Replace Selection

Shows the mask in the original image, so that you can add to the selection using the Freeze
tool. Adds selected pixels in channel to the current frozen area.

Add To Selection

Subtract From Selection

Subtracts pixels in channel from the current frozen area.

Intersect With Selection

Uses only pixels that are selected and currently frozen.

Invert Selection

Uses selected pixels to invert the current frozen area.

Thaw areas
❖ Do any of the following:

• Select the Thaw tool

, and drag over the area. Shift-click to thaw in a straight line between the current point
and the previously clicked point.

• To thaw all frozen areas, click the None button in the Mask Options area of the dialog box.
• To invert frozen and thawed areas, click Invert All in the Mask Options area of the dialog box.

Reconstruct distortions
After you distort the preview image, you can use a variety of controls and reconstruction modes to reverse changes
or redo the changes in new ways. Reconstructions can be applied two ways. You can apply a reconstruction to the
entire image, smoothing out the distortion in unfrozen areas, or you can use the reconstruction tool to reconstruct
specific areas. If you want to prevent reconstruction of distorted areas, you can use the Freeze tool.

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Reconstruction based on distortions in frozen areas.
A. Original image B. Distorted with frozen areas C. Reconstructed in Rigid mode (using button) D. Thawed, edges reconstructed in Smooth
mode (using tool)

Reconstruct an entire image
1 Select a reconstruction mode from the Reconstruct Options area of the dialog box.
2 Press the Reconstruct button in the Reconstruction Options area to apply the effect once. You can apply the reconstruction more than once to create a less distorted appearance.
Remove all distortions
❖ Click the Restore All button in the Reconstruct Option area of the dialog box. This removes distortions even in

frozen areas.
Reconstruct part of a distorted image
1 Freeze areas you want to keep distorted.
2 Select the Reconstruct tool
dialog box.

. Choose one of these Reconstruct tool modes from the Brush Options area of the

3 Hold down the mouse button or drag over the area. Pixels move more quickly at the brush center. Shift-click to
reconstruct in a straight line between the current point and the previously clicked point.
Repeat distortions sampled from a starting point
1 After distorting the preview image, choose one of these reconstruction modes from the Mode menu in the Tool

Options area of the dialog box.
2 Select the Reconstruct tool
point.

, and in the preview image, hold down the mouse button or drag from a starting

This creates a copy of the distortion sampled at the starting point, much as the Clone tool does when you use it to
paint a copy of an area. If there is no distortion, the effect is the same as using Revert mode. You can set new starting
points and use the Reconstruct tool repeatedly to create a variety of effects.

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Reconstruction modes

You can choose one of the following reconstruction modes:
Rigid Maintains right angles in the pixel grid (as shown by the mesh) at the edges between frozen and unfrozen
areas, sometimes producing near-discontinuities at the edges. This restores the unfrozen areas so that they approximate their original appearance. (To restore their original appearance, use Revert reconstruction mode.)
Stiff Acts like a weak magnetic field. At the edges between frozen and unfrozen areas, the unfrozen areas take on the

distortions of the frozen areas. As the distance from frozen areas increases, the distortions lessen.
Smooth Propagates the distortions in frozen areas throughout unfrozen areas, with smoothly continuous distor-

tions.
Loose Produces effects similar to Smooth, with even greater continuity between distortions in frozen and unfrozen

areas.
Revert Scales back distortions uniformly without any kind of smoothing.

Reconstruct tool modes

The Reconstruct tool has three modes that use the distortion at the point where you first clicked the tool (start point)
to reconstruct the area over which you use the tool. Every time you click, you set a new start point; so, if you want to
extend an effect from one start point, don’t release the mouse button until you finish using the Reconstruct tool.
Displace Reconstructs unfrozen areas to match the displacement at the start point for the reconstruction. You can

use Displace to move all or part of the preview image to a different location. If you click and gradually spiral out from
the start point, you displace or move a portion of the image to the area you brush over.
Amplitwist Reconstructs unfrozen areas to match the displacement, rotation, and overall scaling that exist at the

start point.
Affine Reconstructs unfrozen areas to match all distortions that exist at the start point, including displacement,
rotation, horizontal and vertical scaling, and skew.

Work with meshes
Using a mesh helps you see and keep track of distortions. You can choose the size and color of a mesh, and save the
mesh from one image and apply it to other images.

• To add a mesh, select Show Mesh in the View Options area of the dialog box, and choose a mesh size and mesh
color.

• To show a mesh, select Show Mesh. When Show Mesh is selected, you can show or hide the preview image. Select
Show Image in the View Options area of the dialog box to show the preview image; deselect Show Image to view
only the mesh.

• To save a distortion mesh, after distorting the preview image, click Save Mesh. Specify a name and location for the
mesh file, and click Save.

• To apply a distortion mesh, click Load Mesh, select the mesh file you want to apply, and click Open. If the image
and distortion mesh aren’t the same size, the mesh is scaled to fit the image.

Work with backdrops
You can choose to show only the active layer in the preview image, or you can show additional layers in the preview
image as a backdrop. Using the Mode options, you can position the backdrop in front of or behind the active layer
to keep track of your changes, or to line up a distortion with another distortion made in a different layer.

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Important: Only the active layer is distorted, even if other layers are displayed.
Showing the backdrop Select Show Backdrop, and then choose an option from the Use pop-up menu. If you use All
Layers, changes to the current target layer are not reflected in the backdrop layer. Specify an overlay opacity to change
the blending between the target layer and the backdrop. The mode determines how the backdrop and the target layer
are combined for the preview. Choose an option from the Mode pop-up menu.
Hiding the backdrop Deselect Show Backdrop in the View Options area of the dialog box.

Vanishing Point
About Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point simplifies perspective-correct editing in images that contain perspective planes—for instance, the
sides of a building, walls, floors, or any rectangular object. In Vanishing Point, you specify the planes in an image,
and then apply edits such as painting, cloning, copying or pasting, and transforming. All your edits honor the
perspective of the plane you’re working in. When you retouch, add, or remove content in an image, the results are
more realistic because the edits are properly oriented and scaled to the perspective planes. After you finish working
in Vanishing Point, you can continue editing the image in Photoshop. To preserve the perspective plane information
in an image, save your document in PSD, TIFF, or JPEG format.

Making edits on the perspective planes in an image

Photoshop Extended users can also measure objects in an image, and export 3D information and measurements to
DXF and 3DS formats for use in 3D applications.
For a video on using Vanishing Point, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0019.

Vanishing Point dialog box overview
The Vanishing Point dialog box (Filter > Vanishing Point) contains tools for defining the perspective planes, tools
for editing the image, a measure tool (Photoshop Extended only), and an image preview. The Vanishing Point tools
(Marquee, Stamp, Brush, and others) behave similarly to their counterparts in the main Photoshop toolbox. You can
use the same keyboard shortcuts to set the tool options. Opening the Vanishing Point menu
displays additional
tool settings and commands.

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Vanishing Point dialog box
A. Vanishing Point menu B. Options C. Toolbox D. Preview of vanishing point session E. Zoom options

For the keyboard shortcuts in Vanishing Point, see “Keys for using Vanishing Point” on page 637.
Vanishing Point tools

Vanishing Point tools behave like their counterparts in the main Photoshop toolbox. You can use the same keyboard
shortcuts for setting tool options. Selecting a tool changes the available options in the Vanishing Point dialog box.
Selects, edits, moves, and resizes planes.

Edit Plane tool
Create Plane tool

Defines the four corner nodes of a plane, adjusts the size and shape of the plane, and tears off

a new plane.
Marquee tool Makes square or rectangular selections, and also moves or clones selections.

Double-clicking the Marquee tool in a plane selects the entire plane.
Stamp tool Paints with a sample of the image. Unlike the Clone Stamp tool, the Stamp tool in Vanishing Point can’t
clone elements from another image. See also “Paint with sampled pixels in Vanishing Point” on page 236 and
“Retouch with the Clone Stamp tool” on page 195.
Brush tool

Paints a selected color in a plane.

Transform tool
Scales, rotates, and moves a floating selection by moving the bounding box handles. Its behavior
is similar to using the Free Transform command on a rectangle selection. See also “Transform freely” on page 216.
Eyedropper tool
Measure tool

page 237

Selects a color for painting when you click in the preview image.
Measures distances and angles of an item in a plane. See also “Measure in Vanishing Point” on

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Zoom tool Magnifies or reduces the view of the image in the preview window.
Hand tool Moves the image in the preview window.

Magnify or reduce the preview image
❖ Do any of the following:

• Select the Zoom tool

in the Vanishing Point dialog box, and click or drag in the preview image to zoom in;
hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click or drag to zoom out.

• Specify a magnification level in the Zoom text box at the bottom of the dialog box.
• Click the Zoom Out

or the Zoom In

buttons.

• To temporarily zoom into the preview image, hold down the “x” key. This is especially helpful for placing the
corner nodes when defining a plane, and for working on details.
Move the image in the preview window.
❖ Do any of the following:

• Select the Hand tool in the Vanishing Point dialog box, and drag in the preview image.
• Hold down the spacebar with any tool selected, and drag in the preview image.

Work in Vanishing Point
1. (Optional) Prepare your image for work in Vanishing Point.

Before choosing the Vanishing Point command, do any of the following:

• To put the results of your Vanishing Point work in a separate layer, first create a new layer before choosing the
Vanishing Point command. Putting the Vanishing Point results in a separate layer preserves your original image
and you can use the layer opacity control, styles, and blending modes.

• If you plan to clone the content in your image beyond the boundaries of the current image size, increase the canvas
size to accommodate the additional content. See also “Change the canvas size” on page 194

• If you plan to paste an item from the Photoshop clipboard into Vanishing Point, copy the item before choosing the
Vanishing Point command. The copied item can be from a different Photoshop document. If you’re copying type,
select the entire text layer and then copy to the clipboard.

• To confine the Vanishing Point results to specific areas of your image, either make a selection or add a mask to
your image before choosing the Vanishing Point command. See also “Select with the marquee tools” on page 245
and “About masks and alpha channels” on page 269.

• To copy something in perspective from one Photoshop document to another, first copy the item while in
Vanishing Point in one document. When you paste the item in another document while in Vanishing Point, the
item’s perspective is preserved.
2. Choose Filter > Vanishing Point.
3. Define the four corner nodes of the plane surface.

By default, the Create Plane tool
is selected. Click in the preview image to define the corner nodes. Try to use a
rectangle object in the image as a guide when creating the plane.

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Defining the four corner nodes with the Create Plane tool

To tear off additional planes, use the Create Plane tool and Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) an
edge node.

Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) an edge node to tear off a plane.

For more information, see “Define and adjust perspective planes in Vanishing Point” on page 229.
4. Edit the image.

Do any of the following:

• Make a selection. Once drawn, a selection can be cloned, moved, rotated, scaled, filled, or transformed. For
detailed information, see “About selections in Vanishing Point” on page 231.

• Paste an item from the clipboard. The pasted item becomes a floating selection, which conforms to the perspective
of any plane that it’s moved into. For detailed information, see also “Paste an item into Vanishing Point” on
page 235.

• Paint with color or sampled pixels. For detailed information, see “Paint with a color in Vanishing Point” on
page 235 or “Paint with sampled pixels in Vanishing Point” on page 236.

• Scale, rotate, flip, flop, or move a floating selection. For detailed information, see “About selections in Vanishing
Point” on page 231.

• Measure an item in a plane. Measurements can be rendered in Photoshop by choosing Render Measurements To
Photoshop from the Vanishing Point menu. For detailed information, see “Measure in Vanishing Point” on
page 237.
5. (Photoshop Extended only) Export 3D information and measurements to DXF or 3DS format.

Textures are also exported to 3DS format. For detailed information, see “Export measurements, textures, and 3D
information” on page 238.
6. Click OK.

Grids can be rendered to Photoshop by choosing Render Grids To Photoshop from the Vanishing Point menu before
you click OK. For detailed information, see “Render grids to Photoshop” on page 239.

See also
“Keys for using Vanishing Point” on page 637

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About perspective planes and the grid
Before you can make edits in Vanishing Point, you define rectangular planes that line up with the perspective in an
image. The accuracy of the plane determines whether any edits or adjustments are properly scaled and oriented in
your image.
After you establish the four corner nodes, the perspective plane is active and displays a bounding box and a grid. You
can scale, move, or reshape to fine-tune the perspective plane. You can also change the grid size so it lines up with
elements in the image. Sometimes, lining up the bounding box and grid with a texture or pattern in your image helps
you accurately match the image’s perspective. Adjusting the grid size can also make it easier for you to count items
in the image.
Besides helping to line up the perspective planes with image elements, the grid is helpful for visualizing measurements when used with the Measure tool. An option is available to link the grid size to measurements you make with
the Measure tool.

See also
“Measure in Vanishing Point” on page 237

Define and adjust perspective planes in Vanishing Point
1 In the Vanishing Point dialog box, select the Create Plane tool
corner nodes.

and click in the preview image to add the four

Try to use a rectangular object or a plane area in the image as a guide when creating the perspective plane. To help
with node placement, hold down the “x” key to zoom into the preview image. As you add corner nodes, you can
delete the last node if it’s not correct by pressing the Backspace key (Windows) or Delete key (Mac OS). You can also
reposition a node by dragging it.
2 Select the Edit Plane tool

and do one or more of the following:

• To reshape the perspective plane, drag a corner node.
• To adjust the grid, enter a value in the Grid Size text box or click the down arrow and move the slider. You can also
adjust the grid size when the Create Plane tool is selected.

• To move the plane, click inside the plane and drag.
• To scale the plane, drag an edge node in a segment of the bounding box.

Dragging an edge node to increase the size of a plane to accommodate your edits

The bounding box and grid of a perspective plane is normally blue. If there’s a problem with the placement of the
corner nodes, the plane is invalid, and the bounding box and grid turn either red or yellow. When your plane is
invalid, move the corner nodes until the bounding box and grid are blue.
If you have overlapping planes, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to cycle through the overlapping
planes.

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2
1

Overlapping planes

Create related perspective planes

After creating a plane in Vanishing Point, you can create (tear off) additional planes that share the same perspective.
Once a second plane is torn off from the initial perspective plane, you can tear off additional planes from the second
plane and so forth. You can tear off as many planes as you want. Although new planes tear off at 90˚ angles, you can
adjust them to any angle. This is useful for making seamless edits between surfaces, matching the geometry of a
complex scene. For example, corner cabinets in a kitchen can be part of a continuous surface. In addition to adjusting
the angles of a related perspective plane, you can always resize the plane using the Edit Plane tool.
1 Select the Create Plane tool or Edit Plane tool and Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) an edge
node of an existing plane’s bounding box (not a corner node).

The new plane is torn off at a 90˚ angle to the original plane.
Note: If a newly created plane does not properly line up with the image, select the Edit Plane tool and move a corner
node to adjust the plane. When you adjust one plane, all the connected planes are affected.

Tearing off multiple planes keeps the planes related to each other so your edits are scaled and oriented in the proper perspective.

2 (Optional) Do one of the following to change the angle of the newly torn off plane:

• With either the Edit Plane tool or Create Plane tool selected, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the
center edge node on the side that’s opposite from the axis of rotation.

• Enter a value in the Angle text box.
• Move the Angle slider.
Note: Once you create a new (child) plane from an existing (parent) plane, you can no longer adjust the angle of the
parent plane.

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Bounding box and grid alerts in Vanishing Point

The bounding box and grid change colors to indicate the plane’s current condition. If your plane is invalid, move a
corner node until the bounding box and grid are blue.
Blue Indicates a valid plane. Keep in mind that a valid plane doesn’t guarantee results with the proper perspective.

You must make sure that the bounding box and grid accurately line up with geometric elements or a plane area in
the image.
Red Indicates an invalid plane. Vanishing Point cannot calculate the plane’s aspect ratio. You won’t be able to tear off
a perpendicular plane from a red invalid plane. Although it’s possible to make edits in a (red) invalid plane, the results
will not be oriented properly.
Yellow Indicates an invalid plane. All the vanishing points of the plane cannot be resolved. Although it’s possible to

tear off a perpendicular plane or make edits in a yellow invalid plane, the results will not be oriented properly.
Show or hide the grid, active selections, and perspective plane boundaries
❖ Choose Show Edges from the Vanishing Point menu.

Note: Selections temporarily show when they are resized or repositioned even if Show Edges is turned off.
Adjust the spacing of the perspective plane grid
❖ Do any of the following:

• Select the Edit Plane

or the Create Plane

tool, and then enter a Grid Size value in the tool options area.

• (Photoshop Extended only) Select the Measure tool

and then select Link Measurements To Grid in the tool
options area. Drag the Measure tool in a plane and enter a Length value in the tool options area.

About selections in Vanishing Point
Selections can be helpful when you’re painting or retouching to correct flaws, add elements, or enhance an image. In
Vanishing Point, making selections let you paint or fill specific areas in an image while honoring the perspective
defined by the planes in the image. Selections can also be used to clone and move specific image content in
perspective.
Using the Marquee tool in Vanishing Point, you draw a selection within a perspective plane. If you draw a selection
that spans more than one plane, it wraps to conform to the perspective of each plane.
Once a selection is drawn, you can move it anywhere in the image and maintain the perspective established by the
plane. If your image has multiple planes, the selection conforms to the perspective of the plane it’s moved through.
Vanishing Point also lets you clone the image pixels in a selection as it is moved in an image. In Vanishing Point, a
selection containing image pixels that you can move anywhere in the image is called a floating selection. Although
not on a separate layer, the pixels in a floating selection seem to be a separate layer hovering above the main image.
While active, a floating selection can be moved, rotated, or scaled.
Note: When you paste an item into Vanishing Point, the pasted pixels are in a floating selection.
Clicking outside a floating selection deselects it. Once deselected, a floating selection’s content is pasted into the
image, replacing the pixels that were below it. Cloning a copy of a floating selection also deselects the original.
Vanishing Point has another move option for selections. You can fill the selection with pixels from the area where
the pointer is moved.

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Copying a selection and moving a selection from one perspective plane to another

See also
“Fill selections with another area of an image” on page 233
“Copy selections in Vanishing Point” on page 234
“Define and adjust perspective planes in Vanishing Point” on page 229
Make selections in Vanishing Point
1 Select the Marquee tool.
2 (Optional) In the tool options area, enter values for any of the following settings before making the selection:
Feather Specifies how much to blur the edges of the selection.
Opacity Specify this value if you plan to use the selection to move image content. This option determines how much
the moved pixels obscure or reveal the image underneath.
Heal menu Choose a blending mode if you plan to use a selection to move image content. This option determines
how the moved pixels blend with the surrounding image:

• Choose Off so the selection doesn’t blend with the colors, shadows, and textures of the surrounding pixels.
• Choose Luminance to blend the selection with the lighting of the surrounding pixels.
• Choose On to blend the selection with the color, lighting, and shading of surrounding pixels.
3 Drag the tool in a plane. You can make a selection that spans more than one plane. Hold the Shift key to constrain
the selection to a square that’s in perspective.

Selection spanning more than one plane

Note: To select an entire plane, double-click the Marquee tool in the plane.
Move selections in Vanishing Point
1 Make a selection in a perspective plane.

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2 Choose one of the following from the Move Mode menu to determine the behavior when you move a selection:

• To select the area you move the selection marquee to, choose Destination.
• To fill the selection with the image pixels in the area where you drag the Selection tool pointer to (same as Ctrldragging or Command-dragging a selection), choose Source.
3 Drag the selection. Hold down the Shift key to constrain the move so it is aligned with the grid of the perspective
plane.
Move, rotate and scale floating selections
❖ Do any of the following:

• To move a floating selection, select the Marquee or Transform tool, click inside the selection and drag.
• To rotate a floating selection, select the Transform tool and move the pointer near a node. When the pointer
changes to a curved double arrow, drag to rotate the selection. You can also select the Flip option to flip the
selection horizontally along the vertical axis of the plane or select the Flop option to flip the selection vertically
along the horizontal axis of the plane.

Transform tool options
A. Original selection B. Flop C. Flip

• To scale a floating selection, make sure that it is in a perspective plane. Select the Transform tool and move the
pointer on top of a node. When the pointer changes to a straight double arrow drag to scale the selection. Press
the Shift key to constrain the aspect ratio as you scale. Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) to scale from the
center.

Fill selections with another area of an image
1 Make a selection in a perspective plane.
2 (Optional) Move the selection where you want it. Make sure the Move Mode is set to Destination, when you move

the selection.
3 Do one of the following:

• Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) the pointer from inside the selection to the image area that
you want to fill the selection.

• Choose Source from the Move Mode menu and drag the pointer from inside the selection to the image area that
you want to fill the selection.
The filled selection becomes a floating selection that you can scale, rotate, move, or clone using the Transform tool,
or move or clone using the Marquee tool.

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Ctrl-dragging (Windows) or Command-dragging (Mac OS) a selection
A. Original selection B. Moving the selection to the source image C. The source image fills the original selection

See also
“About selections in Vanishing Point” on page 231

Copy selections in Vanishing Point
1 Make a selection in a perspective plane.
2 Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the selection with the Marquee tool to create a copy of the selection
and its image pixels.

The copy becomes a floating selection, which seems to hover above the main image. You can move a floating
selection, or you can select the Transform tool to scale or rotate the floating selection.
3 Do one of the following:

• Click outside the floating selection to deselect it. The selection’s content is pasted into the image, replacing the
pixels that were below it.

• Click in the floating selection with either the Marquee or Transform tool and Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag
(Mac OS) to make another copy. Once copied, the original floating selection is deselected and replaces the pixels
that were below it.
Pressing Control+Shift+T (Windows) or Command+Shift+T (Mac OS) duplicates your last duplicating move. This
is an easy way to clone content multiple times.

See also
“About selections in Vanishing Point” on page 231

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Paste an item into Vanishing Point
You can paste an item from the clipboard in Vanishing Point. The copied item can be from the same document or a
different one. Once pasted into Vanishing Point, the item becomes a floating selection that you can scale, rotate,
move or clone. When the floating selection moves into a selected plane, it conforms to the plane’s perspective.
A

Pasting an item into Vanishing Point
A. Copied pattern from a separate document B. Image with selection (to confine results) created in Photoshop before opening Vanishing Point
C. Pasted pattern in Vanishing Point is moved into the plane and honors the selection

For convenience, it’s recommended that you create perspective planes in a previous Vanishing Point session.
1 Copy an item to the clipboard. The copied item can be from the same or different document. Keep in mind that
you can paste only a raster (not vector) item.

Note: If you’re copying type, select the entire text layer and then copy to the clipboard. You’ll be pasting a rasterized
version of the type into Vanishing Point.
2 (Optional) Create a new layer.
3 Choose Filter > Vanishing Point.
4 If necessary, create one or more planes in the image.
5 Press Ctrl-V (Windows) or Command-V (Mac OS) to paste the item.

The pasted item is now a floating selection in the upper left corner of the preview image. By default, the Marquee
tool is selected.
6 Use the Marquee tool to drag the pasted image to a plane.

The image conforms to the perspective of the plane.
Important: After pasting the image in Vanishing Point, do not click anywhere in the image with the Marquee tool except
to drag the pasted image to a perspective plane. Clicking anywhere else deselects the floating selection and permanently
pastes the pixels into the image.

Paint with a color in Vanishing Point
1 Select the Brush tool.
2 Specify a brush color by doing one of the following:

• Select the Eyedropper tool and click a color in the preview image.
• Click the Brush Color box to open the Adobe Color Picker to select a color.
3 In the tool options area, set the Diameter (brush size), Hardness (the amount of anti-aliasing on the brush), and
Opacity (the degree that the painting obscures or reveals the image beneath it).

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4 Choose a Healing mode:

• To paint without blending with the color, lighting, and shading of the surrounding pixels, choose Off.
• To paint and blend the strokes with the lighting of the surrounding pixels while retaining the selected color, choose
Luminance.

• To paint and blend with the colors, lighting, and shading of the surrounding pixels, choose On.
5 (Optional) Specify the paint application options:

• To paint continuously, automatically conforming to the perspective from one plane to another, open the Vanishing
Point menu and choose Allow Multi-Surface Operations. Turning this option off lets you paint in the perspective
of one plane at a time. You need to stop and then start painting in a different plane to switch perspective.

• To confine painting to the active plane only, open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Clip Operations To
Surface Edges. Turning this option off lets you paint in perspective beyond the boundaries of the active plane.
6 Drag in the image to paint. When painting in a plane, the brush size and shape scales and orients properly to the
plane’s perspective. Shift-drag constrains the stroke to a straight line that conforms to the plane’s perspective. You
can also click a point with the Brush tool and then Shift-click another point to paint a straight line in perspective.

The Brush tool honors marquee selections and can be used to paint a hard line along the edge of the selection. For
example, if you select an entire plane, you can paint a line along the perimeter of the plane.

Paint with sampled pixels in Vanishing Point
In Vanishing Point, the Stamp tool paints with sampled pixels. The cloned image is oriented to the perspective of the
plane you’re painting in. The Stamp tool is useful for such tasks as blending and retouching image areas, cloning
portions of a surface to “paint out” an object, or cloning an image area to duplicate an object or extend a texture or
pattern.
1 In Vanishing Point, select the Stamp tool

2 In the tool options area, set the Diameter (brush size), Hardness (the amount of anti-aliasing on the brush), and
Opacity (the degree that the painting obscures or reveals the image beneath it).
3 Choose a blending mode from the Healing menu:

• To prevent the strokes from blending with the colors, shadows, and textures of the surrounding pixels, choose Off.
• To blend the strokes with the lighting of the surrounding pixels, choose Luminance.
• To blend the strokes with the color, lighting, and shading of surrounding pixels, choose On.
4 To determine the sampling behavior of the Stamp tool:

• Select Aligned to sample pixels continuously, without losing the current sampling point even when you release the
mouse button.

• Deselect Aligned to continue using the sampled pixels from the initial sampling point each time you stop and
resume painting.
5 (Optional) Specify the paint application options:

• To paint continuously from one plane to another, open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Allow Multi-Surface
Operations.

• To confine painting to the active plane only, open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Clip Operations To
Surface Edges.
6 Move the pointer into a plane and Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) to set the sampling point.

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7 Drag over the area of the image you want to paint. Hold the Shift key down to drag a straight line that conforms
to the plane’s perspective. You can also click a point with the Stamp tool and then Shift-click another point to paint
a straight line in perspective.

Measure in Vanishing Point
(Photoshop Extended only) Users ranging from architects and interior decorators to forensic scientists and
woodworkers often need to know the size of objects in an image. In Vanishing Point, the Measure tool lets you draw
a measurement line over an object in a perspective plane that you know the size of. The Measure tool has an option
for entering a length for the measurement. The measurement line displays two text boxes: one for the length and one
showing the angle that the line was drawn relative to the perspective plane. Once the measurement and its length
have been set, all subsequent measurements correctly scale to your initial measurement.
For a video on using Vanishing Point, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0019.
There’s an option for linking the line’s measurement length with the grid spacing of the perspective plane. For
example, a measurement length of 5 causes the grid to display 5 spaces, when the link option is selected. This might
be useful for visualizing sizes in the image or for counting objects in an image. When unlinked, the grid spacing can
be adjusted independent of the measurement. This option is useful in such instances where you find that the grid
spacing is too small and visually confusing when linked to the measurement.
The measurements you create can be rendered so they appear in the image after you close the Vanishing Point dialog
box. You can also export your measurements and geometric information to formats that can be read by CAD applications.

See also
“Keys for using Vanishing Point” on page 637
Measure objects in an image
1 In Vanishing Point, select the Measure tool and then click and drag over an object in a plane.

It’s best to make your initial measurement of an object that you know the size of.
Note: Once you start creating a measurement from within a plane, it possible to continue drawing the measurement
beyond the plane boundaries.
2 With a measurement selected, enter a Length value to set its measured length.
3 (Optional) Draw additional measurements.

The size of these measurements are scaled to the size of your initial measurement.
4 (Optional) Do one of the following:

• If you want the size of the grid to be independent of the Length value you assigned to the initial measurement,
make sure Link Measurements To Grid is deselected. This is the default setting.

• If you want the size of the grid to adjust according to the Length value you assigned to the initial measurement,
select Link Measurements To Grid.
Vanishing Point measurements in an image are preserved after closing the dialog box. They appear when you launch
Vanishing Point again.

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Automatically drawing a measurement in Vanishing Point

The Measure tool can automatically draw the length and width measurements of a surface that’s defined by a
perspective plane.
❖ Double-click the Measure tool in a perspective plane.

Move a measurement in Vanishing Point

In Vanishing Point, you can move a measurement line without changing its orientation (angle) or length.
1 Select the Measure tool.
2 Click anywhere along the length of an existing measurement and drag.
Change the length or orientation of a measurement

You can change the length or orientation (angle) of an existing measurement.
1 Select the Measure tool and move it over the end point of an existing measurement line.
2 Do any of the following:

• To change the orientation and length of a measurement, drag an end point.
• To change the length of a measurement and constrain its angle changes to 15 degree increments, Ctrl-drag
(Windows) or Command-drag (Mac OS) an end point.

• To change the length of a measurement without changing its orientation, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag
(Mac OS) an end point.

• To change the orientation of a measurement without changing its length, Shift-drag an end point.
Delete a measurement in Vanishing Point
❖ Select a measurement and press Backspace (Windows only) or Delete.

Show or hide measurements in Vanishing Point
❖ Open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Show Measurements.

Render measurements in Photoshop

The Vanishing Point measurements are invisible when viewing an image in the Photoshop document window, even
though the measurements are preserved in the image and appear whenever you launch Vanishing Point. Measurements can be rendered so when you finish working in Vanishing Point, they’re visible in the Photoshop document
window. The rendered measurements are raster not vector.
❖ Open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Render Measurements To Photoshop.

The Render Measurements To Photoshop command must be chosen for each Vanishing Point session.
Create a new layer for your Vanishing Point results if you plan to render the measurements to Photoshop. This keeps
the measurements on a separate layer from the main image.

Export measurements, textures, and 3D information
3D information (planes), textures, and measurements created in Vanishing Point can be exported to a format for use
in CAD, modeling, animation, and special effects applications. Exporting to DXF creates a file with 3D information
and any measurements. Exported 3DS files contain rendered textures in addition to the geometric information.
1 Open the Vanishing Point menu and choose either Export to DXF or Export To 3DS.

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2 In the Export DXF or Export 3DS dialog box, select a location for the saved file and click Save.

Render grids to Photoshop
By default, the Vanishing Point grids are invisible when viewing an image in the Photoshop document window, even
though the grids are preserved in the image and appear whenever you launch Vanishing Point. Grids can be rendered
so when you finish working in Vanishing Point, they’re visible in the Photoshop document window. The rendered
grids are raster not vector.
❖ Open the Vanishing Point menu and choose Render Grids To Photoshop.

The Render Grids To Photoshop command must be chosen for each Vanishing Point session.
Create a new layer for your Vanishing Point results if you plan to render the grids to Photoshop. This keeps the grids
on a separate layer from the main image.

Create panoramic images
About Photomerge
The Photomerge™ command combines several photographs into one continuous image. For example, you can take
five overlapping photographs of a city skyline, and then assemble them into a panorama. The Photomerge command
can assemble photos that are tiled horizontally as well as vertically.

Source images (top), and completed Photomerge composition (bottom)

To open Photomerge compositions, choose File > Automate > Photomerge and then choose your source files and a
layout option. You can also load and edit previous photomerge compositions.
For a video on using Photomerge, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0013.

Take pictures for use with Photomerge
Your source photographs play a large role in panoramic compositions. To avoid problems, follow these guidelines
when taking pictures for use with Photomerge:
Overlap images sufficiently Images should overlap by approximately 25% to 40%. If the overlap is less, Photomerge
may not be able to automatically assemble the panorama. However, keep in mind that the images shouldn’t overlap
too much. If images overlap by 70% or more, Photomerge may not be able to blend the images. Try to keep the
individual photos at least somewhat distinct from each other.
Use one focal length If you use a zoom lens, don’t change the focal length (zoom in or out) while taking your

pictures.

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Keep the camera level Although Photomerge can process slight rotations between pictures, a tilt of more than a few
degrees can result in errors when the panorama is assembled. Using a tripod with a rotating head helps maintain
camera alignment and viewpoint.
Stay in the same position Try not to change your position as you take a series of photographs, so that the pictures
are from the same viewpoint. Using the optical viewfinder with the camera held close to the eye helps keep the
viewpoint consistent. Or try using a tripod to keep the camera in the same place.
Avoid using distortion lenses Fish-eye and other distortion lenses can interfere with Photomerge.
Maintain the same exposure Avoid using the flash in some pictures and not in others. The advanced blending

feature in Photomerge helps smooth out different exposures, but extreme differences make alignment difficult. Some
digital cameras change exposure settings automatically as you take pictures, so you may need to check your camera
settings to be sure that all the images have the same exposure.

Create a Photomerge composition
When you set up a Photomerge composition, you identify your source files, and the panorama is automatically
assembled. After the panorama is assembled, you can fine-tune the placement of the individual photos, if necessary.
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose File > Automate > Photomerge.
• In Adobe® Bridge CS3, choose Tools > Photoshop > Photomerge from the Bridge menu bar. Skip to step 5.
Note: In Bridge, choosing the Photomerge command uses all images currently displayed in Bridge. If you only want
specific images used, select them before choosing the Photomerge command.
2 In the Photomerge dialog box, choose an option from the Use pop-up menu:
Files Generates the Photomerge composition using individual files.
Folders Uses all the images stored in a folder to create the Photomerge composition. The files in the folder appear

in the dialog box.
Or, click Add Open Files to use images you have open in Photoshop as your source files for the Photomerge.
3 Click the Browse button to navigate to the source files or folder you want to use to create the Photomerge composition.

You can add more files by clicking the Browse button again and navigating to the source files. You can always remove
a file from the Source Files list by selecting the file and clicking the Remove button.
4 Choose a Layout option.
Auto Photoshop analyzes the source images and applies either a Perspective or Cylindrical layout, depending on
which produces a better photomerge.
Perspective Creates a consistent composition by designating one of the source images (by default, the middle image)

as the reference image. The other images are then transformed (repositioned, stretched or skewed as necessary) so
that overlapping content across layers is matched.
Cylindrical Reduces the “bow-tie” distortion that can occur with the Perspective layout by displaying individual
images as on an unfolded cylinder. Overlapping content across layers is still matched. The reference image is placed
at the center. Best suited for creating wide panoramas.

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Adding Cylindrical Mapping
A. Original B. Cylindrical Mapping applied

Reposition Only Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content, but does not transform (stretch or skew) any of
the source layers.
Interactive Layout Choose this option to open the source images in a dialog and position them manually for the best
result. See “Create a photomerge interactively” on page 241.

5 Select Blend Images Together (the default) if you want Photoshop to find the optimal borders between the images
and create seams based on those borders, and to color match the images. With Advanced Blending off, a simple
rectangular blend is performed. This may be preferable if you intend to retouch the blending masks by hand.
6 When you’ve added all the source files, click OK to create the Photomerge composition.

If the composition can’t be automatically assembled, a message appears on-screen. You can assemble the composition
manually in the Photomerge dialog box using the lightbox.
Photoshop creates one multi-layer image from the source images, adding layer masks as needed to create optimal
blending where the images overlap. You can edit the layer masks or add adjustment layers to further fine tune the
different areas of the panorama.

Create a photomerge interactively
Choose the Interactive Layout option in the main Photomerge dialog box to open the Photomerge interactive dialog
box, where you can manually rearrange your source images to create a panorama.
With Reposition Only and Snap to Image selected, Photoshop will preserve alignment at overlapping image areas,
and apply blending to even out differences of exposure between the images. In Perspective mode, Photoshop selects
one of the source images to supply a vanishing point, and stretches or skews the other images to create a wraparound
effect. Use the Vanishing Point tool to change the vanishing point and reorient the perspective.

• After arranging the composition, click OK to generate the panorama as a new Photoshop file. The composition
then opens in Photoshop.

• Click Save Composition As to save the composition and open it again at a later time.

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Photomerge dialog box
A. Lightbox B. Navigator view box C. Toolbox D. Work area E. Status bar

For a video about using Photomerge, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0013.
Navigate in the dialog box
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select the Hand tool and drag in the work area to move the view.
• Drag the view box or the scroll bars in the Navigator thumbnail. The view box represents the boundaries of the
work area.
Zoom in the dialog box
❖ Do one of the following:

• Use the Zoom tool

to zoom in.

• Click the Zoom Out icon
• Click the Zoom In icon

below the Navigator.
below the Navigator.

• Press Ctrl + + (Windows) or Command + + (Mac OS) to zoom in.
• Press Ctrl + - (Windows) or Command + - (Mac OS) to zoom out.
Rearrange images in the lightbox
❖ You can use the lightbox to rearrange images in the Photomerge composition. To use the lightbox, select the Select

Image tool

, and then do one or more of the following:

• Drag an image from the lightbox to the work area to add it to the composition.
• Drag an image from the work area to the lightbox to remove it from the composition.
• Double-click an image in the lightbox to add it to the composition.
Make sure Snap To Image is selected to automatically snap overlapping images into place when a commonality is
detected.
Rotate images
❖ Select the Select Image tool

, and click the image you want to rotate. Select the Rotate tool
near the edge of the image and drag in a circular motion around the center of the image.

, and then click

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Change the vanishing point of a composition

The Vanishing Point tool selects the vanishing point image, which changes the perspective of the composition. By
default, the middle image contains the vanishing point (it has a blue border around it when selected). There can only
be one vanishing point.
1 Select Perspective in the Settings area of the Photomerge dialog box.
2 Select the Vanishing Point tool

, and click an image in the work area to place the vanishing point there.

3 If necessary, use the Select Image tool to adjust the position of the remaining images. A red border indicates
that the selected image does not contain the vanishing point.

When you apply perspective correction to a composition, the images without the vanishing point are linked to the
image that contains the vanishing point. You can break this link by clicking the Reposition Only button, by
separating the images in the work area, or by dragging the image with the vanishing point back to the lightbox. When
the link is broken, images return to their original shapes.
The perspective correction works only up to a 120˚ angle of view, approximately. For a wider angle of view, deselect
the Perspective option.
To change the perspective of a composition, select the Vanishing Point tool, and click an image in the work area.
Notice how the perspective of the composition changes according to which image contains the vanishing point.

244

Chapter 9: Selecting
If you want to apply changes to parts of an image, you first need to select the pixels that make up those parts. You
select pixels in Adobe Photoshop CS3 using the selection tools or by painting on a mask and loading the mask as a
selection. To select and work with vector objects in Photoshop, you use the pen selection and shape tools. This
chapter covers pixel selection tools and techniques.

Making selections
About selecting pixels
A selection isolates one or more parts of your image. By selecting specific areas, you can edit and apply effects and
filters to portions of your image while leaving the unselected areas untouched.
Photoshop provides separate sets of tools to make selections of raster and vector data. For example, to select pixels,
you can use the marquee tools or the lasso tools. You can use commands in the Select menu to select all pixels, to
deselect, or to reselect.
To select vector data, you can use the pen or shape tools, which produce precise outlines called paths. You can convert
paths to selections or convert selections to paths.
Selections can be copied, moved, and pasted, or saved and stored in an alpha channel. Alpha channels store selections
as grayscale images called masks. A mask is like the inverse of a selection: it covers the unselected part of the image
and protects it from any editing or manipulations you apply. You can convert a stored mask back into a selection by
loading the alpha channel into an image.
Note: To select a specific color or a range of colors within an entire image or within a selected area, you can use the Color
Range command.

See also
“About masks and alpha channels” on page 269
“Create and edit alpha channel masks” on page 272
“Convert paths to selection borders” on page 379
“Selection tools gallery” on page 27

Select, deselect, and reselect pixels
You can select all visible pixels on a layer or deselect any selected pixels.
If a tool is not working as expected, you may have a hidden selection. Use the Deselect command and try the tool
again.
Select all pixels on a layer within the canvas boundaries
1 Select the layer in the Layers palette.
2 Choose Select > All.

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Deselect selections
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose Select > Deselect.
• If you are using the Rectangle Marquee tool, the Elliptical Marquee tool, or the Lasso tool, click anywhere in the
image outside the selected area.
Reselect the most recent selection
❖ Choose Select > Reselect.

Select with the marquee tools
The marquee tools let you select rectangles, ellipses, and 1-pixel rows and columns.
1 Select a marquee tool:
Rectangular Marquee
Elliptical Marquee
Single Row

Makes a rectangular selection (or a square, when used with the Shift key).
Makes an elliptical selection (or a circle, when used with the Shift key).

or Single Column

Marquee Defines the border as a 1-pixel-wide row or column.

2 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar.

Selection options
A. New B. Add To C. Subtract From D. Intersect With

3 Specify a feathering setting in the options bar. Turn anti-aliasing on or off for the Elliptical Marquee tool. See
“Soften the edges of selections” on page 256.
4 For the Rectangle Marquee tool or the Elliptical Marquee tool, choose a style in the options bar:
Normal Determines marquee proportions by dragging.
Fixed Aspect Ratio Sets a height-to-width ratio. Enter values (decimal values are valid) for the aspect ratio. For
example, to draw a marquee twice as wide as it is high, enter 2 for the width and 1 for the height.
Fixed Size Specifies set values for the marquee’s height and width. Enter pixel values in whole numbers.

In addition to pixels (px) you can also use specific units such as inches (in) or centimeters (cm) in height and width
values.
5 For aligning your selection to guides, a grid, slices, or document bounds, do one of the following to snap your
selection:

• Choose View > Snap, or choose View > Snap To and choose a command from the submenu. The marquee
selection can snap to a document boundary or to a variety of Photoshop Extras, controlled in the Snap To
submenu.
6 Do one of the following to make a selection:

• With the Rectangle Marquee tool or the Elliptical Marquee tool, drag over the area you want to select.
• Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the marquee to a square or circle (release the mouse button before you
release Shift to keep the selection shape constrained).

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• To drag a marquee from its center, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) after you begin dragging.

Dragging a marquee from the corner of an image (left), and from the center of an image (right) by pressing Alt/Option as you drag

• With the Single Row or Single Column Marquee tool, click near the area you want to select, and then drag the
marquee to the exact location. If no marquee is visible, increase the magnification of your image view.
To reposition a rectangle or elliptical marquee, first drag to create the selection border, keeping the mouse button
depressed. Then hold down the spacebar and continue to drag. Release the spacebar, but keep the mouse button
depressed, if you need to continue adjusting the selection border.

Select with the Lasso tool
The Lasso tool is useful for drawing freeform segments of a selection border.
1 Select the Lasso tool

, and select options.

2 Drag to draw a freehand selection border.
3 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar.

Selection options
A. New B. Add To C. Subtract From D. Intersect With

4 (Optional) set feathering and anti-aliasing in the options bar. See “Soften the edges of selections” on page 256.
5 To draw a straight-edged selection border when no other pixels are selected, press Alt (Windows) or Option
(Mac OS), and click where segments should begin and end. You can switch between drawing freehand and straightedged segments.
6 To erase recently drawn segments, hold down the Delete key until you’ve erased the fastening points for the

desired segment.
7 To close the selection border, release the mouse without holding down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS).
8 (Optional) Click Refine Edge to further adjust the selection boundary or view the selection against different
backgrounds or as a mask. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.

Select with the Polygonal Lasso tool
The Polygonal Lasso tool is useful for drawing straight-edged segments of a selection border.
1 Select the Polygonal Lasso tool

, and select options.

2 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar.

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Selection options
A. New B. Add To C. Subtract From D. Intersect With

3 (Optional) Set feathering and anti-aliasing in the options bar. See “Soften the edges of selections” on page 256.
4 Click in the image to set the starting point.
5 Do one or more of the following:

• To draw a straight segment, position the pointer where you want the first straight segment to end, and click.
Continue clicking to set endpoints for subsequent segments.

• To draw a straight line at a multiple of 45˚, hold down Shift as you move to click the next segment.
• To draw a freehand segment, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag. When you finish, release
Alt or Option and the mouse button.

• To erase recently drawn straight segments, press the Delete key.
6 Close the selection border:

• Position the Polygonal Lasso tool pointer over the starting point (a closed circle appears next to the pointer), and
click.

• If the pointer is not over the starting point, double-click the Polygonal Lasso tool pointer, or Ctrl-click (Windows)
or Command-click (Mac OS).
7 (Optional) Click Refine Edge to further adjust the selection boundary or view the selection against different
backgrounds or as a mask. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.

Select with the Magnetic Lasso tool
When you use the Magnetic Lasso tool , the border snaps to the edges of defined areas in the image. The Magnetic
Lasso tool is not available for 32-bits-per-channel images.
The Magnetic Lasso tool is especially useful for quickly selecting objects with complex edges set against high-contrast
backgrounds.
1 Select the Magnetic Lasso tool.
2 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar.

Selection options
A. New B. Add To C. Subtract From D. Intersect With

3 (Optional) set feathering and anti-aliasing in the options bar. See “Soften the edges of selections” on page 256.
4 Set any of these options:
Width To specify a detection width, enter a pixel value for Width. The Magnetic Lasso tool detects edges only within

the specified distance from the pointer.

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To change the lasso pointer so that it indicates the lasso width, press the Caps Lock key. You can change the pointer
while the tool is selected but not in use.
Contrast To specify the lasso’s sensitivity to edges in the image, enter a value between 1% and 100% for Contrast. A
higher value detects only edges that contrast sharply with their surroundings; a lower value detects lower-contrast
edges.
Frequency To specify the rate at which the lasso sets fastening points, enter a value between 0 and 100 for Frequency.

A higher value anchors the selection border in place more quickly.
On an image with well-defined edges, try a higher width and higher edge contrast, and trace the border roughly. On
an image with softer edges, try a lower width and lower edge contrast, and trace the border more precisely.
Stylus Pressure If you are working with a stylus tablet, select or deselect the Stylus Pressure option. When the option
is selected, an increase in stylus pressure decreases the edge width.

While creating a selection, press the right bracket (]) to increase the Magnetic Lasso edge width by 1 pixel; press the
left bracket ([) to decrease the width by 1 pixel.
5 Click in the image to set the first fastening point. Fastening points anchor the selection border in place.
6 To draw a freehand segment, either release or keep the mouse button depressed, and then move the pointer along

the edge you want to trace.
The most recent segment of the selection border remains active. As you move the pointer, the active segment snaps
to the strongest edge in the image, based on the detection width set in the options bar. Periodically, the Magnetic
Lasso tool adds fastening points to the selection border to anchor previous segments.
7 If the border doesn’t snap to the desired edge, click once to add a fastening point manually. Continue to trace the
edge, and add fastening points as needed.

Fastening points anchor selection border to edges

8 To switch temporarily to the other lasso tools, do one of the following:

• To activate the Lasso tool, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag with the mouse button
depressed.

• To activate the Polygonal Lasso tool, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click.
9 To erase recently drawn segments and fastening points, press the Delete key until you’ve erased the fastening
points for the desired segment.
10 Close the selection border:

• To close the border with a freehand Magnetic segment, double-click, or press Enter or Return.
• To close the border with a straight segment, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click.

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• To close the border, drag back over the starting point and click.
11 (Optional) Click Refine Edge to further adjust the selection boundary or view the selection against different

backgrounds or as a mask. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.

Select with the Quick Selection tool
You can use the Quick Selection tool to quickly “paint” a selection using an adjustable round brush tip. As you drag,
the selection expands outward and automatically finds and follows defined edges in the image.
1 Select the Quick Selection tool.
2 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar: New, Add to, Subtract from.

New is the default option if nothing is selected. After making the initial selection, the option changes automatically
to Add to.
3 To change the Quick Selection tool brush tip size, click the Brush menu in the options bar and type in a pixel size
or move the Diameter slider. Use the Size pop-up menu options to make the brush tip size sensitive to pen pressure
or a stylus wheel.

When creating a selection, press the right bracket (]) to increase the Quick Selection tool brush tip size; press the left
bracket ([) to decrease the brush tip size.
4 Choose Quick Selection options.
Sample All Layers Creates a selection based on all layers instead of just the currently selected layer.
Auto-Enhance Reduces roughness and blockiness in the selection boundary. Auto-Enhance automatically flows the
selection further towards image edges and applies some of the edge refinement you can apply manually in the Refine
Edge dialog with the Smooth, Contrast and Radius options.

5 Paint inside the part of the image you want to select.

The selection grows as you paint. If updating is slow, continue to drag to allow time to complete work on the
selection. As you paint near the edges of a shape, the selection area extends to follow the contours of the shape edge.

Painting with the Quick Selection tool to extend the selection

If you stop dragging and then click or drag in a nearby area, the selection will grow to include the new area.

• To subtract from a selection, click the Subtract from option in the options bar, then drag over the existing
selection.

• To temporarily switch between add and subtract modes, hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key.

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• To change the tool cursor, choose Edit > Preferences > Cursors > Painting Cursors (Windows) or Photoshop >
Preferences > Cursors > Painting Cursors (Mac OS). Normal Brush Tip displays the standard Quick Selection
cursor with a plus or minus sign to show the selection mode.
6 (Optional) Click Refine Edge to further adjust the selection boundary or view the selection against different
backgrounds or as a mask. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.

Select with the Magic Wand tool
The Magic Wand tool lets you select a consistently colored area (for example, a red flower) without having to trace
its outline. You specify the color range, or tolerance, for the Magic Wand tool’s selection, based on similarity to the
pixel you click.
You cannot use the Magic Wand tool on an image in bitmap mode or on 32-bits-per-channel images.
1 Select the Magic Wand tool

2 Specify one of the selection options in the options bar. The Magic Wand tool’s pointer changes depending on
which option is selected.

Selection options
A. New B. Add To C. Subtract From D. Intersect With

3 In the options bar, specify any of the following:
Tolerance Determines the similarity or difference of the pixels selected. Enter a value in pixels, ranging from 0 to

255. A low value selects the few colors very similar to the pixel you click. A higher value selects a broader range of
colors.
Anti-aliased Creates a smoother-edged selection.
Contiguous Selects only adjacent areas using the same colors. Otherwise, all pixels in the entire image using the
same colors are selected.
Sample All Layers Selects colors using data from all the visible layers. Otherwise, the Magic Wand tool selects colors
from the active layer only.

4 In the image, click the color you want to select. If Contiguous is selected, all adjacent pixels within the tolerance
range are selected. Otherwise, all pixels in the tolerance range are selected.
5 (Optional) Click Refine Edge to further adjust the selection boundary or view the selection against different
backgrounds or as a mask. See “Refine selection edges” on page 255.

Select a color range
The Color Range command selects a specified color or color range within an existing selection or an entire image. If
you want to replace a selection, be sure to deselect everything before applying this command. The Color Range
command is not available for 32-bits-per-channel images.

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To refine an existing selection, use the Color Range command repeatedly to select a subset of colors. For example, to
select the green areas in a cyan selection, select Cyans in the Color Range dialog box, and click OK. Then reopen the
Color Range dialog box, and select Greens. (The results are subtle because this technique selects parts of colors
within a color mix.)
1 Choose Select > Color Range.
2 Choose the Sampled Colors tool from the Select menu.

You can also choose a color or tonal range from the Select menu, but you won’t be able to adjust the selection.
The Out-Of-Gamut option works only on RGB and Lab images. (An out-of-gamut color is an RGB or Lab color that
cannot be printed using process color printing.)
3 Select one of the display options:
Selection Previews the selection that will result from the colors you sample in the image. White areas are selected

pixels, black areas unselected, and gray areas partially selected.
Image Previews the entire image. For example, you might want to sample from a part of the image that isn’t

on-screen.
To toggle between the Image and Selection previews in the Color Range dialog box, press Ctrl (Windows) or
Command (Mac OS).
4 Position the eyedropper pointer over the image or preview area, and click to sample the colors you want included.

Sampling color

5 Adjust the range of colors selected using the Fuzziness slider or by entering a value. The Fuzziness setting controls
how wide a range of colors is in the selection, and increases or decreases the amount of partially selected pixels (gray
areas in the selection preview). Set a low Fuzziness value to restrict the color range, a higher value to increase the
range.

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Increasing fuzziness expands selection

6 Adjust the selection:

• To add colors, select the plus eyedropper, and click in the preview area or image.
• To remove colors, select the minus eyedropper, and click in the preview area or image.
To activate the plus eyedropper temporarily, hold down Shift. Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) to
activate the minus eyedropper.
7 To preview the selection in the image window, choose an option for Selection Preview.
8 To revert to the original selection, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click Reset.
9 To save and load color range settings, use the Save and Load buttons in the Color Range dialog box to save and
reuse the current settings.

Note: If you see the message “No pixels are more than 50% selected,” the selection border will not be visible. You may
have picked a color choice from the Select menu, such as Reds, when the image didn’t contain any red hues with high
enough saturation.
For a video on making selections, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0002.

Adjusting pixel selections
Move, hide, or invert a selection
You can move a selection border around an image, hide a selection border, and invert a selection so that the previously unselected part of the image is selected.
Note: To move the selection itself, not the selection border, use the Move tool. See “Move a selection” on page 258.

See also
“Apply transformations” on page 213
“Show or hide Extras” on page 45
Move a selection border
1 Using any selection tool, select New Selection

selection border. The pointer changes

from the options bar, and position the pointer inside the
to indicate that you can move the selection.

2 Drag the border to enclose a different area of the image. You can drag a selection border partly beyond the canvas
boundaries. When you drag it back, the original border reappears intact. You can also drag the selection border to
another image window.

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Original selection border (left), and selection border moved (right)

You can apply geometric transformations to change the shape of a selection border.

Control the movement of a selection

• To constrain the direction to multiples of 45˚, begin dragging, and then hold down Shift as you continue to drag.
• To move the selection in 1-pixel increments, use an arrow key.
• To move the selection in 10-pixel increments, hold down Shift, and use an arrow key.
Hide or show selection edges

Do one of the following:

• Choose View > Extras. This command shows or hides selection edges, grids, guides, target paths, slices, annotations, layer borders, count, and smart guide.

• Choose View > Show > Selection Edges. This toggles the view of the selection edges and affects the current
selection only. The selection edges reappear when you make a different selection.
Select the unselected parts of an image
❖ Choose Select > Inverse.

You can use this option to select an object placed against a solid-colored background. Select the background using
the Magic Wand tool and then inverse the selection.

Adjust selections manually
You can use the selection tools to add to or subtract from existing pixel selections.
Before manually adding to or subtracting from a selection, you may want to set the feather and anti-aliasing values
in the options bar to the same settings used in the original selection.
Add to a selection or select an additional area
1 Make a selection.
2 Using any selection tool, do one of the following:

• Select the Add To Selection option

in the options bar, and drag to add to the selection.

• Hold down Shift, and drag to add to the selection.
A plus sign appears next to the pointer when you’re adding to a selection.
Subtract from a selection
1 Make a selection.

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2 Using any selection tool, do one of the following:

• Select the Subtract From Selection option

in the options bar, and drag to intersect with other selections.

• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag to subtract another selection.
A minus sign appears next to the pointer when you’re subtracting from a selection.
Select only an area intersected by other selections
1 Make a selection.
2 Using any selection tool, do one of the following:

• Select the Intersect With Selection option

in the options bar, and drag.

• Hold down Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS) and drag over the portion of the original selection
that you want to select.
An “x” appears next to the pointer when you’re selecting an intersected area.

Intersected selections

Expand or contract a selection by a specific number of pixels
1 Use a selection tool to make a selection.
2 Choose Select > Modify > Expand or Contract.
3 For Expand By or Contract By, enter a pixel value between 1 and 100, and click OK.

The border is increased or decreased by the specified number of pixels. Any portion of the selection border running
along the canvas’s edge is unaffected.

Create a selection around a selection border
The Border command lets you select a width of pixels inside and outside an existing selection border. This can be
useful when you need to select a border or band of pixels around an image area, rather than the area itself, for
example to clean up a halo effect around a pasted object.

Original selection (left), and after Border command: 5 pixels (right)

1 Use a selection tool to make a selection.

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2 Choose Select > Modify > Border.
3 Enter a value between 1 and 200 pixels for the border width of the new selection, and click OK.

The new selection frames the original selected area, and is centered on the original selection border. For example, a
border width of 20 pixels creates a new, soft-edged selection that extends 10 pixels inside the original selection border
and 10 pixels outside it.

Expand a selection to include areas with similar color
Do one of the following:

• Choose Select > Grow to include all adjacent pixels falling within the tolerance range specified in the magic wand
options.

• Choose Select > Similar to include pixels throughout the image, not just adjacent ones, falling within the tolerance
range.
To increase the selection in increments, choose either command more than once.
Note: You cannot use the Grow and Similar commands on Bitmap mode images or 32-bits-per-channel images.

Clean up stray pixels in a color-based selection
1 Choose Select > Modify > Smooth.
2 For Sample Radius, enter a pixel value between 1 and 100, and click OK.

For each pixel in the selection, Photoshop examines the pixels around it, to the distance you specify in the radius
setting. If more than half of these surrounding pixels are selected, the pixel remains in the selection, and the
unselected pixels around it are added to the selection. If less than half the surrounding pixels are selected, the pixel
is removed from the selection. The overall effect is to reduce patchiness and smooth sharp corners and jagged lines
in the selection.

Refine selection edges
The Refine Edge option improves the quality of a selection’s edges and allows you to view the selection against
different backgrounds for easy editing.
1 Create a selection with any selection tool.
2 Click Refine Edge in the selection tool options bar or choose Select > Refine Edge to set options for adjusting the
selection:
Radius Determines the size of the region around the selection boundary in which edge refinement occurs. Increase

radius to create a more exact selection boundary in areas with soft transitions or fine detail, such as those in short
hair or fur, or blurred boundaries.
Contrast Sharpens selection edges and removes fuzzy artifacts. Increasing contrast can remove excessive noise near
selection edges caused by a high Radius setting.
Smooth Reduces irregular areas (“hills and valleys”) in the selection boundary, creating a smoother outline. Enter a
value or move the slider from 0 to 100.
Feather Creates a soft-edged transition between the selection and its surrounding pixels. Enter a value or move the

slider to define the width of the feathered edge from 0 to 250 pixels.

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Contract/Expand Shrinks or enlarges the selection boundary. Enter a value or move the slider to set the amount from
0 to 100% to expand, 0 to -100% to contract. Most useful for making subtle adjustments to soft-edged selections.
Shrinking the selection can help remove unwanted background colors from selection edges.

For images where the colors of the selected object are distinct from the background, try increasing the Radius,
applying Contrast to sharpen edges, then adjusting the Contract/Expand slider. For grayscale images or images
where the colors of the selected object and the background are very similar, try smoothing first, then the Feather option,
then Contract/Expand.
3 Click a Selection View icon to change view modes. Click Description to view information about each mode.

• Select or deselect Preview to turn edge refinement previewing on or off.
• Click the Zoom tool to zoom in or out while adjusting the selection.
• Use the Hand tool to reposition the image.
Double-click the Quick Mask preview mode icon to change mask color or opacity.
4 To save your selection adjustments, click OK.

Soften the edges of selections
You can smooth the hard edges of a selection by anti-aliasing and by feathering.
Anti-aliasing Smooths the jagged edges of a selection by softening the color transition between edge pixels and
background pixels. Because only the edge pixels change, no detail is lost. Anti-aliasing is useful when cutting,
copying, and pasting selections to create composite images.

Anti-aliasing is available for the Lasso tool, the Polygonal Lasso tool, the Magnetic Lasso tool, the Elliptical Marquee
tool, and the Magic Wand tool. (Select a tool to display its options bar.)
Note: You must specify this option before using these tools. After a selection is made, you cannot add anti-aliasing.
Feathering Blurs edges by building a transition boundary between the selection and its surrounding pixels. This
blurring can cause some loss of detail at the edge of the selection.

You can define feathering for the Marquee tools, the Lasso tool, the Polygonal Lasso tool, or the Magnetic Lasso tool
as you use the tool, or you can add feathering to an existing selection.
Note: Feathering effects become apparent only after you move, cut, copy, or fill the selection.
Select pixels using anti-aliasing
1 Select the Lasso tool, the Polygonal Lasso tool, the Magnetic Lasso tool, the Elliptical Marquee tool, or the Magic

Wand tool.
2 Select Anti-aliased in the options bar.
Define a feathered edge for a selection tool
1 Select any of the lasso or marquee tools.
2 Enter a Feather value in the options bar. This value defines the width of the feathered edge and can range from 0

to 250 pixels.
Define a feathered edge for an existing selection
1 Choose Select > Modify > Feather.

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2 Enter a value for the Feather Radius, and click OK.

Note: A small selection made with a large feather radius may be so faint that its edges are invisible and thus not
selectable. If you see the message “No pixels are more than 50% selected,” either decrease the feather radius or increase
the size of the selection. Or click OK to accept the mask at its current setting and create a selection in which you cannot
see the edges.

Selection without feathering and with feathering.
A. Selection with no feather, same selection filled with pattern B. Selection with feather, same selection filled with pattern

Remove fringe pixels from a selection
When you move or paste an anti-aliased selection, some of the pixels surrounding the selection border are included
with the selection. This can result in a fringe or halo around the edges of the pasted selection. These Matting
commands let you edit unwanted edge pixels:

• Defringe replaces the color of any fringe pixels with the color of pixels farther in from the edge of the selection
that don’t contain the background color.

• Remove Black Matte and Remove White Matte are useful when a selection is anti-aliased against a white or black
background and you want to paste it onto a different background. For example, anti-aliased black text on a white
background has gray pixels at the edges, which are visible against a colored background.
You can also remove fringe areas by using the Advanced Blending sliders in the Layer Styles dialog box to remove,
or make transparent, areas from the layer. In this case, you would make the black or white areas transparent. Altclick (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the sliders to separate them; separating the sliders allows you to remove fringe
pixels and retain a smooth edge.
Decrease fringe on a selection
1 Choose Layer > Matting > Defringe.
2 Enter a value in the Width box to specify the area in which to search for replacement pixels. In most cases, a

distance of 1 or 2 pixels is enough.
3 Click OK.

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Remove a matte from a selection
❖ Choose Layer > Matting > Remove Black Matte or Layer > Matting > Remove White Matte.

Moving and copying selected pixels
Move a selection
1 Select the Move tool

2 Move the pointer inside the selection border, and drag the selection to a new position. If you have selected
multiple areas, all move as you drag.

Original selection (left), and after the selection is moved with the Move tool (right)

Copy selections
You can use the Move tool to copy selections as you drag them within or between images, or you can copy and move
selections using the Copy, Copy Merged, Cut, and Paste commands. Dragging with the Move tool saves memory
because the clipboard is not used as it is with the Copy, Copy Merged, Cut, and Paste commands.
Copy Copies the selected area on the active layer.
Copy Merged Makes a merged copy of all the visible layers in the selected area.
Paste Pastes a cut or copied selection into another part of the image or into another image as a new layer. If you have

a selection, the Paste command places the copied selection over the current selection. Without an active selection,
Paste places the copied selection in the middle of the view area.
Paste Into Pastes a cut or copied selection inside another selection in the same image or a different image. The

source selection is pasted onto a new layer, and the destination selection border is converted into a layer mask.
When a selection or layer is pasted between images with different resolutions, the pasted data retains its pixel dimensions. This can make the pasted portion appear out of proportion to the new image. Use the Image Size command
to make the source and destination images the same resolution before copying and pasting, or use the Free
Transform command to resize the pasted content.
Depending on your color management settings and the color profile associated with the file (or imported data), you
may be prompted to specify how to handle color information in the file (or imported data).

See also
“About layer and vector masks” on page 318
“Set up color management” on page 132

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Copy a selection
1 Select the area you want to copy.
2 Choose Edit > Copy, or Edit > Copy Merged.
Copy a selection while dragging
1 Select the Move tool
, or hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) to activate the Move tool.
2 Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag the selection you want to copy and move.

When copying between images, drag the selection from the active image window into the destination image window.
If nothing is selected, the entire active layer is copied. As you drag the selection over another image window, a border
highlights the window if you can drop the selection into it.

Dragging a selection into another image

Create multiple copies of a selection within an image
1 Select the Move tool
, or hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) to activate the Move tool.
2 Copy the selection:

• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag the selection.
• To copy the selection and offset the duplicate by 1 pixel, hold down Alt or Option, and press an arrow key.
• To copy the selection and offset the duplicate by 10 pixels, press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS),
and press an arrow key.
As long as you hold down Alt or Option, each press of an arrow key creates a copy of the selection and offsets it by
the specified distance from the last duplicate. In this case, the copy is made on the same layer.
Paste one selection into another
1 Cut or copy the part of the image you want to paste.
2 Select the part of the image into which you want to paste the selection. The source selection and the destination
selection can be in the same image or in two different Photoshop images.
3 Choose Edit > Paste Into. The contents of the source selection appear within the destination selection.

The Paste Into operation adds a layer and layer mask to the image. In the Layers palette, the new layer contains a layer
thumbnail for the pasted selection next to a layer mask thumbnail. The layer mask is based on the selection you
pasted into: the selection is unmasked (white), the rest of the layer is masked (black). The layer and layer mask are
unlinked—that is, you can move each one independently.

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E
D

Using the Paste Into command
A. Window panes selected B. Copied image C. Paste Into command D. Layer thumbnails and layer mask in Layers palette E. Pasted image
repositioned

4 Select the Move tool
, or hold down the Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) key to activate the Move tool.
Then drag the source contents until the part you want appears through the mask.
5 To specify how much of the underlying image shows through, click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette,
select a painting tool, and edit the mask:

• To hide more of the image underlying the layer, paint the mask with black.
• To reveal more of the image underlying the layer, paint the mask with white.
• To partially reveal the image underlying the layer, paint the mask with gray.
6 If you are satisfied with your results, you can choose Layer > Merge Down to merge the new layer and layer mask
with the underlying layer and make the changes permanent.

Copy between applications
You can use the Cut, Copy, or Paste commands to copy selections from Photoshop and paste them into other applications, or to paste artwork from other applications into Photoshop. The cut or copied selection remains on the
clipboard until you cut or copy another selection. You can also copy artwork between Photoshop and Illustrator by
dragging and dropping.
In some cases, the contents of the clipboard are converted to a raster image. Photoshop prompts you when vector
artwork will be rasterized.
Note: The image is rasterized at the resolution of the file into which you paste it.

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See also
“About Smart Objects” on page 309
“About file formats and compression” on page 459
“Remove fringe pixels from a selection” on page 257
Paste PostScript artwork from another application
1 In the supporting application, select your artwork, and choose Edit > Copy.
2 Select the image into which you’ll paste the selection.
3 Choose Edit > Paste.
4 In the Paste dialog box, select from the following Paste As options:
Smart Object Places the artwork in a new layer as a smart object.
Pixels Rasterizes the artwork as it is pasted. Rasterizing converts mathematically defined vector artwork to pixels.
Paths Pastes the copy as a path in the Paths palette. When copying type from Illustrator, you must first convert it to
outlines.
Shape Layer Creates a new shape layer that uses the path as a vector mask.

Note: When copying artwork from Adobe Illustrator, the default clipboard preferences in Illustrator may prevent the
Paste dialog box from appearing in Photoshop. Select AICB in the File Handling and Clipboard area of the Preferences
dialog box in Illustrator if you want the Paste options to appear when you paste the artwork into Photoshop.
5 If you chose Paste As Pixels in the previous step, you can choose Anti-aliased in the options bar to make a smooth
transition between the edges of the selection and the surrounding pixels.

Note: You can use the Matting commands if you have already merged data and are trying to reextract the rasterized
data.
Save clipboard contents when you quit Photoshop
1 Do one of the following:

• (Windows) Choose Edit > Preferences > General.
• (Mac OS) Choose Photoshop > Preferences > General.
2 Select Export Clipboard to save any Photoshop contents to the clipboard when you quit Photoshop.
Copy artwork by dragging and dropping
❖ Do one of the following:

• Drag one or more Illustrator vector objects into an open image in Photoshop. This creates a vector Smart Object
layer in the image. Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Content to reopen the content in Illustrator for editing.

• To copy the vector object as a path in Photoshop, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) as you drag
from Illustrator.

• To copy the contents of the currently selected layer in Photoshop to Illustrator, use the Move tool to drag the
content from the Photoshop window into an open Illustrator document.

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Deleting and extracting objects
Remove (cut) an object from a photo
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the object you want to remove.
2 Using a selection tool, select the object you want to remove.
3 If you need to refine the selection, click the Quick Mask Mode button
in the toolbox. Photoshop masks or
covers the non-selected areas of the image in a translucent color. Select a brush and appropriate brush size in the
options bar. Paint with black to add to the mask; paint with white to reveal more of the image.
4 To remove the selected object, choose Edit > Cut.

See also
“Extract an object from its background” on page 262

Delete selected pixels
❖ Choose Edit > Clear, or press Backspace (Windows) or Delete (Mac OS). To cut a selection to the clipboard,

choose Edit > Cut.
Deleting a selection on a background or on a layer with the Lock Transparency option selected in the Layers palette
replaces the original location with the background color. Deleting a selection on a layer without Lock Transparency
selected replaces the original area with the layer transparency.

Extract an object from its background
The Extract filter provides a sophisticated way to isolate a foreground object and erase its background on a layer.
Even objects with wispy, intricate, or undefinable edges may be clipped from their backgrounds with a minimum of
manual work. You use tools in the Extract dialog box to specify which part of the image to extract.
For simpler cases, try using the Background Eraser tool.
When you extract the object, Photoshop erases its background to transparency. Pixels on the edge of the object lose
the color components derived from the background, so they can blend with a new background without producing a
color halo.

Selected area highlighted and filled, and extracted object

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You can add back opacity to the background and create other effects using the Edit > Fade command after an
extraction.
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the object you want to extract. If you select a background layer, it
becomes a normal layer after the extraction. If the layer contains a selection, the extraction erases the background
only in the selected area.

To avoid losing the original image information, duplicate the layer or make a snapshot of the original image state.
2 Choose Filter > Extract, and then specify tool options:
Brush Size Enter a value, or drag the slider to specify the width of the Edge Highlighter tool
Brush Size option to specify the width of the Eraser, Cleanup, and Edge Touchup tools.

. You also use the

Highlight Choose a preset color option for the highlight that appears around objects when you use the Edge
Highlighter tool, or choose Other to pick a custom color for the highlight.
Fill Choose a preset color option, or choose Other to pick a custom color for the area covered by the Fill tool.
Smart Highlighting Select this option if you are highlighting a well-defined edge. The option helps you keep the
highlight on the edge, and applies a highlight that is just wide enough to cover the edge, regardless of the current
brush size.

Note: If you use Smart Highlighting to mark an object edge that’s near another edge, decrease the brush size if conflicting
edges pull the highlight off the object edge. If the object edge has a uniform color on one side and high-contrast edges on
the other side, keep the object edge within the brush area but center the brush on the uniform color.
Specify Extraction options:
Textured Image Select this option if the foreground or background of your image contains a lot of texture.
Smooth Enter a value or drag the slider to increase or decrease the smoothness of the outline. It’s usually best to

begin with zero or a small value to avoid unwanted blurring of details. If there are sharp artifacts in the extraction
result, you can increase the Smooth value to help remove them in the next extraction.
Channel Choose the alpha channel from the Channel menu to base the highlight on a selection saved in an alpha
channel. The alpha channel should be based on a selection from the edge boundary. If you modify a highlight based
on a channel, the channel name in the menu changes to Custom. Your image must have an alpha channel for the
Channel option to be available.
Force Foreground Select this option if the object is especially intricate or lacks a clear interior.

3 Select the Edge Highlighter tool
, and draw to define the edge of the object you want to extract. Drag so that
the highlight slightly overlaps both the foreground object and its background. Use a large brush to cover wispy,
intricate edges where the foreground blends into the background, as with hair or trees.

Use either the Zoom tool or the Hand tool to adjust the view as needed.
If you need to erase the highlight, select the Eraser tool
, and drag it over the highlight. To erase the entire
highlight, press Alt+Backspace (Windows) or Option+Delete (Mac OS).
If the object has a well-defined interior, make sure the highlight forms a complete enclosure. You do not need to
highlight areas where the object touches the image boundaries. If the object lacks a clear interior, highlight the entire
object.
Note: You can’t highlight the entire object if you’ve selected Textured Image or Force Foreground.

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4 Define the foreground area by doing one of the following:

• If the object has a well-defined interior, select the Fill tool

. Click inside the object to fill its interior. Clicking

a filled area again with the Fill tool removes the fill.

• If you’ve selected Force Foreground, select the Eyedropper tool

, and click inside the object to sample the
foreground color, or click in the Color text box and use a color picker to select the foreground color. This technique
works best with objects that contain tones of a single color.

5 (Optional) Click Preview to preview the extracted object. Zoom in as needed.
Show Choose a menu option to switch between views of the original and the extracted image.
Display Choose a menu option to preview the extracted object against a colored matte background or a grayscale

background. To display a transparent background, choose None.
6 (Optional) Improve the extraction by doing one of the following:

• Choose new Highlight and Fill options and draw again with the Edge Highlighter tool. Define the foreground area
once more, and then preview the extracted object.

• Specify new Extraction settings (Smooth, Force Foreground, or Color) and then preview the extracted object.
When you are satisfied with the extraction, you can do the final touchups.
7 Touch up the extraction results by doing one of the following:

• To erase background traces in the extracted area, use the Cleanup tool

. The tool subtracts opacity and has a
cumulative effect. You can also use the Cleanup tool to fill gaps in the extracted object. Hold down Alt (Windows)
or Option (Mac OS) while dragging to add back opacity.

• To edit the edge of the extracted object, use the Edge Touchup tool

. The tool sharpens edges and has a
cumulative effect. If there is no clear edge, the Edge Touchup tool adds opacity to the object or subtracts opacity
from the background.
You can also clean up the image after an extraction by using the Background Eraser and History Brush tools in the
toolbox.

8 Click OK to apply the final extraction. On the layer, all pixels outside the extracted object are erased to transparency.

See also
“Change pixels to transparent with the Background Eraser tool” on page 329
“Blend and fade filter effects” on page 386

Channels
About channels
Channels are grayscale images that store different types of information:

• Color information channels are created automatically when you open a new image. The image’s color mode determines the number of color channels created. For example, an RGB image has a channel for each color (red, green,
and blue) plus a composite channel used for editing the image.

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• Alpha channels store selections as grayscale images. You can add alpha channels to create and store masks, which
let you manipulate or protect parts of an image.

• Spot color channels specify additional plates for printing with spot color inks.
An image can have up to 56 channels. All new channels have the same dimensions and number of pixels as the
original image.
The file size required for a channel depends on the pixel information in the channel. Certain file formats, including
TIFF and Photoshop formats, compress channel information and can save space. The size of an uncompressed file,
including alpha channels and layers, appears as the rightmost value in the status bar at the bottom of the window
when you choose Document Sizes from the pop-up menu.
Note: As long as you save a file in a format supporting the image’s color mode, the color channels are preserved. Alpha
channels are preserved only when you save a file in Photoshop, PDF, PICT, Pixar, TIFF, PSB, or raw formats. DCS 2.0
format preserves only spot channels. Saving in other formats may cause channel information to be discarded.

See also
“About spot colors” on page 501
“About masks and alpha channels” on page 269

Channels palette overview
The Channels palette lists all channels in the image—composite channel first (for RGB, CMYK, and Lab images). A
thumbnail of the channel’s contents appears to the left of the channel name; the thumbnail is automatically updated
as you edit the channel.

Channel types
A. Color channels B. Spot channels C. Alpha channels

Display the Channels palette
❖ Choose Windows > Channels.

Resize or hide channel thumbnails
❖ Choose Palette Options from the Channels palette menu. Click a thumbnail size or click None to turn off the

display of thumbnails.

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Viewing thumbnails is a convenient way of tracking channel contents; however, turning off the display of thumbnails
can improve performance

Show or hide a channel
You can use the Channels palette to view any combination of channels in the document window. For example, you
can view an alpha channel and the composite channel together to see how changes made in the alpha channel relate
to the entire image.
❖ Click in the eye column next to the channel to show or hide that channel. (Click the composite channel to view all

default color channels. The composite channel is displayed whenever all the color channels are visible.)
To show or hide multiple channels, drag through the eye column in the Channels palette.

Show color channels in color
Individual channels are displayed in grayscale. In RGB, CMYK, or Lab images, you can view the individual channels
in color. (In Lab images, only the a and b channels appear in color.) If more than one channel is active, the channels
always appear in color.
You can change the default to show the individual color channels in color. When a channel is visible in the image, an
eye icon
appears to its left in the palette.
1 Do one of the following:

• In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Interface.
• In Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Interface.
2 Select Show Channels in Color, and click OK.

Select and edit channels
You can select one or more channels in the Channels palette. The names of all selected, or active, channels are
highlighted.

C
D

Selecting multiple channels
A. Not visible or editable B. Visible but not selected for editing C. Selected for viewing and editing D. Selected for editing but not viewing

• To select a channel, click the channel name. Shift-click to select (or deselect) multiple channels.

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• To edit a channel, select it and then use a painting or editing tool to paint in the image. You can paint on only one
channel at a time. Paint with white to add the selected channel’s color at 100% intensity. Paint with a value of gray
to add the channel’s color at a lower intensity. Paint with black to fully remove the channel’s color.

Rearrange and rename alpha and spot channels
You can move alpha or spot channels above the default color channels only if the image is in Multichannel mode.

• To change the order of alpha or spot channels, drag the channel up or down in the Channels palette. When a line
appears in the position you want, release the mouse button.
Note: Spot colors are overprinted in the order of their appearance from top to bottom, in the Channels palette.

• To rename an alpha or spot channel, double-click the channel’s name in the Channels palette, and enter a new name.

See also
“Create a new spot channel” on page 502

Duplicate channels
You can copy a channel and use it in the current image or another image.
Duplicate a channel

If you are duplicating alpha channels between images, the channels must have identical pixel dimensions. You cannot
duplicate a channel to a Bitmap-mode image.
1 In the Channels palette, select the channel to duplicate.
2 Choose Duplicate Channel from the Channels palette menu.
3 Type a name for the duplicate channel.
4 For Document, do one of the following:

• Choose a destination. Only open images with pixel dimensions identical to the current image are available. To
duplicate the channel in the same file, select the channel’s current file.

• Choose New to copy the channel to a new image, creating a multichannel image containing a single channel. Type
a name for the new image.
5 To reverse the selected and masked areas in the duplicate channel, select Invert.
Duplicate a channel in an image
1 In the Channels palette, select the channel you want to duplicate.
2 Drag the channel onto the New Channel button

at the bottom of the palette.

Duplicate a channel in another image
1 In the Channels palette, select the channel you want to duplicate.
2 Make sure that the destination image is open.

Note: The destination image does not have to have the same pixel dimensions as the duplicated channel.

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3 Do one of the following:

• Drag the channel from the Channels palette into the destination image window. The duplicated channel appears
at the bottom of the Channels palette.

• Choose Select > All, and then choose Edit > Copy. Select the channel in the destination image and choose Edit >
Paste. The pasted channel overwrites the existing channel.

Split channels into separate images
You can split channels of flattened images only. Splitting channels is useful when you want to retain individual
channel information in a file format that doesn’t preserve channels.
❖ To split channels into separate images, choose Split Channels from the Channels palette menu.

The original file is closed, and the individual channels appear in separate grayscale image windows. The title bars in
the new windows show the original filename plus the channel. You save and edit the new images separately.

Merge channels
Multiple grayscale images can be combined as the channels of a single image. The images you want to merge must
be in grayscale mode, be flattened (have no layers), have the same pixel dimensions, and be open. The number of
grayscale images you have open determines the color modes available when merging channels. For example, if you
have three images open, you can merge them into an RGB image; if you have four images open, they can become a
CMYK image.
If you are working with DCS files that have accidentally lost their links (and so cannot be opened, placed, or printed),
open the channel files, and merge them into a CMYK image. Then resave the file as a DCS EPS file.
1 Open the grayscale images containing the channels you want to merge, and make one of the images active.

You must have more than one image open for the Merge Channels option to be available.
2 Choose Merge Channels from the Channels palette menu.
3 For Mode, choose the color mode you want to create. The number of channels appropriate for the mode appears
in the Channels text box.
4 If necessary, enter a number in the Channels text box.

If you enter a number that is incompatible with the selected mode, Multichannel mode is automatically selected. This
creates a multichannel image with two or more channels.
5 Click OK.
6 For each channel, make sure the image you want is open. If you change your mind about the image type, click
Mode to return to the Merge Channels dialog box.
7 If you are merging channels into a multichannel image, click Next, and select the remaining channels.

Note: All channels of a multichannel image are alpha channels or spot channels.
8 When you have finished selecting channels, click OK.

The selected channels are merged into a new image of the specified type, and the original images are closed without
any changes. The new image appears in an untitled window.
Note: You cannot split and recombine (merge) an image with spot color channels. The spot color channel will be added
as an alpha channel.

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Delete a channel
You may want to delete spot or alpha channels you no longer need before saving an image. Complex alpha channels
can substantially increase the disk space required for an image.
❖ In Photoshop, select the channel in the Channels palette and do one of the following:

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Delete icon

• Drag the channel name in the palette to the Delete icon.
• Choose Delete Channel from the Channels palette menu.
• Click the Delete icon at the bottom of the palette, and then click Yes.
Note: When you delete a color channel from a file with layers, visible layers are flattened and hidden layers are
discarded. This is done because removing a color channel converts the image to Multichannel mode, which does not
support layers. An image isn’t flattened when you delete an alpha channel, a spot channel, or a quick mask.

Saving selections and using masks
About masks and alpha channels
When you select part of an image, the area that is not selected is “masked” or protected from editing. So, when you
create a mask, you isolate and protect areas of an image as you apply color changes, filters, or other effects to the rest
of the image. You can also use masks for complex image editing such as gradually applying color or filter effects to
an image.

Examples of masks
A. Opaque mask used to protect the background and edit the butterfly B. Opaque mask used to protect the butterfly and color the background
C. Semitransparent mask used to color the background and part of the butterfly

Masks are stored in alpha channels. Masks and channels are grayscale images, so you can edit them like any other
image with painting tools, editing tools and filters. Areas painted black on a mask are protected, and areas painted
white are editable.
Use Quick Mask mode to convert a selection to a temporary mask for easier editing. The Quick Mask appears as a
colored overlay with adjustable opacity. You can edit the Quick Mask using any painting tool or modify it with a filter.
Once you exit Quick Mask mode the mask is converted back to a selection on the image.
To save a selection more permanently, you can store it as an alpha channel. The alpha channel stores the selection as
an editable grayscale mask in the Channels palette. Once stored as an alpha channel, you can reload the selection at
any time or even load it into another image.

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Selection saved as an alpha channel in Channels palette

Note: You can mask or hide parts of a layer using a layer mask.

See also
“About layer and vector masks” on page 318

Create a temporary quick mask
To use Quick Mask mode, start with a selection and then add to or subtract from it to make the mask. You can also
create the mask entirely in Quick Mask mode. Color differentiates the protected and unprotected areas. When you
leave Quick Mask mode, the unprotected areas become a selection.
Note: A temporary Quick Mask channel appears in the Channels palette while you work in Quick Mask mode. However,
you do all mask editing in the image window.
1 Using any selection tool, select the part of the image you want to change.
2 Click the Quick Mask mode button

in the toolbox.

A color overlay (similar to a rubylith) covers and protects the area outside the selection. Selected areas are left unprotected by this mask. By default, Quick Mask mode colors the protected area using a red, 50% opaque overlay.

B
C
D

Selecting in Standard mode and Quick Mask mode
A. Standard mode B. Quick Mask mode C. Selected pixels appear as white in channel thumbnail D. Rubylith overlay protects area outside
selection, and unselected pixels appear as black in channel thumbnail

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3 To edit the mask, select a painting tool from the toolbox. The swatches in the toolbox automatically become black
and white.
4 Paint with white to select more of an image (the color overlay is removed from areas painted with white). To

deselect areas, paint over them with black (the color overlay covers areas painted with black). Painting with gray or
another color creates a semitransparent area, useful for feathering or anti-aliased effects. (Semitransparent areas may
not appear to be selected when you exit Quick Mask Mode, but they are.)

Painting in Quick Mask mode
A. Original selection and Quick Mask mode with green chosen as mask color B. Painting with white in Quick Mask mode adds to the selection
C. Painting with black in Quick Mask mode subtracts from the selection

5 Click the Standard Mode button
in the toolbox to turn off the quick mask and return to your original image.
A selection border now surrounds the unprotected area of the quick mask.

If a feathered mask is converted to a selection, the boundary line runs halfway between the black pixels and the white
pixels of the mask gradient. The selection boundary indicates the transition between pixels that are less than 50%
selected and those that are more than 50% selected.
6 Apply the desired changes to the image. Changes affect only the selected area.
7 Choose Select > Deselect to deselect the selection, or save the selection by choosing Select > Save Selection.

You can convert this temporary mask to a permanent alpha channel by switching to standard mode and choosing
Select > Save Selection.

Change Quick Mask options
1 Double-click the Quick Mask Mode button

in the toolbox.

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2 Choose from the following display options:
Masked Areas Sets masked areas to black (opaque) and selected areas to white (transparent). Painting with black

increases the masked area; painting with white increases the selected area. When this option is selected, the Quick
Mask button in the toolbox becomes a white circle on a gray background
.
Selected Areas Sets masked areas to white (transparent) and selected areas to black (opaque). Painting with white
increases the masked area; painting with black increases the selected area. When this option is selected, the Quick
Mask button in the toolbox becomes a gray circle on a white background
.

To toggle between the Masked Areas and Selected Areas options for quick masks, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click
(Mac OS) the Quick Mask Mode button.
3 To choose a new mask color, click the color box, and choose a new color.
4 To change the opacity, enter a value between 0% and 100%.

Both the color and opacity settings affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying
areas are protected. Changing these settings may make the mask more easily visible against the colors in the image.

See also
“Choose a color with the Adobe Color Picker” on page 120

Create and edit alpha channel masks
You can create a new alpha channel and then use painting tools, editing tools, and filters to create a mask from the
alpha channel. You can also save an existing selection in a Photoshop image as an alpha channel that appears in the
Channels palette. See “Save and load selections” on page 273.

See also
“About channels” on page 264
Create an alpha channel mask using current options
1 Click the New Channel button
at the bottom of the Channels palette.
2 Paint on the new channel to mask out image areas.

Select areas of the image before you create the channel for the mask. Then paint on the channel to refine the mask.

Create an alpha channel mask and set options
1 Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Channel button at the bottom of the Channels palette, or

choose New Channel from the Channels palette menu.
2 Specify options in the New Channel dialog box.
3 Paint on the new channel to mask out image areas.
Channel options

To change options for an existing channel, double-click the channel thumbnail in the Channels palette or select
Channel options from the Channels palette menu.

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Options available in the New Channel and Channel Options dialog boxes:
Masked areas Sets masked areas to black (opaque) and selected areas to white (transparent). Painting with black
increases the masked area; painting with white increases the selected area. When this option is selected, the Quick
Mask button in the toolbox becomes a white circle on a gray background
.
Selected Areas Sets masked areas to white (transparent) and selected areas to black (opaque). Painting with white
increases the masked area; painting with black increases the selected area. When this option is selected, the Quick
Mask button in the toolbox becomes a gray circle on a white background
Spot Color Converts an alpha channel to a spot color channel. Only available for existing channels.
Color Sets the color and opacity of the mask. Click the color field to change the color. The color and opacity settings

affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying areas are protected. Changing these
settings may make the mask more easily visible against the colors in the image.
Paint on a channel to mask image areas

When the new channel appears at the bottom of the Channels palette, it is the only channel visible in the image
window. Click the eye icon for the composite color channel (RGB, CMYK) to display the image with a color overlay
showing the mask.
❖ Select the brush or an editing tool and do one of the following to add or subtract from the mask created from the

alpha channel:

• To remove areas in the new channel, paint with white.
• To add areas in the new channel, paint with black.
• To add or remove areas using opacities less than 100%, set the opacity in the options bar of the painting or editing
tool and then paint with white or black. You can also paint with a color to achieve lower opacities.

Save and load selections
You can save any selection as a mask in a new or existing alpha channel and later reload the selection from the mask.
You can use a selection as a layer mask by loading the selection to make it active, then adding a new layer mask.

See also
“Add layer masks” on page 319
Save a selection to a new channel
1 Select the area or areas of the image you want to isolate.
2 Click the Save Selection button
at the bottom of the Channels palette. A new channel appears, named
according to the sequence in which it was created.
Save a selection to a new or existing channel
1 Use a selection tool to select the area or areas of the image you want to isolate.
2 Choose Select > Save Selection.
3 Specify the following in the Save Selection dialog box, and click OK:
Document Chooses a destination image for the selection. By default, the selection is placed in a channel in your

active image. You can choose to save the selection to a channel in another open image with the same pixel dimensions
or to a new image.

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Channel Chooses a destination channel for the selection. By default, the selection is saved in a new channel. You can
choose to save the selection to any existing channel in the selected image or to a layer mask if the image contains
layers.

4 If you’re saving the selection as a new channel, type a name for the channel in the Name text box.
5 If you’re saving the selection to an existing channel, select how to combine the selections:
Replace Channel Replaces the current selection in the channel.
Add to Channel Adds the selection to the current channel contents.
Subtract From Channel Deletes the selection from the channel contents.
Intersect With Channel Keeps the areas of the new selection that intersect with the channel contents.

You can select the channel from the Channels palette to see the saved selection displayed in grayscale.
Load a saved selection from the Channels palette

You can reuse a previously saved selection by loading it into an image. You can also load the selection into an image
after you finish modifying an alpha channel.
❖ Do one of the following in the Channels palette:

• Select the alpha channel, click the Load Selection button

at the bottom of the palette, and then click the

composite color channel near the top of the palette.

• Drag the channel containing the selection you want to load onto the Load Selection button.
• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the channel containing the selection you want to load.
• To add the mask to an existing selection, press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Command+Shift (Mac OS), and click the
channel.

• To subtract the mask from an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS), and
click the channel.

• To load the intersection of the saved selection and an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or
Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS), and select the channel.
You can drag a selection from one open Photoshop image into another.

Load a saved selection

Note: If you are loading a saved selection from another image, make sure to open it. Also, make sure your destination
image is active.
1 Choose Select > Load Selection.
2 Specify the Source options in the Load Selection dialog box:
Document Chooses the source to load.
Channel Chooses the channel containing the selection you want to load.
Invert Selects the non-selected areas.

3 Select an Operation option to specify how to combine the selections if the image already has a selection:
New Selection Adds the loaded selection.
Add To Selection Adds the loaded selection to any existing selections in the image.

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Subtract From Selection Subtracts the loaded selection from existing selections in the image.
Intersect With Selection Saves a selection from an area intersected by the loaded selection and existing selections in

the image.
You can drag a selection from one open Photoshop image into another.

Channel calculations
Blending layers and channels
You can use the blending effects associated with layers to combine channels within and between images into new
images. You can use either the Apply Image command (on single and composite channels) or the Calculations
command (on single channels). These commands offer two additional blending modes not available in the Layers
palette—Add and Subtract. Although it’s possible to create new combinations of channels by copying channels to
layers in the Layers palette, you may find it quicker to use the calculation commands to blend channel information.
The calculation commands perform mathematical operations on the corresponding pixels of two channels (the
pixels with identical locations in the image) and then combine the results in a single channel. Two concepts are
fundamental to understanding how the calculation commands work.

• Each pixel in a channel has a brightness value. The Calculations and Apply Image commands manipulate these
values to produce the resulting composite pixels.

• These commands overlay the pixels in two or more channels. Thus, the images used for calculations must have the
same pixel dimensions.

Blend channels with the Apply Image command
The Apply Image command lets you blend one image’s layer and channel (the source) with a layer and channel of the
active image (the destination).
1 Open the source and destination images, and select the desired layer and channel in the destination image. The

pixel dimensions of the images must match for image names to appear in the Apply Image dialog box.
Note: If the color modes of the two images differ (for example, one image is RGB and the other is CMYK), you can apply
a single channel (but not the source’s composite) to the destination layer’s composite channel.
2 Choose Image > Apply Image.
3 Choose the source image, layer, and channel you want to combine with the destination. To use all layers in the
source image, select Merged For Layer.
4 To preview the results in the image window, select Preview.
5 To use the negative of the channel contents in the calculation, select Invert.
6 For Blending, choose a blending option.

For information on the Add and Subtract options, see “Add and Subtract blending modes” on page 276. For information on other blending options, see “List of blending modes” on page 344.
7 Enter an Opacity value to specify the effect’s strength.
8 To apply the results only to opaque areas in the result layer, select Preserve Transparency.

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9 If you want to apply the blending through a mask, select Mask. Then choose the image and layer containing the
mask. For Channel, you can choose any color or alpha channel to use as the mask. You can also use a mask based on
the active selection or the boundaries of the chosen layer (Transparency). Select Invert to reverse the masked and
unmasked areas of the channel.

Blend channels with the Calculations command
The Calculations command lets you blend two individual channels from one or more source images. You can then
apply the results to a new image or to a new channel or selection in the active image. You cannot apply the Calculations command to composite channels.
1 Open the source image or images.

Note: If you are using more than one source image, the images must have the same pixel dimensions.
2 Choose Image > Calculations.
3 To preview the results in the image window, select Preview.
4 Choose the first source image, layer, and channel. To use all the layers in the source image, choose Merged For
Layer.
5 To use the negative of the channel contents in the calculation, select Invert. For Channel, choose Gray if you want
to duplicate the effect of converting the image to grayscale.
6 Choose the second source image, layer, and channel, and specify options.
7 For Blending, choose a blending mode.

For information on the Add and Subtract options, see “Add and Subtract blending modes” on page 276. For information on other blending options, see “List of blending modes” on page 344.
8 Enter an Opacity value to specify the effect’s strength.
9 If you want to apply the blending through a mask, select Mask. Then choose the image and layer containing the

mask. For Channel, you can choose any color or alpha channel to use as the mask. You can also use a mask based on
the active selection or the boundaries of the chosen layer (Transparency). Select Invert to reverse the masked and
unmasked areas of the channel.
10 For Result, specify whether to place the blending results in a new document or in a new channel or selection in

the active image.

Add and Subtract blending modes
The Add and Subtract blending modes are available only for the Apply Image and Calculations commands.
Add

Adds the pixel values in two channels. This is a good way to combine non-overlapping images in two channels.
Because higher pixel values represent lighter colors, adding channels with overlapping pixels lightens the image.
Black areas in both channels remain black (0 + 0 = 0). White in either channel results in white (255 + any value = 255
or greater).
Add mode divides the sum of the pixel values by the Scale amount, and then adds the Offset value to the sum. For
example, to find the average of the pixels in two channels, add them, divide by 2, and enter no Offset value.
The Scale factor may be any number between 1.000 and 2.000. Entering a higher Scale value darkens the image.

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The Offset value lets you lighten or darken the pixels in the destination channel by any brightness value between
+255 and –255. Negative values darken the image; positive values lighten the image.
Subtract

Subtracts the pixel values in the source channel from the corresponding pixels in the target channel. As with Add
mode, the result is then divided by the Scale factor and added to the Offset value.
The Scale factor may be any number between 1.000 and 2.000. The Offset value lets you lighten or darken the pixels
in the destination channel by any brightness value between +255 and –255.

278

Chapter 10: Layers
Layers are the building blocks of many image creation workflows. You may not need to work with layers if you are
doing simple image adjustments, but layers help you work efficiently and are essential to most nondestructive image
editing.

Layer Basics
About layers
Photoshop layers are like sheets of stacked acetate. You can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers
below. You move a layer to position the content on the layer, like sliding a sheet of acetate in a stack. You can also
change the opacity of a layer to make content partially transparent.

Transparent areas on a layer let you see layers below.

You use layers to perform tasks such as compositing multiple images, adding text to an image, or adding vector
graphic shapes. You can apply a layer style to add a special effect such as a drop shadow or a glow.
Work nondestructively

Sometimes layers don’t contain any apparent content. For example, an adjustment layer holds color or tonal adjustments that affect the layers below it. Rather than edit image pixels directly, you can edit an adjustment layer and leave
the underlying pixels unchanged.
A special type of layer, called a Smart Object, contains one or more layers of content. You can transform (scale, skew,
or reshape) a Smart Object without directly editing image pixels. Or, you can edit the Smart Object as a separate
image even after placing it in a Photoshop image. Smart Objects can also contain smart filter effects, which allow you
to apply filters nondestructively to images so that you can later tweak or remove the filter effect. See “Nondestructive
editing” on page 308.
Organize layers

A new image has a single layer. The number of additional layers, layer effects, and layer sets you can add to an image
is limited only by your computer’s memory.

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You work with layers in the Layers palette. Layer groups help you organize and manage layers. You can use groups to
arrange your layers in a logical order and to reduce clutter in the Layers palette. You can nest groups within other
groups. You can also use groups to apply attributes and masks to multiple layers simultaneously.
Video layers

You can use video layers to add video to an image. After importing a video clip into an image as a video layer or a
smart object, you can mask the layer, transform it, apply layer effects, paint on individual frames, or rasterize an
individual frame and convert it to a standard layer. Use the Timeline palette to play the video within the image or to
access individual frames. See “Supported video and image sequence formats (Photoshop Extended)” on page 545.
For a video on using layers, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0001.

Layers palette overview
The Layers palette lists all layers, layer groups, and layer effects in an image. You can use the Layers palette to show
and hide layers, create new layers, and work with groups of layers. You can access additional commands and options
in the Layers palette menu.
A

B
C
D

E
F

Photoshop Layers palette
A. Layers palette menu B. Layer Group C. Layer D. Expand/Collapse Layer effects E. Layer effect F. Layer thumbnail

Display the Layers palette
❖ Choose Window > Layers.

Choose a command from the Layers palette menu
❖ Click the triangle in the upper right corner of the palette.

Change the size of layer thumbnails
❖ Choose Palette Options from the Layers palette menu, and select a thumbnail size.

Change thumbnail contents
❖ Choose Palette Options from the Layers palette menu, and select Entire Document to display the contents of the

entire document. Select Layer Bounds to restrict the thumbnail to the object’s pixels on the layer.
Turn off thumbnails to improve performance and save monitor space.

Expand and collapse groups
❖ Click the triangle to the left of a group folder. See “View layers and groups within a group” on page 282.

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Convert background and layers
When you create a new image with a white background or a colored background, the bottommost image in the
Layers palette is called Background. An image can have only one background layer. You cannot change the stacking
order of a background layer, its blending mode, or its opacity. However, you can convert a background into a regular
layer, and then change any of these attributes.
When you create a new image with transparent content, the image does not have a background layer. The
bottommost layer is not constrained like the background layer; you can move it anywhere in the Layers palette and
change its opacity and blending mode.
Convert a background into a layer
1 Double-click Background in the Layers palette, or choose Layer > New > Layer From Background.
2 Set layer options. (See “Create layers and groups” on page 280.)
3 Click OK.
Convert a layer into a background
1 Select a layer in the Layers palette.
2 Choose Layer > New > Background From Layer.

Any transparent pixels in the layer are converted to the background color, and the layer drops to the bottom of the
layer stack.
Note: You cannot create a background by giving a regular layer the name, Background—you must use the Background
From Layer command.

Create layers and groups
A new layer appears either above the selected layer or within the selected group in the Layers palette.
Create a new layer or group
1 Do one of the following:

• To create a new layer or group using default options, click the New Layer button

or New Group button

the Layers palette.

• Choose Layer > New > Layer or choose Layer > New > Group.
• Choose New Layer or New Group from the Layers palette menu.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Group button in the Layers palette
to display the New Layer dialog box and set layer options.

• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the New Layer button or New Group button in the Layers
palette to add a layer below the currently selected layer.
2 Set layer options, and click OK:
Name Specifies a name for the layer or group.
Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask This option is not available for groups. (See “Mask layers with clipping

masks” on page 323.)
Color Assigns a color to the layer or group in the Layers palette.
Mode Specifies a blending mode for the layer or group. (See “About blending modes” on page 343.)

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Opacity Specifies an opacity level for the layer or group.
Fill With Mode-Neutral Color Fills the layer with a preset, neutral color.

Create a new layer with effects from another layer
1 Select the existing layer in the Layers palette.
2 Drag the layer to the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette. The newly created layer contains all
the effects of the existing one.
Convert a selection into a new layer
1 Make a selection.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Copy to copy the selection into a new layer.
• Choose Layer > New > Layer Via Cut to cut the selection and paste it into a new layer.
Note: You must rasterize Smart Objects or shape layers to enable these commands.

Duplicate layers
You can duplicate layers within an image or into another or a new image.
Duplicate a layer or group within an image
1 Select a layer or group in the Layers palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• Drag the layer or group to the New Layer button

• Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu. Enter a name for
the layer or group, and click OK.
Duplicate a layer or group between images
1 Open the source and destination images.
2 From the Layers palette of the source image, select one or more layers or a layer group.
3 Do one of the following:

• Drag the layer or group from the Layers palette to the destination image.
• Select the Move tool

, and drag from the source image to the destination image. The duplicate layer or group
appears above the active layer in the Layers palette of the destination image. Shift-drag to move the image content
to the same location it occupied in the source image (if the source and destination images have the same pixel
dimensions) or to the center of the document window (if the source and destination images have different pixel
dimensions).

• Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu. Choose the destination document from the Document pop-up menu, and click OK.

• Choose Select > All to select all the pixels on the layer, and choose Edit > Copy. Then choose Edit > Paste in the
destination image.
Create a new document from a layer or group
1 Select a layer or group from the Layers palette.

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2 Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu.
3 Choose New from the Document pop-up menu, and click OK.

Show or hide a layer, group, or style
❖ Do one of the following in the Layers palette:

• Click the eye icon next to a layer, group, or layer effect to hide its content in the document window. Click in the
column again to redisplay the content. To view the eye icon for styles and effects, click the Reveal Effects In Palette
icon
.

• Choose Show Layers or Hide Layers from the Layers menu.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) an eye icon to display only the contents of that layer or group.
Photoshop remembers the visibility states of all layers before hiding them. If you don’t change the visibility of any
other layer, Alt-clicking (Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac OS) the same eye icon restores the original visibility
settings.

• Drag through the eye column to change the visibility of multiple items in the Layers palette.
Note: Only visible layers are printed.

View layers and groups within a group
❖ Do one of the following to open the group:

• Click the triangle to the left of the folder icon.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the triangle to the left of the folder icon and choose Open This
Group.

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the triangle to open or close a group and the groups nested within it.

Sample from all visible layers
The default behavior of the Magic Wand, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen, Paint Bucket, Clone Stamp, and Healing Brush
tools is to sample color only from pixels on the active layer. This means you can smudge or sample in a single layer.
❖ To smudge or sample pixels from all visible layers with these tools, select Use All Layers from the options bar.

Change transparency preferences
1 In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Transparency & Gamut; in Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences >
Transparency & Gamut.
2 Choose a size and color for the transparency checkerboard, or choose None for Grid Size to hide the transparency
checkerboard.
3 Click OK.

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Selecting, grouping, and linking layers
Select layers
You can select one or more layers to work on them. For some activities, such as painting or making color and tone
adjustments, you can work on only one layer at a time. A single selected layer is called the active layer. The name of
the active layer appears in the title bar of the document window.
For other activities, such as moving, aligning, transforming, or applying styles from the Styles palette, you can select
and work on multiple layers at a time. You can select layers in the Layers palette or with the Move tool.
You can also link layers. Unlike multiple layers selected at the same time, linked layers stay linked when you change
the selection in the Layers palette. See “Link and unlink layers” on page 284.
If you don’t see the desired results when using a tool or applying a command, you may not have the correct layer
selected. Check the Layers palette to make sure that you’re working on the correct layer.
Select layers in the Layers palette
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click a layer in the Layers palette.
• To select multiple contiguous layers, click the first layer and then Shift-click the last layer.
• To select multiple noncontiguous layers, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) them in the Layers
palette.
Note: When selecting, Ctrl-click the area outside the layer thumbnail. Ctrl-clicking the layer thumbnail selects the layer
transparency.

• To select all layers, choose Select > All Layers.
• To select all layers of a similar type (for example all type layers), select one of the layers and choose Select > Select
Similar Layers.

• To deselect a layer, Ctrl-click the layer.
• To have no layer selected, click in the Layers palette below the background or bottom layer, or choose Select >
Deselect Layers.
Select layers in the document window
1 Select the Move tool
.
2 Do one of the following:

• In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Layer from the drop-down menu, and click in the document on
the layer you want to select. The top layer containing pixels under the cursor is selected.

• In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Group from the drop-down menu, and click in the document
on the content you want to select. The top group containing pixels under the cursor is selected. If you click an
ungrouped layer, it becomes selected.

• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) in the image, and choose a layer from the context menu. The
context menu lists all the layers that contain pixels under the current pointer location.
Select a layer in a group
1 Click the group in the Layers palette.

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2 Click the triangle to the left of the folder icon.
3 Click the individual layer in the group.

Group and ungroup layers
1 Select multiple layers in the Layers palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > Group Layers.
• Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) layers to the folder icon at the bottom of the Layers palette to group
the layers.
3 To Ungroup the layers, select the group and choose Layer > Ungroup Layers.

Add layers to a group
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select the group in the Layers palette and click the New Layer button

• Drag a layer to the group folder.
• Drag a group folder into another group folder. The group and all of its layers move.
• Drag an existing group to the New Group button

Link and unlink layers
You can link two or more layers or groups. Unlike multiple layers selected at the same time, linked layers retain their
relationship until you unlink them. You can move or apply transformations to linked layers.
1 Select the layers or groups in the Layers palette.
2 Click the link icon

at the bottom of the Layers palette.

3 To unlink layers do one of the following:

• Select a linked layer, and click the link icon.
• To temporarily disable the linked layer, Shift-click the Link icon for the linked layer. A red X appears. Shift-click
the link icon to enable the link again.

• Select the linked layers and click the Link icon. To select all linked layers, select one of the layers and then choose
Layer > Select Linked Layers.

Moving, stacking, and locking layers
Change the stack order of layers and groups
❖ Do one of the following:

• Drag the layer or group up or down in the Layers palette. Release the mouse button when the highlighted line
appears where you want to place the layer or group.

• To move a layer into a group, drag a layer to the group folder
bottom of the group.

. If the group is closed, the layer is placed at the

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Note: If a group is expanded so that you can see all the layers within it, adding a layer beneath the expanded group
automatically adds the layer to that group. To avoid this, collapse the group before adding the new layer.

• Select a layer or group, choose Layer > Arrange, and choose a command from the submenu. If the selected item is
in a group, the command applies to the stacking order within the group. If the selected item is not in a group, the
command applies to the stacking order within the Layers palette.

• To reverse the order of selected layers, choose Layer > Arrange > Reverse. These options appear dimmed if you do
not have at least two layers selected.
Note: By definition, the background layer is always at the bottom of the stacking order. Therefore, the Send To Back
command places the selected item directly above the background layer.

Show layer edges and handles
Showing the boundary or edges of the content in a layer can help you move and align the content. You can also
display the transform handles for selected layers and groups so that you can resize or rotate them.

Layer content with edges showing (left) and with transform mode selected (right)

Display the edges of content in a selected layer
❖ Choose View > Show > Layer Edges.

Display transform handles in a selected layer
1 Select the Move tool.
2 From the options bar, select Show Transform Controls.

You can resize and rotate layer content using the transform handles. See “Transform freely” on page 216.

Move the content of layers
1 From the Layers palette, select the layers containing the objects you want to move.
2 Select the Move tool.

You can select the layers that you want to move directly in the document window. In the Move tool’s options bar,
select Auto Select, the choose Layer from the drop-down menu. Shift-click to select multiple layers. Select Auto Select,
then choose Group, to select the entire group when you select one layer in the group.
3 Do one of the following:

• In the document window, drag any object onto one of the selected layers. (All objects on the layer will move
together.)

• Press an arrow key on the keyboard to nudge the objects by 1 pixel.

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• Hold down Shift and press an arrow key on the keyboard to nudge the objects by 10 pixels.

Align objects on different layers
You can align the content of layers and groups using the Move tool. (See “Move the content of layers” on page 285.)
1 Do one of the following:

• To align multiple layers, select the layers with the Move tool or in the Layers palette, or select a group.
• To align the content of one or more layers to a selection border, make a selection in the image, and then select the
layers in the Layers palette. Use this method to align to any specified point in the image.
2 Choose Layer > Align or Layer > Align Layers To Selection, and choose a command from the submenu. These
same commands are available as Alignment buttons in the Move tool options bar.
Top Edges
Aligns the top pixel on the selected layers to the topmost pixel on all selected layers, or to the top edge
of the selection border.

Aligns the vertical center pixel on each selected layers to the vertical center pixel of all the
selected layers, or to the vertical center of the selection border.

Vertical Centers

Aligns the bottom pixel on the selected layers to the bottommost pixel on selected layers, or to the
bottom edge of the selection border.
Bottom Edges

Left Edges
Aligns the left pixel on the selected layers to the left pixel on the leftmost layer, or to the left edge of
the selection border.

Aligns the horizontal center pixel on the selected layers to the horizontal center pixel of all
the selected layers, or to the horizontal center of the selection border.

Horizontal Centers

Right Edges
Aligns the right pixel on the linked layers to the rightmost pixel on all selected layers, or to the right
edge of the selection border.

See also
“Automatically align image layers” on page 287

Distribute layers and groups evenly
1 Select three or more layers.
2 Choose Layer > Distribute and choose a command. Alternatively, select the Move tool and click a distribution
button in the options bar.
Top Edges

Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the top pixel of each layer.
Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the vertical center pixel of each layer.

Vertical Centers

Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the bottom pixel of each layer.

Bottom Edges
Left Edges

Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the left pixel of each layer.

Horizontal Centers
Right Edges

Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the horizontal center of each layer.

Spaces the layers evenly, starting from the right pixel on each layer.

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Automatically align image layers
The Auto-Align Layers command can automatically align layers based on similar content in different layers, such as
corners and edges. You assign one layer as a reference layer, or let Photoshop automatically choose the reference layer.
Other layers are aligned to the reference layer so that matching content overlays itself.
Using the Auto-Align Layers command, you can combine images in several ways:

• Replace or delete parts of images that have the same background. After aligning the images, use masking or
blending effects to combine parts of each image into one image.

• Stitch images together that share overlapping content.
• For video frames shot against a static background, you can convert frames into layers, then add or delete content
across multiple frames.
1 Copy or place the images you want to align into the same document.

Each image will be in a separate layer. See “Duplicate layers” on page 281.
You can load multiple images into layers using a script. Choose File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack.
2 (Optional) In the Layers palette, create a reference layer by locking it. See “Lock layers” on page 289. If you do not
set a reference layer, Photoshop will analyze all the layers and select the one at the center of the final composition as
the reference.
3 Select the remaining layers you want to align.

To select multiple adjacent layers from the palette, Shift-click; To select noncontiguous layers, Ctrl-Click (Windows)
or Option-click (Mac OS).
Note: Do not select adjustment layers, vector layers, or Smart Objects which do not contain information needed for
alignment.
4 Choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers, and choose an alignment option. For stitching together multiple images that
share overlapping areas—for example, to create a panorama—use the Auto, Perspective, or Cylindrical options. To
align scanned images with offset content, use the Reposition Only option.
Auto Photoshop analyzes the source images and applies either a Perspective or Cylindrical layout, depending on
which produces a better composite.
Perspective Creates a consistent composition by designating one of the source images (by default, the middle image)

as the reference image. The other images are then transformed (repositioned, stretched, or skewed, as necessary) so
that overlapping content across layers is matched.
Cylindrical Reduces the “bow-tie” distortion that can occur with the Perspective layout by displaying individual
images as on an unfolded cylinder. Overlapping content across layers is still matched. The reference image is placed
at the center. Best suited for creating wide panoramas.
Reposition Only Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content, but does not transform (stretch or skew) any of
the source layers.

After auto-aligning, you can use Edit > Free Transform to fine tune the alignment or make tonal adjustments to even
out exposure differences between layers, then combine the layers into one composite image.
For a video on aligning layers by content, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0014.

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See also
“Combine multiple images into a group portrait” on page 324
“Image Stacks (Photoshop Extended)” on page 594

Auto blend layers
When stitching or combining images to create a composite image, exposure differences between the source images
may create seams or inconsistencies in the combined image. Use the Auto-Blend Layers command to create the
appearance of smooth transitions in the final images.
Note: Auto-Blend Layers is only available for RGB or grayscale images.
1 Copy or place the images you want to combine into the same document.

Each image will be in a separate layer. See “Duplicate layers” on page 281.
2 Align the layers so that common areas overlap.

You can do this manually or using the Auto-Align Layers command. See “Automatically align image layers” on
page 287.
3 With the layers still selected, choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers.

Auto-Blend Layers applies layer masks as needed to each layer to mask out over- or underexposed areas or content
differences and create a seamless composite.

See also
“Combine multiple images into a group portrait” on page 324
“Create panoramic images” on page 239

Rotate a layer
1 From the Layers palette, select the layer you want to rotate.
2 If anything is currently selected in the image, choose Select > Deselect.
3 Choose Edit > Transform > Rotate. A box defining the boundaries of the layer (called a bounding box) appears.
4 Move the pointer outside of the bounding box (the pointer becomes a curved, two-sided arrow), and then drag.
Press Shift to constrain the rotation to 15˚ increments.
5 When you’re satisfied with the results, press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), or click the check mark in the
options bar. To cancel the rotation, press Esc, or click the Cancel Transform icon on the options bar.

See also
“Rotate or flip an entire image” on page 193
“Scale, rotate, skew, distort, apply perspective, or warp” on page 214

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Lock layers
You can lock layers fully or partially to protect their contents. For instance, you may want to lock a layer fully when
you finish with it. You may want to lock a layer partially if it has the correct transparency and styles, but you are still
deciding on positioning. When a layer is locked, a lock icon appears to the right of the layer name. The lock icon is
solid when the layer is fully locked and hollow when the layer is partially locked.
Lock all properties of a layer or group
1 Select a layer or group.
2 Click the Lock All

option in the Layers palette.

Note: Layers in a locked group display a dimmed lock icon

Partially lock a layer
1 Select a layer.
2 Click one or more lock options in the Layers palette.

Confines editing to the opaque portions of the layer. This option is equivalent to the Preserve
Transparency option in earlier versions of Photoshop.

Lock Transparency

Lock Image
Lock Position

Prevents modification of the layer’s pixels using the painting tools.
Prevents the layer’s pixels from being moved.

Note: For type and shape layers, Lock Transparency and Lock Image are selected by default and cannot be deselected.
Apply lock options to selected layers or a group
1 Select multiple layers or a group.
2 Choose Lock Layers or Lock All Layers In Group from the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu.
3 Select lock options, and click OK.

Managing layers
Rename a layer or group
As you add layers to an image, it’s helpful to give them names that reflect their content. Descriptive names make
layers easy to identify in the palette.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Double-click the layer name or group name in the Layers palette, and enter a new name.
• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click the layer (not its name or thumbnail) in the Layers
palette. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click OK.

• Select a layer or group, and choose Layer Properties or Group Properties from the Layers menu or the Layers
palette menu. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click OK.

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Assign a color to a layer or group
Color coding layers and groups helps you locate related layers in the Layers palette.
1 Do one of the following:

• Select a layer or group, and choose Layer Properties or Group Properties from the Layers menu or the Layers
palette menu.

• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click the layer (not its name or thumbnail) in the Layers
palette.
2 Choose a color from the Color pop-up menu, and click OK.

Rasterize layers
You cannot use the painting tools or filters on layers that contain vector data (such as type layers, shape layers, vector
masks, or Smart Objects) and generated data (such as fill layers). However, you can rasterize these layers to convert
their contents into a flat, raster image.
❖ Select the layers you want to rasterize, choose Layer > Rasterize, and then choose an option from the submenu:
Type Rasterizes the type on a type layer. It does not rasterize any other vector data on the layer.
Shape Rasterizes a shape layer.
Fill Content Rasterizes the fill of a shape layer, leaving the vector mask.
Vector Mask Rasterizes the vector mask on a layer, turning it into a layer mask.
Smart Object Converts a Smart Object into a raster layer.
Video Rasterizes the current video frame to an image layer.
Layer Rasterizes all vector data on the selected layers.
All Layers Rasterizes all layers that contain vector and generated data.

Note: To rasterize linked layers, select a linked layer, choose Layer > Select Linked Layers, and then rasterize the selected
layers.

Delete a layer or group
Deleting layers you no longer need reduces the size of your image file.
1 Select one or more layers or groups from the Layers palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• To delete with a confirmation message, click the Delete icon. Alternatively, choose Layers > Delete > Layer or
Delete Layer or Delete Group from the Layers palette menu.

• To delete the layer or group without confirmation, drag it to the Delete icon, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click
(Mac OS) the Delete icon, or click the Delete key with the Move tool active.

• To delete hidden layers, choose Layers > Delete > Hidden Layers.
To delete linked layers, select a linked layer, choose Layer > Select Linked Layers, and then delete the layers.

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Export layers
You can export all layers or visible layers to separate files.
❖ Choose File > Scripts > Export Layers To Files.

Track file size
File size depends on the pixel dimensions of an image and the number of layers it contains. Images with more pixels
may produce more detail when printed, but they require more disk space to store and may be slower to edit and print.
You should keep track of your file sizes to make sure the files are not becoming too large for your purposes. If the file
is becoming too large, reduce the number of layers in the image or change the image size.
❖ You can view file size information for an image at the bottom of the application window. For more information,

see “Display file information in the document window” on page 39.

Merge and stamp layers
When you have finalized the content of layers, you can merge them to reduce the size of your image files. When you
merge layers, the data on the top layers replaces any data it overlaps on the lower layers. The intersection of all transparent areas in the merged layers remains transparent.
Note: You cannot use an adjustment layer or fill layer as the target layer for a merge.
In addition to merging layers, you can stamp them. Stamping allows you to merge the contents of more than one
layer into a target layer while leaving the other layers intact.
Note: When you save a merged document, you cannot revert back to the unmerged state; the layers are permanently
merged.
Merge two layers or groups
1 Make sure that the layers and groups you want to merge are visible.
2 Select the layers and groups you want to merge.
3 Choose Layer > Merge Layers.

Note: You can merge two adjacent layers or groups by selecting the top item and then choosing Layer > Merge Down or
Merge Group. You can merge linked layers by choosing Layer > Select Linked Layers, and then merging the selected
layers.
Merge layers in a clipping mask
1 Hide any layers that you do not want to merge.
2 Select the base layer in the clipping mask. The base layer must be a raster layer.
3 Choose Merge Clipping Mask from the Layers menu or the Layers palette menu.

For more information on clipping masks, see “Mask layers with clipping masks” on page 323.
Merge all visible layers and groups in an image
❖ Choose Merge Visible from the Layers palette or the Layers palette menu. All layers showing an eye icon are

merged.
Note: A visible layer must be selected to enable the Merge Visible command.

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Stamp multiple layers or linked layers

When you stamp multiple selected layers or linked layers, Photoshop creates a new layer containing the merged
content.
1 Select multiple layers.
2 Press Ctrl+Alt+E (Windows) or Command+Option+E (Mac OS).
Stamp all visible layers
1 Turn visibility on for the layers you want to merge.
2 Do one of the following:

• Press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E (Windows) or Shift+Command+Option+E (Mac OS).
• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and choose Layer > Merge Visible.
Photoshop creates a new layer containing the merged content.
Flatten all layers

Flattening reduces file size by merging all visible layers into the background and discarding hidden layers. Any transparent areas that remain are filled with white. When you save a flattened image, you cannot revert back to the unflattened state; the layers are permanently merged.
Note: Converting an image between some color modes flattens the file. Save a copy of your file with all layers intact if
you want to edit the original image after the conversion.
1 Make sure that all the layers you want to keep are visible.
2 Choose Layer > Flatten Image, or choose Flatten Image from the Layers palette menu.

Setting opacity and blending
Specify opacity for a layer or group
A layer’s opacity determines to what degree it obscures or reveals the layer beneath it. A layer with 1% opacity appears
nearly transparent, whereas one with 100% opacity appears completely opaque.
Note: You cannot change the opacity of a background layer or a locked layer. You can, however, convert a background
layer into a regular layer, which does support transparency. See “Convert background and layers” on page 280.
1 Select a layer or group in the Layers palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• In the Layers palette, enter a value in the Opacity text box or drag the Opacity pop-up slider.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Enter a value in the Opacity text box or drag the Opacity pop-up
slider.

• Select the Move tool and type a number indicating the percentage of opacity.
Note: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending
Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette menu.

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Specify fill opacity for a layer
In addition to setting opacity, which affects any layer styles and blending modes applied to the layer, you can specify
a fill opacity for layers. Fill opacity affects pixels painted in a layer or shapes drawn on a layer without affecting the
opacity of any layer effects that have been applied to the layer.
For example, if your layer contains a drawn shape or text that uses a drop shadow layer effect, adjust the fill opacity
to change the opacity of the shape or text itself without changing the opacity of the shadow.
❖ Do one of the following:

• In the Layers palette, enter a value in the Fill Opacity text box or drag the Fill Opacity pop-up slider.
• Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and enter a value in the Fill
Opacity text box or drag the Fill Opacity pop-up slider.
Note: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending
Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette. Enter a value in the Fill Opacity text box.

Specify a blending mode for a layer or group
A layer’s blending mode determines how its pixels blend with underlying pixels in the image. You can create a variety
of special effects using blending modes.
By default, the blending mode of a layer group is Pass Through, which means that the group has no blending
properties of its own. When you choose a different blending mode for a group, you effectively change the order in
which the image components are put together. All of the layers in the group are put together first. The composite
group is then treated as a single image and blended with the rest of the image using the selected blending mode. Thus,
if you choose a blending mode other than Pass Through for the group, none of the adjustment layers or layer
blending modes inside the group will apply to layers outside the group.
Note: There is no Clear blending mode for layers. In addition, the Color Dodge, Color Burn, Darken, Lighten, Difference,
and Exclusion modes are unavailable for Lab images. Layer blending modes available for 32-bit files are Normal,
Dissolve, Darken, Multiply, Linear Dodge (Add), Color Darken, Lighten, Color Lighten, Difference, Hue, Saturation,
Color, and Luminosity.
1 Select a layer or group from the Layers palette.
2 Choose a blending mode:

• From the Layers palette, choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and then choose an option from the Blend Mode pop-up menu.
For a video on using blending modes, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0012.

See also
“List of blending modes” on page 344

Filling new layers with a neutral color
You can’t apply certain filters (such as the Lighting Effects filter) to layers with no pixels. Selecting Fill With (Mode)Neutral Color in the New Layer dialog box resolves this problem by first filling the layer with a preset, neutral color.
This invisible, neutral color is assigned according to the layer’s blending mode. If no effect is applied, filling with a
neutral color has no effect on the remaining layers. The Fill With Neutral Color option is not available for layers that
use the Normal, Dissolve, Hard Mix, Hue, Saturation, Color, or Luminosity modes.

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Create a knockout
Knockout options let you specify which layers “punch through” to reveal content from other layers. For example, you
can use a text layer to knock out a color adjustment layer and reveal a portion of the image using the original colors.
As you plan your knockout effect, you need to decide which layer will create the shape of the knockout, which layers
will be punched through, and which layer will be revealed. If you want to reveal a layer other than the Background,
you can place the layers you want to use in a group or clipping mask.

Farm logo with shallow knockout to Background layer

1 Do one of the following in the Layers palette:

• To reveal the background, position the layer that will create the knockout above the layers that will be punched
through, and make sure the bottom layer in the image is a Background layer. (Choose Layer > New > Background
From Layer to convert a regular layer into a Background layer.)

• To reveal a layer above the background, place the layers you want to punch through in a group. The top layer in
the group will punch through the grouped layers to the next layer below the group. If you want to punch all the
way through to the background, set the blending mode for the group to Pass Through (the default setting).

• To reveal the base layer of a clipping mask, place the layers you want to use in a clipping mask. (See “Mask layers
with clipping masks” on page 323.) Make sure that the Blend Clipped Layers As Group option is selected for the
base layer. (See “Group blend effects” on page 295.)
2 Select the top layer (the layer that will create the knockout).
3 To display blending options, either double-click the layer (anywhere outside the layer name or thumbnail), choose
Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending Options from the Layers palette menu.

Note: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending
Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette menu.
4 Choose an option from the Knockout pop-up menu:

• Select Shallow to knock out to the first possible stopping point, such as the first layer after the layer group or the
base layer of the clipping mask.

• Select Deep to knock out to the background. If there is no background, Deep knocks out to transparency.
Note: If you are not using a layer group or clipping mask, either Shallow or Deep creates a knockout that reveals the
background layer (or transparency, if the bottom layer is not a background layer).
5 To create the knockout effect, do one of the following:

• Lower the fill opacity.
• Using the choices in the Blend Mode menu, change the blending mode to reveal the underlying pixels.

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6 Click OK.

Exclude channels from blending
You can restrict blending effects to a specified channel when you blend a layer or group. By default, all channels are
included. When using an RGB image, for example, you can choose to exclude the red channel from blending; in the
composite image, only the information in the green and blue channels is affected.
1 Do one of the following:

• Double-click a layer thumbnail.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options.
• Choose Blending Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette.
Note: To view blending options for a text layer, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Blending
Options from the Add A Layer Style button at the bottom of the Layers palette menu.
2 From the Advanced Blending area of the Layer Style dialog box, deselect any channels you do not want to include
when the layer is blended.

Group blend effects
By default, layers in a clipping mask are blended with the underlying layers using the blending mode of the
bottommost layer in the group. However, you can choose to have the blending mode of the bottommost layer apply
only to that layer, allowing you to preserve the original blending appearance of the clipped layers. (See “Mask layers
with clipping masks” on page 323.)
You can also apply the blending mode of a layer to layer effects that modify opaque pixels, such as Inner Glow or
Color Overlay, without changing layer effects that modify only transparent pixels, such as Outer Glow or Drop
Shadow.
1 Select the layer that you want to affect.
2 Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Blending Options from the Layers palette menu, or choose Layer > Layer
Style > Blending Options.

• Select Blend Interior Effects As Group to apply the blending mode of the layer to layer effects that modify opaque
pixels, such as Inner Glow, Satin, Color Overlay, and Gradient Overlay.

• Select Blend Clipped Layers As Group to apply the blending mode of the base layer to all layers in the clipping
mask. Deselecting this option, which is always selected by default, maintains the original blending mode and
appearance of each layer in the group.

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Advanced blending options
A. Farm Logo and Paint Stroke layers, each with its own blending mode B. Blend Interior Effects As Group option selected C. Blend Clipped
Layers As Group option selected

• Select Transparency Shapes Layers to restrict layer effects and knockouts to opaque areas of the layer. Deselecting
this option, which is always selected by default, applies these effects throughout the layer.

• Select Layer Mask Hides Effects to restrict layer effects to the area defined by the layer mask.
• Select Vector Mask Hides Effects to restrict layer effects to the area defined by the vector mask.
4 Click OK.

Specify a tonal range for blending layers
The sliders in the Blending Options dialog box control which pixels from the active layer and the underlying visible
layers appear in the final image. For example, you can drop dark pixels out of the active layer or force bright pixels
from the underlying layers to show through. You can also define a range of partially blended pixels to produce a
smooth transition between blended and unblended areas.
1 Double-click a layer thumbnail, choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, or choose Add A Layer Style >
Blending Options from the Layers palette menu.

• Choose Gray to specify a blending range for all channels.
• Select an individual color channel (for example, red, green, or blue in an RGB image) to specify blending in that
channel.

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3 Use the This Layer and Underlying Layer sliders to set the brightness range of the blended pixels—measured on
a scale from 0 (black) to 255 (white). Drag the white slider to set the high value of the range. Drag the black slider to
set the low value of the range.

To define a range of partially blended pixels, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and drag one half of a
slider triangle. The two values that appear above the divided slider indicate the partial blending range.
Keep the following guidelines in mind when specifying blending ranges:

• Use the This Layer sliders to specify the range of pixels on the active layer that will blend, and therefore appear, in
the final image. For example, if you drag the white slider to 235, pixels with brightness values higher than 235 will
remain unblended and will be excluded from the final image.

• Use the Underlying Layer sliders to specify the range of pixels in the underlying visible layers that will blend in the
final image. Blended pixels are combined with pixels in the active layer to produce composite pixels, whereas
unblended pixels show through overlying areas of the active layer. For example, if you drag the black slider to 19,
pixels with brightness values lower than 19 will remain unblended and will show through the active layer in the
final image.

Layer effects and styles
About layer effects and styles
Photoshop provides a variety of effects—such as shadows, glows, and bevels—that change the appearance of a layer’s
contents. Layer effects are linked to the layer contents. When you move or edit the contents of the layer, the same
effects are applied to the modified contents. For example, if you apply a drop shadow to a text layer and then add new
text, the shadow is added automatically to the new text.
A layer style is one or more effects applied to a layer or layer group. You can apply one of the preset styles provided
with Photoshop or create a custom style using the Layer Styles dialog box. The layer effects icon appears to the right
of the layer’s name in the Layers palette. You can expand the style in the Layers palette to view or edit the effects that
compose the style.

A
B

Layers palette showing layer with multiple effects applied
A. Layer effects icon B. Click to expand and show layer effects C. Layer effects

When you save a custom style, it becomes a preset style. Preset styles appear in the Styles palette and can be applied
to a layer or group with a single click.

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Apply preset styles
You can apply preset styles from the Styles palette. The layer styles that come with Photoshop are grouped into
libraries by function. For example, one library contains styles for creating web buttons; another library contains styles
adding effects to text. To access these styles, you need to load the appropriate library. For information on loading and
saving styles, see “Create and manage preset styles” on page 303.
Note: You cannot apply layer styles to a background, locked layer, or group.
Display the Styles palette
❖ Choose Window > Styles.

Apply a preset style to a layer

Normally, applying a preset style replaces the current layer style. However, you can add the attributes of a second
style to those of the current style.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click a style in the Styles palette to apply it to the currently selected layers.
• Drag a style from the Styles palette onto a layer in the Layers palette.
• Drag a style from the Styles palette to the document window, and release the mouse button when the pointer is
over the layer content to which you want to apply the style.
Note: Hold down Shift as you click or drag to add (rather than replace) the style to any existing effects on the destination
layer.

• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and click the word Styles in the Layer Styles dialog box (top item
in the list on the left side of the dialog box). Click the style you want to apply, and click OK.

• When using a shape tool or pen tool in shape layers mode, select a style from the pop-up palette in the options bar
before drawing the shape.
Apply a style from another layer
❖ In the Layers palette, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the style from a layer’s effect list to another

layer.
Change how preset styles are displayed
1 Click the triangle in the Styles palette, Layer Styles dialog box, or Layer Styles pop-up palette in the options bar.
2 Choose a display option from the palette menu:

• Text Only to view the layer styles as a list.
• Small Thumbnail or Large Thumbnail to view the layer styles as thumbnails.
• Small List or Large List to view the layer styles as a list, with a thumbnail of the selected layer style displayed.

Layer Styles dialog box overview
You can edit styles applied to a layer or create new styles using the Layer Styles dialog box.

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Layer Styles dialog box. Click a check box to apply the current settings without displaying the effect’s options. Click an effect name to display
its options.

You can create custom styles using one or more of the following effects:
Drop Shadow Adds a shadow that falls behind the contents on the layer.
Inner Shadow Adds a shadow that falls just inside the edges of the layer’s content, giving the layer a recessed

appearance.
Outer Glow and Inner Glow Add glows that emanate from the outside or inside edges of the layer’s content.
Bevel and Emboss Add various combinations of highlights and shadows to a layer.
Satin Applies interior shading that creates a satiny finish.
Color, Gradient, and Pattern Overlay Fills the layer’s content with a color, gradient, or pattern.
Stroke Outlines the object on the current layer using color, a gradient, or a pattern. It is particularly useful on hardedged shapes such as type.

Apply or edit a custom layer style
Note: You cannot apply layer styles to a background layer, a locked layer, or a group. To apply a layer style to a
background layer, first convert it into a regular layer.
1 Select a single layer from the Layers palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• Double-click the layer, outside the layer name or thumbnail.
• Click the Layer Styles button

at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose an effect from the list.

• Choose an effect from the Layer > Layer Style submenu.
• To edit an existing style, double-click an effect displayed below the layer name in the Layers palette. (Click the
triangle next to the “fx” icon

to display the effects contained in the style.)

3 Set effect options in the Layer Style dialog box. See “Layer style options” on page 300.
4 Add other effects to the style, if desired. In the Layer Style dialog box, click the check box to the left of the effect
name to add the effect without selecting it.

You can edit multiple effects without closing the Layer Style dialog box. Click the name of an effect on the left side of
the dialog box to display its options.

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Layer style options
Altitude For the Bevel and Emboss effect, sets the height of the light source. A setting of 0 is equivalent to ground
level, 90 is directly above the layer.
Angle Determines the lighting angle at which the effect is applied to the layer. You can drag in the document window

to adjust the angle of a Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, or Satin effect.
Anti-alias Blends the edge pixels of a contour or gloss contour. This option is most useful on shadows with a small

size and complicated contour.
Blend Mode Determines how the layer style blends with the underlying layers, which may or may not include the
active layer. For example, an inner shadow blends with the active layer because the effect is drawn on top of that layer,
but a drop shadow blends only with the layers beneath the active layer. In most cases, the default mode for each effect
produces the best results. See “List of blending modes” on page 344.
Choke Shrinks the boundaries of the matte of an Inner Shadow or Inner Glow prior to blurring.
Color Specifies the color of a shadow, glow, or highlight. You can click the color box and choose a color.
Contour With solid-color glows, Contour allows you to create rings of transparency. With gradient-filled glows,

Contour allows you to create variations in the repetition of the gradient color and opacity. In beveling and
embossing, Contour allows you to sculpt the ridges, valleys, and bumps that are shaded in the embossing process.
With shadows, Contour allows you to specify the fade. For more information, see “Modify layer effects with
contours” on page 301.
Distance Specifies the offset distance for a shadow or satin effect. You can drag in the document window to adjust
the offset distance.
Depth Specifies the depth of a bevel. It also specifies the depth of a pattern.
Use Global Light This setting allows you to set one “master” lighting angle that is then available in all the layer effects
that use shading: Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Bevel and Emboss. In any of these effects, if Use Global Light is
selected and you set a lighting angle, that angle becomes the global lighting angle. Any other effect that has Use
Global Light selected automatically inherits the same angle setting. If Use Global Light is deselected, the lighting
angle you set is “local” and applies only to that effect. You can also set the global lighting angle by choosing Layer
Style > Global Light.
Gloss Contour Creates a glossy, metallic appearance. Gloss Contour is applied after shading a bevel or emboss.
Gradient Specifies the gradient of a layer effect. Click the gradient to display the Gradient Editor, or click the

inverted arrow and choose a gradient from the pop-up palette. You can edit a gradient or create a new gradient using
the Gradient Editor. You can edit the color or opacity in the Gradient Overlay palette the same way you edit them in
the Gradient Editor. For some effects, you can specify additional gradient options. Reverse flips the orientation of
the gradient, Align With Layer uses the bounding box of the layer to calculate the gradient fill, and Scale scales the
application of the gradient. You can also move the center of the gradient by clicking and dragging in the image
window. Style specifies the shape of the gradient.
Highlight or Shadow Mode Specifies the blending mode of a bevel or emboss highlight or shadow.
Jitter Varies the application of a gradient’s color and opacity.
Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow Controls the drop shadow’s visibility in a semitransparent layer.
Noise Specifies the number of random elements in the opacity of a glow or shadow. Enter a value or drag the slider.
Opacity Sets the opacity of the layer effect. Enter a value or drag the slider.

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Pattern Specifies the pattern of a layer effect. Click the pop-up palette and choose a pattern. Click the New preset

button
to create a new preset pattern based on the current settings. Click Snap To Origin to make the origin of
the pattern the same as the origin of the document (when Link With Layer is selected), or to place the origin at the
upper left corner of the layer (if Link With Layer is deselected). Select Link With Layer if you want the pattern to
move along with the layer as the layer moves. Drag the Scale slider or enter a value to specify the size of the pattern.
Drag a pattern to position it in the layer; reset the position by using the Snap To Origin button. The Pattern option
is not available if no patterns are loaded.
Position Specifies the position of a stroke effect as Outside, Inside, or Center.
Range Controls which portion or range of the glow is targeted for the contour.
Size Specifies the amount of blur or the size of the shadow.
Soften Blurs the results of shading to reduce unwanted artifacts.
Source Specifies the source for an inner glow. Choose Center to apply a glow that emanates from the center of the
layer’s content, or Edge to apply a glow that emanates from the inside edges of the layer’s content.
Spread Expands the boundaries of the matte prior to blurring.
Style Specifies the style of a bevel: Inner Bevel creates a bevel on the inside edges of the layer contents; Outer Bevel

creates a bevel on the outside edges of the layer contents; Emboss simulates the effect of embossing the layer contents
against the underlying layers; Pillow Emboss simulates the effect of stamping the edges of the layer contents into the
underlying layers; and Stroke Emboss confines embossing to the boundaries of a stroke effect applied to the layer.
(The Stroke Emboss effect is not visible if no stroke is applied to the layer.)
Technique Smooth, Chisel Hard, and Chisel Soft are available for bevel and emboss effects; Softer and Precise apply

to Inner Glow and Outer Glow effects.

• Smooth Blurs the edges of a matte slightly and is useful for all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard.
It does not preserve detailed features at larger sizes.
• Chisel Hard Uses a distance measurement technique and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes from antialiased shapes such as type. It preserves detailed features better than the Smooth technique.
• Chisel Soft Uses a modified distance measurement technique and, although not as accurate as Chisel Hard, is
more useful on a larger range of mattes. It preserves features better than the Smooth technique.
• Softer Applies a blur and is useful on all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard. At larger sizes, Softer
does not preserve detailed features.
• Precise Uses a distance measurement technique to create a glow and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes
from anti-aliased shapes such as type. It preserves features better than the Softer technique.
Texture Applies a texture. Use Scale to scale the size of the texture. Select Link With Layer if you want the texture to

move along with the layer as the layer moves. Invert inverts the texture. Depth varies the degree and direction
(up/down) to which the texturing is applied. Snap To Origin makes the origin of the pattern the same as the origin
of the document (if Link With Layer is deselected) or places the origin in the upper left corner of the layer (if Link
With Layer is selected). Drag the texture to position it in the layer.

Modify layer effects with contours
When you create custom layer styles, you can use contours to control the shape of Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Inner
Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel and Emboss, and Satin effects over a given range. For example, a Linear contour on a Drop
Shadow causes the opacity to drop off in a linear transition. Use a Custom contour to create a unique shadow
transition.

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You can select, reset, delete, or change the preview of contours in the Contour pop-up palette and Preset Manager.
A

Detail of Layer Style dialog box for Drop Shadow effect
A. Click to display the Contour Editor dialog box. B. Click to display the pop-up palette.

Create a custom contour
1 Select the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel and Emboss, Contour, or Satin effect in

the Layer Style dialog box.
2 Click the contour thumbnail in the Layer Style dialog box.
3 Click the contour to add points, and drag to adjust the contour. Or enter values for Input and Output.
4 To create a sharp corner instead of a smooth curve, select a point and click Corner.
5 To save the contour to a file, click Save and name the contour.
6 To store a contour as a preset, choose New.
7 Click OK. New contours are added at the bottom of the pop-up palette.
Load a contour
❖ Click the contour in the Layer Style dialog box, and in the Contour Editor dialog box, and then choose Load. Go

to the folder containing the contour library you want to load and click Open.
Delete a contour
❖ Click the inverted arrow next to the currently selected contour to view the pop-up palette. Press Alt (Windows)

or Option (Mac OS), and click the contour you want to delete.

Set a global lighting angle for all layers
Using global light gives the appearance of a common light source shining on the image.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Global Light. In the Global Light dialog box, enter a value or drag the angle radius
to set the angle and altitude, and click OK.

• In the Layer Style dialog box for Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, or Bevel, select Use Global Light. For Angle, enter
a value or drag the slider, and click OK.
The global lighting applies to each layer effect that uses the global lighting angle.

Display or hide layer styles
When a layer has a style, an “fx” icon

appears to the right of the layer’s name in the Layers palette.

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Hide or show all layer styles in an image
❖ Choose Layer > Layer Style > Hide All Effects or Show All Effects.

Expand or collapse layer styles in the Layers palette
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click the triangle

next to the layer styles icon

to expand the list of layer effects applied to that layer.

• Click the triangle to collapse the layer effects.
• To expand or collapse all of the layer styles applied within a group, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS),
and click the triangle or inverted triangle for the group. The layer styles applied to all layers within the group
expand or collapse correspondingly.

Create and manage preset styles
You can create a custom style and save it as a preset, which is then available from the Styles palette. You can save
preset styles in a library and load or remove them from the Styles palette as you need them.
Create a new preset style
1 From the Layers palette, select the layer containing the style that you want to save as a preset.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click an empty area of the Styles palette.
• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click the New Item button at the bottom of the Styles palette.
• Choose New Style from the Styles palette menu.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options, and click New Style in the Layer Style dialog box.
3 Enter a name for the preset style, set style options, and click OK.
Rename a preset style
❖ Do one of the following:

• Double-click a style in the Styles palette. If the Styles palette is set to display styles as thumbnails, enter a new name
in the dialog box, and click OK. Otherwise, type a new name directly in the Styles palette, and press Enter
(Windows) or Return (Mac OS).

• Select a style in the Styles area of the Layer Styles dialog box. Then choose Rename Style from the pop-up menu,
enter a new name, and click OK.

• When using a shape or pen tool, select a style from the Layer Style pop-up palette in the options bar. Then choose
Rename Style from the pop-up palette menu.
Delete a preset style
❖ Do one of the following:

• Drag a style to the Delete icon

at the bottom of the Styles palette.

• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click the layer style in the Styles palette.
• Select a style in the Styles area of the Layer Styles dialog box. (See “Apply preset styles” on page 298.) Then choose
Delete Style from the pop-up menu.

• When using a shape or pen tool, select a style from the Layer Style pop-up palette in the options bar. Then choose
Delete Style from the pop-up palette menu.

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Save a set of preset styles as a library
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose Save Styles from the Styles palette menu.
• Select Styles on the left side of the Layer Styles dialog box. Then choose Save Styles from the pop-up menu.
• When using a shape or pen tool, click the layer style thumbnail in the options bar. Then choose Save Styles from
the pop-up palette menu.
2 Choose a location for the style library, enter a file name, and click Save.

You can save the library anywhere. However, if you place the library file in the Presets/Styles folder inside the default
presets location, the library name will appear at the bottom of the Styles palette menu when you restart the application.
Note: You can also use the Preset Manager to rename, delete, and save libraries of preset styles.
Load a library of preset styles
1 Click the triangle in the Styles palette, Layer Style dialog box, or Layer Style pop-up palette in the options bar.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Load Styles to add a library to the current list. Then select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• Choose Replace Styles to replace the current list with a different library. Then select the library file you want to
use, and click Load.

• Choose a library file (displayed at the bottom of the palette menu). Then click OK to replace the current list, or
click Append to append the current list.
3 To return to the default library of preset styles, choose Reset Styles. You can either replace the current list or
append the default library to the current list.

Note: You can also use the Preset Manager to load and reset style libraries. See “About the Preset Manager” on page 46.

Copy layer styles
Copying and pasting styles is an easy way to apply the same effects to multiple layers.
Copy layer styles between layers
1 From the Layers palette, select the layer containing the style you want to copy.
2 Choose Layer > Layer Style > Copy Layer Style.
3 Select the destination layer from the palette, and choose Layer > Layer Style > Paste Layer Style.

The pasted layer style replaces the existing layer style on the destination layer or layers.
Copy layer styles between layers by dragging
❖ Do one of the following:

• In the Layers palette, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) a single layer effect from one layer to another
to duplicate the layer effect, or drag the Effects bar from one layer to another to duplicate the layer style.

• Drag one or more layer effects from the Layers palette to the image to apply the resulting layer style to the highest
layer in the Layers palette that contains pixels at the drop point.

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Scale a layer effect
A layer style may have been fine-tuned for a target resolution and features of a given size. Using Scale Effects allows
you to scale the effects in the layer style without scaling the object to which the layer style is applied.
1 Select the layer in the Layers palette.
2 Choose Layer > Layer Style > Scale Effects.
3 Enter a percentage or drag the slider.
4 Select Preview to preview the changes in the image.
5 Click OK.

Remove layer effects
You can remove an individual effect from a style applied to a layer, or remove the entire style from the layer.
Remove an effect from a style
1 In the Layers palette, expand the layer style to see its effects.
2 Drag the effect to the Delete icon.
Remove a style from a layer
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the style you want to remove.
2 Do one of the following:

• In the Layers palette, drag the Effects bar to the Delete icon.
• Choose Layer > Layer Style > Clear Layer Style.
• Select the layer, and then click the Clear Style button

at the bottom of the Styles palette.

Convert a layer style to image layers
To customize or fine-tune the appearance of layer styles, you can convert the layer styles to regular image layers. After
you convert a layer style to image layers, you can enhance the result by painting or applying commands and filters.
However, you can no longer edit the layer style on the original layer, and the layer style no longer updates as you
change the original image layer.
Note: The layers produced by this process may not result in artwork that exactly matches the version using layer styles.
You may see an alert when you create the new layers.
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the layer style that you want to convert.
2 Choose Layer > Layer Style > Create Layers.

You can now modify and restack the new layers in the same way as regular layers. Some effects—for example, Inner
Glow—convert to layers within a clipping mask.
You can also drag a layer style to the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette to generate a new layer
from an existing style.

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Adjustment and fill layers
About adjustment layers and fill layers
An adjustment layer applies color and tonal adjustments to your image without permanently changing pixel values.
For example, rather than making a Levels or Curves adjustment directly to your image, you can create a Levels or
Curves adjustment layer. The color and tone adjustments are stored in the adjustment layer and apply to all the layers
below it. You can discard your changes and restore the original image at any time.
Adjustment layer choices match the commands on the Image > Adjustments menu: choosing an adjustment layer
from the Layers palette opens the same dialog box as the corresponding menu command. You can reopen the settings
dialog for an adjustment by double-clicking the adjustment layer thumbnail in the Layers palette.
Fill layers let you fill a layer with a solid color, a gradient, or a pattern. Unlike adjustment layers, fill layers do not
affect the layers underneath them.
Adjustment layers provide the following advantages:

• Nondestructive edits. You can try different settings and re-edit the adjustment layer at any time. You can also
reduce the effect of the adjustment by lowering the opacity of the adjustment layer.

• Reduced loss of image data through combined multiple adjustments. Each time you adjust pixel values directly,
you lose some image data. You can use multiple adjustment layers and make small adjustments. Photoshop
combines all the adjustments before it applies them to the image.

• Selective editing. Paint on the adjustment layer’s image mask to apply an adjustment to part of an image. Later you
can control which parts of the image are adjusted by re-editing the layer mask. You can vary the adjustment by
painting on the mask with different tones of gray.

• Ability to apply adjustments to multiple images. Copy and paste adjustment layers between images to apply the
same color and tone adjustments.
Adjustment layers increase the image’s file size, though no more than other layers. If you are working with many
layers, you may want to reduce file size by merging the adjustment layers into the pixel content layers. Adjustment
layers have many of the same characteristics as other layers. You can adjust their opacity and blending mode, and you
can group them to apply the adjustment to specific layers. You can turn their visibility on and off to apply their effect
or to preview the effect.

Original (left); adjustment layer applied to barn only (center), which brings out detail in the barn; and adjustment layer applied to entire image
(right), which lightens the entire image and pixelates the clouds

An adjustment layer affects all the layers below it: you can correct multiple layers by making a single adjustment,
rather than adjusting each layer separately.

See also
“Making color and tonal adjustments” on page 151

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Create adjustment and fill layers
Adjustment layers and fill layers have the same opacity and blending mode options as image layers. You can
rearrange, delete, hide, and duplicate them just as you do image layers. By default, adjustment layers and fill layers
have layer masks, as indicated by the mask icon to the left of the layer thumbnail. To create adjustment layers without
layer masks, change this option in the Layer Palette Options dialog (choose Palette Options from the Layers palette
menu).
To confine the effects of the adjustment layer or fill layer to a selected area, make a selection, create a closed path and
select it, or select an existing closed path. When you use a selection, you create an adjustment layer or fill layer
confined by a layer mask. When you use a path, you create an adjustment layer or fill layer confined by a vector mask.

A
B

C
D

Adjustment and fill layers
A. Adjustment layer confined to Log Home layer only B. Layer thumbnail C. Fill layer D. Layer mask

Create an adjustment layer

For information on specific adjustment layer options, see “Making color and tonal adjustments” on page 151.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click the New Adjustment Layer button

at the bottom of the Layers palette, and choose an adjustment layer type.

• Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and choose an option. Name the layer, set layer options, and click OK.
To confine the effects of an adjustment layer to a group of layers, create a clipping mask consisting of those layers.
You can place the adjustment layers in or at the base of the clipping mask. The resulting adjustment is confined to
the layers inside the group. (Alternatively, you can create a layer group that uses any blending mode other than Pass
Through.)
Create a fill layer
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > New Fill Layer, and choose an option. Name the layer, set layer options, and click OK.
• Click the New Adjustment Layer button

at the bottom of the Layers palette, and choose a fill layer type.

Solid Color Fills the adjustment layer with the current foreground color. Use the Color Picker to select a different a

fill color.
Gradient Click the gradient to display the Gradient Editor, or click the inverted arrow and choose a gradient from

the pop-up palette. Set additional options if desired. Style specifies the shape of the gradient. Angle specifies the angle
at which the gradient is applied. Scale changes the size of the gradient. Reverse flips the orientation of the gradient.
Dither reduces banding by applying dithering to the gradient. Align With Layer uses the bounding box of the layer
to calculate the gradient fill. You can drag in the image window to move the center of the gradient.

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Pattern Click the pattern, and choose a pattern from the pop-up palette. Click Scale, and enter a value or drag the

slider. Click Snap To Origin to make the origin of the pattern the same as the origin of the document. Select Link
With Layer if you want the pattern to move along with the layer as the layer moves. When Link With Layer is selected,
you can drag in the image to position the pattern while the Pattern Fill dialog box is open.

Edit an adjustment or fill layer
You can edit an adjustment or fill-layer setting, or replace it with a different adjustment or fill type.
You can also edit the mask of an adjustment layer or fill layer to control the effect that the layer has on the image. By
default, all areas of an adjustment or fill layer are “unmasked” and are therefore visible. (See “About layer and vector
masks” on page 318.)
Change adjustment and fill layer options
1 Do one of the following:

• Double-click the adjustment or fill-layer thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• Choose Layer > Layer Content Options.
2 Make the desired adjustments, and click OK.

Note: Inverted adjustment layers do not have editable settings.
Change the type of adjustment or fill layer
1 Select the adjustment layer or fill layer that you want to change.
2 Choose Layer > Change Layer Content and select a different fill or adjustment layer from the list.

Merging adjustment layers or fill layers
You can merge an adjustment or fill layer several ways: with the layer below it, with the layers in its own grouped
layer, with other selected layers, and with all other visible layers. You cannot, however, use an adjustment layer or fill
layer as the target layer for a merge. When you merge an adjustment layer or fill layer with the layer below it, the
adjustments are rasterized and become permanently applied within the merged layer. You can also rasterize a fill
layer without merging it. (See “Rasterize layers” on page 290.)
Adjustment layers and fill layers whose masks contain only white values do not add significantly to the file size, so it
is not necessary to merge these adjustment layers to conserve file space.

Nondestructive editing
About nondestructive editing
Nondestructive editing allows you to make changes to an image without overwriting the original image data, which
remains available in case you want to revert to it. Because nondestructive editing doesn’t remove data from an image,
the image quality doesn’t degrade when you make edits. You can perform nondestructive editing in Photoshop in
several ways:
Working with adjustment layers Adjustment layers apply color and tonal adjustments to an image without perma-

nently changing pixel values.
Transforming with Smart Objects Smart Objects enable nondestructive scaling, rotating, and warping.

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Filtering with Smart Filters Filters applied to Smart Objects become Smart Filters and allow for nondestructive filter

effects.
Adjusting variations, shadows, and highlights with Smart Objects Shadow/Highlight and Variations commands

can be applied to a Smart Object as Smart Filters.
Retouching on a separate layer Clone Stamp, Healing Brush, and Spot Healing Brush tools let you retouch nondestructively on a separate layer. Be sure to select Sample All Layers from the options bar (select Ignore Adjustment
Layers to ensure that adjustment layers won’t affect the separate layer twice). You can discard unsatisfactory
retouching, if necessary.
Editing in Camera Raw Adjustments to batches of raw, JPEG, or TIFF images preserve the original image data.
Camera Raw stores adjustment settings on a per-image basis separately from the original image files.
Opening Camera Raw files as Smart Objects Before you can edit Camera Raw files in Photoshop, you must configure

settings for them with Camera Raw. Once you edit a Camera Raw file in Photoshop, you can’t reconfigure Camera
Raw settings without losing the changes. Opening Camera Raw files in Photoshop as Smart Objects enables you to
reconfigure Camera Raw settings at any time, even after you edit the file.
Cropping nondestructively After you create a cropping rectangle with the Crop tool, select Hide from the options
bar to preserve the cropped area in a layer. Restore the cropped area anytime by choosing Image > Reveal All or by
dragging the Crop tool beyond the edge of the image. The Hide option is unavailable for images that contain only a
background layer.
Masking Layer and vector masks are nondestructive because you can re-edit the masks without losing the pixels they
hide. Filter masks let you mask out the effects of Smart Filters on Smart Object layers.

See also
“About Camera Raw” on page 85
“About adjustment layers and fill layers” on page 306
“Crop images” on page 190
“About layer and vector masks” on page 318
“Retouch with the Clone Stamp tool” on page 195
“Retouch with the Healing Brush tool” on page 198
“Retouch with the Spot Healing Brush tool” on page 199

About Smart Objects
Smart Objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images, such as Photoshop or Illustrator files.
Smart Objects preserve an image’s source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.
You can create Smart objects using several methods: by using the Open As Smart Object command; placing a file,
pasting data from Illustrator; or converting one or more Photoshop layers to Smart Objects.
With Smart Objects, you can:

• Perform nondestructive transforms. You can scale, rotate, or warp a layer without losing original image data or
quality because the transforms don’t affect the original data. (Some transform options, such as Perspective and
Distort, aren’t available.)

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• Work with vector data, such as vector artwork from Illustrator, that otherwise would be rasterized in Photoshop.
• Perform nondestructive filtering. You can edit filters applied to Smart Objects at any time.
• Edit one Smart Object and automatically update all its linked instances.
You can’t perform operations that alter pixel data—such as painting, dodging, burning, or cloning—directly to a
Smart Object layer, unless it is first converted into a regular layer, which will be rasterized. To perform operations
that alter pixel data, you can edit the contents of a Smart Object, clone a new layer above the Smart Object layer, edit
duplicates of the Smart Object, or create a new layer.
Note: When you transform a Smart Object that has a Smart Filter applied to it, Photoshop turns off filter effects while
the transform is being performed. Filter effects are applied again after the transform is complete. See “About Smart
Filters” on page 312.

Regular layer and Smart Object in Layers palette. Icon in lower right corner of thumbnail indicates Smart Object.

Create Smart Objects
❖ Do any of the following:

• Choose File > Open As Smart Object, select a file, and click Open.
• Choose File > Place to import files as Smart Objects into an open Photoshop document.
Although you can place JPEG files, it's better to place PSD, TIFF, or PSB files because you can add layers, modify
pixels, and resave the file without loss. (Saving a modified JPEG file requires you to flatten new layers and recompress
the image, causing image quality degradation).

• Choose Layer > Smart Object > Convert to Smart Object to convert a selected layer into a Smart Object.
• In Bridge, choose File > Place > In Photoshop to import a file as a Smart Object into an open Photoshop
document.
An easy way to work with camera raw files is to open them as Smart Objects. You can double-click the Smart Object
layer containing the raw file at any time to adjust the Camera Raw settings.

• Select one or more layers and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Convert To Smart Object. The layers are bundled
into one Smart Object. Clipping masks aren’t retained when you group layers into a Smart Object.

• Drag PDF or Adobe Illustrator layers or objects into a Photoshop document.
• Paste artwork from Illustrator into a Photoshop document, and choose Smart Object in the Paste dialog box. For
the greatest flexibility, enable both PDF and AICB (No Transparency Support) in the File Handling section of the
Preferences dialog box.

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See also
“Place a file in Photoshop” on page 75
“Paste Adobe Illustrator art into Photoshop” on page 76

Duplicate a Smart Object
❖ In the Layers palette, select a Smart Object layer, and do one of the following:

• To create a duplicate Smart Object that is linked to the original, choose Layer > New > Layer Via Copy, or drag the
Smart Object layer to the Create A New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. Edits you make to the
original affect the copy and vice versa.

• To create a duplicate Smart Object that isn’t linked to the original, choose Layer > Smart Objects > New Smart
Object Via Copy. Edits you make to the original don’t affect the copy.
A new Smart Object appears in the Layers palette with the same name as the original and “copy” as a suffix.

Edit the content of a Smart Object
When you edit a Smart Object, the source content is opened in either Photoshop (if the content is raster data or a
camera raw file) or Illustrator (if the content is vector PDF). When you save changes to the source content, the edits
appear in all linked instances of the Smart Object in the Photoshop document.
1 Select the Smart Object from the Layers palette, and do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents.
• Double-click the Smart Objects thumbnail in the Layers palette.
2 Click OK to close the dialog box.
3 Make edits to the source content file, then choose File > Save.

Photoshop updates the Smart Object to reflect the changes you made. (If you don’t see the changes, make the
Photoshop document containing the Smart Object active).

Replace the contents of a Smart Object
You can update the image data in one or multiple (if the Smart Objects are linked) instances of a Smart Object.
Note: When you replace a Smart Object, any scaling, warping, or effects that you applied to the first Smart Object are
maintained.
1 Select the Smart Object, and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Replace Contents.
2 Navigate to the file you want to use, and click Place.
3 Click OK.

The new content is placed in the Smart Object. Linked Smart Objects are also updated.

See also
“About placing files” on page 74

Export the contents of a Smart Object
1 Select the Smart Object from the Layers palette, and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Export Contents.

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2 Choose a location for the contents of the Smart Object, then click Save.

Photoshop exports the Smart Object in its original placed format (JPEG, AI, TIF, PDF, or other formats). If the Smart
Object was created from layers, it is exported in PSB format.

Convert a Smart Object to a layer
Converting a Smart Object to a regular layer rasterizes the content at the current size. Convert a Smart Object to a
regular layer only if you no longer need to edit the Smart Object data. Transforms, warps, and filters applied to a
Smart Object are no longer editable after the Smart Object is rasterized.
❖ Select the Smart Object, and choose Layer > Rasterize > Smart Object.

If you want to re-create the Smart Object, reselect its original layers and start from scratch. The new Smart Object
won’t retain transforms you applied to the original Smart Object.

About Smart Filters
Any filter applied to a Smart Object is a Smart Filter. Smart Filters appear in the Layers palette below the Smart
Object layer to which they are applied. Because you can adjust, remove, or hide Smart Filters, they are nondestructive.
You can apply any Photoshop filter—except for Extract, Liquify, Pattern Maker, and Vanishing Point—as a Smart
Filter. In addition, you can apply the Shadow/Highlight and Variations adjustments as Smart Filters.
To work with Smart Filters, select a Smart Object layer, choose a filter, and then set filter options. After you apply a
Smart Filter, you can adjust, reorder, or delete it.
To expand or collapse the view of Smart Filters, click the triangle next to the Smart Filter icon, displayed to the right
of the Smart Object layer in the Layers palette. (This technique also shows or hides Layer Styles.) Or, choose Layers
Palette Options from the Layers palette menu, then select Expand New Effects in the dialog box.
Use filter masks to selectively mask Smart Filter effects. See “Mask Smart Filters” on page 314.
Note: If you open a file containing a Smart Object layer with a Smart Filter in Photoshop, Photoshop retains the Smart
Filter effects when you open it, including filter masks. However, if you subsequently edit the Smart Object layer,
Photoshop won’t display the layer’s Smart Filters. You cannot edit filter masks in Photoshop.
For a video on smart filters, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0004.

Apply a Smart Filter
1 Do one of the following:

• To apply a Smart Filter to an entire Smart Object layer, select the layer in the Layers palette.
• To constrain the effects of the Smart Filter to a selected area of a Smart Object layer, make a selection.
• To apply a Smart Filter to a regular layer, select the layer, and choose Filter > Convert For Smart Filters, and click OK.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose a filter from the Filter menu. You can choose any filter, including third-party filters that support Smart
Filters, except Extract, Liquify, Pattern Maker, and Vanishing Point.

• Choose Image > Adjustments > Shadow/Highlight or Image > Adjustments > Variations.

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Note: If you apply one or more filters using the Filter Gallery, they appear as a group in the Layers palette named “Filter
Gallery.” You can’t rearrange filters in a Filter Gallery. You can edit individual filters by double-clicking a Filter Gallery
entry.
3 Set filter options and click OK.

The Smart Filter appears under the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette beneath the Smart Object layer. If you see
a warning icon next to a Smart Filter in the Layers palette, the filter doesn’t support the image’s color mode or depth.
After you apply a Smart Filter, you can drag it (or an entire group of Smart Filters) onto another Smart Object layer
in the Layers palette; press Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) Smart Filters. You can’t drag Smart Filters
onto regular layers.
For a video on applying smart filters, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0004.

Edit a Smart Filter
If a Smart Filter contains editable settings, you can edit it at any time. You can also edit blending options for Smart
Filters.
Note: When you edit a Smart Filter, you can’t preview filters stacked above it. After you finish editing the Smart Filter,
Photoshop again displays the filters stacked above it.

See also
“List of blending modes” on page 344
“Specify opacity for a layer or group” on page 292
Edit Smart Filter settings
1 Double-click the Smart Filter in the Layers palette.
2 Set filter options, and click OK.
Edit Smart Filter blending options

Editing Smart Filter blending options is similar to using the Fade command when applying a filter to a traditional
layer.
1 Double-click the Edit Blending Options icon

next to the Filter in the Layers palette.

2 Set blending options, and click OK.

Hide Smart Filters
❖ Do one of the following:

• To hide a single Smart Filter, click the eye icon next to the Smart Filter in the Layers palette. To show the Smart
Filter, click in the column again.

• To hide all Smart Filters applied to a Smart Object layer, click the eye icon next to the Smart Filters line in the
Layers palette. To show the Smart Filters, click in the column again.

Reorder, duplicate, or delete Smart Filters
You can reorder Smart Filters in the Layers palette, duplicate them, or delete Smart Filters if you no longer want to
apply them to a Smart Object.

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Reorder Smart Filters
❖ In the Layers palette, drag a Smart Filter up or down in the list. You can’t reorder Smart Filters applied from the

Filter Gallery.
Photoshop applies Smart Filters from the bottom up.
Duplicate Smart Filters
❖ In the Layers palette, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the Smart Filter from one Smart Object to

another, or to a new location in the Smart Filters list.
Note: To duplicate all Smart Filters, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the Smart Filters icon that appears
next to the Smart Object layer.
Delete Smart Filters

• To delete an individual Smart Filter, drag it to the Delete icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.
• To delete all Smart Filters applied to a Smart Object layer, select the Smart Object layer and choose Layer > Smart
Filter > Clear Smart Filters.

Mask Smart Filters
When you apply a Smart Filter to a Smart Object, Photoshop displays an empty (white) mask thumbnail on the Smart
Filters line in the Layers palette under the Smart Object. By default, this mask shows the entire filter effect. (If you
made a selection before applying the Smart Filter, Photoshop displays the appropriate mask instead of an empty mask
on the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette.)
Use filter masks to selectively mask Smart Filters. When you mask Smart Filters, the masking applies to all Smart
Filters—you can’t mask individual Smart Filters.
Filter masks work much like layer masks, and you can use many of the same techniques with them. Like layer masks,
filter masks are stored as alpha channels in the Channels palette, and you can load their boundaries as a selection.
Like layer masks, you can paint on a filter mask. Areas of the filter that you paint in black are hidden; areas you paint
in white are visible; and areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency.
Note: By default, layer masks are linked to regular layers. When you move the layer mask or the layer using the Move
tool, they move as a unit. Masks applied to Smart Object layers, including filter masks, aren’t linked to layers. If you move
a filter mask or a layer using the Move tool, they do not move as one unit.

See also
“Select and display the layer mask channel” on page 320
“Load a layer or layer mask’s boundaries as a selection” on page 322
Mask Smart Filter effects
1 Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to make it active.

A border appears around the mask thumbnail.
2 Select any of the editing or painting tools.
3 Do one of the following:

• To hide portions of the filter, paint the mask with black.

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• To show portions of the filter, paint the mask with white.
• To make the filter partially visible, paint the mask with gray.
You can also apply image adjustments and filters to filter masks.

Display only the filter mask
❖ Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette. To show the Smart

Object layer, Alt-click or Option-click the filter mask thumbnail again.
Move or copy filter masks

• To move the mask to another Smart Filter Effect, drag the mask to the other Smart Filter Effect.
• To copy the mask, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the mask to another Smart Filter Effect.
Disable a filter mask
❖ Shift-click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette, or choose Layer > Smart Filter > Disable Filter Mask.

A red X appears over the filter mask thumbnail when the mask is disabled, and the Smart Filter appears without
masking. To re-enable the mask, Shift-click the Smart Filter mask thumbnail again.
Delete a Smart Filter mask

• Drag the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to the Delete icon.
• Select the Smart Filter Effect, and choose Layer > Smart Filters > Delete Filter Mask.
Add a filter mask

If you delete a filter mask, you can subsequently add another mask.

• To add an empty mask, select the Smart Filter Effect, and choose Layer > Smart Filters > Add Filter Mask.
• To add a mask based on a selection, make a selection, and then right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS)
the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette, and choose Add Filter Mask.

Layer comps
About layer comps
Designers often create multiple compositions or comps of a page layout to show clients. Using layer comps, you can
create, manage, and view multiple versions of a layout in a single Photoshop file.
A layer comp is a snapshot of a state of the Layers palette. Layer comps record three types of layer options:

• Layer visibility—whether a layer is showing or hidden.
• Layer position in the document.
• Layer appearance—whether a layer style is applied to the layer and the layer’s blending mode.
Note: Unlike layer effects, Smart Filter settings cannot be changed across layer comps. Once a Smart Filter is applied to
a layer, it appears in all layer comps for the image.
You can export layer comps to separate files, to a single PDF, or to a web photo gallery.

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Choose Window > Layer Comps to show the palette.

Layer Comps palette
A. Apply Layer Comp icon B. Last Document State C. Selected comps D. Layer Comp Cannot Be Fully Restored icon

Create a layer comp
1 Choose Window > Layer Comps to display the Layer Comp palette.
2 Click the Create New Layer Comp button at the bottom of the Layer Comps palette. The new comp reflects the
current state of layers in the Layers palette.
3 In the New Layer Comp dialog box, name the comp, add descriptive comments, and choose options to apply to

layers: Visibility, Position, and Appearance.
4 Click OK. Any new comp preserves the options you chose for the previous one, so you don’t have to make these
choices again if you want the comps to be identical.

To duplicate a comp, select a comp in the Layer Comps palette and drag the comp to the New Comps button.

Apply and view layer comps
1 Do any of the following:

• To view a layer comp, you first need to apply it in the document. In the Layer Comp palette, click the Apply Layer
Comp icon

next to a selected comp.

• To cycle through a view of all the layer comps, use the Previous

and Next

buttons at the bottom of the

palette.

• To cycle through a view of selected comps, select the comps in the Layer Comps palette, and then click the Next
and Previous buttons at the bottom of the palette. This cycles through only the comps you selected.

• To restore the document to its state before you chose a layer comp, click the Apply Layer Comp icon
Last Document State at the top of the Layer Comp palette.

next to

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Change and update a layer comp
If you change the configuration of a layer comp, you need to update it.
1 Select the layer comp in the Layer Comps palette.
2 Make changes to the layer’s visibility, position, or style. You may need to change the layer comp’s options to record
these changes.
3 To change your comp options, select Layer Comp Options from the palette menu and select additional options to
record layer position and style.
4 Click the Update Layer Comp button

at the bottom of the palette.

Clear layer comp warnings
Certain actions create a state where the layer comp can no longer be fully restored. This happens when you delete a
layer, merge a layer, or convert a layer to a background. In such instances, a caution icon
appears next to the layer
comp name.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Ignore the warning, which may result in the loss of one or more layers. Other saved parameters may be preserved.
• Update the comp, which results in the loss of the previously captured parameters, but brings the comp up to date.
• Click the caution icon to see the message explaining that the layer comp can’t be restored properly. Choose Clear
to remove the alert icon and leave the remaining layers unchanged.

• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the caution icon to see the pop-up menu that lets you choose
either the Clear Layer Comp Warning or the Clear All Layer Comp Warnings command.

Delete a layer comp
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select the layer comp in the Layer Comps palette and click the Delete icon in the palette, or choose Delete Layer
Comp from the palette menu.

• Drag it to the Delete icon in the palette.

Export layer comps
You can export layer comps to individual files, to a PDF file containing multiple layer comps, or to a web photo
gallery of layer comps.
❖ Choose File > Scripts and then choose one of the following commands:
Layer Comps To Files Exports all layer comps to individual files, one for each comp.
Layer Comps To PDF Exports all layer comps to a PDF file.
Layer Comps To WPG Exports all layer comps to a web photo gallery.

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Masking layers
You can add a mask to a layer and use the mask to hide portions of the layer and reveal the layers below. Masking
layers is a valuable compositing technique for combining multiple photos into a single image or for making local
color and tonal corrections.

About layer and vector masks
You can use masks to hide portions of a layer and reveal portions of the layers below. You can create two types of
masks:

• Layer masks are resolution-dependent bitmap images that are edited with the painting or selection tools.
• Vector masks are resolution independent and are created with a pen or shape tool.
Layer and vector masks are nondestructive, which means you can go back and re-edit the masks later without losing
the pixels they hide.
In the Layers palette, both the layer and vector masks appear as an additional thumbnail to the right of the layer
thumbnail. For the layer mask, this thumbnail represents the grayscale channel that is created when you add the layer
mask. The vector mask thumbnail represents a path that clips out the contents of the layer.
Note: To create a layer or vector mask on the Background layer, first convert it to a regular layer (Layer > New > Layer
from Background).

A
B
C

Masking layer
A. Layer mask thumbnail B. Vector mask thumbnail C. Vector Mask Link icon D. Add Mask

You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region. A layer mask is a grayscale image, so areas you
paint in black are hidden, areas you paint in white are visible, and areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various
levels of transparency.

Background painted with black; description card painted with gray; basket painted with white

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A vector mask creates a sharp-edged shape on a layer and is useful anytime you want to add a design element with
clean, defined edges. After you create a layer with a vector mask, you can apply one or more layer styles to it, edit
them if needed, and instantly have a usable button, panel, or other web-design element.

See also
“About masks and alpha channels” on page 269

Add layer masks
When you add a layer mask, you need to decide if you want to hide or show all of the layer. Later, you’ll paint on the
mask to hide portions of that layer and reveal the layers beneath. Or, you can create a layer mask that automatically
hides a portion of the layer by making a selection before creating the mask.
Add a mask that shows or hides the entire layer
1 Make sure that no part of your image is selected. Choose Select > Deselect.
2 In the Layers palette, select the layer or group.
3 Do one of the following:

• To create a mask that reveals the entire layer, click the New Layer Mask

button in the Layers palette, or choose

Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.

• To create a mask that hides the entire layer, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Layer Mask
button, or choose Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All.
Add a layer mask that hides part of a layer
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer or group.
2 Select the area in the image, and do one of the following:

• Click the New Layer Mask button

in the Layers palette to create a mask that reveals the selection.

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the New Layer Mask button to create a mask that hides the
selection.

• Choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection or Hide Selection.
Apply a layer mask from another layer
❖ Do one of the following:

• To move the mask to another layer, drag the mask to the other layer.
• To duplicate the mask, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the mask to other layer.

Edit a layer mask
1 Click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to make it active. A border appears around the mask
thumbnail.
2 Select any of the editing or painting tools.

Note: The foreground and background colors assume default grayscale values when the mask is active.
3 Do one of the following:

• To subtract from the mask and reveal the layer, paint the mask with white.

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• To make the layer partially visible, paint the mask with gray. Darker grays make the level more transparent, lighter
grays make it more opaque.

• To add to the mask and hide the layer or group, paint the mask with black. The layers below become visible.
To edit the layer instead of the layer mask, select it by clicking its thumbnail in the Layers palette. A border appears
around the layer thumbnail.
To paste a copied selection into a layer mask, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the layer mask
thumbnail in the Layers palette to select and display the mask channel. Choose Edit > Paste, then Select > Deselect.
The selection is converted to grayscale and added to the mask. Click the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette to deselect
the mask channel.

Select and display the layer mask channel
For easier editing of a layer mask, you can display the grayscale mask by itself or as a rubylith overlay on the layer.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the layer mask thumbnail to view only the grayscale mask. To
redisplay the layers, Alt-click or Option-click the layer mask thumbnail, or click an eye icon.

• Hold down Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS), and click the layer mask thumbnail to view the mask
on top of the layer in a rubylith masking color. Hold down Alt+Shift or Option+Shift, and click the thumbnail
again to turn off the color display.

Disable or enable a layer mask
❖ Do one of the following:

• Shift-click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• Select the layer containing the layer mask you want to disable or enable, and choose Layer > Layer Mask > Disable
or Layer > Layer Mask > Enable.
A red X appears over the mask thumbnail in the Layers palette when the mask is disabled, and the layer’s content
appears without masking effects.

Change the layer mask rubylith color or opacity
1 Do one of the following:

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the layer mask thumbnail to select the layer mask channel; then
double-click the layer mask thumbnail.

• Double-click the layer mask channel in the Channels palette.
2 To choose a new mask color, in the Layer Mask Display Options dialog box, click the color swatch and choose a
new color.
3 To change the opacity, enter a value between 0% and 100%.

Both the color and opacity settings affect only the appearance of the mask and have no effect on how underlying
areas are protected. For example, you may want to change these settings to make the mask more easily visible against
the colors in the image.
4 Click OK.

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Add and edit vector masks
You create vector masks with the pen or shapes tools. For more information on working with these tools, see
“Drawing” on page 358.
Add a vector mask that shows or hides the entire layer
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer you want to add the vector mask to.
2 Do one of the following:

• To create a vector mask that reveals the entire layer, choose Layer > Vector Mask > Reveal All.
• To create a vector mask that hides the entire layer, choose Layer > Vector Mask > Hide All.
Add a vector mask that shows the contents of a shape
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer to which to add a vector mask.
2 Select a path, or use one of the shape or pen tools to draw a work path.

Note: To create a path with a shape tool, click the Paths icon in the shape tool options bar.
3 Choose Layer > Vector Mask > Current Path.
Edit a vector mask
❖ Click the vector mask thumbnail in the Layers palette or the thumbnail in the Paths palette. Then change the shape

using the shape, pen, or Direct Selection tools. See “Editing paths” on page 371.
Remove a vector mask
❖ Do one of the following in the Layers palette:

• Drag the vector mask thumbnail to the Delete icon

• Select the layer containing the vector mask you want to delete, and choose Layer > Vector Mask > Delete.
Disable or enable a vector mask
❖ Do one of the following:

• Shift-click the vector mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• Select the layer containing the vector mask you want to disable or enable, and choose Layer > Vector Mask >
Disable or Layer > Vector Mask > Enable.
A red X appears over the mask thumbnail in the Layers palette when the mask is disabled, and the layer’s content
appears without masking effects.
Convert a vector mask to a layer mask
❖ Select the layer containing the vector mask you want to convert, and choose Layer > Rasterize > Vector Mask.

Important: After you rasterize a vector mask, you can’t change it back into a vector object.

Unlinking layers and masks
By default, a layer or group is linked to its layer mask or vector mask, as indicated by the link icon between the
thumbnails in the Layers palette. The layer and its mask move together in the image when you move either one with
the Move tool. Unlinking them lets you move them independently and shift the mask’s boundaries separately from
the layer.

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Note: By default, masks applied to Smart Objects aren’t linked to Smart Object layers.

• To unlink a layer from its mask, click the link icon in the Layers palette.
• To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask, click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the
Layers palette.

Apply or delete a layer mask
You can apply a layer mask to permanently delete the hidden portions of a layer. Layer masks are stored as alpha
channels, so applying and deleting layer masks can help reduce file size. You can also delete a layer mask without
applying the changes.
1 Click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
2 To remove the layer mask after applying it permanently to the layer, click the Delete icon
Layers palette, and then click Apply.

at the bottom of the

3 To remove the layer mask without applying it to the layer, click the Delete icon at the bottom of the Layers palette,
and then click Delete.

You can also apply or delete layer masks using the Layer menu.
Note: You cannot apply a layer mask permanently to a Smart Object layer when deleting the layer mask.

See also
“Save and load selections” on page 273

Load a layer or layer mask’s boundaries as a selection
You can select all the non-transparent areas on a layer, or, if a layer mask exists, all the unmasked areas. This is useful
when you want to select text or image content that is surrounded by or contains transparent areas, or to create a
selection that excludes masked areas on a layer.
1 Do one of the following:

• To select only the non-transparent areas on an unmasked layer, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click
(Mac OS) the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette.

• To select the unmasked areas on a layer that has a layer mask, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS)
the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
2 If a selection already exists, you can do any of the following:

• To add the pixels to an existing selection, press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Command+Shift (Mac OS), and click the
layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.

• To subtract the pixels from an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS), and
click the layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.

• To load the intersection of the pixels and an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or
Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS), and click the layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
If you want to move all the contents of a layer, use the Move tool without loading a transparency mask.

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Mask layers with clipping masks
A clipping mask lets you use the content of a layer to mask the layers above it. The masking is determined by the
content of the bottom or base layer. The non-transparent content of the base layer clips (reveals), the content of the
layers above it in the clipping mask. All other content in the clipped layers is masked out.

Clipping mask: content of the clipped layer (Potatoes) is only visible within the content of the base layer (Logo)

You can use multiple layers in a clipping mask, but they must be successive layers. The name of the base layer in the
mask is underlined, and the thumbnails for the overlying layers are indented. The overlying layers display a clipping
mask icon
.
The Blend Clipped Layers As Group option in the Layer Style dialog box determines whether the blending mode of
the base affects the whole group or just the base. (See “Group blend effects” on page 295.)
Create a clipping mask
1 Arrange the layers in the Layers palette so that the base layer with the mask is below the layers that you want to mask.
2 Do one of the following:

• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), position the pointer over the line in the Layers palette dividing
the base layer and the first layer above it that you want to include in the clipping mask (the pointer changes to two
overlapping circles ), and click.

• Select the first layer above the base layer in the Layers palette, and choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.
3 To add additional layers to the clipping mask, use either method in step 2, and work your way upward one level
at a time in the Layers palette.

Note: If you create a new layer between layers in a clipping mask, or drag an unclipped layer between layers in a clipping
mask, the layer becomes part of the clipping mask.
Layers in the clipping mask are assigned the opacity and mode attributes of the base layer.
Remove a layer from a clipping mask
❖ Do one of the following:

• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), position the pointer over the line separating two grouped layers
in the Layers palette (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles

), and click.

• In the Layers palette, select a layer in the clipping mask, and choose Layer > Release Clipping Mask. This
command removes the selected layer and any layers above it from the clipping mask.
Release all layers in a clipping mask
1 In the Layers palette, select the clipping mask layer just above the base layer.
2 Choose Layer > Release Clipping Mask.

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Combine multiple images into a group portrait
You can use the Auto-Align Layers command from the Edit menu to make a composite photo from a pair of nearly
identical images that may contain some unwanted areas. For example, one shot of a group portrait is ideal except that
one of the subjects has her eyes closed. In another shot her eyes are open. Using Auto-Align Layers and layer
masking, you can combine these shots and eliminate the flaw in the final image.
For a video on aligning layers by content, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0014.
1 Open the two images you want to combine.
2 Create a new image (File > New) with the same dimensions as the two source images.
3 In the Layers palette for each source image, select the layer that contains the image content, and drag it to the new
image window. The Layers palette for the new image now contains two new layers, one for each source image.
4 In the Layers palette of the new image, arrange the new layers so the layer that contains the content you want to

correct (portrait with eyes closed) is on top of the layer that contains the correct content (portrait with eyes open).
5 Select the two new layers, and choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers.
6 Select Reposition Only, then click OK. Photoshop finds the common areas in each layer and aligns them so that
identical areas overlap.
7 Click the top layer to select only that layer.
8 Add a blank layer mask to the layer:

• Click Add Layer Mask in the Layers palette.
• Choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.
9 Set the foreground color to black, choose a brush tip and size, and zoom in if necessary to focus on the part of the

image you want to correct.
10 Using the brush tool, add to the layer mask by painting over the top layer. Painting with black completely masks

out the top layer, while grayscale creates partial transparency to the layer below, and white restores the top layer. See
“Edit a layer mask” on page 319. Continue editing the layer mask until you successfully blend the two layers to create
one unified image.
Note: Make sure that the layer mask thumbnail, not the image thumbnail, is selected in the Layers palette during the
masking operation.
11 To allow further editing, save the layered and masked version of the image, and make another copy that you can

flatten to produce a single-layer version with a smaller file size.

See also
“Merge and stamp layers” on page 291

325

Chapter 11: Painting
Painting changes the color of image pixels. You use painting tools and techniques to retouch images, create or edit
masks on alpha channels, rotoscope or paint on video frames, and to paint original art. Brush tips, brush presets, and
the many brush options give you creative control to produce stunning painting effects or to simulate working with
traditional media. You can work with several painting tools on 32-bit per channel, high dynamic range (HDR)
images including Paintbrush, Pencil, Smudge, Sharpen, Blur, Stamp, History Brush, Pattern Stamp, and Eraser.

Painting tools
About painting tools, options, and palettes
Adobe Photoshop CS3 provides several tools for painting and editing image color. The Brush tool and the Pencil tool
work like traditional drawing tools by applying color with brush strokes. The Gradient tool, Fill command, and Paint
Bucket tool apply color to large areas. Tools like the Eraser tool, Blur tool, and Smudge tool modify the existing colors
in the image. See “Painting tools gallery” on page 28.
In the options bar for each tool, you can set how color is applied to an image and choose from preset brush tips.
Brush and tool presets

You can save a set of brush options as a preset so you can quickly access brush characteristics you use frequently.
Photoshop includes several sample brush presets. You can start with these presets and modify them to produce new
effects. Many original brush presets are available for download on the web.
You choose presets from the Brush Preset picker, which stores preset brushes and allows you to temporarily modify
the diameter and hardness of a brush preset.
Learn the shortcuts for changing paint tool size and hardness. See “Keys for painting objects” on page 642.
You use tool presets when you want to save brush tip characteristics along with settings from the options bar, such
as opacity, flow, and color. To learn more about tool presets, see “Create and use tool presets” on page 31.
Brush tip options

Along with settings in the options bar, brush tip options control how color is applied. You can apply color gradually,
with soft edges, with large brush strokes, with various brush dynamics, with different blending properties, and with
brushes of different shapes. You can apply a texture with your brush strokes to simulate painting on canvas or art
papers. You can also simulate spraying paint with an airbrush. You use the Brushes palette to set brush tip options.
See “Brushes palette overview” on page 332.
If you work with a drawing tablet, you can control how color is applied using pen pressure, angle, rotation, or a stylus
wheel. You set options for drawing tablets in the Brushes palette.

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Paint with the Brush tool or Pencil tool
The Brush tool and the Pencil tool paint the current foreground color on an image. The Brush tool creates soft
strokes of color. The Pencil tool creates hard-edged lines.
1 Choose a foreground color. (See “Choose colors in the toolbox” on page 118.)
2 Select the Brush tool

or Pencil tool

3 Choose a brush from the Brush Presets picker. See “Select a preset brush” on page 330.
4 Set tool options for mode, opacity, and so on, in the options bar. See “Paint tool options” on page 326.
5 Do one or more of the following:

• Drag in the image to paint.
• To draw a straight line, click a starting point in the image. Then hold down Shift, and click an ending point.
• When using the Brush tool as an airbrush, hold down the mouse button without dragging to build up color.

Paint tool options
Set the following options for painting tools in the options bar. Options available vary with each tool.
Mode Sets the method for blending the color you paint with the underlying existing pixels. Available modes change

with the currently selected tool. Paint modes are similar to layer blending modes. See “List of blending modes” on
page 344.
Opacity Sets the transparency of color you apply. As you paint over an area, the opacity will not exceed the set level
no matter how many times you move the pointer over the area, until you release the mouse button. If you stroke over
the area again, you will apply additional color, equivalent to the set opacity. Opacity of 100 percent is opaque.
Flow Sets the rate at which color is applied as you move the pointer over an area. As you paint over an area, keeping

the mouse button down, the amount of color will build up based on the flow rate, up to the opacity setting. For
example, if you set the opacity to 33% and the flow to 33%, each time you move over an area, its color moves 33%
towards the brush color. The total will not exceed 33% opacity unless you release the mouse button and stroke over
the area again.
Press a number key to set a tool’s opacity in multiples of 10% (pressing 1 sets it to 10%; pressing 0 sets it to 100%).
Use Shift and number key to set Flow.
Simulates painting with an airbrush. As you move the pointer over an area, paint builds up as you hold
down the mouse button. Brush hardness, opacity, and flow options control how fast and how much the paint is
applied. Click the button to turn this option on or off.

Airbrush

Auto erase (Pencil tool only) Paints the background color over areas containing the foreground color. Select the

foreground color you want to erase and the background color you want to change to. (See “Auto Erase with the Pencil
tool” on page 330.)

Paint with a pattern
The Pattern Stamp tool paints with a pattern. You can select a pattern from the pattern libraries or create your own
patterns.
1 Select the Pattern Stamp tool

2 Choose a brush from the Brush Presets picker. See “Select a preset brush” on page 330.)
3 Set tool options for mode, opacity, etc. in the options bar. See “Paint tool options” on page 326.

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4 Select Aligned in the options bar to maintain the pattern’s continuity with your original start point, even if you
release the mouse button and then continue painting. Deselect Aligned to restart the pattern each time you stop and
start painting.
5 Select a pattern from the Pattern pop-up palette in the options bar.
6 If you’d like to apply the pattern with an impressionistic effect, select Impressionist.
7 Drag in the image to paint it with the pattern.

See also
“Creating and managing patterns” on page 354

Paint with the Art History Brush
The Art History Brush tool paints with stylized strokes, using the source data from a specified history state or
snapshot. By experimenting with different paint style, size, and tolerance options, you can simulate the texture of
painting with different colors and artistic styles.
Like the History Brush tool, the Art History Brush tool uses a specified history state or snapshot as the source data.
The History Brush tool, however, paints by recreating the specified source data, while the Art History Brush tool uses
that data along with the options you set to create different colors and artistic styles.
For a variety of visual effects, experiment with applying filters or filling an image with a solid color before painting
with the Art History Brush tool. Also try increasing the size of the image by a factor of 4 to soften the details.

Example of using the Art History Brush tool
A. Original B. Using a small brush C. Using a large brush

1 In the History palette, click the left column of the state or snapshot to use as the source for the Art History Brush
tool. A brush icon appears next to the source history state.
2 Select the Art History Brush tool

3 Do the following in the options bar:

• Choose a brush from the Brush Presets picker, and set brush options. (See “Select a preset brush” on page 330.)
• Choose a blending mode from the Mode menu. (See “About blending modes” on page 343.)
• Choose an option from the Style menu to control the shape of the paint stroke.
• For Area, enter a value to specify the area covered by the paint strokes. The greater the size, the larger the covered
area and the more numerous the strokes.

• For Tolerance, enter a value to limit the regions where paint strokes can be applied. A low tolerance lets you paint
unlimited strokes anywhere in the image. A high tolerance limits paint strokes to areas that differ considerably
from the color in the source state or snapshot.
4 Drag in the image to paint.

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Erase with the Eraser tool
The Eraser tool changes pixels to either the background color or to transparent. If you’re working in the background
or in a layer with transparency locked, the pixels change to the background color; otherwise, the pixels are erased to
transparency.
You can also use the eraser to return the affected area to a state selected in the History palette.
1 Select the Eraser tool

2 Set the background color you want to apply if you are erasing in the background or a layer with locked transparency.
3 Choose a mode for the eraser. Brush and Pencil set the eraser to act like those tools. Block is a hard-edged, fixedsized square with no options for changing the opacity or flow.
4 For Brush and Pencil modes, choose a brush, and set Opacity and Flow in the options bar.

An opacity of 100% erases pixels completely. A lower opacity erases pixels partially. See “Paint tool options” on
page 326.
5 To erase to a saved state or snapshot of the image, click the left column of the state or snapshot in the History

palette, and then select Erase To History in the options bar.
(Photoshop) To temporarily use the Eraser tool in Erase to History mode, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option
(Mac OS) as you drag in the image.
6 Drag through the area you want to erase.

Change similar pixels with the Magic Eraser tool
When you click in a layer with the Magic Eraser tool, the tool changes all similar pixels to transparent. If you’re
working in a layer with locked transparency, the pixels change to the background color. If you click in the
background, it is converted to a layer and all similar pixels change to transparent.
You can choose to erase contiguous pixels only or all similar pixels on the current layer.

Example of erasing similar pixels

1 Select the Magic Eraser tool

2 Do the following in the options bar:

• Enter a tolerance value to define the range of colors that can be erased. A low tolerance erases pixels within a range
of color values very similar to the pixel you click. A high tolerance erases pixels within a broader range.

• Select Anti-aliased to smooth the edges of the area you erase.

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• Select Contiguous to erase only pixels contiguous to the one you click, or deselect to erase all similar pixels in the
image.

• Select Sample All Layers to sample the erased color using combined data from all visible layers.
• Specify an opacity to define the strength of the erasure. An opacity of 100% erases pixels completely. A lower
opacity erases pixels partially.
3 Click in the part of the layer you want to erase.

Change pixels to transparent with the Background Eraser tool
The Background Eraser tool erases pixels on a layer to transparency as you drag; this allows you to erase the
background while maintaining the edges of an object in the foreground. By specifying different sampling and
tolerance options, you can control the range of the transparency and the sharpness of the boundaries.
If you want to erase the background of an object with intricate or wispy edges, use the Extract command.
The background eraser samples the color in the center of the brush, also called the hot spot, and deletes that color
wherever it appears inside the brush. It also performs color extraction at the edges of any foreground objects, so that
color halos are not visible if the foreground object is later pasted into another image.
Note: The background eraser overrides the lock transparency setting of a layer.
1 In the Layers palette, select the layer containing the areas you want to erase.
2 Select the Background Eraser tool

3 Click the brush sample in the options bar, and set brush options in the pop-up palette:

• Choose settings for the Diameter, Hardness, Spacing, Angle, and Roundness options (see “Brush tip shape
options” on page 334).

• If you’re using a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet, choose options from the Size and Tolerance menus to vary the
size and tolerance of the background eraser over the course of a stroke. Choose Pen Pressure to base the variation
on the pen pressure. Choose Stylus Wheel to base the variation on the position of the pen thumbwheel. Choose
Off if you don’t want to vary the size or tolerance.
4 Do the following in the options bar:

• Choose a Limits mode for erasing: Discontiguous to erase the sampled color wherever it occurs under the brush;
Contiguous to erase areas that contain the sampled color and are connected to one another; and Find Edges to
erase connected areas containing the sampled color while better preserving the sharpness of shape edges.

• For Tolerance, enter a value or drag the slider. A low tolerance limits erasure to areas that are very similar to the
sampled color. A high tolerance erases a broader range of colors.

• Select Protect Foreground Color to prevent the erasure of areas that match the foreground color in the toolbox.
• Choose a Sampling option: Continuous to sample colors continuously as you drag; Once to erase only areas
containing the color you first click; and Background Swatch to erase only areas containing the current background
color.
5 Drag through the area you want to erase. The Background Eraser tool pointer appears as a brush shape with a
cross hair indicating the tool’s hot spot .

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Auto Erase with the Pencil tool
The Auto Erase option for the Pencil tool lets you paint the background color over areas containing the foreground
color.
1 Specify foreground and background colors.
2 Select the Pencil tool

3 Select Auto Erase in the options bar.
4 Drag over the image.

If the center of the cursor is over the foreground color when you begin dragging, the area is erased to the background
color. If the center of the cursor is over an area that doesn’t contain the foreground color when you begin dragging,
the area is painted with the foreground color.

Changing the brush cursor
The painting tools have three possible cursors: the standard cursor (the icon from the toolbox), a cross hair , and
a cursor that matches the size and shape of the currently selected brush tip. You change the brush tip cursor in the
Cursors preferences dialog box.
1 Choose Edit > Preferences > Cursors (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > Cursors (Mac OS).
2 Select the desired cursors in both the Painting Cursors area and the Other Cursors area. The sample cursors
change to reflect your choices. For a Brush Tip cursor, choose a size and whether to include a cross hair in the cursor.

• Normal Brush Tip restricts the cursor size to areas of the brush stroke that have 50% or more opacity.
• Full Size Brush Tip sizes the cursor to the entire area affected by the brush stroke. For soft brushes, this produces
a larger cursor size than the Normal setting, to include the areas of the brush stroke with lighter opacity.
3 Click OK.

For the Pen and Brush tools, the Caps Lock key acts like a toggle for changing between the standard cursor and the
cross hair.

Brush presets
A preset brush is a saved brush tip with defined characteristics, such as size, shape, and hardness. You can save preset
brushes with the characteristics you use often. You can also save tool presets for the Brush tool that you can select
from the Tool Preset menu in the options bar.
When you change the size, shape, or hardness of a preset brush, the change is temporary. The next time you choose
that preset, the brush uses its original settings. To make your changes permanent, you need to create a new preset.
See “Create a new preset brush” on page 332.

Select a preset brush
1 Select a painting tool or editing tool, and click the Brush Preset pop-up menu in the options bar.
2 Select a brush.

Note: You can also select a brush from the Brushes palette. Be sure that Brush Presets on the left side of the palette is
selected to view the loaded presets.

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3 Change options for the preset brush.
Diameter Temporarily changes the brush size. Drag the slider or enter a value. If the brush has a dual tip, both the

primary and dual brush tips are scaled.
Use Sample Size Uses the original diameter of the brush tip if the brush tip shape is based on a sample. (Not available

for round brushes.)
Hardness Temporarily changes the amount of anti-aliasing for the brush tool. At 100%, the brush tool paints with

the hardest brush tip, but is still anti-aliased. The Pencil always paints a hard edge that is not anti-aliased.

See also
“Brushes palette overview” on page 332
“Create and use tool presets” on page 31

Change how preset brushes are displayed
Choose a display option from the Brush Preset picker menu

or Brushes palette menu:

• Text Only to view the brushes as a list.
• Small or Large Thumbnail to view the brushes as thumbnails.
• Small or Large List to view the brushes as a list with thumbnails.
• Stroke Thumbnail to view a sample brush stroke with each brush thumbnail.
To dynamically preview brush strokes in the Brushes palette, make sure that Brush Preset is selected, and then
position the pointer over a brush until the tool tip appears. Move the pointer over different brushes. The preview area
at the bottom of the palette will display sample brush strokes.

Load, save, and manage brush presets
You can manage libraries of preset brushes to keep your brushes organized and to make available only the brushes
you need for a project.
Change the preset brushes displayed in the palette
1 To load a library of preset brushes, choose one of the following from the Brush Preset picker menu or Brushes

palette menu:

• Load Brushes to add a library to the current list. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• Replace Brushes to replace the current list with a different library. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• A library file (displayed at the bottom of the palette menu). Click OK to replace the current list, or click Append
to append the current list.
2 To return to the default library of preset brushes, choose Reset Brushes from the Brush Preset picker menu or
Brushes palette menu. You can either replace the current list or append the default library to the current list.

Note: You can also use the Preset Manager to load and reset brush libraries.
Save a set of preset brushes as a library
1 Choose Save Brushes from the Brush Preset picker menu or Brushes palette menu.
2 Choose a location for the brush library, enter a file name, and click Save.

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You can save the library anywhere. However, if you place the library file in the Presets/Brushes folder in the default
preset location, the library name will appear at the bottom of the Brush Preset picker menu and Brushes palette menu
after you restart Photoshop.
You can also use the Preset Manager to rename, delete, and save libraries of preset brushes. For more information,
see “Work with the Preset Manager” on page 46.
Rename a preset brush

Do one of the following:

• Select a brush in the Brush Preset picker or Brushes palette, and choose Rename Brush from the palette menu.
Enter a new name for the brush, and click OK.

• If the Brushes palette is set to display brushes as thumbnails, double-click a brush, enter a new name, and click OK.
• If the Brushes palette is set to display brushes as a list or text only, double-click a brush, enter a new name inline,
and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).
Delete a preset brush

• In the Brush Preset picker or Brushes palette, select a brush, and choose Delete Brush from the palette menu.
• In the Brush Preset picker or Brushes palette, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the brush you want
to delete.

• In the Brushes palette, select a brush and click the Delete icon

, or drag a brush to the Delete icon.

Create a new preset brush
You can save a customized brush as a preset brush that appears in the Brushes palette, Brush Preset picker, and Preset
Manager.
Note: New preset brushes are saved in a Preferences file. If this file is deleted or damaged, or if you reset brushes to the
default library, the new presets will be lost. To permanently save new preset brushes, save them in a library.
1 Customize a brush.
2 Do one of the following in the Brushes palette or Brush Preset picker:

• Choose New Brush Preset from the palette menu, enter a name for the preset brush, and click OK.
• Click the Create New Brush button

Creating and modifying brushes
You can create brushes that apply paint to images in a variety of ways. You select an existing preset brush, a brush tip
shape, or create a unique brush tip from part of an image. You choose options from the Brushes palette to specify
how the paint is applied.

Brushes palette overview
In the Brushes palette, you can select preset brushes, like in the Brush Preset Picker, but you can also modify existing
brushes and design new custom brushes. The Brushes palette contains the brush tip options that determine how
paint is applied to an image.

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The brush stroke preview at the bottom of the palette shows how paint strokes look with the current brush options.
A B

C
F

Brushes palette with Brush Tip Shape options displayed
A. Locked B. Unlocked C. Selected brush tip D. Brush settings E. Brush stroke preview F. pop-up menu G. Brush tip shapes (available when
Brush Tip Shape option is selected) H. Brush options

Display the Brushes palette and brush options
1 Choose Window > Brushes, or click the palette button

on the right side of the options bar if you have a

painting tool, erasing tool, toning tool, or focus tool selected.
2 Select an option set on the left side of the palette. The available options for the set appear on the right side of the
palette.

Click the check box to the left of the option set to enable or disable the options without viewing them.

Create a brush tip from an image
1 Use any selection tool to select a part of an image to use as a custom brush. Feather should be set to 0 pixels if you
want to create a brush with a sharp edge. The brush shape can be up to 2500 pixels by 2500 pixels in size.

If you select color image, the brush tip image is converted to grayscale. Any layer mask applied to the image doesn’t
affect the definition of the brush tip.
If you want to define a brush with soft edges, select pixels with gray values. (Colored brush shapes appear as gray
values.)
2 Choose Edit > Define Brush Preset.
3 Name the brush, and click OK.

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Create a brush and set painting options
1 Open the Brushes palette by clicking the brushes palette button in the options bar. Make sure the Brush tool is
selected to see the button.
2 In the Brushes palette, choose an existing brush preset to modify or select a brush shape from the Brush Tip Shape
panel of the Brushes palette. You can also create a new brush tip from an image.
3 Select Brush Tip Shape on the left side of the Brushes palette, and set options. See “Brush tip shape options” on
page 334.
4 Set other options for the brush as needed. See the following sections for information about the options.

• “Brush shape dynamics” on page 337
• “Brush scattering” on page 338
• “Textured brush options” on page 339
• “Dual brushes” on page 340
• “Color dynamics Brush options” on page 340
• “Other dynamics brush options” on page 341
• “Other Brush options” on page 342
5 To lock brush tip shape attributes, click the unlock icon

. To unlock the tip, click the lock icon

6 To save the brush for use later, choose New Brush Preset from the Brushes palette menu.

Note: To save your new brush permanently or distribute it to other users, you must save the brush as part of a set of
brushes. Choose Save Brushes from the Brushes palette menu, and then save to a new set or overwrite an existing set. If
you reset or replace the brushes in the Brushes palette without saving it in a set, you could lose your new brush.

See also
“Brushes palette overview” on page 332
“Create a brush tip from an image” on page 333

Brush tip shape options
You can set the following brush tip shape options in the Brushes palette:
Diameter Controls the size of the brush. Enter a value in pixels or drag the slider.

Brush strokes with different diameter values

Use Sample Size Resets the brush to its original diameter. This option is available only if the brush tip shape was

created by sampling pixels in an image.
Flip X Changes the direction of a brush tip on its x axis.

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Flipping a brush tip on its x axis.
A. Brush tip in its default position B. Flip X selected C. Flip X and Flip Y selected

Flip Y Changes the direction of a brush tip on its y axis.

Flipping a brush tip on its y axis.
A. Brush tip in its default position B. Flip Y selected C. Flip Y and Flip X selected

Angle Specifies the angle by which an elliptical or sampled brush’s long axis is rotated from horizontal. Type a value
in degrees, or drag the horizontal axis in the preview box.

Angled brushes create a chiseled stroke

Roundness Specifies the ratio between the brush’s short and long axes. Enter a percentage value, or drag the points

in the preview box. A value of 100% indicates a circular brush, a value of 0% indicates a linear brush, and intermediate values indicate elliptical brushes.

Adjusting roundness to compress a brush tip shape

Hardness Controls the size of the brush’s hard center. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value that is a

percentage of the brush diameter. You can’t change the hardness of sampled brushes.

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Brush strokes with different hardness values

Spacing Controls the distance between the brush marks in a stroke. To change the spacing, type a number, or use

the slider to enter a value that is a percentage of the brush diameter. When this option is deselected, the speed of the
cursor determines the spacing.

Increasing the spacing makes the brush skip

While using a preset brush, press the [ key to decrease the brush width; press the ] key to increase the width. For hard
round, soft round, and calligraphic brushes, press Shift+[ to decrease the brush hardness; press Shift+] to increase
the brush hardness.

See also
“Brushes palette overview” on page 332
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Adding brush dynamics
The Brushes palette provides many options for adding dynamic (or changing) elements to preset brush tips. For
example, you can set options that vary the size, color, and opacity of brush marks over the course of a stroke.
You work with two components when adding dynamics elements to a brush:

• Jitter percentages specify the randomness of dynamic elements. At 0%, an element does not change over the course
of a stroke; at 100%, an element has the maximum amount of randomness.

• Options in the Control pop-up menus specify how you want to control the variance of dynamic elements. You can
choose not to control the variance of an element, to fade an element over the specified number of steps, or to vary
an element based on pen pressure, pen tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or pen rotation.
Note: Pen controls are available only when you’re using a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet such as the Wacom tablet,
and supported pens (for rotation control). A warning icon appears if you select a pen control but have not installed a
tablet.

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See also
“Brushes palette overview” on page 332
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Brush shape dynamics
Shape dynamics determine the variance of brush marks in a stroke.

Brush stokes without shape dynamics and with shape dynamics

Size Jitter and Control Specifies how the size of brush marks vary in a stroke. For more information, see “Adding
brush dynamics” on page 336.

To specify the maximum percentage of jittering, type a number or use the slider to enter a value. To specify how you
want to control the size variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the size variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the size of brush marks between the initial diameter and the minimum diameter in the specified
number of steps. Each step is equal to one mark of the brush tip. The value can range from 1 to 9999. For example,
entering 10 steps produces a fade in 10 increments.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel Varies the size of brush marks between the initial diameter and the minimum
diameter based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, or position of the pen thumbwheel.
Minimum Diameter Specifies the minimum percentage by which brush marks can scale when Size Jitter or Size

Control is enabled. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value that is a percentage of the brush tip diameter.
Tilt Scale Specifies the scale factor applied to the height of the brush prior to rotation when Size Control is set to Pen

Tilt. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value that is a percentage of the brush diameter.
Angle Jitter and Control Specifies how the angle of brush marks varies in a stroke. To specify the maximum

percentage of jittering, enter a value that is a percentage of 360 degrees. To specify how you want to control the angle
variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the angle variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the angle of brush marks between 0 and 360 degrees in the specified number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the angle of brush marks between 0 and 360 degrees based
on the pen pressure, pen tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.
• Initial Direction Bases the angle of brush marks on the initial direction of the brush stroke.
• Direction Bases the angle of brush marks on the direction of the brush stroke.

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Roundness Jitter and Control Specifies how the roundness of brush marks varies in a stroke. To specify the maximum
percentage of jittering, enter a percentage indicating the ratio between the brush’s short and long axes. To specify how
you want to control the roundness variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the roundness variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the roundness of brush marks between 100% and the Minimum Roundness value in the specified
number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the roundness of brush marks between 100% and the
Minimum Roundness value based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.
Minimum Roundness Specifies the minimum roundness for brush marks when Roundness Jitter or Roundness
Control is enabled. Enter a percentage indicating the ratio between the brush’s short and long axes.

See also
“Adding brush dynamics” on page 336
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Brush scattering
Brush scattering determines the number and placement of marks in a stroke.

Brush strokes without scattering (left) and with scattering (right)

Scatter and Control Specifies how brush marks are distributed in a stroke. When Both Axes is selected, brush marks

are distributed in a radial direction. When Both Axes is deselected, brush marks are distributed perpendicular to the
stroke path.
To specify the maximum percentage of scattering, enter a value. To specify how you want to control the scattering
variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the scattering variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the scattering of brush marks from maximum scattering to no scattering in the specified number of
steps.

• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the scattering of brush marks based on the pen pressure, pen
tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.
Count Specifies the number of brush marks applied at each spacing interval.

Note: If you increase the count without increasing the spacing or scattering values, painting performance may decrease.

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Count Jitter and Control Specifies how the number of brush marks varies for each spacing interval. To specify the

maximum percentage of brush marks applied at each spacing interval, enter a value. To specify how you want to
control the count variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the count variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the number of brush marks from the Count value to 1 in the specified number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the number of brush marks based on the pen pressure, pen
tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.

See also
“Adding brush dynamics” on page 336
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Textured brush options
A textured brush uses a pattern to make strokes look as if they are painted on textured canvas.

Brush strokes without texture (left) and with texture (right)

Click the pattern sample, and select a pattern from the pop-up palette. Set one or more of the following options:
Invert Inverts the high and low points in the texture based on the tones in the pattern. When Invert is selected, the

lightest areas in the pattern are the low points in the texture and therefore receive the least paint; the darkest areas in
the pattern are the high points in the texture and therefore receive the most paint. When Invert is deselected, the
lightest areas in the pattern receive the most paint; the darkest areas in the pattern receive the least paint.
Scale Specifies the scale of the pattern. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value that is a percentage of the

pattern size.
Texture Each Tip Applies the selected texture individually to each brush mark in a brush stroke, rather than to the

brush stroke as a whole (a brush stroke is made up of many brush marks, applied continuously as you drag the
brush). You must select this option to make the Depth variance options available.
Mode Specifies the blending mode used to combine the brush and the pattern. (See “About blending modes” on

page 343.)
Depth Specifies how deeply the paint penetrates into the texture. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value.

At 100%, the low points in the texture do not receive any paint. At 0%, all points in the texture receive the same
amount of paint, therefore hiding the pattern.
Minimum Depth Specifies the minimum depth to which paint can penetrate when Depth Control is set to Fade, Pen

Pressure, Pen Tilt, or Stylus Wheel, and Texture Each Tip is selected.

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Depth Jitter and Control Specifies how the depth varies when Texture Each Tip is selected. To specify the maximum

percentage of jitter, enter a value. To specify how you want to control the depth variance of brush marks, choose an
option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the depth variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades from the Depth Jitter percentage to the Minimum Depth percentage in the specified number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the depth based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, position of the
pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.

See also
“Adding brush dynamics” on page 336
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Dual brushes
A dual brush combines two tips to create brush marks. The second brush texture is applied within the brush stroke
of the primary brush; only the areas where both brushstrokes intersect are painted. Set options for the primary tip
in the Brush Tip Shape section of the Brushes palette. Select a second brush tip from the Dual Brush section of the
Brushes palette, and set any of the following options.

Brush strokes created with a single tip (left) and with dual tips (right)

Mode Sets a blending mode to use when combining brush marks from the primary tip and the dual tip. (See “List

of blending modes” on page 344.)
Diameter Controls the size of the dual tip. Enter a value in pixels, drag the slider, or click Use Sample Size to use the

original diameter of the brush tip. (The Use Sample Size option is available only if the brush tip shape was created by
sampling pixels in an image.)
Spacing Controls the distance between the dual tip brush marks in a stroke. To change the spacing, type a number,

or use the slider to enter a percentage of the tip diameter.
Scatter Specifies how dual tip brush marks are distributed in a stroke. When Both Axes is selected, dual tip brush
marks are distributed in a radial direction. When Both Axes is deselected, dual tip brush marks are distributed
perpendicular to the stroke path. To specify the maximum percentage of scattering, type a number or use the slider
to enter a value.
Count Specifies the number of dual tip brush marks applied at each spacing interval. Type a number, or use the slider

to enter a value.

Color dynamics Brush options
Color dynamics determine how the color of paint changes over the course of a stroke.

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Brush strokes without color dynamics (left) and with color dynamics (right)

Foreground/Background Jitter and Control Specifies how paint varies between the foreground color and

background color.
To specify a percentage by which the color of the paint can vary, type a number, or use the slider to enter a value. To
specify how you want to control the color variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the color variance of brush marks.
• Fade Varies the color of paint between the foreground color and the background color in the specified number of
steps.

• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation Varies the color of paint between the foreground color and the
background color based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, position of the pen thumbwheel, or rotation of the pen.
Hue Jitter Specifies a percentage by which the hue of the paint can vary in a stroke. Type a number, or use the slider

to enter a value. A lower value changes the hue while maintaining a close proximity to the hue of the foreground
color. A higher value increases the difference between hues.
Saturation Jitter Specifies a percentage by which the saturation of the paint can vary in a stroke. Type a number, or

use the slider to enter a value. A lower value changes the saturation while maintaining a close proximity to the
saturation of the foreground color. A higher value increases the difference between saturation levels.
Brightness Jitter Specifies a percentage by which the brightness of the paint can vary in a stroke. Type a number, or
use the slider to enter a value. A lower value changes the brightness while maintaining a close proximity to the
brightness of the foreground color. A higher value increases the difference between brightness levels.
Purity Increases or decreases the saturation of the color. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a percentage

between –100 and 100. At –100%, the color is fully desaturated; at 100%, the color is fully saturated.

See also
“Adding brush dynamics” on page 336

Other dynamics brush options
Other dynamics determine how paint changes over the course of a stroke.

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Brush strokes without paint dynamics (left) and with paint dynamics (right)

Opacity Jitter and Control Specifies how the opacity of paint varies in a brush stroke, up to (but not exceeding) the
opacity value specified in the options bar. To specify a percentage by which the opacity of the paint can vary, type a
number or use the slider to enter a value. To specify how you want to control the opacity variance of brush marks,
choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the opacity variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the opacity of paint from the opacity value in the options bar to 0, in the specified number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel Varies the opacity of paint based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, or the position
of the pen thumbwheel.
Flow Jitter and Control Specifies how the flow of paint varies in a brush stroke, up to (but not exceeding) the flow
value specified in the options bar.

To specify a percentage by which the flow of the paint can vary, type a number or use the slider to enter a value. To
specify how you want to control the flow variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop-up menu:

• Off Specifies no control over the flow variance of brush marks.
• Fade Fades the flow of paint from the flow value in the options bar to 0 in the specified number of steps.
• Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel Varies the flow of paint based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, or position of the
pen thumbwheel.

See also
“Adding brush dynamics” on page 336
“Create a brush and set painting options” on page 334

Other Brush options
Noise Adds additional randomness to individual brush tips. This option is most effective when applied to soft brush

tips (brush tips that contain gray values).
Wet Edges Causes paint to build up along the edges of the brush stroke, creating a watercolor effect.
Airbrush Applies gradual tones to an image, simulating traditional airbrush techniques. The Airbrush option in the

Brushes palette corresponds to the Airbrush option in the options bar.
Smoothing Produces smoother curves in brush strokes. This option is most effective when you are painting quickly
with a stylus; however, it may produce a slight lag time in stroke rendering.
Protect Texture Applies the same pattern and scale to all brush presets that have a texture. Select this option to

simulate a consistent canvas texture when painting with multiple, textured brush tips.

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Copy textures between tools
When you specify a texture for the current tool, you can copy the texture’s pattern and scale to all tools that support
textures. For example, you can copy the current texture pattern and scale for the Brush tool to the Pencil, Clone
Stamp, Pattern Stamp, History Brush, Art History Brush, Eraser, Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools.
❖ Choose Copy Texture to Other Tools from the Brushes palette menu.

Clear brush options
You can clear all options that you changed for a brush preset (except brush shape settings) at once.
❖ Choose Clear Brush Controls from the Brushes palette menu.

Set pen sensitivity for graphics tablets
If you work with a graphics drawing tablet, such as the Wacom® tablet, you can set the painting tools to control how
color is applied depending on the pen pressure, angle, rotation, or using the stylus wheel.
1 Select the Brush tool

, the Pencil tool

, or other painting tool in the toolbox.

2 Click the Brushes tab to bring the Brushes palette to the front or, if the palette isn’t open, choose Window >

Brushes.
3 To make the tool tip size change with pressure, select Shape Dynamics (be sure to click the word, not just the check
box) in the Brushes palette. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls menu under the Size Jitter slider control.
4 To make the opacity change with pressure, select Other Dynamics. Then choose Pen Pressure from the Controls
menu under the Opacity Jitter slider control.

Note: You can set the pen pressure for other brush characteristics as well. The Brush palette contains controls that vary
the angle, flow, scatter, texture depth, and roundness of the stroke according to pen pressure.

See also
“Brushes palette overview” on page 332
“Brush shape dynamics” on page 337

Blending modes
About blending modes
The blending mode specified in the options bar controls how pixels in the image are affected by a painting or editing
tool. It’s helpful to think in terms of the following colors when visualizing a blending mode’s effect:

• The base color is the original color in the image.
• The blend color is the color being applied with the painting or editing tool.
• The result color is the color resulting from the blend.

See also
“List of blending modes” on page 344

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List of blending modes
Choose from the Mode pop-up menu in the options bar.
Note: Only the Normal, Dissolve, Darken, Multiply, Lighten, Linear Dodge (Add), Difference, Hue, Saturation, Color,
Luminosity, Lighter Color, and Darker Color blending modes are available for 32-bit images.
Normal Edits or paints each pixel to make it the result color. This is the default mode. (Normal mode is called
Threshold when you’re working with a bitmapped or indexed-color image.)
Dissolve Edits or paints each pixel to make it the result color. However, the result color is a random replacement of

the pixels with the base color or the blend color, depending on the opacity at any pixel location.
Behind Edits or paints only on the transparent part of a layer. This mode works only in layers with Lock Trans-

parency deselected and is analogous to painting on the back of transparent areas on a sheet of acetate.
Clear Edits or paints each pixel and makes it transparent. This mode is available for the Shape tools (when fill

region
is selected), Paint Bucket tool
, Brush tool
, Pencil tool
, Fill command, and Stroke command.
You must be in a layer with Lock Transparency deselected to use this mode.
Darken Looks at the color information in each channel and selects the base or blend color—whichever is darker—

as the result color. Pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color do not
change.
Multiply Looks at the color information in each channel and multiplies the base color by the blend color. The result

color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white
leaves the color unchanged. When you’re painting with a color other than black or white, successive strokes with a
painting tool produce progressively darker colors. The effect is similar to drawing on the image with multiple
marking pens.
Color Burn Looks at the color information in each channel and darkens the base color to reflect the blend color by
increasing the contrast. Blending with white produces no change.
Linear Burn Looks at the color information in each channel and darkens the base color to reflect the blend color by

decreasing the brightness. Blending with white produces no change.
Lighten Looks at the color information in each channel and selects the base or blend color—whichever is lighter—

as the result color. Pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, and pixels lighter than the blend color do not
change.
Screen Looks at each channel’s color information and multiplies the inverse of the blend and base colors. The result
color is always a lighter color. Screening with black leaves the color unchanged. Screening with white produces white.
The effect is similar to projecting multiple photographic slides on top of each other.
Color Dodge Looks at the color information in each channel and brightens the base color to reflect the blend color
by decreasing the contrast. Blending with black produces no change.
Linear Dodge (Add) Looks at the color information in each channel and brightens the base color to reflect the blend

color by increasing the brightness. Blending with black produces no change.
Overlay Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the base color. Patterns or colors overlay the existing pixels
while preserving the highlights and shadows of the base color. The base color is not replaced, but mixed with the
blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.
Soft Light Darkens or lightens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a diffused

spotlight on the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened as if it were
dodged. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the image is darkened as if it were burned in. Painting with pure
black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area, but does not result in pure black or white.

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Hard Light Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a harsh

spotlight on the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened, as if it were
screened. This is useful for adding highlights to an image. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the image is
darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to an image. Painting with pure black or white
results in pure black or white.
Vivid Light Burns or dodges the colors by increasing or decreasing the contrast, depending on the blend color. If the

blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened by decreasing the contrast. If the blend color
is darker than 50% gray, the image is darkened by increasing the contrast.
Linear Light Burns or dodges the colors by decreasing or increasing the brightness, depending on the blend color. If
the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the image is lightened by increasing the brightness. If the blend
color is darker than 50% gray, the image is darkened by decreasing the brightness.
Pin Light Replaces the colors, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray,
pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, and pixels lighter than the blend color do not change. If the blend
color is darker than 50% gray, pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color
do not change. This is useful for adding special effects to an image.
Hard Mix Adds the red, green and blue channel values of the blend color to the RGB values of the base color. If the
resulting sum for a channel is 255 or greater, it receives a value of 255; if less than 255, a value of 0. Therefore, all
blended pixels have red, green, and blue channel values of either 0 or 255. This changes all pixels to primary colors:
red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, magenta, white, or black.
Difference Looks at the color information in each channel and subtracts either the blend color from the base color
or the base color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Blending with white
inverts the base color values; blending with black produces no change.
Exclusion Creates an effect similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode. Blending with white inverts

the base color values. Blending with black produces no change.
Hue Creates a result color with the luminance and saturation of the base color and the hue of the blend color.
Saturation Creates a result color with the luminance and hue of the base color and the saturation of the blend color.
Painting with this mode in an area with no (0) saturation (gray) causes no change.
Color Creates a result color with the luminance of the base color and the hue and saturation of the blend color. This

preserves the gray levels in the image and is useful for coloring monochrome images and for tinting color images.
Luminosity Creates a result color with the hue and saturation of the base color and the luminance of the blend color.
This mode creates the inverse effect of Color mode.
Lighter Color Compares the total of all channel values for the blend and base color and displays the higher value

color. Lighter Color does not produce a third color, which can result from the Lighten blend, because it chooses the
highest channel values from both the base and blend color to create the result color.
Darker Color Compares the total of all channel values for the blend and base color and displays the lower value color.

Darker Color does not produce a third color, which can result from the Darken blend, because it chooses the lowest
channel values from both the base and the blend color to create the result color.

See also
“About blending modes” on page 343
“Blending mode examples” on page 346

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Blending mode examples
These examples show the result of painting part of the image’s face using each blending mode.
For a video on blend modes, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0012.

Original Image

Normal, 100% opacity

Normal, 50% opacity

Dissolve, 50% opacity

Behind

Clear

Darken

Multiply

Color Burn

Linear Burn

Lighten

Screen

Color Dodge

Linear Dodge (Add)

Overlay

Soft Light

Hard Light

Vivid Light

Linear Light

Pin Light

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Hard Mix

Difference

Exclusion

Hue

Saturation

Color

Luminosity, 80% opacity

Lighter Color

Darker Color

Gradients
Apply a gradient fill
The Gradient tool creates a gradual blend between multiple colors. You can choose from preset gradient fills or create
your own.
Note: The Gradient tool cannot be used with bitmap or indexed-color images.
You fill an area with a gradient by dragging in the image. The starting point (where the mouse is pressed) and ending
point (where the mouse is released) affect the gradient appearance, depending on the Gradient tool used.
1 To fill part of the image, select the desired area. Otherwise, the gradient fill is applied to the entire active layer.
2 Select the Gradient tool

3 Choose a gradient fill in the options bar:

• Click the triangle next to the gradient sample to pick a preset gradient fill.
• Click inside the gradient sample to view the Gradient Editor. Select a preset gradient fill, or create a new gradient
fill. Then click OK. (See “Create a smooth gradient” on page 349.)
4 Select an option for applying the gradient fill in the options bar:
Linear gradient

Shades from the starting point to the ending point in a straight line.

Radial gradient

Shades from the starting point to the ending point in a circular pattern.

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Angle gradient

Shades in a counterclockwise sweep around the starting point.

Reflected gradient

Shades using symmetric linear gradients on either side of the starting point.

Diamond gradient

Shades from the starting point outward in a diamond pattern. The ending point defines one

corner of the diamond.
5 Do the following in the options bar:

• Specify a blending mode and opacity for the paint. (See “List of blending modes” on page 344.)
• To reverse the order of colors in the gradient fill, select Reverse.
• To create a smoother blend with less banding, select Dither.
• To use a transparency mask for the gradient fill, select Transparency. (See “Specify the gradient transparency” on
page 350.)
6 Position the pointer in the image where you want to set the starting point of the gradient, and drag to define the
ending point. To constrain the line angle to a multiple of 45˚, hold down Shift as you drag.

Manage gradient presets
Gradient presets allow you to quickly apply gradients that you use often. You can manage your presets in the
Gradient Picker, Presets Manager, or Gradient Editor.

See also
“Work with the Preset Manager” on page 46
Save a set of preset gradients as a library
1 Click Save in the Gradient Editor dialog box, or choose Save Gradients from the Gradient Picker menu in the

options bar.
2 Choose a location for the gradient library, enter a file name, and click Save.

You can save the library anywhere. However, if you place the library file in the Presets/Gradients folder in the default
preset location, the library name will appear at the bottom of the palette menu after you restart Photoshop.
Load a library of preset gradients
❖ Do one of the following in the Gradient Editor dialog box:

• Click Load to add a library to the current list. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• Choose Replace Gradients from the palette menu to replace the current list with a different library. Select the
library file you want to use, and click Load.

• Choose a library file from the bottom of the palette menu. Click OK to replace the current list, or click Append to
append the current list.
Note: You can also choose Load Gradients, Replace Gradients, or choose a library of gradients from the Gradient Picker
menu in the options bar.
Return to the default library of preset gradients
❖ Choose Reset Gradients from the palette menu. You can either replace the current list or append the default library

to the current list.

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Change how preset gradients are displayed
❖ Choose a display option from the palette menu:
Text Only Displays the gradients as a list.
Small or Large Thumbnail Displays the gradients as thumbnails.
Small or Large List Displays the gradients as a list with thumbnails.

Rename a preset gradient

• If the palette is set to display gradients as thumbnails, double-click a gradient, enter a new name, and click OK.
• If the palette is set to display gradients as a list or text only, double-click a gradient, enter a new name inline, and
press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).

Gradient Editor overview
The Gradient Editor dialog box lets you define a new gradient by modifying a copy of an existing gradient. You can
also add intermediate colors to a gradient, creating a blend between more than two colors.
A

Gradient Editor dialog box
A. Palette menu B. Opacity stop C. Color stops D. Adjust values or delete the selected opacity or color stop E. Midpoint

Create a smooth gradient
1 Select the Gradient tool

2 Click inside the gradient sample in the options bar to display the Gradient Editor dialog box.
3 To base the new gradient on an existing gradient, select a gradient in the Presets section of the dialog box.
4 Choose Solid from the Gradient Type pop-up menu.
5 To define the starting color of the gradient, click the left color stop under the gradient bar. The triangle above
the stop turns black , indicating that the starting color is being edited.

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6 To choose a color, do one of the following:

• Double-click the color stop, or click the color swatch in the Stops section of the dialog box. Choose a color, and
click OK.

• Choose an option from the Color pop-up menu in the Stops section of the dialog box.
• Position the pointer over the gradient bar (the pointer turns into the eyedropper), and click to sample a color, or
click anywhere in the image to sample a color from the image.
7 To define the ending color, click the right color stop under the gradient bar. Then choose a color.
8 To adjust the location of the starting point or ending point, do one of the following:

• Drag the corresponding color stop left or right to the location you want.
• Click the corresponding color stop, and enter a value for Location in the Stops section of the dialog box. A value
of 0% places the point at the far left end of the gradient bar; a value of 100%, at the far right end.
9 To adjust the location of the midpoint (where the gradient displays an even mix of the starting and ending colors),

drag the diamond

below the gradient bar to the left or right, or click the diamond, and enter a value for Location.

10 To add intermediate colors to a gradient, click below the gradient bar to define another color stop. Specify the

color and adjust the location and midpoint for the intermediate point as you would for a starting or ending point.
11 To delete the color stop you are editing, click Delete, or drag the stop downwards until it disappears.
12 To control how gradual the transitions are between color bands in the gradient, enter a value in the Smoothness

text box, or drag the Smoothness pop-up slider.
13 If desired, set transparency values for the gradient.
14 Enter a name for the new gradient.
15 To save the gradient as a preset, click New after you have finished creating the gradient.

Note: New presets are saved in a Preferences file. If this file is deleted or damaged, or if you reset presets to the default
library, the new presets will be lost. To permanently save new presets, save them in a library.

Specify the gradient transparency
Each gradient fill contains settings that control the opacity of the fill at different locations on the gradient. For
example, you can set the starting color to 100% opacity and have the fill gradually blend into an ending color with
50% opacity. The checkerboard pattern indicates the amount of transparency in the gradient preview.
1 Create a gradient.
2 To adjust the starting opacity, click the left opacity stop above the gradient bar. The triangle below the stop turns
black, indicating that the starting transparency is being edited.
3 In the Stops section of the dialog box, enter a value in the Opacity text box, or drag the Opacity pop-up slider.
4 To adjust the opacity of the end point, click the right transparency stop above the gradient bar. Then set the opacity
in the Stops section.
5 To adjust the location of the starting or ending opacity, do one of the following:

• Drag the corresponding opacity stop to the left or right.
• Select the corresponding opacity stop, and enter a value for Location.

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6 To adjust the location of the midpoint opacity (the point midway between the starting and ending opacities), do
one of the following:

• Drag the diamond above the gradient bar to the left or right.
• Select the diamond and enter a value for Location.
7 To delete the opacity stop you are editing, click Delete.
8 To add an intermediate opacity to the mask, click above the gradient bar to define a new opacity stop. You can
then adjust and move this opacity as you would for a starting or ending opacity. To remove an intermediate opacity,
drag its transparency stop up and off the gradient bar.
9 To create a preset gradient, enter a name in the Name text box, and click New. This creates a new gradient preset
with the transparency setting you specified.

Create a noise gradient
A noise gradient is a gradient that contains randomly distributed colors within the range of colors that you specify.
A
B
C

Noise gradient with different roughness values.
A. 10% roughness B. 50% roughness C. 90% roughness

1 Select the Gradient tool

2 Click in the gradient sample in the options bar to display the Gradient Editor dialog box.
3 To base the new gradient on an existing gradient, select a gradient in the Presets section of the dialog box.
4 Choose Noise from the Gradient Type pop-up menu.
5 To control how gradual the transitions are between color bands in the gradient, enter a value in the Roughness
text box, or drag the Roughness pop-up slider.
6 To define the color model, choose a color model from the Color Model list.
7 To adjust the range of colors, drag the sliders. For each color component of the color model you’ve selected, you
can drag the sliders to define the range of acceptable values. For example, if you choose the HSB model, you can
restrict the gradient to blue-green hues, high saturation, and medium brightness.
8 Set the options to restrict colors or add transparency.
9 To randomize a gradient that conforms to the settings, click the Randomize button until you find a setting you like.
10 To create a preset gradient, enter a name in the Name text box, and click New. This creates a new preset gradient

with the settings you specified.

Filling and stroking selections, layers, and paths
You can fill the inside of a selection, path, or layer with a color or pattern. You can also add color to the outline of a
selection or path, called stroking.

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Fill with the Paint Bucket tool
The Paint Bucket tool fills adjacent pixels that are similar in color value to the pixels you click.
Note: The Paint Bucket tool cannot be used with images in Bitmap mode.
1 Choose a foreground color. (See “Choose colors in the toolbox” on page 118.)
2 Select the Paint Bucket tool

3 Specify whether to fill the selection with the foreground color or with a pattern.
4 Specify a blending mode and opacity for the paint. (See “List of blending modes” on page 344.)
5 Enter the tolerance for the fill.

The tolerance defines how similar in color a pixel must be (to the pixel you click) to be filled. Values can range from
0 to 255. A low tolerance fills pixels within a range of color values very similar to the pixel you click. A high tolerance
fills pixels within a broader range.
6 To smooth the edges of the filled selection, select Anti-aliased.
7 To fill only pixels contiguous to the one you click, select Contiguous; leave Contiguous unselected to fill all similar
pixels in the image.
8 To fill pixels based on the merged color data from all visible layers, select All Layers.
9 Click the part of the image you want to fill. All specified pixels within the specified tolerance are filled with the
foreground color or pattern.

If you’re working on a layer and don’t want to fill transparent areas, make sure that the layer’s transparency is locked
in the Layers palette. (See “Lock layers” on page 289.)

Fill a selection or layer with a color
1 Choose a foreground or background color. (See “Choose colors in the toolbox” on page 118.)
2 Select the area you want to fill. To fill an entire layer, select the layer in the Layers palette.
3 Choose Edit > Fill to fill the selection or layer. Or to fill a path, select the path, and choose Fill Path from the Paths
palette menu.
4 In the Fill dialog box, choose one of the following options for Use, or select a custom pattern:
Foreground Color, Background Color, Black, 50% Gray, or White Fills the selection with the specified color.
Color Fills with a color you select from the Color Picker.
Pattern Fills the selection with a pattern. Click the inverted arrow next to the pattern sample, and select a pattern

from the pop-up palette. You can load additional patterns using the pop-up palette menu. Select the name of a library
of patterns, or choose Load Patterns and navigate to the folder containing the patterns you want to use.
History Restores the selected area to a state or snapshot of the image set as the source in the History palette.

Note: If you fill a CMYK image using the Black option, Photoshop fills all the channels with 100% black. This may result
in more ink than is allowable by the printer. For best results when filling a CMYK image, use the Foreground option with
the foreground color set to an appropriate black.
5 Specify the blending mode and opacity for the paint. (See “List of blending modes” on page 344.)
6 If you’re working in a layer and want to fill only areas containing pixels, choose Preserve Transparency.
7 Click the OK button to apply the fill.

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To apply a foreground color fill only to the areas that contain pixels, press Alt+Shift+Backspace (Windows) or
Option+Shift+Delete (Mac OS). This preserves the transparency of the layer. To apply a background color fill only
to the areas that contain pixels, press Ctrl+Shift+Backspace (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac OS).

Fill the work canvas
1 Set the foreground color you want to use for the canvas.
2 Select the Paint Bucket tool

3 In the options bar, set Fill to Foreground.
4 Hold down Shift, and click in the work canvas.

Note: You need to be in full screen mode and viewing the menus to fill the work canvas.

Fill a selection with a pattern
1 Select the part of the image you want to fill.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Fill. In the Fill dialog box, for Use, choose Pattern, select a pattern from the pop-up palette, and
click OK.
If Pattern is dimmed, you need to load a pattern library before you can select this option.

• Select the Paint Bucket tool

. In the options bar, choose Pattern from the Fill pop-up menu, and select a pattern
from the Pattern pop-up palette. Then click to fill the selected area with the pattern.

Note: You can load additional pattern libraries into the pop-up palette prior to making a selection. (See “Manage pattern
libraries and presets” on page 355.)

Stroke a selection or layer with color
You can use the Stroke command to paint a colored border around a selection, path, or layer. When you create a
border this way, it becomes a rasterized part of the current layer.
To create shape or layer borders that can be turned on or off like overlays and are anti-aliased to create softer-edged
corners and edges, use the Stroke layer effect instead of the Stroke command. See “Layer effects and styles” on
page 297.
1 Choose a foreground color.
2 Select the area or layer you want to stroke.
3 Choose Edit > Stroke.
4 In the Stroke dialog box, specify the width of the hard-edged border.
5 For Location, specify whether to place the border inside, outside, or centered over the selection or layer bound-

aries.
Note: If the layer contents fill the entire image, a stroke applied outside the layer will not be visible.
6 Specify an opacity and a blending mode. (See “List of blending modes” on page 344.)
7 If you’re working in a layer and want to stroke only areas containing pixels, select the Preserve Transparency
option. (See “Lock layers” on page 289.)

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Stroke a path with color
1 Select the path in the Paths palette.
2 Choose Stroke Path from the palette menu.
3 In the Stroke Path dialog box, choose a tool to stroke the path.

Draw a circle or square
You can draw a circle or square using the elliptical or rectangular marquee tools, and then add a line (called a stroke)
to the selection marquee. Stroking a selection is a quick way to add a border or frame around an object. You can
stroke any selection you create with the selection tools.
1 In the Layers palette, click the New Layer button
to create a new layer for the circle or square. Isolating the
circle or square on its own layer makes it easier to work with.
2 Select the Elliptical Marquee tool

or the Rectangular Marquee tool

in the toolbox.

3 Drag in the document window to create the shape. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the shape

to a circle or square.
4 Choose Edit > Stroke.
5 In the Stroke dialog box, type a value for Width, and then click the color swatch to display the Adobe Color Picker.
6 In the Adobe Color Picker, locate the color range you want using the triangle sliders on the color spectrum bar,
and then click the desired color in the color field. The color you select appears in the top half of the color swatch.
The original color remains in the bottom half. Click OK.
7 Set the location for the stroke in relationship to the marquee by choosing Inside, Center, or Outside. Adjust the
other settings as desired, and click OK. Photoshop strokes the line using the color and stroke settings you set.

See also
“Stroke a selection or layer with color” on page 353

Creating and managing patterns
About patterns
A pattern is an image that is repeated, or tiled, when you use it to fill a layer or selection. Photoshop comes with a
variety of preset patterns.
You can create new patterns and save them in libraries for use with different tools and commands. Preset patterns
are displayed in pop-up palettes in the options bar for the Paint Bucket, Pattern Stamp, Healing Brush, and Patch
tools, as well as in the Layer Style dialog box. You can change how patterns are displayed in the pop-up palettes by
choosing a display option from the pop-up palette menu. You can also manage pattern presets using the preset
manager.
Photoshop also provides the Pattern Maker filter to create pattern presets, or fill a layer or selection with a custom
pattern.

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See also
“Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker” on page 356
“Create and use tool presets” on page 31

Define an image as a preset pattern
1 Use the Rectangle Marquee tool
on any open image to select an area to use as a pattern. Feather must be set
to 0 pixels. Note that large images may become unwieldy.
2 Choose Edit > Define Pattern.
3 Enter a name for the pattern in the Pattern Name dialog box.

Note: If you are using a pattern from one image and applying it to another, Photoshop converts the color mode.
Photoshop comes with a set of Illustrator format files that you can use to define a preset pattern. Each file in the
PostScript Patterns folder contains a single pattern that you can scale and render at any resolution. Open the file,
select any rendering option, and then define the pattern.

Manage pattern libraries and presets
You can keep your patterns organized in libraries that you can load into the pattern palettes or remove and have them
out of the way.
Load a library of patterns

Choose one of the following from a Pattern pop-up palette menu:

• Load Patterns to add a library to the current list. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• Replace Patterns to replace the current list with a different library. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.
• A library file (displayed at the bottom of the palette menu). Click OK to replace the current list, or click Append
to append the current list.
Save a set of preset patterns as a library
1 Choose Save Patterns from a Pattern pop-up palette menu.
2 Choose a location for the pattern library, enter a file name, and click Save.

You can save the library anywhere. However, if you place the library file in the Presets/Patterns folder in the default
location, the library name will appear at the bottom of the Pattern pop-up palette menus after you restart Photoshop.
Return to the default library of patterns
❖ Choose Reset Patterns from a Pattern pop-up palette menu. You can either replace the current list or append the

default library to the current list.
If you receive a Pattern Stamp tool preset that uses an undefined pattern, or if you erase the preset you’re using by
resetting or replacing the pattern library, choose New Pattern from the Pattern pop-up palette menu to redefine the
pattern.
Rename a preset pattern
1 Select the pattern you want to rename, and choose Rename Pattern from the palette menu.
2 Enter a new name for the pattern, and click OK.

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Delete a preset pattern
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select the pattern you want to delete, and choose Delete Pattern from the palette menu.
• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), position the pointer over a pattern (the pointer turns into
scissors), and click.

Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
The Pattern Maker filter slices and reassembles an image to make a pattern. The Pattern Maker works in two ways:

• Fills a layer or selection with a pattern. The pattern can be made of one large tile, or multiple duplicate tiles.
• Creates tiles that you can save as a pattern preset and use with other images.
You can generate multiple patterns from the same sample until you find one that you like.
1 Do one of the following:

• Select the layer that contains the area from which you want to generate the pattern. The layer you select will be
replaced by the generated pattern, so it’s a good idea to make a copy of the layer first.

• To generate a pattern in a new layer or file, make a rectangular selection of the image you are using to generate the
pattern, and choose Edit > Copy. Then add a layer to the image, or create a new file with the dimensions you want
the final image to have.
2 Choose Filter > Pattern Maker.
3 Specify the source of the pattern.

• Choose Use Clipboard As Sample to use the contents of the clipboard if you copied an image before you opened
the Pattern Maker.

• Make a selection in the preview area with the Pattern Maker’s Marquee tool

. To move the selection marquee,

drag it to a different location.
Note: You can use the Zoom and Hand tools to navigate in the preview area. Use Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS)
with the Zoom tool to zoom out. The magnification appears at the bottom of the dialog box.
4 Specify the tile size.

• Enter pixel dimensions in the Width and Height boxes.
• Click Use Image Size to generate a pattern with one tile that fills the layer.
5 Click Generate. You can press Esc to cancel the generation.

The preview area is tiled with the generated pattern.

• To switch between the generated preview and the source image, choose an option from the Show menu.
• To view the boundary of individual tiles, click Tile Boundaries.
• To offset the tiles in the generated pattern, choose a direction from the Offset pop-up menu and specify an offset
amount in the Amount text box. The offset amount is a percentage of the tile dimension in the specified direction.
The offset has no effect on saved pattern preset tiles.
6 Click Generate Again to generate additional patterns using the same options, or adjust the options and then click
Generate Again.
Smoothness Adjusts the sharp edges in the pattern. Increase the smoothness to reduce edges.

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Sample Detail Specifies the size of pattern slices in the tile. A high value maintains more of the original detail in the
pattern. A low value uses smaller slices in the tile. Tiles take longer to generate when you use a high value.

7 Navigate through the generated tiles in the Tile History panel to select the tile that you want to use to fill the layer
or to save as a pattern preset.

• To move through the tiles you’ve generated, click the First Tile button, Previous Tile button, Next Tile button, or
Last Tile button. Or, type the number of the pattern preview you want to view, and press Enter (Windows) or
Return (Mac OS).

• To view how the tile looks as a repeating pattern in the preview area, make sure that Update Pattern Preview is
selected. If tile previewing is slow, deselect this option, find the tile you want, and then select the option.

• To delete a tile and pattern preview, navigate to the tile you want to delete, and click the Delete icon.
• To save a tile as a preset pattern, navigate to the tile you want to save, and click the Preset Pattern button. Enter a
preset name, and click OK. When you save a tile as a preset pattern, only a single tile is saved, not the full,
generated pattern.

Tile History buttons
A. Preset Pattern B. First Tile C. Previous Tile D. Next Tile E. Last Tile F. Delete icon

8 When you are satisfied with a pattern preview and you have saved the tiles that you might want to use in the future,
click OK to fill the layer or selection.

If you are creating preset patterns only, click Cancel to close the dialog box without filling the layer.

See also
“Work with the Preset Manager” on page 46

358

Chapter 12: Drawing
The drawing tools (the Pen and shape tools) let you create and edit vector shapes. You can work with shapes in shape
layers and as paths; you can also create rasterized shapes, which can be edited with the painting tools. The drawing
tools provide an easy way to create buttons, navigation bars, and other items used on web pages.

Drawing vector graphics
Drawing shapes and paths
Drawing in Adobe Photoshop CS3 involves creating vector shapes and paths. In Photoshop, you can draw with any
of the shape tools, the Pen tool, or the Freeform Pen tool. Options for each tool are available in the options bar.
Before you begin drawing in Photoshop, you must choose a drawing mode from the options bar. The mode you
choose to draw in determines whether you create a vector shape on its own layer, a work path on an existing layer,
or a rasterized shape on an existing layer.
Vector shapes are lines and curves you draw using the shape or pen tools. Vector shapes are resolution-independent—
they maintain crisp edges when resized, printed to a PostScript printer, saved in a PDF file, or imported into a vectorbased graphics application. You can create libraries of custom shapes and edit a shape’s outline (called a path) and
attributes (such as stroke, fill color, and style).
Paths are outlines that you can turn into selections, or fill and stroke with color. The outline of a shape is a path. You
can easily change the shape of a path by editing its anchor points.
A work path is a temporary path that appears in the Paths palette and defines the outline of a shape.
You can use paths in several ways:

• Use a path as a vector mask to hide areas of a layer. (See “About layer and vector masks” on page 318.)
• Convert a path to a selection. (See “Convert paths to selection borders” on page 379.)
• Fill or stroke a path with color. (See “Fill paths with color” on page 380.)
Designate a saved path as a clipping path to make part of an image transparent when exporting the image to a pagelayout or vector-editing application. (See “Create transparency using image clipping paths” on page 480.)

Drawing modes
When you work with the shape or pen tools, you can draw in three different modes. You choose a mode by selecting
an icon in the options bar when you have a shape or pen tool selected.
Shape Layers Creates a shape on a separate layer. You can use either the shape tools or the pen tools to create shape

layers. Because they are easily moved, resized, aligned, and distributed, shape layers are ideal for making graphics for
web pages. You can choose to draw multiple shapes on a layer. A shape layer consists of a fill layer that defines the
shape color and a linked vector mask that defines the shape outline. The outline of a shape is a path, which appears
in the Paths palette.
Paths Draws a work path on the current layer that you can then use to make a selection, create a vector mask, or fill

and stroke with color to create raster graphics (much as you would using a painting tool). A work path is temporary
unless you save it. Paths appear in the Paths palette.

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Fill Pixels Paints directly on a layer—much as a painting tool does. When you work in this mode, you’re creating

raster images—not vector graphics. You work with the shapes you paint just as you do with any raster image. Only
the shape tools work in this mode.
A B C

Drawing options
A. Shape Layers B. Paths C. Fill Pixels

Drawing shapes
Create a shape on a shape layer
1 Select a shape tool or a Pen tool. Make sure that the Shape Layers button

is selected in the options bar.

2 To choose the color of the shape, click the color swatch in the options bar, and then choose a color from the Color
Picker.
3 (Optional) Set tool options in the options bar. Click the inverted arrow next to the shape buttons to view
additional options for each tool. (See “Shape tool options” on page 362.)
4 (Optional) To apply a style to the shape, select a preset style from the Style pop-up menu in the options bar. (See
“Apply preset styles” on page 298.)
5 Drag in your image to draw a shape:

• To constrain a rectangle or rounded rectangle to a square, to constrain an ellipse to a circle, or to constrain the line
angle to a multiple of 45 degrees, hold down Shift.

• To draw from the center out, position the pointer where you want the center of the shape to be, press Alt
(Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and then drag diagonally to any corner or edge until the shape is the desired size.

Drawing from the corner (left) and drawing from the center (right)

Note: Drawing from the center out is the default behavior of the Star tool in Illustrator and the Polygon tool in Illustrator
and Photoshop.

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See also
“Edit shapes” on page 361
“Drawing and type tools gallery” on page 29

Draw multiple shapes in a layer
You can draw separate shapes on a layer, or use the Add, Subtract, Intersect, or Exclude options to modify the current
shape on a layer.
1 Select the layer to which you want to add shapes.
2 Select a drawing tool and set tool-specific options (see “Shape tool options” on page 362).
3 Choose one of the following in the options bar:
Add To Shape Area

Adds the new area to the existing shapes or path.
Removes the overlapping area from the existing shapes or path.

Subtract From Shape Area
Intersect Shape Areas

Restricts the area to the intersection of the new area and the existing shapes or path.

Exclude Overlapping Shape Areas

Excludes the overlap area in the consolidated new and existing areas.

4 Draw in the image. You can easily switch between drawing tools by clicking a tool button in the options bar.

See also
“Resampling” on page 64

Selecting halftone screen attributes
Halftone screen attributes include the screen frequency and dot shape for each screen used in the printing process.
For color separations, the prepress person must also specify an angle for each of the color screens. Set the screens at
different angles to ensure that the dots placed by the four screens blend into continuous color and do not produce
moiré patterns.
Halftone screens consist of dots that control how much ink is deposited at a specific location on press. Varying their
size and density creates the illusion of variations of gray or continuous color. For a process color image, four halftone
screens are used: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—one for each ink used in the printing process.

Halftone screen with black ink

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105 90 75
45

Halftone screens with process ink at different screen angles; correctly registered dots form rosettes.

In traditional print production, a halftone is produced by placing a halftone screen between a piece of film and the
image and then exposing the film. In Photoshop, you specify the halftone screen attributes just before producing the
film or paper output. For best results, your output device (a PostScript imagesetter, for example) should be set to the
correct density limit, and your processor should be properly calibrated; otherwise, results can be unpredictable.
Before creating your halftone screens, check with your print shop for preferred frequency, angle, and dot settings.
(Use the default angle settings unless your print shop specifies changes.)

Define the attributes of a halftone screen
1 Choose File > Print.
2 Choose Output from the pop-up menu, and click Screen.
3 In the Halftone Screen dialog box, choose whether to generate your own screen settings:

• Deselect Use Printer’s Default Screens to choose your own screen settings.
• Select Use Printer’s Default Screens to use the default halftone screen built into the printer. Photoshop then ignores
the specifications in the Halftone Screens dialog box when it generates the halftone screens.
4 For a grayscale halftone, enter a screen frequency from 1 to 999.999, and choose a unit of measurement. Enter a
screen angle from –180 to +180 degrees.
5 For a color separation, choose from the following options:

• To have Photoshop determine and enter the best frequencies and angles for each screen, click Auto. In the Auto
Screens dialog box, enter the resolution of the output device and the screen frequency you intend to use, and
click OK. Photoshop enters the values in the Halftone Screen dialog box. Changing these values may result in
moiré patterns.

• If you are using a PostScript Level 2 (or higher) printer or an imagesetter equipped with an Emerald controller,
make sure that the Use Accurate Screens option is selected in the Auto Screens dialog box (or in the Halftone
Screen dialog box, if you’re entering the values manually). The Use Accurate Screens option lets the program
access the correct angles and halftone screen frequencies for high-resolution output. If your output device is not
a PostScript Level 2 (or higher) printer or is not equipped with an Emerald controller, this option has no effect.
Note: Some PostScript Level 3 printers will ignore the Accurate Screens setting if the screen frequency is set too low (as
determined by the printer).
6 For Shape, choose the dot shape you want. If you want all four screens to use the same dot shape, select Use Same
Shape For All Inks.

Choosing Custom from the Shape menu displays the Custom Spot Function dialog box. You can define your own
dot shapes by entering PostScript commands—useful for printing with nonstandard halftone algorithms. For information about using PostScript language commands, see the PostScript Language Reference published by AddisonWesley, or consult the imagesetter’s manufacturer.

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For optimal output on a PostScript printer, the image resolution should be 1.5 to 2 times the halftone screen
frequency. If the resolution is more than 2.5 times the screen frequency, an alert message appears. If you are printing
line art or printing to a non-PostScript printer, see your printer documentation for the appropriate image resolutions
to use.
7 Click OK.

See also
“About pixel dimensions and resolution” on page 61

Save or load halftone screen settings
❖ In the Halftone Screen dialog box, do one of the following:

• To save settings, click Save. Choose a location for the saved settings, enter a file name, and click Save.
• To load settings, click Load. Locate and select the settings, and click Load.

Print separations from Photoshop
When preparing your image for prepress and working with CMYK images or images with spot colors, you can print
each color channel as a separate page.

K
Y
M
C

Pantone 7453 C

Each color channel printed as a separate page

Note: If you are printing an image from another application and want to print spot channels to spot color plates, you
must first save the file in DCS 2.0 format. DCS 2.0 preserves spot channels. This format is supported by applications such
as Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress.
1 Make sure that your document is in CMYK Color or Multichannel mode, and then choose File > Print.
2 Choose Separations from the Color Handling drop-down menu.

Note: Depending on the designated printer and printer drivers on your computer, these options may also appear in the
Print dialog box (for setting printer options). In Windows, click the Properties button to access the printer driver options;
in Mac OS, use the pop-up menu in the second Print dialog box that appears.
3 Click Print. Separations are printed for each of the colors in the image.

See also
“Save a file in Photoshop EPS format” on page 454

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Prepare an image with spot channels for printing from another application
1 If the image is a duotone, convert it to Multichannel color mode.
2 Save the image in DCS 2.0 format.
3 In the DCS 2.0 Format dialog box, deselect the Include Halftone Screen and the Include Transfer Function

options.
4 Open or import the image in Photoshop, and set your screen angles. Make sure that you’ve communicated to the
printer the spot color you want for each of the color plates.

Note: You can place a PSD file containing spot colors directly in Illustrator or InDesign without special preparation.

See also
“Save a file in Photoshop EPS format” on page 454

Change the encoding method
By default, the printer driver transfers binary information to PostScript printers; however, you can choose to transfer
image data using JPEG or ASCII85 encoding. (ASCII85 is a text-encoding method for binary data; it is more
compact than ASCII encoding.) These options are not available for non-PostScript printers, including many inkjet
printers.
Because JPEG-encoded files are smaller than binary files, they take less time to print; however, using JPEG encoding
decreases image quality. Only PostScript Level 2 (or higher) printers support JPEG encoding; if you send a JPEGencoded file to a PostScript Level 1 printer, you may get PostScript language errors.
Some print spooler programs, computer networks, and third-party printer drivers don’t support binary files or
JPEG-encoded files. Also, some PostScript output devices accept binary and JPEG-encoded image data only through
their AppleTalk and Ethernet ports, not their parallel or serial ports. In these situations, you can select the ASCII85
encoding method. However, ASCII85 files contain about twice as many characters and take twice as long to transfer
as binary files.
1 Choose File > Print.
2 Choose Output from the pop-up menu.
3 Select an option from the Encoding menu.

Create a color trap
A trap is an overlap that prevents tiny gaps in the printed image caused by a slight misregistration on press. Contact
your service provider before you do any trapping. In most cases, your print shop determines whether trapping is
needed. If so, the print shop staff will tell you what values to enter in the Trap dialog box.

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Trapping to correct misalignment
A. Misregistration with no trap B. Misregistration with trap

Trapping is intended to correct the misalignment of solid colors. In general, you don’t need traps for continuous-tone
images such as photographs. Excessive trapping may produce an outline effect. These problems may not be visible
on-screen and might show up only in print. Photoshop uses standard rules for trapping:

• All colors spread under black.
• Lighter colors spread under darker colors.
• Yellow spreads under cyan, magenta, and black.
• Pure cyan and pure magenta spread under each other equally.
1 Save a version of the file in RGB mode, in case you want to reconvert the image later. Then choose Image > Mode >
CMYK Color to convert the image to CMYK mode.
2 Choose Image > Trap.
3 For Width, enter the trapping value provided by your print shop. Then select a unit of measurement, and click OK.
Consult your print shop to determine how much misregistration to expect.

Determine scan resolution for printing
You can use a number of techniques to determine the resolution at which to scan a photograph. If you are scanning
photos to be printed, and you know the exact size and the printing screen frequency, you can use the following
techniques to determine the scanning resolution. Often it is easiest to scan at your scanner's maximum optical
resolution and then resize the image in Photoshop later.
Estimate scan resolution

You can determine the resolution for your scan using the original and final image dimensions and the resolution of
your output device. Scan resolution translates into image resolution when you open the scanned image in Photoshop.
1 Do one of the following:

• For laser printers and imagesetters, multiply the printer’s screen frequency by 2. To determine your printer’s screen
frequency, check your printer documentation or consult your service provider.

• For inkjet printers, check your printer documentation for the optimal resolution. Many dye sublimation printers
and devices that print directly onto photographic paper have an optimal resolution of 300 to 400 dpi.

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2 Determine the ratio of the final image dimensions to the original image dimensions. For example, the ratio of a
6-by-9-inch final image to a 2-by-3-inch original image is 3:1.
3 Multiply the result of step 1 by the result of step 2.

For example, suppose you are printing to an imagesetter with a screen frequency of 85 lpi and the ratio of the final
image to the original is 3:1. First multiply 85 (the screen frequency) by 2 to get 170. Then multiply 170 by 3 to get a
scan resolution of 510 ppi. If you are printing to an inkjet printer with an optimal resolution of 300 dpi, multiply 300
by 3 to get a scan resolution of 900.
Note: Different color separation procedures might require different ratios of image resolution to screen frequency. It’s a
good idea to check with your service provider or print shop before you scan the image.
Calculate the file size before scanning an image

You can create a dummy file to predict the file size needed for the final output of your scan.
1 In Photoshop, choose File > New.
2 Enter the width, height, and resolution of your final printed image. The resolution should be 1.5 to 2 times the
screen frequency you will use to print. Make sure that the mode you plan to scan in is selected. The New dialog box
displays the file size.

For example, suppose you want the final image to be 4 inches wide and 5 inches high. You plan to print it with a
150-line screen using a 2:1 ratio, so you set the resolution to 300. The resulting file size is 5.15 MB.
To produce the scan, enter the resulting file size in your scanner settings. Don’t worry about resolution or image
dimensions. After you have scanned the image and imported it into Photoshop, use the Image Size command (with
the Resample Image option deselected) to enter the correct width and height for the image.

Printing duotones
About duotones
You can create monotones, duotones, tritones, and quadtones in Photoshop. Monotones are grayscale images printed
with a single, nonblack ink. Duotones, tritones, and quadtones are grayscale images printed with two, three, and four
inks. In these images, colored inks, rather than different shades of gray, are used to reproduce tinted grays. For the
purposes of this discussion, duotone refers to monotones, tritones, and quadtones as well as duotones.
Duotones increase the tonal range of a grayscale image. Although a grayscale reproduction can display up to 256
levels of gray, a printing press can reproduce only about 50 levels of gray per ink. For this reason, a grayscale image
printed with only black ink can look significantly coarser than the same image printed with two, three, or four inks,
each individual ink reproducing up to 50 levels of gray.
Sometimes duotones are printed using a black ink and a gray ink—the black for shadows and the gray for midtones
and highlights. More frequently, duotones are printed using a colored ink for the highlight color. This technique
produces an image with a slight tint and significantly increases the dynamic range of the image. Duotones are ideal
for two-color print jobs with a spot color (such as a PANTONE Color) used for accent.
Because duotones use different color inks to reproduce different gray levels, they are treated in Photoshop as singlechannel, 8-bit, grayscale images. In Duotone mode, you do not have direct access to the individual image channels
(as in RGB, CMYK, and Lab modes). Instead, you manipulate the channels through the curves in the Duotone
Options dialog box.

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Convert an image to duotone
1 Convert the image to grayscale by choosing Image > Mode > Grayscale. Only 8-bit grayscale images can be
converted to duotones.
2 Choose Image > Mode > Duotone.
3 In the Duotone Options dialog box, select Preview to preview the image.
4 For the Type option, select Monotone, Duotone, Tritone, or Quadtone.
5 Click the color box (the solid square) to open the color picker, then click the Color Libraries button and select an
ink book and color from the dialog box.

Note: To produce fully saturated colors, specify inks in descending order—darkest at the top, lightest at the bottom.
6 Click the curve box next to the color ink box and adjust the duotone curve for each ink color.
7 Set overprint colors, if necessary.
8 Click OK.

To apply a duotone effect to only part of an image, convert the duotone image to Multichannel mode—this converts
the duotone curves to spot channels. You can then erase part of the spot channel for areas that you want printed as
standard grayscale.

See also
“About spot colors” on page 501

Modify the duotone curve for a given ink
In a duotone image, each ink has a separate curve that specifies how the color is distributed across the shadows and
highlights. This curve maps each grayscale value in the original image to a specific ink percentage.
1 To preview any adjustments, select the Preview option in the Duotones Options dialog box.
2 Click the curve box next to the ink color box.

The default duotone curve, a straight diagonal line, indicates that the grayscale values in the original image map to
an equal percentage of ink. At this setting, a 50% midtone pixel is rendered with a 50% tint of the ink, a 100% shadow
is rendered in 100% color, and so on.
3 Adjust the duotone curve for each ink by dragging a point on the graph or by entering values for the different ink
percentages.

• In the curve graph, the horizontal axis moves from highlights (at the left) to shadows (at the right). Ink density
increases as you move up the vertical axis. You can specify up to 13 points on the curve. When you specify two
values along the curve, Photoshop calculates intermediate values. As you adjust the curve, values are automatically
entered in the percentage text boxes.

• The value you enter in the text box indicates the percentage of the ink color used to represent the grayscale value
in the original image. For example, if you enter 70 in the 100% text box, a 70% tint of that ink color is used to print
the 100% shadows.
4 Click Save in the Duotone Curve dialog box to save curves created with this dialog box.
5 Click Load to load these curves or curves created in the Curves dialog box, including curves created using the
Arbitrary Map option.

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You can use the Info palette to display ink percentages when you’re working with duotone images. Set the readout
mode to Actual Color to determine what ink percentages will be applied when the image is printed. These values
reflect any changes you’ve entered in the Duotone Curve dialog box.

See also
“Curves overview” on page 163

Specifying overprint colors
Overprint colors are two unscreened inks printed on top of each other. For example, when you print a cyan ink over
a yellow ink, the resulting overprint color is green. The order in which inks are printed, as well as variations in the
inks and paper, can significantly affect the final results.
To predict how colors will look when printed, use a printed sample of the overprinted inks and adjust your screen
display accordingly. Keep in mind that this adjustment affects only how the overprint colors appear on-screen, not
when printed. Before adjusting these colors, make sure to calibrate your monitor.

Adjust the display of overprint colors
1 Choose Image > Mode > Duotone.
2 Click Overprint Colors. The Overprint Colors dialog box shows how the combined inks will look when printed.
3 Click the color swatch of the ink combination that you want to adjust.
4 Select the desired color in the color picker, and click OK.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you are satisfied with the ink combination. Then click OK.

Saving and loading duotone settings
Use the Save button in the Duotone Options dialog box to save a set of duotone curves, ink settings, and overprint
colors. Use the Load button to load a set of duotone curves, ink settings, and overprint colors. You can then apply
these settings to other grayscale images.
Photoshop includes several sample sets of duotone, tritone, and quadtone curves. These sets include some
commonly used curves and colors. Use these sets as starting points when you create your own combinations.

View the individual colors of a duotone image
Because duotones are single-channel images, your adjustments to individual printing inks are displayed as part of
the final composite image. In some cases, you may want to view the individual “printing plates” to see how the
individual colors will separate when printed (as you can with CMYK images).
1 After specifying your ink colors, choose Image > Mode > Multichannel.

The image is converted to Multichannel mode, with each channel represented as a spot color channel. The contents
of each spot channel accurately reflect the duotone settings, but the on-screen composite preview may not be as
accurate as the preview in Duotone mode.
Note: If you make any changes to the image in Multichannel mode, you can’t revert to the original duotone state (unless
you can access the duotone state in the History palette). To adjust the distribution of ink and view its effect on the
individual printing plates, make the adjustments in the Duotone Curves dialog box before converting to Multichannel
mode.

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2 Select the channel you want to examine in the Channels palette.
3 Choose Edit > Undo Multichannel to revert to Duotone mode.

Printing duotones
When creating duotones, keep in mind that both the order in which the inks are printed and the screen angles you
use have a significant effect on the final output.
Click the Auto button in the Halftone Screen dialog box to set the optimal screen angles and frequencies (choose
File > Print, then choose Output from the pop-up menu and click Screen). Be sure to select Use Accurate Screens in
the Auto Screens dialog box, if you’re printing to a PostScript Level 2 (or higher) printer or an imagesetter equipped
with an Emerald controller.
Note: The recommended screen angles and frequencies for quadtones are based on the assumption that channel 1 is the
darkest ink and channel 4 is the lightest ink.
You do not have to convert duotone images to CMYK to print separations—simply choose Separations from the
Profile pop-up menu in the Color Management section of the Print dialog box (for setting printer options).
Converting to CMYK mode converts any custom colors to their CMYK equivalents.

Exporting duotone images to other applications
To export a duotone image to a page-layout application, you must first save the image in EPS or PDF format.
(However, if the image contains spot channels, convert it to Multichannel mode and save it in DCS 2.0 format.)
Remember to name custom colors using the appropriate suffix so that the importing application can recognize them.
Otherwise, the application may not print the colors correctly, or it may not print the image at all.

Printing spot colors
About spot colors
Spot colors are special premixed inks used instead of, or in addition to, the process color (CMYK) inks. Each spot
color requires its own plate on the press. (Because a varnish requires a separate plate, it is considered a spot color,
too.)
If you are planning to print an image with spot colors, you need to create spot channels to store the colors. To export
spot channels, save the file in DCS 2.0 format or PDF.
Note the following when working with spot colors:

• For spot color graphics that have crisp edges and knock out the underlying image, consider creating the additional
artwork in a page layout or illustration application.

• To apply spot color as a tint throughout an image, convert the image to Duotone mode and apply the spot color
to one of the duotone plates. You can use up to four spot colors, one per plate.

• The names of the spot colors are printed on the separations.
• Spot colors are overprinted on top of the fully composited image. Each spot color is printed in the order it appears
in the Channels palette, with the topmost channel printing as the topmost spot color.

• You cannot move spot colors above a default channel in the Channels palette except in Multichannel mode.
• Spot colors cannot be applied to individual layers.

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• Printing an image with a spot color channel to a composite color printer will print the spot color at an opacity
indicated by the Solidity setting.

• You can merge spot channels with color channels, splitting the spot color into its color channel components.

See also
“About channels” on page 264
“Print separations from Photoshop” on page 495

Create a new spot channel
You can create a new spot channel or convert an existing alpha channel to a spot channel.
1 Choose Window > Channels to display the Channels palette.
2 To fill a selected area with a spot color, make or load a selection.
3 Do one of the following to create a channel:

• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the New Channel button

in the Channels palette.

• Choose New Spot Channel from the Channels palette menu.
If you made a selection, that area is filled with the currently specified spot color.
4 In the New Spot Channel dialog box, click the Color box. Then in the Color Picker, click Color Libraries to choose
from a custom color system such as PANTONE or TOYO and choose a color. See “Choose a spot color” on page 123.

If you select a custom color, your print service provider can more easily provide the proper ink to reproduce the image.
5 Enter a name for the spot channel. If you choose a custom color, the channel automatically takes the name of that
color.

Be sure to name spot colors so they’ll be recognized by other applications reading your file. Otherwise the file might
not print.
6 For Solidity, enter a value between 0% and 100%.

This option lets you simulate on-screen the density of the printed spot color. A value of 100% simulates an ink that
completely covers the inks beneath (such as a metallic ink); 0% simulates a transparent ink that completely reveals
the inks beneath (such as a clear varnish). You can also use this option to see where an otherwise transparent spot
color (such as a varnish) will appear.

Solidity at 100% and solidity at 50%

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Note: The Solidity and color choice options affect only the on-screen preview and the composite print. They have no effect
on the printed separations.

See also
“Choose a spot color” on page 123

Convert an alpha channel to a spot channel
1 Do one of the following:

• Double-click the alpha channel thumbnail in the Channels palette.
• Select the alpha channel in the Channels palette, and choose Channel Options from the palette menu.
2 Select Spot Color.
3 Click the color box, then choose a color in the Color Picker or click Color Libraries and choose a custom color.
Click OK.
4 Rename the channel if needed.
5 Click OK.

The areas of the channel containing grayscale values are converted to spot color.
6 To apply the color to the selected area of the channel, choose Image > Adjustments > Invert.

See also
“Create a new spot channel” on page 502

Edit a spot channel to add or remove color
1 Select the spot channel in the Channels palette.
2 Use a painting or editing tool to paint in the image. Paint with black to add more spot color at 100% opacity; paint
with gray to add spot color with lower opacity.

Note: Unlike the Solidity option in the Spot Channel Options dialog box, the Opacity option in the painting or editing
tool’s options determines the actual density of ink used in the printed output.

Change a spot channel’s color or solidity
1 Double-click the spot channel thumbnail in the Channels palette.
2 Click the color box, and choose a color. Click Color Libraries to choose from a custom color system such as
PANTONE or TOYO.
3 Enter a Solidity value between 0% and 100% to adjust ink opacity for the spot color.

See also
“Create a new spot channel” on page 502
“Choose a spot color” on page 123

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Merge spot channels
1 Select the spot channel in the Channels palette.
2 Choose Merge Spot Channel from the palette menu.

The spot color is converted to and merged with the color channels. The spot channel is deleted from the palette.
Merging spot channels flattens layered images. The merged composite reflects the preview spot color information,
including the Solidity settings. For example, a spot channel with a solidity of 50% will produce different merged
results than the same channel with a solidity of 100%.
In addition, the resulting merged spot channels usually don’t reproduce the same colors as the original spot channels,
because CMYK inks can’t represent the range of colors available from spot color inks.

Adjust overlapping spot colors
To prevent overlapping spot colors from either printing over or knocking out the underlying spot color, remove one
of the spot colors where they overlap.
Use a printed sample of the overprinted inks to adjust your screen display to help you predict how colors will look
when printed.
Note: In some cases, such as when you use varnish and bump plates, you may want colors to overprint.
1 In the Channels palette, select the spot channel with the color you want to print.
2 Choose Select > Load Selection.

To quickly select an image in a channel, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS), and click the channel
in the Channels palette.
3 For Channel, choose the spot channel from step 1, and click OK.
4 To create a trap when knocking out the underlying color, choose Select > Modify > Expand or Contract,
depending on whether the overlapping spot color is darker or lighter than the spot color beneath it. In the Channels
palette, select the underlying spot channel that contains the areas you want to knock out. Press Backspace (Windows)
or Delete (Mac OS).

This method can be used to knock out areas from any channels under a spot color, such as the CMYK channels.
5 If a spot color in one channel overlaps more than one other spot color, repeat this process for each channel that
contains the areas you want removed.

See also
“Create a color trap” on page 496

505

Chapter 17: Web graphics
The web tools in Adobe Photoshop CS3 can help you design and optimize individual web graphics or complete page
layouts. Use the Slice tool to divide a graphic or page into seamlessly interlocking pieces and apply different
compression and interactivity settings to each segment. The Save For Web & Devices dialog box lets you preview
different optimization settings and adjust color palette, transparency, and quality settings before saving in several
web-compatible formats.

Working with web graphics
About web graphics
The Photoshop web tools make it easy to build component pieces for your web pages or to output complete web pages
in preset or customized formats.

• Use layers and slices to design web pages and web page interface elements.
• Use layer comps to experiment with different page compositions or to export variations of a page.
• Create rollover text or button graphics to import into Dreamweaver or Flash.
• Create web animations with the Animation palette, then export them as animated GIF images or QuickTime files.
See “Creating frame animations” on page 564.

• Use the Web Photo Gallery feature to quickly turn a set of images into an interactive web site, using a wide variety
of professional looking site templates. See “Creating web photo galleries” on page 516.
For a video on designing web sites with Photoshop and Dreamweaver, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0200.

Creating rollovers
A rollover is a button or image on a web page that changes when the mouse is over it. To create a rollover, you need
at least two images: a primary image for the normal state and a secondary image for the changed state.
Photoshop provides a number of useful tools for creating rollover images:

• Use layers to create primary and secondary images. Create content on one layer, then duplicate the layer and edit
it to create similar content while maintaining alignment between layers. When creating a rollover effect, you can
change the layer’s style, visibility or position, make color or tonal adjustments, or apply filter effects. See “Duplicate
layers” on page 281.

• You can also use layer styles to apply effects, such as color overlays, drop shadows, glow, or emboss, to the primary
layer. To create a rollover pair, turn the layer style on or off and save the image in each state. See “Layer effects and
styles” on page 297.

• Use preset button styles from the Styles palette to quickly create rollover buttons with normal, mouseover, and
mousedown states. Draw a basic shape with the rectangle tool and apply a style, such as Beveled Normal, to
automatically turn the rectangle into a button. Then copy the layer and apply other preset styles, like Beveled
Mouseover, to create additional button states. Save each layer as a separate image to create a finished rollover
button set.

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• Use the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to save rollover images in a web-compatible format and with an
optimized file size. See “Optimizing images” on page 523.
When you save rollover images, use a naming convention to distinguish the primary (non-rollover state) image from
the secondary (rollover state) image.
After creating a rollover image set in Photoshop, use Dreamweaver to place the images on a web page and automatically add the JavaScript code for the rollover action.
For a video on designing web sites with Photoshop and Dreamweaver, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0200.

Export to Zoomify
You can post high-resolution images on the web that viewers can pan and zoom to see more detail. The basic-size
image downloads in the same time as an equivalent size JPEG file. Photoshop exports the JPEG files and HTML file
that you can upload to your web server.
1 Choose File > Export > Zoomify and set export options.
Template Sets the background and navigation for the image viewed in the browser.
Output Location Specifies the location and name of the file
Image Tile Options Specifies the quality of the image
Browser Options Sets the pixel width and height for the base image in the viewer’s browser.

2 Upload the html and image files to your web server.

For a video on Zoomify, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0003.

Working with hexadecimal color values
Photoshop can display the hexadecimal values of image colors or copy a color’s hexadecimal value for use in an
HTML file.

See also
“Choose web-safe colors” on page 122
View hexadecimal color values in the Info palette:
1 Choose Window > Info or click the Info palette tab to view the palette.
2 Choose Palette Options from the palette menu. Under First Color Readout or Second Color Readout, choose Web
Color from the Mode menu and click OK.
3 Position the pointer over the color you want to view hexadecimal values for.
Copy a color as a hexadecimal value

You can copy the current foreground color or a color in an image as a hexadecimal value while in the main work area
(not the Save For Web & Devices dialog box).
1 Copy the color by doing one of the following:

• Set the foreground color using the Color palette, the Swatches palette, or the Adobe Color Picker. Choose Copy
Color As HTML from the Color palette menu.

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• With the Eyedropper tool selected, move the pointer over the color that you want to copy, and then right-click
(Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) and choose Copy Color As HTML from the context menu
The color is copied to the clipboard as the HTML COLOR attribute with the hexadecimal value (color=#xxyyzz).
2 To paste the color into an HTML file, open the target file in an HTML editing application and choose Edit > Paste.

Slicing web pages
About sliced web pages
Slices divide an image into smaller images that are reassembled on a web page using an HTML table or CSS layers.
By dividing the image, you can assign different URL links to create page navigation, or optimize each part of an
image using its own optimization settings.
You export and optimize a sliced image using the Save For Web & Devices command. Photoshop saves each slice as
a separate file and generates the HTML or CSS code needed to display the sliced image.

Web page divided into slices

When you work with slices, keep these basics in mind:

• You can create a slice by using the Slice tool or by creating layer-based slices.
• After you create a slice, you can select it using the Slice Select tool

and then move, resize, or align it with other

slices.

• You can set options for each slice—such as content type, name, and URL—in the Slice Options dialog box.
• You can optimize each slice using different optimization settings in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.

Slice types
Slices are categorized by their content type (auto, image, no-image) and by the way they are created (user, layerbased, auto).
Slices created with the Slice tool are called user slices; slices created from a layer are called layer-based slices. When
you create a new user slice or layer-based slice, additional auto slices are generated to account for the remaining areas
of the image. In other words, auto slices fill the space in the image that is not defined by user slices or layer-based
slices. Auto slices are regenerated every time you add or edit user slices or layer-based slices. You can convert auto
slices to user slices.

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User slices, layer-based slices, and auto slices look different—user slices and layer-based slices are defined by a solid
line, whereas auto slices are defined by a dotted line. In addition, user slices and layer-based slices display a distinct
icon. You can choose to show or hide auto slices, which can make your work with user-slices and layer-based slices
easier to view.
A subslice is a type of auto slice that is generated when you create overlapping slices. Subslices indicate how the image
is divided when you save the optimized file. Although subslices are numbered and display a slice symbol, you cannot
select or edit them separately from the underlying slice. Subslices are regenerated every time you arrange the stacking
order of slices.
Slices are created using different methods:

• Auto slices are automatically generated.
• User slices are created with the Slice tool.
• Layer-based slices are created with the Layers palette.

See also
“Specify a slice content type” on page 514

Slice a web page
You can use the slice tool to draw slice lines directly on an image, or design your graphic using layers, and then create
slices based on the layers.
Create a slice with the Slice tool
1 Select the Slice tool
. Any existing slices automatically appear in the document window.
2 Choose a style setting in the options bar:
Normal Determines slice proportions as you drag.
Fixed Aspect Ratio Sets a height-to-width ratio. Enter whole numbers or decimals for the aspect ratio. For example,
to create a slice twice as wide as it is high, enter 2 for the width and 1 for the height.
Fixed Size Specifies the slice’s height and width. Enter pixel values in whole numbers.

3 Drag over the area where you want to create a slice. Shift-drag to constrain the slice to a square. Alt-drag
(Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to draw from the center. Use View > Snap To to align a new slice to a guide or
another slice in the image. See “Move, resize, and snap user slices” on page 511.
Create slices from guides
1 Add guides to an image.
2 Select the Slice tool, and click Slices From Guides in the options bar.

When you create slices from guides, any existing slices are deleted.
Create a slice from a layer

A layer based slice encompasses all the pixel data in the layer. If you move the layer or edit the layer’s content, the
slice area automatically adjusts to include the new pixels.

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A layer-based slice is updated when the source layer is modified.

Layer-based slices are less flexible than user slices; however, you can convert (“promote”) a layer-based slice to a user
slice. See “Convert auto and layer-based slices to user slices” on page 509.
1 Select a layer in the Layers palette.
2 Choose Layer > New Layer Based Slice.

Don’t use a layer-based slice when you plan to move the layer over a large area of the image during an animation,
because the slice dimension may exceed a useful size.

Convert auto and layer-based slices to user slices
A layer-based slice is tied to the pixel content of a layer, so the only way to move, combine, divide, resize, and align
it is to edit the layer—unless you convert it to a user slice.
All auto slices in an image are linked and share the same optimization settings. If you want to set different optimization settings for an auto slice, you need to promote it to a user slice.
1 Using the Slice Select tool, select one or more slices to convert.
2 Click Promote in the options bar.

You can promote an auto slice in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box by unlinking it. See “Work with slices in the
Save For Web & Devices dialog box” on page 527

View slices and slice options
You can view slices in Photoshop and the Save For Web & Devices dialog box. The following characteristics can help
you identify and differentiate between slices:
Slice lines Define the boundary of the slice. Solid lines indicate that the slice is a user slice or layer-based slice; dotted

lines indicate that the slice is an auto slice.
Slice colors Differentiate user slices and layer-based slices from auto slices. By default, user slices and layer-based
slices have blue symbols, and auto slices have gray symbols.

In addition, the Save For Web & Devices dialog box uses color adjustments to dim unselected slices. These adjustments are for display purposes only and do not affect the color of the final image. By default, the color adjustment
for auto slices is twice the amount of that for user slices.
Slice numbers Slices are numbered

from left to right and top to bottom, beginning in the upper left corner of the
image. If you change the arrangement or total number of slices, slice numbers are updated to reflect the new order.

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Slice badges The following badges, or icons, indicate certain conditions.

•

User slice has Image content.

•

User slice has No Image content.

•

Slice is layer based.

Show or hide slice boundaries
❖ Choose View > Show > Slices. To hide and show slices along with other items, use the Extras command. See “Show

or hide Extras” on page 45.
Show or hide auto slices
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select the Slice Select tool, and click Show Auto Slices or Hide Auto Slices in the options bar.
• Choose View > Show > Slices. Auto slices appear with the rest of your slices.
Show or hide slice numbers
1 Do one of the following:

• In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grid, Slices & Count.
• In Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Guides, Grid, Slices & Count.
2 Under Slices, click Show Slice Numbers.
Change the color of slice lines
1 In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grid, Slices & Count; in Mac OS, choose Photoshop >

Preferences > Guides, Grid, Slices & Count.
2 Under Slice Lines, choose a color from the Line Color menu.

After the color change, selected slice lines are automatically displayed in a contrasting color.

Modifying slices
Select one or more slices
Do one of the following:

• Select the Slice Select tool

and click the slice in the image. When working with overlapping slices, click the
visible section of an underlying slice to select it.

• Select the Slice Select tool, and Shift-click to add slices to the selection.
• Select the Slice Select tool in the Save for Web & Devices dialog box, and click in an auto slice or outside the image
area, and drag across the slices you want to select. (Clicking in a user slice and dragging moves the slice.)

• Choose File > Save For Web & Devices. In the dialog box, use the Slice tool to select a slice.
When using either the Slice tool or the Slice Select tool, you can switch from one tool to the other by holding down
Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS).

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Move, resize, and snap user slices
You can move and resize user slices in Photoshop, but not in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
Move or resize a user slice
1 Select one or more user slices.
2 Do one of the following:

• To move a slice, move the pointer inside the slice selection border, and drag the slice to a new position. Press Shift
to restrict movement to a vertical, horizontal, or 45˚ diagonal line.

• To resize a slice, grab a side or a corner handle of the slice, and drag. If you select and resize adjacent slices,
common edges shared by the slices are resized together.
Resize or move a user slice using numeric coordinates
1 Select one or more user slices.
2 Click the Options button in the options bar. You can also double-click a slice to show the options.
3 In the Dimensions area of the Slice Options dialog box, change one or more of the following options:
X Specifies the distance in pixels between the left edge of the slice and the origin of the ruler in the document
window.
Y Specifies the distance in pixels between the top edge of the slice and the origin of the ruler in the document
window.

Note: The default origin of the ruler is the upper left corner of the image.
W Specifies the width of the slice.
H Specifies the height of the slice.

Snap slices to a guide, user slice, or other object
1 Select the options you want from the View > Snap To submenu.
2 Choose View > Snap. A check mark indicates that the option is turned on.
3 Move your selected slices as desired. The slices snap to any of your chosen objects within 4 pixels.

Divide user slices and auto slices
Use the Divide Slice dialog box to divide slices horizontally, vertically, or both. Divided slices are always user slices,
regardless of whether the original is a user slice or an auto slice.
Note: You cannot divide layer-based slices.
1 Select one or more slices.
2 With the Slice Select tool selected, click Divide in the options bar.
3 Select Preview in the Divide Slice dialog box to preview the changes.
4 In the Divide Slice dialog box, select one or both of the following options:
Divide Horizontally Into Divides the slice lengthwise.
Divide Vertically Into Divides the slice widthwise.

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5 Define how you want to divide each selected slice:

• Select and enter a value for Slices Down or Slices Across to divide each slice evenly into the specified number of
slices.

• Select and enter a value for Pixels Per Slice to create slices with the specified number of pixels. If the slice cannot
be divided evenly by that number of pixels, the remainder is made into another slice. For example, if you divide a
slice that is 100 pixels wide into three new slices each 30 pixels wide, the remaining 10-pixel-wide area becomes a
new slice.
6 Click OK.

Duplicate slices
You can create a duplicate slice with the same dimensions and optimization settings as the original. If the original
slice is a linked user slice, the duplicate is linked to the same collection of linked slices. Duplicate slices are always
user slices, regardless of whether the original is a user slice, a layer-based slice, or an auto slice.
1 Select a slice or multiple slices.
2 Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) from inside the selection.

Copy and paste a slice
You can copy and paste a selected slice within an image, into another image, or into another application such as
Dreamweaver. Copying a slice copies all layers within the bounds of the slice (not just the active layer).
1 Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
2 Choose Edit > Copy.

Note: A slice can’t be copied if there is an active selection in the document (a marquee pixel selection or a selected path).
3 Do one of the following:

• If you want to paste the slice into another image, open and display that image.
• If pasting into Dreamweaver, make your Dreamweaver document the active window.
4 Choose Edit > Paste. A new layer is created when a slice is pasted into a Photoshop image.

Note: A slice copied into Dreamweaver retains information about the filename and path of the original Photoshop source
file. To view this information in Dreamweaver, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl+click (Mac OS) the image and choose
Design Notes, then locate the FilePathSrc field on the All Info tab.
For a video on designing web sites with Photoshop and Dreamweaver, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0200.

Combine slices
You can combine two or more slices into a single slice. Photoshop determines the dimensions and position of the
resulting slice from the rectangle created by joining the outer edges of the combined slices. If the combined slices are
not adjacent or have different proportions or alignments, the newly combined slice may overlap other slices.
The combined slice takes the optimization settings of the first slice in the series of slices you select. A combined slice
is always a user slice, regardless of whether the original slices include auto slices.
Note: You cannot combine layer-based slices.
1 Select two or more slices.

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2 Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) and choose Combine Slices.

Change the stacking order of slices
When slices overlap, the last slice you create is the top slice in the stacking order. You can change the stacking order
to gain access to underlying slices. You can specify which slice is on the top and bottom of the stack and move slices
up or down in the stacking order.
Note: You cannot arrange the stacking order of auto slices.
1 Select a slice or multiple slices.
2 Choose the Slice Select tool, and click a stacking order option in the options bar.

Stacking order options
A. Bring To Front B. Bring Forward C. Send Backward D. Send To Back

Align and distribute user slices
You can align user slices along an edge or their centers, and distribute user slices evenly along the vertical or
horizontal axis. By aligning and distributing user slices, you can eliminate unneeded auto slices and generate a
smaller, more efficient HTML file.
Note: To align or distribute layer-based slices, align or distribute the contents of the layers.
1 Select the user slices you want to align.
2 Choose the Slice Select tool, and select a option in the options bar.

Alignment options
A. Top B. Vertical Centers C. Bottom D. Left E. Horizontal Centers F. Right

Distribute options
A. Top B. Vertical Centers C. Bottom D. Left E. Horizontal Centers F. Right

See also
“Align objects on different layers” on page 286

Delete a slice
When you delete a user slice or layer-based slice, auto slices are regenerated to fill the document area.
Deleting a layer-based slice does not delete the associated layer; however, deleting the layer associated with a layerbased slice does delete the layer-based slice.

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Note: You cannot delete auto slices. If you delete all user slices and layer-based slices in an image, one auto slice covering
the entire image remains.
1 Select one or more slices.
2 Choose the Slice or Slice Select tool and press the Backspace key or the Delete key.
3 To delete all user slices and layer-based slices, choose View > Clear Slices.

Lock all slices
Locking slices prevents you from resizing, moving, or otherwise changing them accidentally.
❖ Choose View > Lock Slice.

Slice output options
Display the Slice Options dialog box
Do one of the following:

• Double-click a slice with the Slice Select tool.
• With the Slice Select tool active, click the Slice Options button

in the options bar. This method is not in the

Save For Web & Devices dialog box.

Specify a slice content type
You can specify how the slice data appears in a web browser when exported with an HTML file. The available options
vary according to the slice type you select.

• Image slices contain image data. This is the default content type.
• No Image slices let you create empty table cells that can be populated with text or a solid color. You can enter
HTML text in a No Image slice. If you set the “Text is HTML” option in the Save for Web & Devices dialog box,
the text is interpreted as HTML when viewed in a browser. Slices of type No Image aren’t exported as images and
can be previewed in a browser.
Note: Setting options for an auto slice promotes the slice to a user slice.
1 Select a slice. If you are working in Photoshop, double-click the slice with the Slice Select tool to display the Slice

Options dialog box.
2 In the Slice Options dialog box, select a slice type from the Type pop-up menu.

Rename a slice
As you add slices to an image, you may find it helpful to rename slices based on their content. By default, user slices
are named according to the settings in the Output Options dialog box. Layer-based slices are given the name of the
layer from which they are derived.
❖ Select a slice and double-click the slice with the Slice Select tool to display the Slice Options dialog box. In the Slice

Options dialog box, type a new name in the Name text box.
Note: The Name text box is not available for No Image slice content.

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Choose a background color for a slice
You can select a background color to fill the transparent area (for Image slices) or entire area (for No Image slices)
of the slice.
Photoshop does not display the selected background color—you must preview the image in a browser to view the
effect of selecting a background color.
1 Select a slice. If you are working in the Photoshop Save For Web & Devices dialog box, double-click the slice with

the Slice Select tool to display the Slice Options dialog box.
2 In the Slice Options dialog box, select a background color from the Background Color pop-up menu. Select None,
Matte, Eyedropper (to use the color in the eyedropper sample box), White, Black, or Other (using the Adobe Color
Picker).

Assign URL link information to an Image slice
Assigning a URL to a slice makes the entire slice area a link in the resulting web page. When a user clicks the link,
the web browser navigates to the specified URL and target frame. This option is available only for Image slices.
1 Select a slice. If you are working in Photoshop, double-click the slice with the Slice Select tool to display the Slice
Options dialog box.
2 In the Slice Options dialog box, enter a URL in the URL text box. You can enter a relative URL or absolute (full)
URL. If you enter an absolute URL, be sure to include the proper protocol (for example, http://www.adobe.com, not
www.adobe.com). For more information on using relative and full URLs, see an HTML reference.
3 If desired, enter the name of a target frame in the Target text box:
_blank Displays the linked file in a new window, leaving the original browser window open.
_self Displays the linked file in the same frame as the original file.
_parent Displays the linked file in its own original parent frameset. Use this option if the HTML document contains

frames and the current frame is a child. The linked file appears in the current parent frame.
_top Replaces the entire browser window with the linked file, removing all current frames.The name must match a
frame name previously defined in the HTML file for the document. When a user clicks the link, the specified file
appears in the new frame.

Note: For more information on frames, see an HTML reference.

Specify browser messages and Alt text
You can specify what messages appear in the browser. These options are available only for Image slices and appear
only in exported HTML files.
1 Select a slice. If you are working in Photoshop, double-click the slice with the Slice Select tool to display the Slice
Options dialog box.
2 In the Slice Options dialog box, type the desired text.
Message Text Changes the default message in the browser’s status area for a selected slice or slices. By default, the

slice’s URL, if any, is displayed.
Alt Tag/Alt Specifies an Alt tag for a selected slice or slices. The Alt text appears in place of the slice image in
nongraphical browsers. It also appears in place of the image while the image is downloading and as a tool tip in some
browsers.

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Add HTML text to a slice
When you choose a slice of type No Image, you can enter text to be displayed in the slice area of the resulting web
page. This can be plain text or text formatted with standard HTML tags. You can also select vertical and horizontal
alignment options. For more information on specific HTML tags, see an HTML reference.
Photoshop does not display HTML text in the document window; you must use a web browser to preview the text.
Be sure to preview HTML text in different browsers, with different browser settings, and on different operating
systems to confirm that your text is displayed correctly on the web.
Note: The amount of text in a No Image slice can affect the layout of an exported page.
1 Select a slice. Double-click the slice with the Slice Select tool to display the Slice Options dialog box. You can
double-click the slice in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to set additional formatting options.
2 In the Slice Options dialog box, select No Image from the Slice Type menu.
3 Type the desired text in the text box.
4 (Save For Web & Devices dialog box only) If the text includes HTML formatting tags, select the Text Is HTML
option. If you don’t select this option, HTML tags are ignored and all text appears as unformatted plain text on the
resulting web page.
5 (Save For Web & Devices dialog box only) If desired, select options in the Cell Alignment section of the dialog box:
Default Uses the browser’s default for horizontal alignment.
Left Aligns the text to the left side of the slice area.
Center Aligns the text to the center of the slice area.
Right Aligns the text to the right side of the slice area.
Default Uses the browser’s default for vertical alignment.
Top Aligns the text to the top of the slice area.
Baseline Sets a common baseline for the first line of text in cells in the same row (of the resulting HTML table). Each

cell in the row must use the Baseline option.
Middle Centers the text vertically in the slice area.
Bottom Aligns the text to the bottom of the slice area.

See also
“Preview optimized images in a web browser” on page 529

Creating web photo galleries
About web photo galleries
A web photo gallery is a web site that features a home page with thumbnail images and gallery pages with full-size
images. Each page contains links that allow visitors to navigate the site. For example, when a visitor clicks a
thumbnail image on the home page, the associated full-size image is loaded into a gallery page. You use the Web
Photo Gallery command to automatically generate a web photo gallery from a set of images.

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Web photo gallery home page

Photoshop provides a variety of styles for your gallery, which you can select using the Web Photo Gallery command.
If you are an advanced user who knows HTML, you can create a new style or customize a style by editing a set of
HTML template files.
Each template for gallery styles comes with different options. If you’re using a preset style, some options may be
dimmed, or unavailable in that particular style.

Create a web photo gallery
1 (Optional) Select the files or folder you want to use in Adobe Bridge.

Your images will be presented in the order in which they’re displayed in Bridge. If you’d rather use a different order,
change the order in Bridge.
2 Do one of the following:

• In Adobe Bridge, choose Tools > Photoshop > Web Photo Gallery.
• In Photoshop, choose File > Automate > Web Photo Gallery.
3 Choose a style for the gallery from the Styles pop-up menu. A preview of the home page for the chosen style
appears in the dialog box.
4 (Optional) Enter an e-mail address as the contact information for the gallery.
5 Choose the source files for your gallery from the Use menu.
Selected Images From Adobe Bridge Uses images you selected before opening the Web Photo Gallery dialog box.
Folder Uses images from folders you select using the Browse (Windows) or Choose (Mac OS) buttons. Select
Include All Subfolders to include images inside any subfolders of the selected folder.

6 Click Destination, and then select a folder in which to store the images and HTML pages for the gallery. Then
click OK (Windows) or Choose (Mac OS).
7 Select formatting options for the web gallery. Choose from the Options menu to display each set of options. See
“Web photo gallery options” on page 518.
8 Click OK. Photoshop places the following HTML and JPEG files in your destination folder:

• A home page for your gallery named index.htm or index.html, depending on the Extension options. Open this file
in any web browser to preview your gallery.

• JPEG images inside an images subfolder.

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• HTML pages inside a pages subfolder.
• JPEG thumbnail images inside a thumbnails subfolder.

Making sure that your colors match
If you work with photos in a wide-gamut color working space such as ProPhoto RGB or Adobe RGB, image colors
may change when viewed in a web gallery by a browser that doesn’t read embedded color profiles. If this happens,
try converting the image profiles to sRGB (which most browsers use as a default) before optimizing them or
including them in a Web Photo Gallery. Convert them to sRGB in one of the following ways. It is a good idea to work
with a copy of the images.

• To convert a single image, choose Edit > Convert To Profile and then choose sRGB. See “Assign or remove a color
profile (Illustrator, Photoshop)” on page 144.

• To convert a folder of images, use the Image Processor. Choose File > Scripts > Image Processor. See “Convert files
with the Image Processor” on page 618.
If you use the Image Processor, you can save the files directly to JPEG format in the size that you want them. If you
do so, make sure to turn Resize Images off in the Large Image options.

Web photo gallery options
General Options for file extensions, encoding, and metadata.

• Extension Uses either .htm or .html as the filename extension.
• Use UTF 8 Encoding For URL Uses UTF-8 encoding.
• Add Width And Height Attributes For Images Specifies dimensions, shortening download time.
• Preserve All Metadata Maintains metadata info.
Banner Text options for the banner that appears on each page in the gallery. Enter text for each of these:

• Site Name The name of the gallery.
• Photographer The name of the person or organization receiving credit for the photos in the gallery.
• Contact Info The contact information for the gallery, such as a telephone number or a business address.
• Date The date appearing on each page of the gallery. By default, Photoshop uses the current date.
• Font and Font Size (Available for some site styles) Options for the banner text.
Large Images Options for the main images that appear on each gallery page.

• Add numeric links (Available for some site styles) Places a numeric sequence (starting at 1, ending with the total
number of pages in the gallery) running horizontally at the top of each gallery page. Each number is a link to the
respective page.
• Resize Images Resizes the source images for placement on the gallery pages. Choose a size from the pop-up menu
or enter a size in pixels. For Constrain, choose which dimensions of the image you want to constrain during resizing.
For JPEG Quality, choose an option from the pop-up menu, enter a value between 0 and 12, or drag the slider. The
higher the value, the better the image quality and the larger the file.
Note: Photoshop uses the default image interpolation method set in preferences. Choose Bicubic Sharper as the default
for best results when reducing image size.

• Border Size Specifies the width, in pixels, of the border around the image.

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• Titles Use (Available for some site styles) Specifies options for displaying captions under each image. Select
Filename to display the filename, or select Description, Credits, Title, and Copyright to display description text
drawn from the File Info dialog box.
• Font and Font Size (Available for some site styles) Specify the font and size of the caption.
Thumbnails Options for the gallery home page, including the size of the thumbnail images.

• Size Specifies the thumbnail size. Choose from the pop-up menu or enter a value in pixels for the width of each
thumbnail.
• Columns and Rows Specify the number of columns and rows in which to display thumbnails on the home page.
This option doesn’t apply to galleries that use the Horizontal Frame Style or Vertical Frame Style.
• Border Size Specifies the width, in pixels, of the border around each thumbnail.
• Titles (Available for some site styles) Specifies options for displaying captions under each thumbnail. Select
Filename to display the filename, or select Description, Credits, Title, and Copyright to display description text
drawn from the File Info dialog box.
• Font and Font Size (Available for some site styles) Specify the font and size of the caption.
Custom Colors Options for colors of elements in the gallery. To change the color of an element, click its color swatch

and then select a new color from the Adobe Color Picker. You can change the background color of each page
(Background option) and of the banner (Banner option).
Security Displays text over each image as a theft deterrent.

• Content Specifies the text to be displayed. Select Custom Text to enter customized text. Select Filename,
Description, Credits, Title, or Copyright to display text drawn from the File Info dialog box.
• Font, Color, and Position Specify the font, color, and alignment of the caption.
• Rotation options Place the text on the image at an angle.

Web photo gallery styles
Photoshop provides a variety of styles for your web photo gallery. If you are an advanced user who knows HTML,
you can create a new style or customize a style by editing a set of HTML template files.
The web photo gallery styles provided by Photoshop are stored in individual folders in the following locations:
Windows Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop CS3/Presets/Web Photo Gallery.
Mac OS Adobe Photoshop CS3/Presets/Web Photo Gallery.

The name of each folder in this location appears as an option in the Styles menu in the Web Photo Gallery dialog
box. Each folder contains the following HTML template files, which Photoshop uses to generate the gallery:
Caption.htm Determines the layout of the caption that appears below each thumbnail on the home page.
FrameSet.htm Determines the layout of the frame set for displaying pages.
IndexPage.htm Determines the layout of the home page.
SubPage.htm Determines the layout of the gallery pages with full-size images.
Thumbnail.htm Determines the layout of the thumbnails that appear on the home page.

Each template file contains HTML code and tokens. A token is a text string that is replaced by Photoshop when you
set its corresponding option in the Web Photo Gallery dialog box. For example, a template file may contain the
following TITLE element that uses a token as its enclosed text:

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%TITLE%
When Photoshop generates the gallery using this template file, it replaces the token %TITLE% with the text that you
entered for Site Name in the Web Photo Gallery dialog box.
To better understand an existing style, you can open and study its HTML template files using an HTML editor.
Because only standard ASCII characters are required to create HTML documents, you can open, edit, and create
these documents using a plain-text editor such as Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac OS).

About customizing web photo gallery styles
You can customize an existing web photo gallery style by editing one or more of its HTML template files. When
customizing a style, you need to follow these guidelines so that Photoshop can generate the gallery correctly:

• The style folder must contain these files: Caption.htm, IndexPage.htm, SubPage.htm, Thumbnail.htm, and
FrameSet.htm.

• You can rename the style folder but not the HTML template files in the folder.
• You can have an empty Caption.htm file, and place the HTML code and tokens determining the layout of the
caption in the Thumbnail.htm file.

• You can replace a token in a template file with the appropriate text or HTML code, so that an option is set through
the template file rather than through the Web Photo Gallery dialog box. For example, a template file may contain
a BODY element with the following background color attribute that uses a token as its value:
bgcolor=%BGCOLOR%
To set the background color of the page to red, you can replace the token %BGCOLOR% with “FF0000.”

• You can add HTML code and tokens to the template files. All tokens must be in uppercase characters, and begin
and end with the percent (%) symbol.

Customize or create a web photo gallery style
1 Locate the folder that stores the existing web photo gallery styles.
2 Do one of the following:

• To customize a style, create a copy of the style folder, and store it in the same location as the existing style folders.
• To create a new style, create a new folder for the new style, and store it in the same location as the existing style
folders.
The new or customized style (named for its folder) appears in the Styles menu in the Web Photo Gallery dialog box.
3 Using an HTML editor, do one of the following:

• Customize the HTML template file.
• Create the necessary HTML template files and store them inside the style folder.
When creating the template files, make sure that you follow the guidelines for customization outlined in “About
customizing web photo gallery styles” on page 520.

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Important: When customizing or creating a template for a gallery style, you should place each of the following tokens
on a separate line in the HTML file: %CURRENTINDEX%, %NEXTIMAGE%, %NEXTINDEX%, %PAGE%,
%PREVIMAGE%, and %PREVINDEX%. When generating specific pages of a gallery, Photoshop skips lines in a
template that contain tokens that don’t apply to those pages. For example, when Photoshop generates the first gallery
page, it skips any line in the template that contains the %PREVIMAGE% token, which determines the link to the previous
gallery page. By keeping the %PREVIMAGE% token on a separate line, you ensure that Photoshop doesn’t ignore other
tokens in the template.

Web photo gallery style tokens
Photoshop uses tokens in the HTML template files to define a default web photo gallery style. Photoshop uses these
tokens to generate a gallery based on user input in the Web Photo Gallery dialog box.
When customizing or creating a gallery style, you can add any token to any HTML template file, with the exception
of %THUMBNAILS% and %THUMBNAILSROWS%, which can appear only in the IndexPage.htm file. When
adding a token, keep in mind that you may also need to add HTML code to the file so that the token is used correctly.
You can use the following tokens in the HTML template files:
%ALINK% Determines the color of active links.
%ALT% Determines the name of an image file.
%ANCHOR% Provides the ability to return to the thumbnail of the image the user is viewing, rather than the
beginning of the index. This takes effect when the user clicks the Home button.
%BANNERCOLOR% Determines the color of the banner.
%BANNERFONT% Determines the font of the banner text.
%BANNERFONTSIZE% Determines the font size of the banner text.
%BGCOLOR% Determines the background color.
%CAPTIONFONT% Determines the font of the caption below each thumbnail on the home page.
%CAPTIONFONTSIZE% Determines the font size of the caption.
%CHARSET% Determines the character set used on each page.
%CONTENT_GENRATOR% Expands to “Adobe Photoshop CS3 Web Photo Gallery.”
%CURRENTINDEX% Determines the link for the current home page.
%CURRENTINDEXANCHOR% Resides in SubPage.htm and points to the first index page.
%DATE% Determines the date that appears on the banner.
%FILEINFO% Determines the image file information for a caption.
%FILENAME% Determines the filename of an image. Use this for metadata that appears as HTML text.
%FILENAME_URL% Determines the URL filename of an image. Use this for URL filenames only.
%FIRSTPAGE% Determines the link for the first gallery page that appears in the right frame of a frame set.
%FRAMEINDEX% Determines the link for the home page that appears in the left frame of a frame set.
%HEADER% Determines the title of the gallery.
%IMAGEBORDER% Determines the border size of the full-size image on a gallery page.

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%IMAGE_HEIGHT% Enables the Add Width And Height Attributes For Images check box. This allows the user to

download the attributes, reducing download time.
%IMAGE_HEIGHT_NUMBER% This token is replaced by a numeral (only) representing the width of the image.
%IMAGEPAGE% Determines the link to a gallery page.
%IMAGE_SIZE% If the Resize Images box is selected, this token contains the image pixel value used in the Large

Images panel. If the box is not selected, this token contains an empty string. This is useful for JavaScript in the
templates, because it can show the maximum height and width values for all images for the generated site.
%IMAGESRC% Determines the URL for a full-size image on a gallery page.
%IMAGE_WIDTH% Enables the Add Width And Height Attributes For Images check box. This allows the user to

download the attributes, reducing download time.
%IMAGE_WIDTH_NUMBER% This token is replaced by a numeral (only) representing the width of the image.
%LINK% Determines the color of links.
%NEXTIMAGE% Determines the link for the next gallery page.
%NEXTIMAGE_CIRCULAR% Sets the link from large preview image to next large preview image.
%NEXTINDEX% Determines the link for the next home page.
%NUMERICLINKS% Inserts numbered links on subpages to all large preview images.
%PAGE% Determines the current page location (for example, page 1 of 3).
%PHOTOGRAPHER% Determines the name of the person or organization receiving credit for the photos in the

gallery.
%PREVIMAGE% Determines the link for the previous gallery page.
%PREVINDEX% Determines the link for the previous home page.
%SUBPAGEHEADER% Determines the title of the gallery.
%SUBPAGETITLE% Determines the title of the gallery.
%TEXT% Determines the text color.
%THUMBBORDER% Determines the size of thumbnail borders.
%THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT% Enables the Add Width And Height Attributes For Images check box. This allows the user

to download the attributes, reducing download time.
%THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT_NUMBER% This token is replaced with a numeral (only) representing the height of the

thumbnail.
%THUMBNAILS% This token is replaced with thumbnails using the Thumbnail.htm file for the frame styles. You
must place this token alone in a single, nonbreaking line in the HTML file.
%THUMBNAIL_SIZE% Contains the thumbnail pixel value in the Thumbnails panel. This is useful for JavaScript in

the templates, as it can show the maximum height and width values for all thumbnails for the generated site.
%THUMBNAILSRC% Determines the link to a thumbnail.
%THUMBNAILSROWS% This token is replaced with rows of thumbnails using the Thumbnail.htm file for the

nonframe styles. You must place this token alone in a single, nonbreaking line in the HTML file.
%THUMBNAIL_WIDTH% Enables the Add Width And Height Attributes For Images check box. This allows the user
to download the attributes, reducing download time.

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%THUMBNAIL_WIDTH_NUMBER% This token is replaced by a numeral (only) representing the width of the

thumbnail.
%TITLE% Determines the title of the gallery.
%VLINK% Determines the color of visited links.

Optimizing images
About optimization
When preparing images for the web and other online media, you often need to compromise between image display
quality and the file size of the image.
Save for Web & Devices

You can use the optimization features in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to preview optimized images in
different file formats and with different file attributes. You can view multiple versions of an image simultaneously
and modify optimization settings as you preview the image to select the best combination of settings for your needs.
You can also specify transparency and matting, select options to control dithering, and resize the image to specified
pixel dimensions or a specified percentage of the original size.
When you save an optimized file using the Save For Web & Devices command, you can choose to generate an HTML
file for the image. This file contains all the necessary information to display your image in a web browser.
Photoshop Save As and Image Processor

In Photoshop, you can use the Save As command to save an image as a GIF, JPEG, or PNG file. Depending on the
file format, you can specify image quality, background transparency or matting, color display, and downloading
method. However, any web features—such as slices, links, and animations—that you’ve added to a file are not
preserved.
You can also use the Photoshop Image Processor to save copies of a folder of images in JPEG format. You can use the
Image Processor to resize and convert the images’ color profile to web standard sRGB.

Save For Web & Devices overview
You use the Save For Web & Devices dialog box (File > Save For Web & Devices) to select optimization options and
preview optimized artwork.

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B
D

Save For Web & Devices dialog box
A. Display options B. Toolbox C. Preview pop-up menu D. Optimize pop-up menu E. Color Table pop-up menu F. Animation controls
G. Zoom text box H. Original image I. Optimized image J. Preview In Browser menu

Preview images in the dialog box
❖ Click a tab at the top of the image area to select a display option:
Original Displays the image with no optimization.
Optimized Displays image with the current optimization settings applied.
2-Up Displays two versions of the image side by side.
4-Up Displays four versions of the image side by side.

Navigate in the dialog box

If the entire artwork is not visible in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, you can use the Hand tool to bring
another area into view. Use the Zoom tool to magnify or reduce the view.

• Select the Hand tool (or hold down the spacebar), and drag in the view area to pan over the image.
• Select the Zoom tool

, and click in a view to zoom in; hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click

in a view to zoom out.
You can also type a magnification percentage or choose one at the bottom of the dialog box.

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View optimized image information and download time

The annotation area below each image in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box provides optimization information.
The annotation for the original image shows the file name and file size. The annotation for the optimized image
shows the current optimization options, the size of the optimized file, and the estimated download time using the
selected modem speed. You can choose a modem speed in the Preview pop-up menu.
Preview browser dither

If an image contains more colors than the monitor can display, the browser will dither, or approximate, the colors
that it cannot display by blending colors that it can.
❖ To show or hide the preview of browser dither, choose Browser Dither from the Preview pop-up menu. A check

mark indicates that browser dithering is active. Activating Browser Dither does not affect final image output.

Preview image gamma at different values
The gamma value of a computer monitor affects how light or dark an image looks in a web browser. Windows
systems use a gamma of 2.2, so images look darker on Windows than on Mac OS systems, which are normally set to
a gamma of 1.8. In Photoshop, you can preview how your images will look on systems with different gamma values
and make gamma adjustments to the image to compensate. Activating a preview option does not affect final image
output.
❖ Choose one of the following options by using the Save for Web/ & Devices dialog box Preview pop-up menu
Uncompensated Color Makes no adjustments to image gamma. Uncompensated Color is the default setting.
Standard Windows Color Displays an adjustment based on the default Windows gamma.
Standard Macintosh Color Displays an adjustment based on the default Macintosh gamma.
Use Document Color Profile Adjusts the gamma to match any attached document color profile in a color-managed

document.

Optimize an image for the web
1 Choose File > Save For Web & Devices.
2 Click a tab at the top of the dialog box to select a display option: Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up. If you select 4-Up,

click the preview you want to optimize.
3 (Optional) If your image contains multiple slices, select one or more slices you want to optimize.
4 Select a preset optimization setting from the Preset menu, or set individual optimization options. The available
options change depending on the file format you select.

If you’re working in 4-Up mode, choose Repopulate Views from the Optimize menu to automatically generate lowerquality versions of the image after you change the optimization settings.
5 Fine-tune the optimization settings until you are satisfied with the balance of image quality and file size. If your
image contains multiple slices, be sure to optimize all the slices.

To restore an optimized preview to the original version, select it and then choose Original from the Preset menu.
6 If optimizing an image with an embedded color profile other than sRGB, you should convert the image’s colors to
sRGB before you save the image for use on the web. On the Optimize menu, make sure that Convert to sRGB is
selected.

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7 Click Save.
8 In the Save Optimized As dialog box, do the following, and then click Save:

• Enter a file name, and select a location for the resulting file or files.
• Select a Format option to specify what kind of files you want to save: HTML file and image files, only image files,
or only an HTML file.

• (Optional) Set output settings for HTML and image files.
• If your image contains multiple slices, select an option for saving slices from the Slices menu: All Slices or Selected
Slices.
To reset optimization settings to the last saved version, press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and click Reset. To
keep the same settings the next time you open the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, press Alt/Option and click
Remember.
For a video on saving files for the web in Illustrator, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0063.

See also
“Web graphics optimization options” on page 530
“Preview optimized images in a web browser” on page 529
“Set output options” on page 541

Save or delete optimization presets
You can save optimization settings as a named set and apply the settings to other images. Settings that you save
appear in the Preset pop-up menu, together with the predefined named settings. If you edit a named set or a
predefined set, the Preset menu displays the term “Unnamed.”
1 Set optimization options as desired, and choose Save Settings from the Optimize palette menu.
2 Name the settings, and save them in the appropriate folder:
Photoshop (Windows XP) Document and Settings\[Username]\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop
CS3\Optimized Settings

(Windows Vista) Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Optimized Settings
(Mac OS) User/[Username]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS3 Settings/Optimized Settings
Illustrator (Windows XP) Document and Settings\[Username]\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CS3
Settings\Save for Web Settings\Optimize

(Windows Vista) Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CS3 Settings\Save for Web
Settings\Optimize
(Mac OS) User/[Username]/Library/ApplicationSupport/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator CS3/Save for Web
Settings/Optimize
Note: If you save the settings in a another location, they will not be available from the Preset pop-up menu.
3 To delete a preset, select the preset from Preset menu, and select Delete Settings from the Optimize menu.

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Work with slices in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box
If your image contains multiple slices, you must specify the slices to be optimized. You can apply optimization
settings to additional slices by linking the slices. Linked slices in GIF and PNG-8 format share a color palette and
dither pattern to prevent the appearance of seams between the slices.

• To show or hide all slices, click the Toggle Slices Visibility button

• (Photoshop only) To show or hide auto slices, choose Hide Auto Slices from the Preview pop-up menu.
• To select slices in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, choose the Slice Select tool

, and then click a slice

to select it. Shift-click or Shift-drag to select multiple slices.
Note: In the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, unselected slices are dimmed. This does not affect the color of the final
image.

• To view slice options in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, select the Slice Select tool, and double-click a slice.
• To link slices, select two or more slices and choose Link Slices from the Optimize pop-up menu
of the Preset menu). The link icon

(to the right

appears on the linked slices.

• To unlink a slice, select the slice, and then choose Unlink Slice from the Optimize pop-up menu.
• To unlink all slices in an image, choose Unlink All Slices from the Optimize pop-up menu.

Compress a web graphic to a specific file size
1 Choose File > Save For Web & Devices.
2 Click a tab at the top of the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to select a display option: Optimized, 2-Up, or
4-Up. If you select 4-Up, select the preview you want to optimize.
3 (Optional) Select the slices you want to optimize and the file format you want to use.
4 Select Optimize To File Size from the Optimize menu (to the right of the Settings menu).
5 Enter the desired file size.
6 Select a Start With option:
Current Settings Uses the current file format.
Auto Select GIF/JPEG Automatically selects the optimal format depending on image content.

7 Select a Use option to specify whether you want to apply the specified file size to current slice only, to each slice

in the image, or to all slices. Click OK.

Resize artwork while optimizing
In the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, you can resize an image to specified pixel dimensions or to a percentage
of the original size.
1 Click the Image Size tab in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
2 Set any of the additional options:
Constrain Proportions Maintains the current proportions of pixel width to pixel height.
Quality (Photoshop only) Specifies the interpolation method. Bicubic Sharper generally produces better results

when you are reducing image size.
Anti-Alias (Illustrator only) Removes jagged edges in the artwork by applying anti-aliasing.

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Clip To Artboard (Illustrator only) Clips the artwork size to match the document’s Artboard boundary. Any artwork
outside the Artboard boundary will be deleted.

Note: None of the features in the Image Size palette are available for the SWF and SVG file formats except Clip To
Artboard.
3 Enter new pixel dimensions or specify a percentage by which to resize the image, and click Apply.

Generate CSS layers for web graphics
You can use layers in your Illustrator artwork to generate CSS layers in the resulting HTML file. A CSS layer is an
element that has an absolute position and can overlap with other elements in a web page. Exporting CSS layers is
useful when you plan to create dynamic effects in your web page.
The Layers palette in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box gives you control over which top-level layers in your
artwork are exported as CSS layers, and whether exported layers are visible or hidden.
1 Click the Layers tab in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
2 Select Export As CSS Layers.
3 Select a layer from the Layer pop-up menu, and set the following options as desired:
Visible Creates a visible CSS layer in the resulting HTML file.
Hidden Creates a hidden CSS layer in the resulting HTML file.

CSS layers are the same as GoLive layers. Using Adobe GoLive, you can animate a CSS layer and use built-in
JavaScript actions to create interactive effects.

See also
“Save For Web & Devices overview” on page 523
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525

Vary optimization based on a mask
You can vary optimizations settings across an image (called weighted optimization) using masks to produces higherquality results in critical image areas without greatly increasing file size. You can set weight optimization for the
following settings:

• Quality for JPEG images.
• Dithering for GIF, PNG-8, and WBMP images.
• Lossy for GIF images.
• Generated color table for GIF and PNG-8, favoring colors in specific image areas.
To apply weighted optimization, you first create an alpha channel mask, or use the automatically generate mask for
type layers and shape layers.

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The white areas of the mask (which include type or shapes on shape layers) indicate the image areas that will have
the highest level of image quality. The black areas are the least important parts of the image and will have lower JPEG
quality, or the higher dithering and lossiness for GIF images. The level of optimization in gray areas of the mask
varies depending on the gray level. For generated color tables, the white areas of the mask indicate important image
areas, so more colors in the white areas are kept.
1 In the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, click the Mask button
JPEG images or Lossy for GIF images.

next to an option. For example, Quality for

2 In the dialog box that appears, choose the mask that you want to apply. All the image text layers, all the image
shape layers, or an alpha channel. You can choose more than one mask.

A thumbnail of the mask appears in the lower right of the dialog box.
3 Use the sliders to modify quality, lossiness, or dithering, or enter minimum or maximum values for the setting in
the text boxes.

The white slider affects the white areas of the mask and the black slider affects the black areas of the mask. Areas of
the mask that are gray are partially affected so that the transition between areas is less abrupt.
Note: For the Lossy setting, a higher number actually means greater compression, as opposed to greater quality (as in
most other settings).

Preview optimized images in a web browser
You can preview an optimized image in any web browser installed on your system from the Save For Web & Devices
dialog box (File > Save For Web & Devices). The browser preview displays the image with a caption listing the image’s
file type, pixel dimensions, file size, compression specifications, and other HTML information.

• To preview an image in your default web browser, click the browser icon at the bottom of the Save For Web &
Devices dialog box.

• To select a different browser, select Other from the browser pop-up menu (next to the browser icon).
• To add, edit, or remove a browser in the browser pop-up menu, select Edit List from the browser pop-up menu.
In the Browsers dialog box, you can find all browsers on your computer and set the default browser to preview
your image.

Save a file to e-mail
1 Open the image in Photoshop, and choose File > Save For Web & Devices.
2 Click the Optimized tab at the top of the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
3 Choose JPEG Low from the Preset menu.
4 Click the Image Size tab.
5 Make sure that Constrain Proportions is selected and enter a width. For e-mail, 400 pixels is a good size. Use a
smaller size if your recipient has a slow Internet connection.
6 Click Save. Enter a file name and location in which to save the file. Under Format, make sure that Images Only is
selected. Click Save.

Now you are ready to e-mail the file. In some e-mail programs, you can drag the file into the body of the message. In
other programs, you use the Attach or Insert command.

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Web graphics optimization options
Web graphic formats
Web graphics formats can be either bitmap (raster) or vector. The bitmap formats—GIF, JPEG, PNG, and WBMP—
are resolution-dependent, meaning that a bitmap image’s dimensions, and possibly image quality, will change at
different monitor resolutions. The vector formats—SVG and SWF—are resolution-independent and can be scaled up
or down without losing any image quality. The vector formats can also include raster data. You can export from Save
For Web & Devices to SVG and SWF in Adobe Illustrator only.

JPEG optimization options
JPEG is the standard format for compressing continuous-tone images such as photographs. Optimizing an image as
a JPEG format relies on lossy compression, which selectively discards data.
Note: Since image data is lost when saving a file in JPEG format, it’s a good idea to save the source file in its original
format (for example, Photoshop .PSD) if you plan to edit the file further or create additional JPEG versions.
C
A
B

Optimization settings for JPEG
A. File Format menu B. Compression Quality menu C. Optimize menu

Quality Determines the level of compression. The higher the Quality setting, the more detail the compression

algorithm preserves. However, using a high Quality setting results in a larger file size than using a low Quality setting.
View the optimized image at several quality settings to determine the best balance of quality and file size.
Optimized Creates an enhanced JPEG with a slightly smaller file size. The Optimized JPEG format is recommended
for maximum file compression; however, some older browsers do not support this feature.
Progressive Displays the image progressively in a web browser. The image appears as a series of overlays, enabling

viewers to see a low-resolution version of the image before it downloads completely. The Progressive option requires
use of the Optimized JPEG format.
Note: Progressive JPEGs require more RAM for viewing and are not supported by some browsers.
Blur Specifies the amount of blur to apply to the image. This option applies an effect identical to that of the Gaussian
Blur filter and allows the file to be compressed more, resulting in a smaller file size. A setting of 0.1 to 0.5 is recommended.
ICC Profile Preserves the ICC profile of the artwork with the file. Some browsers use ICC profiles for color

correction. This option is available only after you saved an image with an ICC profile—it is not available for unsaved
images.
Matte Specifies a fill color for pixels that were transparent in the original image. Click the Matte color swatch to

select a color in the color picker, or select an option from the Matte menu: Eyedropper (to use the color in the
eyedropper sample box), Foreground Color, Background Color, White, Black, or Other (to use the color picker).

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Pixels that were fully transparent in the original image are filled with the selected color; pixels that were partially
transparent in the original image are blended with the selected color.

See also
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525

GIF and PNG-8 optimization options
GIF is the standard format for compressing images with flat color and crisp detail, such as line art, logos, or illustrations with type. Like the GIF format, the PNG-8 format efficiently compresses solid areas of color while preserving
sharp detail.
PNG-8 and GIF files support 8-bit color, so they can display up to 256 colors. The process of determining which
colors to use is called indexing, so images in GIF and PNG-8 formats are sometimes called indexed color images. To
convert an image to indexed color, Photoshop builds a color lookup table, which stores and indexes the colors in the
image. If a color in the original image does not appear in the color lookup table, the application either chooses the
closest color in the table or simulates the color using a combination of available colors.
In addition to the following options, you can also adjust the number of colors in the image’s color table. See
“Customize the color table for GIF and PNG-8 images” on page 534.
D
A
B
C

Optimization settings for GIF
A. File Format menu B. Color Reduction Algorithm menu C. Dithering Algorithm menu D. Optimize menu

Lossy (GIF only) Reduces file size by selectively discarding data. A higher Lossy setting results in more data being
discarded. You can often apply a Lossy value of 5–10, and sometimes up to 50, without degrading the image. The
Lossy option can reduce file size by 5% to 40%.

Note: You cannot use the Lossy option with the Interlaced option or with Noise or Pattern Dither algorithms.
Color Reduction Method and Colors Specifies a method for generating the color lookup table and the number of

colors you want in the color lookup table. You can select one of the following color reduction methods:

• Perceptual Creates a custom color table by giving priority to colors for which the human eye has greater sensitivity.

• Selective Creates a color table similar to the Perceptual color table, but favoring broad areas of color and the
preservation of web colors. This color table usually produces images with the greatest color integrity. Selective is the
default option.
• Adaptive Creates a custom color table by sampling colors from the predominant spectrum in the image. For
example, an image with only the colors green and blue produces a color table made primarily of greens and blues.
Most images concentrate colors in particular areas of the spectrum.
• (Restrictive) Web Uses the standard 216-color color table common to the Windows and Mac OS 8-bit (256-color)
palettes. This option ensures that no browser dither is applied to colors when the image is displayed using 8-bit color.

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(This palette is also called the web-safe palette.) Using the web palette can create larger files, and is recommended
only when avoiding browser dither is a high priority.

• Custom Uses a color palette that is created or modified by the user. If you open an existing GIF or PNG-8 file, it
will have a custom color palette.
Use the Color Table palette in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to customize the color lookup table.

• Black and White, Grayscale, Mac OS, Windows Use a set palette of colors.
Dithering Method and Dither Determines the method and amount of application dithering. Dithering refers to the

method of simulating colors not available in the color display system of your computer. A higher dithering
percentage creates the appearance of more colors and more detail in an image, but can also increase the file size. For
optimal compression, use the lowest percentage of dither that provides the color detail you require. Images with
primarily solid colors may work well with no dither. Images with continuous-tone color (especially color gradients)
may require dithering to prevent color banding.

GIF image with 0% dither (left), and with 100% dither (right)

You can select one of the following dithering methods:

• Diffusion Applies a random pattern that is usually less noticeable than Pattern dither. The dither effects are
diffused across adjacent pixels.
• Pattern Applies a halftone-like square pattern to simulate any colors not in the color table.
• Noise Applies a random pattern similar to the Diffusion dither method, but without diffusing the pattern across
adjacent pixels. No seams appear with the Noise dither method.
Transparency and Matte Determines how transparent pixels in the image are optimized.

• To make fully transparent pixels transparent and blend partially transparent pixels with a color, select Transparency and select a matte color.

• To fill fully transparent pixels with a color and blend partially transparent pixels with the same color, select a matte
color and deselect Transparency.

• To select a matte color, click the Matte color swatch and select a color in the color picker. Alternatively, select an
option from the Matte menu: Eyedropper (to use the color in the eyedropper sample box), Foreground Color,
Background Color, White, Black, or Other (to use the color picker).

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Examples of transparency and matting
A. Original image B. Transparency selected with a matte color C. Transparency selected with no matting D. Transparency deselected with a
matte color

Transparency Dithering When the Transparency option is selected, you can choose a method for dithering partially

transparent pixels:

• No Transparency Dither applies no dither to partially transparent pixels in the image.
• Diffusion Transparency Dither applies a random pattern that is usually less noticeable than Pattern dither. The
dither effects are diffused across adjacent pixels. If you select this algorithm, specify a Dither percentage to control
the amount of dithering that is applied to the image.

• Pattern Transparency Dither applies a halftone-like square pattern to partially transparent pixels.
• Noise Transparency Dither applies a random pattern similar to the Diffusion algorithm, but without diffusing the
pattern across adjacent pixels. No seams appear with the Noise algorithm.

Example of Pattern Transparency dithering (left) and applied to a web page background (right)

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Interlace Displays a low-resolution version of the image in a browser while the full image file is downloading. Inter-

lacing can make downloading time seem shorter and can assure viewers that downloading is in progress. However,
interlacing also increases file size.
Web Snap Specifies a tolerance level for shifting colors to the closest web palette equivalents (and prevent the colors

from dithering in a browser). A higher value shifts more colors.

See also
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525

Optimize transparency in GIF and PNG images
Transparency makes it possible to create nonrectangular images for the web. Background transparency preserves
transparent pixels in the image. This allows the background of the web page to show through the transparent areas
of your image. Background matting simulates transparency by filling or blending transparent pixels with a matte
color that can match the web page background. Background matting works best if the web page background is a solid
color and if you know what that color is.
Use the Transparency and Matte options in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to specify how transparent pixels
in GIF and PNG images are optimized.

• (GIF and PNG-8) To make fully transparent pixels transparent and blend partially transparent pixels with a color,
select Transparency and select a matte color.

• To fill fully transparent pixels with a color and blend partially transparent pixels with the same color, select a matte
color and deselect Transparency.

• (GIF and PNG-8) To make all pixels with greater than 50% transparency fully transparent and all pixels with 50%
or less transparency fully opaque, select Transparency and select None from the Matte menu.

• (PNG-24) To save an image with multilevel transparency (up to 256 levels), select Transparency. The Matte option
is disabled since multilevel transparency allows an image to blend with any background color.
Note: In browsers that do not support PNG-24 transparency, transparent pixels may be displayed against a default
background color, such as gray.
To select a matte color, click the Matte color swatch and select a color in the color picker. Alternatively, select an
option from the Matte menu: Eyedropper (to use the color in the eyedropper sample box), Foreground Color,
Background Color, White, Black, or Other (to use the color picker).

View the color table for an optimized slice
The color table for a slice appears in the Color Table panel in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
❖ Select a slice that is optimized in GIF or PNG-8 format. The color table for the selected slice appears in the Save

For Web & Devices color table.
If an image has multiple slices, the colors in the color table may vary between slices (you can link the slices first to
prevent this from happening). If you select multiple slices that use different color tables, the color table is empty and
its status bar displays the message “Mixed.”

Customize the color table for GIF and PNG-8 images
You use the color table in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to customize the colors in optimized GIF and
PNG-8 images. Reducing the number of colors often preserves image quality while reducing the file size of the image.

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You can add and delete colors in the color table, shift selected colors to web-safe colors, and lock selected colors to
prevent them from being dropped from the palette.
Sort a color table

Choose a sorting order from the Color Table palette menu:

• Unsorted restores the original sorting order.
• Sort By Hue sorts by the location of the color on the standard color wheel (expressed as a degree from 0 to 360).
Neutral colors are assigned a hue of 0 and located with the reds.

• Sort By Luminance sorts by the lightness or brightness of a color.
• Sort By Popularity sorts by the colors’ frequency of occurrence in the image.
Add a new color to the color table

You can add colors that were left out in building the color table. Adding a color to a dynamic table shifts the color in
the palette closest to the new color. Adding a color to a fixed or Custom table adds an additional color to the palette.
1 If any colors are currently selected in the color table, choose Deselect All Colors from the Color Table palette
menu to deselect them.
2 Choose a color by doing one of the following:

• Click the Eyedropper Color box in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box and choose a color from the
color picker.

• Select the Eyedropper tool in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box and click in the image.
3 Do one of the following:

• Click the New Color button

in the color table.

• Select New Color from the Color Table palette menu.
To switch the color table to a Custom palette, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) when you add the
new color.
The new color appears in the color table with a small white square in the lower right corner, indicating that the color
is locked. If the color table is dynamic, the original color is displayed in the upper left and the new color is displayed
in the lower right.
Select colors in the color table

A white border appears around selected colors in the Color Table.

• To select a color, click the color in the Color Table.
• To select multiple colors in the color table, press Shift and click another color. All colors in the rows between the
first and second selected colors are selected. To select a nonadjacent group of colors, press Ctrl (Windows) or
Command (Mac OS) and click each color that you want to select. The Color Table palette menu also provides
commands for selecting colors.

• To select a color in the preview image, click in the preview with the Save For Web & Devices Eyedropper tool.
Shift-click to select additional colors.

• To deselect all colors, choose Deselect All Colors from the Color Table palette menu.

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Shift a color

You can change a selected color in the color table to any other RGB color value. When you regenerate the optimized
image, the selected color changes to the new color wherever it appears in the image.
1 Double-click the color in the color table to display the default color picker.
2 Select a color.

The original color appears at the upper left of the color swatch and the new color at the lower right. The small square
at the lower right of the color swatch indicates that the color is locked. If you shift to a web-safe color, a small white
diamond appears at the center of the swatch.
3 To revert a shifted color to its original color, do one of the following:

• Double-click the swatch for the shifted color. The original color is selected in the color picker. Click OK to restore
the color.

• To revert all shifted colors in a color table (including web-shifted colors), choose Unshift All Colors from the
Color Table palette menu.
Shift colors to the closest web palette equivalent

To protect colors from dithering in a browser, you can shift the colors to their closest equivalents in the web palette.
This ensures that the colors won’t dither when displayed in browsers on either Windows or Macintosh operating
systems capable of displaying only 256 colors.
1 Select one or more colors in the optimized image or color table.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click the Web Shift button

in the Color Table palette.

• Choose Shift/Unshift Selected Colors To/From Web Palette from the Color Table palette menu.The original color
appears at the upper left of the color swatch and the new color at the lower right. The small white diamond
in
the center of the color swatch indicates that the color is web-safe; the small square at the lower right of the color
swatch indicates that the color is locked.
3 To set a tolerance for shifting, enter a value for Web Snap. A higher value shifts more colors.
4 To revert web-shifted colors, do one of the following:

• Select a web-shifted color in the color table and click the Web Shift button

in the Color Table palette.

• To revert all web-shifted colors in the color table, choose Unshift All Colors from the Color Table palette menu.
Map colors to transparency

You can add transparency to an optimized image by mapping existing colors to transparency.
1 Select one or more colors in the optimized image or color table.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click the Map Transparency button

in the Color Table palette.

• Choose Map/Unmap Selected Colors To/From Transparent from the Color Table palette menu.
The transparency grid
appears in half of each mapped color. The small square at the lower right of the color
swatch indicates that the color is locked.

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3 To revert transparency to original color, do one of the following:

• Select the colors you want to revert and click the Map Transparency button

or choose Map/Unmap Selected

Colors To/From Transparent from the Color Table palette menu.

• To revert all transparency-mapped colors, choose Unmap All Transparent Colors.
Lock or unlock a color

You can lock selected colors in the color table to prevent them from being dropped when the number of colors is
reduced and to prevent them from dithering in the application.
Note: Locking colors does not prevent them from dithering in a browser.
1 Select one or more colors in the color table.
2 Lock the color by doing one of the following:

• Click the Lock button

• Choose Lock/Unlock Selected Colors from the Color Table palette menu.
A white square

appears in the lower right corner of each locked color.

3 Unlock the color by doing one of the following:

• Click the Lock button

• Choose Lock/Unlock Selected Colors from the Color Table palette menu.
The white square disappears from the color swatch.
Delete selected colors

You can delete selected colors from the color table to decrease the image file size. When you delete a color, areas of
the optimized image that previously included that color are rerendered using the closest color remaining in the
palette.
When you delete a color, the color table automatically changes to a Custom palette. This is because the Adaptive,
Perceptual, and Selective palettes automatically add the deleted color back into the palette when you reoptimize the
image—the Custom palette does not change when you reoptimize the image.
1 Select one or more colors in the color table.
2 Delete the color by doing one of the following:

• Click the Delete icon

• Choose Delete Color from the Color Table palette menu.
Save a color table

You can save color tables from optimized images to use with other images and to load color tables created in other
applications. Once you load a new color table into an image, the colors in the optimized image are changed to reflect
the colors in the new color table.
1 Select Save Color Table from the Color Table palette menu.
2 Name the color table and choose a location where it will be saved. By default, the color table file is given the
extension .act (for Adobe Color Table).

If you want to access the color table when selecting Optimization options for a GIF or PNG image, save the color
table in the Optimized Colors folder inside the Photoshop application folder.

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3 Click Save.

Important: When you reload the table, all shifted colors will appear as full swatches and will be unlocked.
Load a color table
1 Select Load Color Table from the Color Table palette menu.
2 Navigate to a file containing the color table you want to load—either an Adobe Color Table (.act) file, an Adobe

Color Swatch (.aco) file, or a GIF file (to load the file’s embedded color table).
3 Click Open.

PNG-24 optimization options
PNG-24 is suitable for compressing continuous-tone images; however, it produces much larger files than JPEG
format. The advantage of using PNG-24 is that it can preserve up to 256 levels of transparency in an image.
Transparency and Matte Determine how transparent pixels in the image are optimized. See “Optimize transparency
in GIF and PNG images” on page 534.
Interlace Displays a low-resolution version of the image in a browser while the full image file is downloading. Inter-

lacing can make downloading time seem shorter and can assure viewers that downloading is in progress. However,
interlacing also increases file size.

See also
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525

WBMP optimization options
WBMP format is the standard format for optimizing images for mobile devices, such as cell phones. WBMP supports
1-bit color, which means that WBMP images contain only black and white pixels.
The Dithering Method and Dither options determine the method and amount of application dithering. For optimal
compression, use the lowest percentage of dither that provides the detail you require.
You can select one of the following dithering methods:
No Dither Applies no dithering at all, rendering the image in purely black and purely white pixels.
Diffusion Applies a random pattern that is usually less noticeable than Pattern dither. The dither effects are diffused

across adjacent pixels. If you select this algorithm, specify a Dither percentage to control the amount of dithering
applied to the image.
Note: Diffusion dither may cause detectable seams to appear across slice boundaries. Linking slices diffuses the dither
pattern across all linked slices, and eliminates the seams.
Pattern Applies a halftone-like square pattern to determine the value of pixels.
Noise Applies a random pattern similar to the Diffusion dithering, but without diffusing the pattern across adjacent
pixels. No seams appear with the Noise algorithm.

See also
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525

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SWF optimization options (Illustrator)
The Adobe Flash (SWF) file format is a vector-based graphics file format for the creation of scalable, compact
graphics for the web. Because the file format is vector-based, the artwork maintains its image quality at any
resolution. The SWF format is ideal for the creation of animation frames, but you can also save raster images in SWF
format or mix raster and vector graphics.

A
B
C

Optimization settings for SWF
A. File format menu B. Flash Player menu C. Export menu

Preset Specifies the preconfigured set of options you want to use for export. You can create new presets by setting
options as desired, and then choosing Save Settings from the panel menu. (To open the panel menu, click the triangle
to the right of the Preset menu.)
Flash Player Version Specifies the earliest version of Flash Player that will support the exported file.
Type Of Export Determines how layers are exported. Select AI File To SWF File to export the artwork to a single
frame. Select Layers To SWF Frames to export the artwork on each layer to a separate SWF frame, creating an
animated SWF.

Note: Select AI File To SWF File to preserve layer clipping masks.
Curve Quality Specifies the accuracy of the bezier curves. A low number decreases the exported file size with a slight

loss of curve quality. A higher number increases the accuracy of the bezier curve reproduction, but results in a larger
file size.
Frame Rate Specifies the rate at which the animation will play in a Flash viewer. This option is available only for
Layers To SWF Frames.
Loop Causes the animation to loop continuously, rather than play once and then stop, when played in a Flash viewer.
This option is available only for Layers To SWF Frames.
Preserve Appearance Expands strokes into stroke-shaped fills and flattens any blending modes and transparency
that SWF doesn’t support.
Preserve Editability Where Possible Converts strokes to SWF strokes, and approximates or ignores transparency

that SWF doesn’t support.
Note: SWF supports object-level opacity only.
Use the Export command instead of the Save For Web & Devices command to maintain artwork’s stacking order by
exporting each layer to a separate SWF file. You can then import the exported SWF files into Adobe Flash simultaneously.
Compressed Compresses the exported file.
Protect File Protects the file so that it cannot be imported by applications other than Flash.
Text As Outlines Converts all text to outlines to maintain appearance. If you plan to edit the text in Flash, don’t select

this option.

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SVG optimization options (Illustrator)
SVG is a vector format that describes images as shapes, paths, text, and filter effects. The resulting files are compact
and provide high-quality graphics on the web, in print, and even on resource-constrained handheld devices.

A
B
C

Optimization settings for SVG
A. File format menu B. SVG Profiles menu C. Font Subsetting menu D. Image Location menu E. CSS Properties menu F. Font Type menu
G. Encoding menu

Compressed Creates a Compressed SVG (SVGZ) file.
SVG Profiles Specifies the SVG XML Document Type Definition for the exported file.

• SVG 1.0 and SVG 1.1 Suitable for SVG files to be viewed on a desktop computer. SVG 1.1 is the full version of the
SVG specification, of which SVG Tiny 1.1, SVG Tiny 1.1 Plus, SVG Tiny 1.2, and SVG Basic 1.1 are subsets.
• SVG Basic 1.1 Suitable for SVG files to be viewed on medium powered devices, such as handhelds. Keep in mind
that not all handhelds support the SVG Basic profile. As a result, selecting this option doesn’t guarantee that the SVG
file will be viewable on all handhelds. SVG Basic doesn’t support nonrectangular clipping and some SVG filter
effects.
• SVG Tiny 1.1 and SVG Tiny 1.1+ Suitable for SVG files to be viewed on small devices, such as mobile phones. Keep
in mind that not all mobile phones support the SVG Tiny and SVG Tiny Plus profiles. As a result, selecting either of
these options doesn’t guarantee that the SVG file will be viewable on all small devices.
• SVG Tiny 1.2 Suitable for SVG files to be viewed on a variety of devices ranging from PDAs and cellphones to
laptops and desktop computers.
SVG Tiny doesn’t support gradients, transparency, clipping, masks, symbols, or SVG filter effects. SVG Tiny Plus
includes the ability to display gradients and transparency, but it doesn’t support clipping, masks, symbols, or SVG
filter effects.
For additional information on SVG profiles, see the SVG specification on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
website (www.w3.org).
Decimals Determines the precision of vector data in the SVG file. You can set a value of 1 to 7 decimal places. A high
value results in a larger file size and increased image quality.
Font Subsetting Controls which glyphs are embedded from the SVG file. Select None from the Subsetting menu if

you can rely on the necessary fonts being installed on end-user systems. Select Only Glyphs Used to only include
glyphs for text that exists in the current artwork. The other values (Common English, Common English + Glyphs
Used, Common Roman, Common Roman + Glyphs Used, All Glyphs) are useful when the textual content of the
SVG file is dynamic (such as server-generated text or user-interactive text).
Font Type Specifies how fonts are exported.

• Adobe CEF Uses font hinting for better rendering of small fonts. This font type is supported by the Adobe SVG
Viewer but may not be supported by other SVG viewers.
• SVG Doesn’t use font hinting. This font type is supported by all SVG viewers.

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• Convert To Outlines Converts type to vector paths. Use this option to preserve the visual appearance of type in all
SVG Viewers.
Image Location Specifies whether to embed or link to images. Embedding images increases file size but ensures that

rasterized images are always available.
CSS Properties Determines how CSS style attributes are saved in the SVG code. The default method, Presentation

Attributes, applies properties at the highest point in the hierarchy, allowing the most flexibility for specific edits and
transformations. The Style Attributes method creates the most readable files but may increase file size. Choose this
method if the SVG code will be used in transformations—for example, transformations using XSLT (Extensible
Stylesheet Language Transformation). The Entity References method results in faster rendering times and reduced
SVG file size. The Style Element method is used when sharing files with HTML documents. By selecting Style
Element, you can then modify the SVG file to move a style element into an external stylesheet file that is also referenced by the HTML file—however, the Style Element option also results in slower rendering speeds.
Encoding Determines how characters are encoded in the SVG file. UTF (Unicode Transformation Format)

encoding is supported by all XML processors. (UTF-8 is an 8-bit format; UTF-16 is a 16-bit format.) ISO 8859-1 and
UTF-16 encoding don’t preserve file metadata.
Optimize For Adobe SVG Viewer Optimizes images for Adobe SVG Viewer.

Output settings for web graphics
Set output options
Output settings control how HTML files are formatted, how files and slices are named, and how background images
are handled when you save an optimized image. You set these options in the Output Settings dialog box.
You can save your output settings and apply them to other files.
1 To display the Output Settings dialog box, do one of the following:

• When you save an optimized image, choose Other from the Settings pop-up menu in the Save Optimized or Save
Optimized As dialog box.

• Choose Edit Output Settings from the Optimize pop-up menu in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
2 (Optional) To display predefined output options, choose an option from the Settings pop-up menu.
3 Edit each set of options as needed. To switch to a different set of options, choose an options set from the pop-up
menu below the Settings menu. Alternatively, click Next to display the next set in the menu list; click Prev to display
the previous set.
4 (Optional) To save output settings, set the options as desired, and click Save. Type a file name, choose a location

for the saved file, and click Save.
You can save the output settings anywhere. However, if you place the file in the Optimized Output Settings folder
inside the Photoshop folder or in the Save For Web Settings/Output Settings folder inside the Illustrator folder, the
file will appear in the Settings pop-up menu.
5 (Optional) To load output settings, click Load, select a file, and click Open.

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HTML output options
You can set the following options in the HTML set:
Output XHTML Creates web pages meeting the XHTML standard on export. Choosing Output XHTML disables

other output options that might conflict with this standard. Selecting this option automatically sets the Tags Case
and Attribute Case options.
Tags Case Specifies the capitalization for tags.
Attribute Case Specifies the capitalization for attributes.
Indent Specifies a method for indenting lines of code: using the authoring application’s tab settings, using a specified

number of spaces, or using no indention.
Line Endings Specifies a platform for line ending compatibility.
Encoding Specifies a default character encoding for the web page.
Include Comments Adds explanatory comments to the HTML code.
Always Add Alt Attribute Adds the ALT attribute to IMG elements to comply with government web accessibility

standards.
Always Quote Attributes Places quotation marks around all tag attributes. Placing quotation marks around
attributes is required for compatibility with certain early browsers and for strict HTML compliance. However, always
quoting attributes is not recommended. Quotation marks are used when necessary to comply with most browsers if
this option is deselected.
Close All Tags Adds close tags for all HTML elements in the file for XHTML compliance.
Include Zero Margins On Body Tag Removes default internal margins in a browser window. Adds marginwidth,

marginheight, leftmargin, and topmargin tags with values of zero to the body tag.

Slice output options
You can set the following options in the Slices set:
Generate Table Aligns slices using an HTML table rather than a cascading stylesheet.
Empty Cells Specifies how empty slices are converted to table cells. Select GIF, IMG W&H to use a 1-pixel GIF with

width and height values specified on the IMG tag. Select GIF, TD W&H to use a 1-pixel GIF with width and height
values specified on the TD tag. Select NoWrap, TD W&H to place a nonstandard NoWrap attribute on the table data
and also place width and height values specified on the TD tags.
TD W&H Specifies when to include width and height attributes for table data: Always, Never, or Auto (the recom-

mended setting).
Spacer Cells Specifies when to add one row and one column of empty spacer cells around the generated table: Auto
(the recommended setting), Auto (Bottom), Always, Always (Bottom), or Never. For table layouts in which slice
boundaries do not align, adding spacer cells can prevent the table from breaking apart in some browsers.
Generate CSS Generates a cascading stylesheet rather than an HTML table.
Referenced Specifies how slice positions are referenced in the HTML file when using CSS:

• By ID Positions each slice using styles that are referenced by a unique ID.
• Inline Includes style elements in the declaration of the block element tag.
• By Class Positions each slice using classes that are referenced by a unique ID.

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Default Slice Naming Choose elements from the pop-up menus or enter text into the fields to create default names
for slices. Elements include the document name, the word slice, numbers or letters designating slices or rollover
states, the slice creation date, punctuation, or none.

Background output settings
You can set the following options in the Background set of the Output Settings dialog box:
View Document As Select Image if you want the web page to display an image or a solid color as a background

behind the current image. Select Background if you want the web page to display the optimized image as a tiled
background.
Background Image Enter the location of an image file, or click Choose and select an image. The file you specify will

be tiled behind the optimized image on the web page.
Color Click the Color box, and select a background color using the color picker, or select an option from the pop-up menu.

Saving Files output settings
You set the following options in the Saving Files set of the Output Settings dialog box:
File Naming Choose elements from the pop-up menus or enter text into the boxes to be combined into the default

names for all files. Elements include document name, slice name, rollover state, trigger slice, file creation date, slice
number, punctuation, and file extension. Some options are relevant only if the file contains slices or rollover states.
The text boxes let you change the order and formatting of the filename parts (for example, letting you indicate
rollover state by an abbreviation instead of the full word).
Filename Compatibility Select one or multiple options to make the filename compatible with Windows (permits

longer filenames), Mac OS, and UNIX.
Put Images In Folder Specifies a folder name where optimized images are saved (available only with documents

containing multiple slices).
Copy Background Image When Saving Preserves a background image that has been specified in the Background

preferences set.
Include XMP Includes any metadata file information that was added to the document (choose File > File Info to view
or enter document metadata). Metadata is fully supported by JPEG file format, and partially supported by GIF and
PNG file formats.

Include title and copyright information with an image
You can add title and copyright information to a web page by entering information in the File Info dialog box. Title
information appears in the web browser’s title bar when the image is exported with an HTML file. Copyright information is not displayed in a browser; however, it is added to the HTML file as a comment and to the image file as
metadata.
1 Choose File > File Info.
2 To enter a title that will appear in the web browser’s title bar, in the Description section of the File Info dialog box,
enter the desired text in the Description text box
3 To enter copyright information, in the Description section of the File Info dialog box, enter the desired text in the
Copyright Notice text box.
4 Click OK.

544

Chapter 18: Video and animation
In Adobe Photoshop CS3, you can create frame-based animations by modifying image layers to create movement
and change. You can also create images for use in video, using one of many preset pixel aspect ratios. When you’re
done editing, you can save your work as an animated GIF file or as a PSD file that can be edited in many video
programs, such as Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 or Adobe After Effects CS3.
In Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended, you can also import video files and image sequences for editing and retouching,
create timeline-based animations, and export your work as QuickTime, animated GIF, or image sequences.

Video and animation in Photoshop
About animation
An animation is a sequence of images, or frames, that is displayed over time. Each frame varies slightly from the
preceding frame, creating the illusion of movement or other changes when the frames are viewed in quick
succession.

About video and video layers in Photoshop Extended
Important: To work with video in Photoshop Extended, you must install QuickTime 7.1 (or higher) on your computer.
QuickTime is a free download from the Apple Computer website.
You can use Photoshop Extended to edit individual frames of video and image sequence files. In addition to using
any Photoshop tool to edit and paint on video, you can also apply filters, masks, transformations, layers styles, and
blending modes. After making edits, you can save the document as a PSD file (that can be played back in other Adobe
applications such as Premiere Pro and After Effects or accessed as a static file in other applications), or you can
render it as a QuickTime movie or image sequence.
Note: You can work only with the visual images in a video file, not the audio.
When you open a video file or image sequence in Photoshop Extended, the frames are contained within a video layer.
In the Layers palette, a video layer is identified with a filmstrip icon . Video layers let you paint and clone on
individual frames using the brush tools and stamp tools. Like working with regular layers, you can create selections
or apply masks to restrict your edits to specific areas of a frame. You navigate through the frames using the timeline
mode in the Animation palette (Window > Animation).
Note: Video layers do not work in frame mode (Animation palette).
You work with video layers just like regular layers by adjusting the blending mode, opacity, position, and layer style.
You can also group video layers in the Layers palette. Adjustment layers let you apply color and tonal adjustments
nondestructively to the video layers. A video layer references the original file, so that edits to the video layer don’t
alter the original video or image sequence file.
If you prefer to make your frame edits on a separate layer, you can create a blank video layer. Blank video layers also
let you create hand-drawn animations.
For a video on working with video layers, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0027.

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See also
“Creating images for video” on page 549
“Load video actions” on page 552
“Adjustment and fill layers” on page 306

Supported video and image sequence formats (Photoshop Extended)
In Photoshop Extended, you can open video files and image sequences in the following formats.
QuickTime video formats

• MPEG-1
• MPEG-4
• MOV
• AVI
• FLV from QuickTime is supported if you have Adobe Flash 8 installed.
• MPEG-2 is supported if an MPEG-2 encoder is installed on your computer.
Image sequence formats

• BMP
• DICOM
• JPEG
• OpenEXR
• PNG
• PSD
• Targa
• TIFF
• Cineon and JPEG 2000 are supported if the plug-ins are installed.
For more information on plug-ins and how to install them, see also “Plug-ins” on page 50.
Note: In Photoshop Extended, you can select multiple single-layer DICOM files and open them in a video layer (like
opening an image sequence). See “DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)” on page 592.
Color mode and bit depth

Video layers can contain files in the following color modes and bits per channel (bpc):

• Grayscale: 8, 16, or 32 bpc
• RGB: 8, 16, or 32 bpc
• CMYK: 8 or 16 bpc
• Lab: 8 or 16 bpc
For a video on working with video layers, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0027.

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Animation palette overview
In Photoshop, the Animation palette (Window > Animation) appears in frame mode, showing a thumbnail of each
frame in your animation. Use the tools at the bottom of the palette to navigate through the frames, set looping
options, add and delete frames, and preview the animation.
The Animation palette menu contains additional commands for editing frames or timeline durations, and for configuring the palette display. Click the palette menu icon to view available commands.

Animation palette (frame mode)
A. Selects the first frame B. Selects the previous frame C. Plays animation D. Selects the next frame E. Tweens animation frames
F. Duplicates selected frames G. Deletes selected frames H. Converts to timeline mode (Photoshop Extended only) I. Animation palette menu

In Photoshop Extended, you can use the Animation palette in either frame mode or timeline mode. Timeline mode
shows the frame duration and animation properties for document layers. Use the tools at the bottom of the palette
to navigate through frames, zoom the time display in or out, toggle onion skin mode, delete keyframes, and preview
the video. You can use controls on the timeline itself to adjust frame duration for a layer, set keyframes for layer
properties, and designate a section of the video as the working area.

A B

Animation palette (timeline mode)
A. Zoom out B. Zoom slider C. Zoom in D. Toggle onion skins E. Delete keyframes F. Convert to frame animation

In timeline mode, the Animation palette displays each layer in a Photoshop Extended document (except the
background layer) and is synchronized with the Layers palette. Whenever a layer is added, deleted, renamed,
grouped, duplicated, or assigned a color, the changes are updated in both palettes.
Note: When animated layers are grouped as a Smart Object, the animation information from the Animation palette is
stored in the Smart Object. See also “About Smart Objects” on page 309.
For a video on the timeline mode, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0023.
Frame mode controls

In frame mode, the Animation palette includes the following controls:
Looping Options Sets the number of times an animation plays when exported as an animated GIF file.

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Frame Delay Time Sets the duration of a frame during playback.

Adds a series of frames between two existing frames, varying the layer properties
evenly between the new frames.

Tween Animation Frames

Duplicate Selected Frames

Adds a frame to the animation by duplicating the selected frame in the Animation

palette.
Convert To Timeline Animation (Photoshop Extended)

Converts a frame animation to timeline animation

using keyframes to animate layer properties.
Timeline mode controls (Photoshop Extended)

In timeline mode, the Animation palette includes the following features and controls:
Cached Frames Indicator Displays a green bar to indicate the frames that are cached for playback.
Comments Track Choose Edit Timeline Comment from the Palette menu to insert a comment at the current time.

Comments appear as icons
the icon.

in the comments track, and are displayed as tool tips when the pointer is moved over

Convert To Frame Animation Converts a timeline animation using keyframes to frame animation.
Timecode Or Frame Number Display Shows the timecode or frame number (depending on palette options) for the

current frame.
Current-Time Indicator

Drag the current-time indicator to navigate frames or change the current time or frame.

Global Lighting Track Displays keyframes where you set and change the master lighting angle for layer effects such
as Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Bevel and Emboss.
Keyframe Navigators
Arrow buttons to the left of a track label move the current-time indicator to the previous
or next keyframe from its current position. Click the center button to add or delete a keyframe at the current time.
Layer Duration Bar Specifies a layer’s place in time within a video or animation. To move the layer to another place

in time, drag the bar. To trim (adjust the duration of) a layer, drag either end of the bar.
Altered Video Track For video layers, displays a keyframe icon for each frame that has been altered. To jump to

altered frames, use keyframe navigators to the left of the track label.
Time Ruler Measures duration (or frame count) horizontally, according to the document’s duration and frame rate.

(Choose Document Settings from the Palette menu to change duration or frame rate.) Tick marks and numbers
appear along the ruler and change in spacing with the zoom setting of the timeline.
Time-Vary Stop Watch
Enables or disables keyframing for a layer property. Select this option to insert a keyframe
and enable keyframing for a layer property. Deselect to remove all keyframes and disable keyframing for a layer
property.
Animation Palette Options Opens the Animation palette menu, which includes functions affecting keyframes,

layers, panel appearance, onion skinning, and document settings.
Work Area Indicators Drag the blue tab at either end of the topmost track to mark the specific portion of the

animation or video that you want to preview or export.
Change thumbnail size

In the Animation palette, you can change the size of the thumbnails that represent each frame or layer.
1 Choose Palette Options from the Animation palette menu.

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2 Do one of the following:

• Select a size option.
• (Photoshop Extended) In timeline mode, select None to display only layer names.
Switch timeline units (Photoshop Extended)

In Photoshop Extended, you can display the Animation palette timeline in either frame number or timecode units.

• To select units to display, choose Palette Options from the Animation palette menu and select Frame Numbers or
Timecode.

• To toggle between units, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the current-time display in the upper-left
corner of the timeline.
Show or hide layer properties in the timeline (Photoshop Extended)

In Photoshop Extended, as you add layers to a document, they appear as tracks in the timeline. Expand layer tracks
to show layer properties that can be animated.
❖ To show or hide layer properties, click the triangle to the left of the layer name.

For a video on the timeline mode, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0023.
Show or hide layers in the timeline (Photoshop Extended)

In Photoshop Extended, all document layers appear in the timeline by default. To show only a subset of layers, first
set them as favorites.
1 In timeline mode, select one or more layers from the Animation palette, then choose Show > Set Favorite Layers
in the Animation palette menu.
2 To specify which layers are displayed, choose Show from the Animation palette menu, then select All Layers or

Favorite Layers.
Navigate in the timeline (Photoshop Extended)
❖ With the Animation palette in timeline mode, do any of the following:

• Drag the current-time indicator

• Click a number or location in the time ruler where you want to position the current-time indicator.
• Drag the current-time display (in the upper-left corner of the timeline).
• Double-click the current-time display and enter a frame number or time in the Set Current Time dialog box.
• Use the playback controls in the Animation palette.
• Choose Go To in the Animation palette menu, and then choose a timeline option.

Switch animation modes (Photoshop Extended)
In Photoshop Extended, you can use the Animation palette in either frame animation mode or timeline animation
mode. Frame mode shows the frame duration and layer animation properties of your Photoshop document.
Timeline mode shows the frame duration and keyframed layer properties of videos and animations in a timeline.
You should select the mode you want before starting an animation. Switching modes in an open document converts
a frame animation to a timeline animation or vice versa.

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Important: You may lose some interpolated keyframes when converting a timeline animation to a frame animation (the
appearance of the animation doesn’t change).
❖ In the Animation palette, do any of the following:

• Click the Convert To Frame Animation icon

• Click the Convert To Timeline Animation icon

• From the Animation palette menu, choose either Convert To Frame Animation or Convert To Timeline.

Specify timeline duration and frame rate (Photoshop Extended)
When you are working in timeline mode, you can specify the duration and frame rate of a document containing
video or animation. Duration is the overall time length of the video clip in the document. Frame rate or frames per
second (fps), is usually determined by the type of output you produce: NTSC video has a frame rate of 29.97 fps; PAL
video has a frame rate of 25 fps; and motion picture film has a frame rate of 24 fps. Depending on the broadcast
system, DVD video can have the same frame rate as NTSC video or PAL video, or a frame rate of 23.976. Video
intended for CD-ROM or the web typically has a frame rate of 10 to 15 fps.
When you create a new document, the default timeline duration is 10 seconds and the frame rate is 30 fps.
1 From the Animation palette menu, choose Document Settings.
2 Enter or choose values for Duration and Frame Rate.

Note: Reducing the duration of an existing video or animation has the effect of trimming frames (and any keyframes)
from the end of the document.

See also
“Set a work area (Photoshop Extended)” on page 561

Creating images for video
About creating images for video
Photoshop can create images of various aspect ratios so that they appear properly on devices such as video monitors.
You can select a specific video option (using the New dialog box) to compensate for scaling when the final image is
incorporated into video.
Safe zones

The Film & Video preset also creates a document with nonprinting guides that delineate the action-safe and title-safe
areas of the image. Using the options in the Size menu, you can produce images for specific video systems—NTSC,
PAL, or HDTV.
Safe zones are useful when you edit for broadcast and videotape. Most consumer TV sets use a process called
overscan, which cuts off a portion of the outer edges of the picture, allowing the center of the picture to be enlarged.
The amount of overscan is not consistent across TVs. To ensure that everything fits within the area that most TVs
display, keep text within the title-safe margins, and all other important elements within the action-safe margins.

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A
B

Video preset file size guides
A. Action safe area (outer rectangle) B. Title safe area (inner rectangle)

Note: If you are creating content for the web or for CD, the title-safe and action-safe margins do not apply to your project
because the entire image is displayed in these media.
Preview options

To help you create images for video, Photoshop has a Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction viewing mode that displays
images at the specified aspect ratio. For more accurate previews, Photoshop also has a Video Preview command that
lets you immediately preview your work on a display device, such as a video monitor. To use this feature, you must
have the device connected to your computer via FireWire (IEEE 1394). See also “Preview your document on a video
monitor” on page 580. For more information on FireWire (IEEE 1394), see Apple’s website.
Other considerations

Both Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro support PSD files created in Photoshop. However, if you’re using
other film and video applications, you might consider these details when you create images for use in video:

• Some video-editing programs can import individual layers from a multilayer PSD file.
• If the file has transparency, some video-editing programs preserve it.
• If the file uses a layer mask or multiple layers, you might not have to flatten the layers, but you might want to
include a flattened copy of the file in PSD format to maximize backward compatibility.

Aspect ratio
Aspect ratio specifies the ratio of width to height. Video frames have a frame aspect ratio, and the pixels that make
up the frame have a pixel aspect ratio. Some video cameras can record various frame aspect ratios, and different video
standards use different pixel aspect ratios.
Frame aspect ratio describes the ratio of width to height in the dimensions of an image. For example, DV NTSC has
a frame aspect ratio of 4:3 (or 4 width by 3 height) and a typical widescreen frame has a frame aspect ratio of 16:9.
Many video cameras that have a widescreen mode can record using the 16:9 aspect ratio. Many films have been shot
using even wider aspect ratios.

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4:3 frame aspect ratio (left), and wider 16:9 frame aspect ratio (right)

Pixel aspect ratio describes the ratio of width to height of a single pixel in a frame. Pixel aspect ratios vary because
different video systems make various assumptions about the number of pixels required to fill a frame. For example,
many computer video standards define a 4:3 aspect ratio frame as 640 pixels wide by 480 pixels high, which results
in square pixels. The computer video pixels in this example have a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1 (square), whereas the DV
NTSC pixels have a pixel aspect ratio of 0.9 (nonsquare). DV pixels, which are always rectangular, are vertically
oriented in systems producing NTSC video and horizontally oriented in systems producing PAL video.
If you display rectangular pixels on a square-pixel monitor without alteration, images appear distorted; for example,
circles distort into ovals. However, when displayed on a broadcast monitor, the images appear correctly proportioned
because broadcast monitors use rectangular pixels.
Note: When copying or importing images into a nonsquare pixel document, Photoshop automatically converts and
scales the image to the pixel aspect ratio of the document. Images imported from Adobe Illustrator CS3 are also properly
scaled.

Pixel and frame aspect ratios
A. 4:3 square-pixel image displayed on 4:3 square-pixel (computer) monitor B. 4:3 square-pixel image interpreted correctly for display on 4:3
non-square pixel (TV) monitor C. 4:3 square-pixel image interpreted incorrectly for display on 4:3 non-square pixel (TV) monitor

Create an image for use in video
1 Create a new document.
2 From the Preset menu in the New dialog box, choose the Film & Video preset.
3 Choose the size that’s appropriate for the video system on which the image will be shown.
4 Click Advanced to specify a color profile and specific pixel aspect ratio.

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Important: By default, nonsquare pixel documents open with Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction enabled. This setting scales
the image so it appears as it would on the nonsquare-pixel output device (usually a video monitor).
5 To view the image as it would appear on a computer monitor (square pixel), choose View > Pixel Aspect Ratio
Correction.

Circle in NTSC DV (720 x 480 pixels) document viewed on computer (square pixel) monitor with Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction turned on
(top) and Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction turned off (bottom)

You can simultaneously view an image with the Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction turned on and off. With the nonsquare
pixel image open and Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction enabled, choose Window > Arrange > New Window For [name
of document]. With the new window active, choose View > Pixel Aspect Ratio Correction to turn off the correction.
6 If you have a display device, such as a video monitor, connected to your computer via FireWire, you can preview
the document on the device:

• To set output options before previewing the image, choose File > Export > Video Preview.
• To view the image without setting output options, choose File > Export > Send Video Preview To Device.
When creating images for video, you can load a set of video actions (included with Photoshop) that automate certain
tasks—such as scaling images to fit video pixel dimensions and setting the pixel aspect ratio.

See also
“Preview your document on a video monitor” on page 580

Load video actions
For video images, actions automate tasks such as constraining the luminance range and saturation levels to comply
with broadcast standards, resizing and converting to nonsquare pixels for use in DVD slide shows (NTSC and PAL,
standard and widescreen aspect ratios), creating an alpha channel from all currently visible layers, adjusting image
areas (especially thin lines) that are likely to cause interlace flicker, and generating a title-safe overlay.
1 Choose Window > Actions to display the Actions panel.
2 Click the triangle in the upper right corner to open the Actions palette menu, and choose Load Actions.
3 In the Load dialog box, navigate to the Photoshop Actions folder, and select the Video Actions.atn file.

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4 Click Load.

See also
“Automating tasks” on page 610

Adjust pixel aspect ratio
You can create a custom pixel aspect ratio in existing documents, or delete or reset pixel aspect ratios previously
assigned to a document.
Assign a pixel aspect ratio value to an existing document
❖ With a document open, choose Image > Pixel Aspect Ratio and then choose a pixel aspect ratio that’s compatible

with the video format that you’ll be using your Photoshop file with.
Create a custom pixel aspect ratio
1 With a document open, choose Image > Pixel Aspect Ratio > Custom Pixel Aspect Ratio.
2 In the Save Pixel Aspect Ratio dialog box, enter a value in the Factor text box, name the custom pixel aspect ratio,
and click OK.

The new custom pixel aspect ratio appears in both the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu of the New dialog box and in the
Image > Pixel Aspect Ratio menu.
Delete a pixel aspect ratio
1 With the document open, choose Image > Pixel Aspect Ratio > Delete Pixel Aspect Ratio.
2 In the Delete Pixel Aspect Ratio dialog box, choose the item to delete from the Pixel Aspect Ratio menu, and click
Delete.
Reset the pixel aspect ratios
1 With the document open, choose Image > Pixel Aspect Ratio > Reset Pixel Aspect Ratios.
2 In the dialog box, choose one of the following:
Append Replaces the current pixel aspect ratios with the default values plus any custom pixel aspect ratios. This

option is useful if you deleted a default value and want to restore it to the menu but also want to retain any custom
values.
OK Replaces the current pixel aspect ratios with the default values. Custom pixel aspect ratios are discarded.
Cancel Cancels the command.

Prepare images for use in After Effects
You can import a Photoshop (PSD) file directly into an After Effects project with the option of preserving individual
layers, layer styles, transparent areas and layer masks, and adjustment layers (preserving the individual elements for
animation).
Note: After Effects works in RGB color mode. For best results, work in RGB mode in Photoshop for files you will be
exporting to After Effects. After Effects CS3 can convert files from CMYK to RGB. After Effects 7 and earlier cannot
convert files from CMYK to RGB.

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Before you export a layered Photoshop file for use in After Effects, do the following to reduce preview and rendering
time and to avoid problems with importing and updating Photoshop layers.

• Organize and name layers. If you change a layer name or delete a layer in a Photoshop document after you import
it into After Effects, After Effects won’t be able to find the renamed or deleted layer. The After Effects Project panel
lists that layer as missing. (You can also group layers into Smart Objects. For example: If you used a set of layers
to make a foreground object and a set of layers to make a background, you can group them as one Smart Object
each, and easily animate one to fly in front of the other).

• Make sure that each layer has a unique name. Duplicate layer names can cause confusion.
• Choose Always from the Maximize PSD And PSB File Compatibility menu in the File Handling Preferences dialog box.
• Use the appropriate pixel dimension preset for video and film in the New Document dialog box.
• Do any required color correction, scaling, cropping, or other edits in Photoshop so that After Effects doesn’t have
to do extra image-processing work. (You can also assign a color profile to the image that corresponds to the
intended output type, such as Rec. 601 NTSC or Rec. 709. After Effects can read embedded color profiles and
interpret the image's colors accordingly. For more information on color profiles, see “Working with color profiles”
on page 141

Import video files and image sequences (Photoshop
Extended)
Open or import a video file (Photoshop Extended)
In Photoshop Extended, you can open a video file directly or add video to an open document. When you import
video, the image frames are referenced in a video layer.
1 Do one of the following:

• To open a video file directly, choose File > Open.
• To import video into an open document, choose Layer > Video Layers > New Video Layer From File.
2 In the Open dialog box, for Files Of Type (Windows) or Enable (Mac OS), choose either All Readable Documents
or QuickTime Movie.
3 Select a video file and then click Open.

You can also open video directly from Bridge: select a video file and then choose File > Open With > Adobe
Photoshop CS3.

See also
“Supported video and image sequence formats (Photoshop Extended)” on page 545
“About missing and mismatched color profiles” on page 147

Import image sequences (Photoshop Extended)
When you import a folder of sequenced image files, each image becomes a frame in a video layer.
1 Make sure that the image files are in one folder and are named sequentially.

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The folder should contain only those images you want to use as frames. The resulting animation will be more
successful if all files have the same pixel dimensions. To order frames correctly for the animation, name the files in
alphabetical or numeric order. For example, filename001, filename002, filename003, and so forth.
2 Do one of the following:

• To open an image sequence directly, choose File > Open.
• To import an image sequence into an open document, choose Layer > Video Layers > New Video Layer From File.
3 In the Open dialog box, navigate to the folder with image sequence files.
4 Select one file, choose the Image Sequence option, and then click Open.

Note: Selecting more than one file in an image sequence disables the Image Sequence option.
For a video on working with Image Sequences, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0026.

See also
“Supported video and image sequence formats (Photoshop Extended)” on page 545

Place a video or image sequence (Photoshop Extended)
Use the Place command if you want to transform the video or image sequence as you import it into a document.
Once placed, the video frames are contained within a Smart Object. When video is contained by a Smart Object, you
can navigate through the frames using the Animation palette, and you can also apply Smart Filters.
Note: You can’t paint or clone directly on video frames contained by a Smart Object. However, you can add a blank video
layer above the Smart Object, and paint on the blank frames. You can also use the Clone tool with the Sample All Layers
option to paint on blank frames. This lets you use the video in the Smart Object as a cloning source.
1 With a document open choose File > Place.
2 In the Place dialog box, do one of the following:

• Select a video file and click Place.
• Select one image sequence file, select the Image Sequence option, and then click Place.
Note: Make sure all the image sequence files are in one folder.
3 (Optional) Use the control points to scale, rotate, move, or warp the imported content.
4 Click the Commit Transform button

in the options bar to place the file.

You can also place video directly from Adobe Bridge CS3. Select the video file and then choose File > Place > In
Photoshop.

See also
“About Smart Objects” on page 309
“Transform video layers (Photoshop Extended)” on page 560
“About Smart Filters” on page 312
“Create new video layers” on page 560

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Reload footage in a video layer (Photoshop Extended)
If the source file for a video layer is modified in a different application, Photoshop Extended generally reloads and
updates the footage, when you open the document containing the video layer referencing the changed source file. If
your document is already open and the source file has been modified, use the Reload Frame command to reload and
update the current frame in the Animation palette. Navigating through the video layer using the Previous/Next
Frame or Play button in the Animation palette should also reload and update the footage.

Replace footage in a video layer (Photoshop Extended)
Photoshop Extended tries to maintain a link between the source video file and video layer even when you modify or
move the video footage outside Photoshop. If, for some reason, the link is broken between the video layer and the
referenced source file, the Replace Footage command lets you relink the video layer to the source video file. The
Replace Footage command can also replace the video or image sequence frames in a video layer with frames from a
different video or image sequence source.
Photoshop tries to maintain the link between the video layer and the source file even if you move or rename the video
source. However, if moving, renaming, or deleting a video source file breaks the link between it and the video layer,
an alert icon
appears on that layer in the Layers palette. You can use the Replace Footage command to relink the
video layer to the source file.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the video layer that you want to relink to the source file or to replace the
content.
2 Choose Layer > Video Layers > Replace Footage.
3 In the Open dialog box, select a video or image sequence file, and then click Open.

Interpreting video footage (Photoshop Extended)
Interpret video footage (Photoshop Extended)
You can specify how Photoshop Extended interprets the alpha channel and frame rate of the video you’ve opened or
imported.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the video layer that you want to interpret.
2 Choose Layer > Video Layers > Interpret Footage.
3 In the Interpret Footage dialog box, do any of the following:

• To specify how the alpha channel in the video layer is interpreted, select an Alpha Channel option. The footage
must have an alpha channel for this option to be available. If Premultiplied-Matte is selected, you can specify the
matte color with which the channels are premultiplied.

• To specify the number of video frames played per second, enter a Frame Rate.
• To color-manage the frames or images in a video layer, choose a profile from the Color Profile menu.

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Alpha channel interpretation in video and image sequences (Photoshop Extended)

Video and image sequences with alpha channels can be straight or premultiplied. If you’re working with video or
image sequences containing alpha channels, it’s important to specify how Photoshop Extended interprets the alpha
channel to get the results you expect. When premultiplied video or images are in a document with certain
background colors, it’s possible to get undesirable ghosting or halos. You can specify a matte color so the semi-transparent pixels blend (multiply) with the background without producing halos.
Ignore Ignores the alpha channel in the video.
Straight-Unmatted Interprets the alpha channel as straight alpha. If the application you used to create the video

doesn’t premultiply the alpha channel, select this option.
Premultiplied-Matte Interprets the alpha channel as premultiplied with black, white, or a color. If necessary, click

the color swatch in the Interpret Footage dialog box to open the Adobe Color Picker to specify the matte color.

dj kwh
Alpha channel premultiplied with white matte

Painting frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)
Paint frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)
You can edit or paint on individual video frames to create an animation, add content, or to remove unwanted details.
In addition to using any brush tool, you can paint using the Clone Stamp, Pattern Stamp, Healing Brush, or Spot
Healing Brush. You can also edit video frames using the Patch tool.
Note: Painting (or using any other tool) on video frames is often called rotoscoping; although traditionally, rotoscoping
involves the frame-by-frame tracing of live action images for use in animation.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the video layer.
2 Move the current time indicator to the video frame you want to edit.
3 (Optional) If you want your edits to be on a separate layer, choose Layers > Video Layers > New Blank Video
Layer.
4 Select the brush tool that you want to use and apply your edits to the frame.

Painting on a video layer is nondestructive. To discard the altered pixels on a specific frame or video layer, choose
the Restore Frame or Restore All Frames command. To toggle on and off the visibility of altered video layers, choose
the Hide Altered Video command (or click the eyeball next to the altered video track in the timeline).
For a video on cloning, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0025.
For a video on working with video layers, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0027.

See also
“Paint with the Brush tool or Pencil tool” on page 326
“Retouching and repairing images” on page 195

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“Restore frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)” on page 559
“Create hand-drawn animations (Photoshop Extended)” on page 576

Cloning content in video and animation frames (Photoshop Extended)
In Photoshop Extended, you can use the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush tools to retouch or duplicate objects in
video or animation frames. Use the Clone Stamp to sample content from one part of a frame (the source) and paint
it over another part of the same or different frame (the target). You can also use a separate document as the sampling
source, instead of a frame. The Healing Brush includes options for blending the sampled content with the target
frame.
Note: You can also clone content with the Spot Healing Brush and the Patch tools. However, the Clone Stamp and the
Healing Brush tools let you store up to five samples in the Clone Source palette, and set overlay, scaling, and frame offset
options.
After you sample content from a frame and paint with it, and then move to another frame, the source frame changes
relative to the frame you initially sampled from. You can lock in the source frame you first sampled, or enter a frame
offset value to change the source to a different frame, relative to the frame you first sampled.
For a video on cloning, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0025.

See also
“Retouch with the Clone Stamp tool” on page 195
“Retouch with the Healing Brush tool” on page 198
“Set sample sources for cloning and healing” on page 196
“Create new video layers” on page 560
Clone video or animation content
1 Select the Clone Stamp tool
or Healing Brush tool

, and then set the tool options you want.

2 Do one of the following:

• Select a video layer in the Layers palette or Animation palette, and then move the current-time indicator to the
frame you want to sample.

• Open the image you want to sample.
3 Position the pointer in an open image or frame, and Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) to set the

sampling point.
4 To set additional sampling points, click each clone source button

in the Clone Source palette.

5 Select the target video layer and move the current-time indicator to the frame you want to paint.

If you want to paint on a separate layer, you can add a blank video layer. Make sure you choose the appropriate
Sample option to clone content onto the blank video layer.
6 If you have set multiple sampling points, select the source you want to use in the Clone Source palette.
7 Do any of the following in the Clone Source palette:

• To scale or rotate the source that you’re cloning, enter a value for W (width) or H (height), or the rotation in
degrees

• To show an overlay of the source that you’re cloning, select Show Overlay and specify the overlay options.

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Use Shift + Option (Windows) or Shift + Alt (Mac OS) to temporarily show the clone source overlay. Use Shift +
Option-drag (Windows) or Shift + Alt-drag (Mac OS) to move the source overlay to the desired offset/position. For
more information on Shortcuts, see “Keyboard shortcuts” on page 629.
8 Drag over the area of the frame you want to paint.

Painting on a video layer is nondestructive. You can choose the Restore Frame or Restore All Frames command to
discard the altered pixels on a specific frame or video layer.
Change frame offset for cloning or healing
❖ In the Clone Source palette:

• To always paint using the same frame you initially sampled from, select Lock Frame.
• To paint using a specific frame relative to the frame you initially sampled from, enter the number of frames in the
Frame Offset box. If the frame you want to use is after the frame you initially sampled, enter a positive value. If
the frame you want to use is before the frame you initially sampled, enter a negative value.

Restore frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)
You can discard edits made to frame video layers and blank video layers.
❖ In the Animation palette, select a video layer and do one of the following:

• To restore a specific frame, move the current-time indicator to the video frame and choose Layer > Video Layers >
Restore Frame.

• To restore all the frames in a video layer or blank video layer, choose Layer > Video Layers > Restore All Frames.

Managing color in video layers (Photoshop Extended)
In Photoshop Extended, you can paint on video layers using tools such as the brush tool or the clone stamp tool. If
no color profile is assigned to the video layer, these pixel edits are stored using the document file’s color space, and
the video footage itself is left unchanged. If the color space of the imported footage is different from the color space
of your Photoshop document, you may need to make adjustments. For example, a standard definition video movie
may be in SDTV 601 NTSC, while the Photoshop Extended document is in Adobe RGB. Your final exported video
or document might not have the colors you expect due to the color space mismatch.
Before investing a lot of time painting or editing video layers, test your complete workflow to understand your color
management needs and find the approach that works best for your workflow.
Often, you can solve a mismatch by assigning a color profile to the document that corresponds to the imported
footage, and leaving the video layer unmanaged. For example, with standard definition video, you can leave the video
layer unmanaged and assign the document the SDTV (Rec. 601 NTSC) color profile. In this case, the imported frame
pixels are stored directly in the video layer without color conversion.
Conversely, you can assign the document’s color profile to the video layer using the Convert Edited Frame Content
option (Layers > Video Layers > Interpret Footage). This option converts the pixel edits to the document’s color
space, but does not convert the colors of the video frames.
Note: Avoid using the NTSC (1953) profile; it is based on equipment that is no longer used.

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The Convert To Profile command (Edit > Convert To Profile) also converts all pixel edits to the document’s color
space. However, using the Assign Profile command (Edit > Assign Profile) does not convert the pixel edits to a video
layer. Use the Assign Profile command with care, especially when you’ve painted on or edited video frames. If the
video layer has a color profile, applying the Assign Profile command to the document may cause a color space
mismatch between the pixel edits and the imported frames.
Some combinations of video footage and document color spaces require color conversion:

• A grayscale movie in an RGB, CMYK, or Lab mode document requires color conversion.
• Using 8- or 16-bpc footage in a 32-bpc document requires color conversion.

See also
“Understanding color management” on page 128
“Assign or remove a color profile (Illustrator, Photoshop)” on page 144
“Convert document colors to another profile (Photoshop)” on page 145

Editing video and animation layers (Photoshop
Extended)
Transform video layers (Photoshop Extended)
You can transform a video layer as you transform any other layer in Photoshop. Once transformed, the video frames
are contained in a Smart Object.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the video layer.
2 Do any of the following:

• Choose Edit > Free Transform and then use the handles in the document window to transform the video.
• Choose Edit > Transform and then choose a specific transformation from the submenu.

See also
“Transforming objects” on page 213
“About Smart Objects” on page 309

Create new video layers
You can create new video layers by adding a video file as a new layer or creating a blank layer.

See also
“Import video files and image sequences (Photoshop Extended)” on page 554
“Place a video or image sequence (Photoshop Extended)” on page 555
“Replace footage in a video layer (Photoshop Extended)” on page 556

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Open a video file
❖ Choose File > Open, select a video file, and click Open.

The video appears on a video layer in a new document.
Add a video file as a new video layer
1 For the active document, make sure the Animation palette is displayed in timeline mode.
2 Choose Layer > Video Layers > New Video Layer From File.
3 Select a video or image sequence file and click Open.
Add a blank video layer
1 For the active document, make sure the Animation palette is displayed in timeline mode.
2 Choose Layer > Video Layers > New Blank Video Layer.

Set a work area (Photoshop Extended)
1 In the Animation palette, do any of the following to set the duration of the video or animation you want to export
or preview:

• Drag the ends of work area bar.
• Move the current-time indicator to the time or frame you want. From the Animation palette menu, choose either
Set Start Of Work Area or Set End Of Work Area.
2 (Optional) To remove the portions of the timeline not in the work area, choose Trim Document Duration To
Work Area from the Animation palette menu.

See also
“Specify timeline duration and frame rate (Photoshop Extended)” on page 549

Specify when a layer appears in a video or animation (Photoshop Extended)
You can use various methods to specify when a layer appears in a video or animation. For example, you can trim
(hide) frames at the beginning or end of a layer. This changes the layer’s start and end points in a video or animation.
(The first frame to appear is called the In point, and the last frame is called the Out point.) You can also drag the
entire layer duration bar to a different portion of the timeline.
1 In the Animation palette, select the layer.
2 Do any of the following:

• To specify the In and Out points of a layer, drag the beginning and end of the layer duration bar.
• Drag the layer duration bar to the section of the timeline where you want the layer to appear.
Note: For best results, drag the layer duration bar after the bar has been trimmed.

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Layers (In timeline mode) with the layer duration bar selected to drag

• Move the current-time indicator to the frame you want as the new In or Out point, and from the Animation palette
menu, choose Trim Layer Start To Current Time or Trim Layer End To Current Time.
This shortens the layer duration by hiding the frames between the current-time indicator and either the start or the
end of the layer. (Re-extending the ends of the layer duration bar reveals the hidden frames.)

• Use keyframes to change the layer’s opacity at specific times or frames.
Note: To delete footage in one or more unlocked layers, use the Lift Work Area command. To delete a specific duration
from all video or animated layers, use the Extract Work Area command.

Remove footage from a layer (Photoshop Extended)
You can remove footage from the start or end of a video or animation layer.
When you trim footage, you can restore it by re-extending the ends of the layer duration bar.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the layer you want to edit.
2 Move the current-time indicator to the frame (or time) you want as the new In point or Out point.
3 On the Animation palette menu, choose one of the following options:
Move Layer In Point To Current Time Permanently moves section from the start of the layer to the current-time

indicator.
Move Layer Out Point To Current Time Permanently moves section from the current-time indicator to the end of the

layer.
Trim Layer Start To Current Time Temporarily removes (hides) section from the current-time indicator to the start

of the layer.
Trim Layer End To Current Time Temporarily removes (hides) section from the current-time indicator to the end of

the layer.
Note: You can also use the Lift Work Area command to delete footage in one or more unlocked layers, or the Extract
Work Area command to delete a specific duration in all layers of a video or animation.

Lift work area (Photoshop Extended)
A section of the footage in selected layers can be deleted, leaving a gap of the same duration as the removed section.
1 Make sure the layers you want preserved are locked, and then select the unlocked layers you want to edit.
2 In the Animation palette, set the work area to specify the duration of the selected layers you want to omit.
3 From the Animation palette menu, choose Lift Work Area.

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Layers before applying the Lift Work Area command

Layers after applying the Lift Work Area command

Extract work area (Photoshop Extended)
Specific portions of an animation or video can be deleted using the Extract Work Area command. All layers are
affected by the command.
1 In the Animation palette, set the work area to specify the duration of the video or animation that you want to omit.
2 From the Animation palette menu, choose Extract Work Area.

The remaining content is copied to new video layers.

Split video layers (Photoshop Extended)
A video layer can be split into two new video layers at the frame you specify.
1 Select a video layer in the Animation palette.
2 Move the current-time indicator to the time or frame number where you want to split the video layer.
3 Click the Animation options icon

and choose Split Video Layer from the Animation palette menu.

The selected video layer is duplicated and appears immediately above the original in the Animation palette. The
original layer is trimmed from the start to the current time, and the duplicate layer is trimmed from the end to the
current time.

Original layer before using the Split Video Layer command

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Resulting two layers after using the Split Video Layer command

Group layers in a video or animation (Photoshop Extended)
As you add more layers to your video or animation, you might want to organize them into a hierarchy. One of the
easiest ways is to group the layers. Photoshop preserves the frames in your video or animation in grouped layers.
You can also group a group of layers. Besides nesting your layers in a more complex hierarchy, grouping a group of
layers lets you simultaneously animate the opacity of all the grouped layers. The Animation palette displays a group
of grouped layers with a common opacity layer property.
For a video on working with video layers, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0027.
❖ In the Layers palette, select two or more layers and do one of the following:

• Choose Layer > Group Layers.
• Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object.

Rasterize video layers (Photoshop Extended)
When you rasterize video layers, the selected layer is flattened to a composite of the current frame selected in the
Animation palette. Although it’s possible to rasterize more than one video layer at a time, you’ll only be able to specify
the current frame for the topmost video layer.
1 In the Layers palette, select the video layer.
2 In the Animation palette, move the current-time indicator to the frame that you want preserved when you
rasterize the video layer.
3 Do either of the following:

• Choose Layer > Rasterize > Video.
• Choose Layer > Rasterize > Layer.
Note: To rasterize more than one video layer at a time, select the layers in the Layers palette, set the current-time
indicator to the frame you want to preserve in the topmost video layer, and then choose Layer > Rasterize > Layers.

Creating frame animations
Frame animation workflow
In Photoshop, you use the Animation palette to create animation frames. Each frame represents a configuration of
layers.

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Note: In Photoshop Extended, you can also create animations using a timeline and keyframes. See “Creating timeline
animations (Photoshop Extended)” on page 572.

Illustration of an animation. The unicycle image is on its own layer; the position of the layer changes in each frame of the animation.

To create frame-based animations in Photoshop, use the following general workflow.
1. Open a new document.

If they are not already visible, open the Animation and Layers palettes, as well. In Photoshop Extended, make sure
the Animation palette is in frame animation mode (click the Convert to Frame Animation button in the Animation
palette).
2. Add a layer or convert the background layer.

Because a background layer cannot be animated, add a new layer or convert the background layer to a regular layer.
See “Convert background and layers” on page 280.
3. Add content to your animation.

If your animation includes several objects that are animated independently, or if you want to change the color of an
object or completely change the content in a frame, create the objects on separate layers.
4. Add a frame to the Animation palette.

See “Add frames to an animation” on page 566.
5. Select a frame.

See “Select animation frames” on page 566.
6. Edit the layers for the selected frame.

Do any of the following:

• Turn visibility on and off for different layers.
• Change the position of objects or layers to make layer content move.
• Change layer opacity to make content fade in or out.
• Change the blending mode of layers.
• Add a style to layers.
Photoshop provides tools for keeping characteristics of a layer the same across frames. See “Changing attributes of
layers in animations” on page 567.

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7. Add more frames and edit layers as needed.

The number of frames you can create is limited only by the amount of system memory available to Photoshop.
You can generate new frames with intermediate changes between two existing frames in the palette using the Tween
command. This is a quick way to make an object move across the screen or to fade in or out. See “Create frames using
tweening” on page 569.
8. Set frame delay and looping options.

You can assign a delay time to each frame and specify looping so that the animation runs once, a certain number of
times, or continuously. See “Specify a delay time in frame animations” on page 570 and “Specify looping in frame
animations” on page 571.
9. Preview the animation.

Use the controls in the Animation palette to play the animation as you create it. Then use the Save For Web & Devices
command to preview the animation in your web browser. See “Preview optimized images in a web browser” on
page 529.
10. Optimize the animation for efficient download.

See “Optimize animation frames” on page 582.
11. Save the animation.

You can save the animation as an animated GIF using the Save For Web & Devices command. You can also save the
animation in Photoshop (PSD) format so you can do more work on the animation later.
In Photoshop, you can save your frame animation as an image sequence, QuickTime movie, or as separate files. See
also “Export image sequences” on page 588, and “Export video” on page 583.

Add frames to an animation
Adding frames is the first step in creating an animation. If you have an image open, the Animation palette displays
the image as the first frame in a new animation. Each frame you add starts as a duplicate of the preceding frame. You
then make changes to the frame using the Layers palette.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Click the Duplicates Current Frame button

in the Animation palette.

Select animation frames
Before you can work with a frame, you must select it as the current frame. The contents of the current frame appear
in the document window.
In the Animation palette, the current frame is indicated by a narrow border (inside the shaded selection highlight)
around the frame thumbnail. Selected frames are indicated by a shaded highlight around the frame thumbnails.
Select one animation frame
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click a frame in the Animation palette.

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• In the Animation palette, click the Selects Next Frame button

to select the next frame in the series as the

current frame.

• In the Animation palette, click the Selects Previous Frame button

to select the previous frame in the series as

the current frame.

• In the Animation palette, click the Selects First Frame button

to select the first frame in the series as the

current frame.
Select multiple animation frames
❖ In the Animation palette (in frame animation mode), do one of the following:

• To select contiguous multiple frames, Shift-click a second frame. The second frame and all frames between the
first and second are added to the selection.

• To select discontiguous multiple frames, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) additional frames to
add those frames to the selection.

• To select all frames, choose Select All Frames from the Animation palette menu.
• To deselect a frame in a multiframe selection, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) that frame.

Edit animation frames
1 In the Animation palette (in frame animation mode), select one or more frames.
2 Do any of the following:

• To edit the content of objects in animation frames, use the Layers palette to modify the layers in the image that
affect that frame.

• To change the position of an object in an animation frame, select the layer containing the object in the Layers
palette and drag it to a new position.
Note: In the Animation palette, you can select and change the position of multiple frames. However, if you drag multiple
discontiguous frames, the frames are placed contiguously in the new position.

• To reverse the order of animation frames, choose Reverse Frames from the Animation palette menu.
Note: The frames you want to reverse do not have to be contiguous; you can reverse any selected frames.

• To delete selected frames, select Delete Frame from the Animation palette menu or click the Delete icon

, then

click Yes to confirm the deletion. You can also drag the selected frame onto the Delete icon.

See also
“Select animation frames” on page 566

Changing attributes of layers in animations
The unify buttons (Unify Layer Position, Unify Layer Visibility, and Unify Layer Style) in the Layers palette
determine how the changes you make to attributes in the active animation frame apply to the other frames in the
same layer. When a unify button is selected, that attribute is changed in all the frames in the active layer; when that
button is deselected, changes apply to only the active frame.

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The Propagate Frame 1 option in the Layers palette also determines how the changes you make to attributes in the
first frame will apply to the other frames in the same layer. When it is selected, you can change an attribute in the
first frame, and all subsequent frames in the active layer will change in relation to the first frame (and preserve the
animation you have already created).
Unify layer properties
1 In the Animation palette (in frame animation mode), change the attribute to one frame.
2 In the Layers palette, click Unify Layer Position
, Unify Layer Visibility
the changed attribute apply to all other frames in the active layer.

, or Unify Layer Style

to have

Propagate frame 1
1 In the Animation palette (in frame animation mode), change the attribute to the first frame.
2 In the Layers palette, select the Propagate Frame 1 option.

The changed attribute is applied (in relation) to all subsequent frames in a layer.
You can also propagate frames by shift-selecting any consecutive group of frames in the layer and changing an
attribute in any of the selected frames.
Show or hide Unify Layers buttons
❖ Choose Animation Options from the Layers palette menu, and then choose one of the following:
Automatic Displays the unify layers buttons when the Animation palette is open. In Photoshop Extended, the
Animation palette must be in frame animation mode.
Always Show Displays the unify layers buttons whether the Animation palette is open or closed.
Always Hide Hides the unify layers buttons whether the Animation palette is open or closed.

Copy and paste layers between frames
To understand what happens when you copy and paste a frame, think of a frame as a duplicate version of an image
with a given layer configuration. When you copy a frame, you copy the configurations of layers (including each
layer’s visibility setting, position, and other properties). When you paste a frame, you apply that layer configuration
to the destination frame.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Select one or more frames you want to copy in the Animation palette.
3 Choose Copy Frame(s) from the Animation palette menu.
4 Select a destination frame or frames in the current animation or another animation.
5 Choose Paste Frame(s) from the Animation palette menu.
6 Select a Paste method:
Replace Frames Replaces the selected frames with the copied frames. No new layers are added. The properties of

each existing layer in the destination frames are replaced by those of each copied layer. When you paste frames
between images, new layers are added to the image; however, only the pasted layers are visible in the destination
frames (the existing layers are hidden).
Paste Over Selection Adds the contents of the pasted frames as new layers in the image. When you paste frames into
the same image, using this option doubles the number of layers in the image. In the destination frames, the newly

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pasted layers are visible, and the original layers are hidden. In the non-destination frames, the newly pasted layers
are hidden.
Paste Before Selection or Paste After Selection Adds the copied frames before or after the destination frame. When

you paste frames between images, new layers are added to the image; however, only the pasted layers are visible in
the new frames (the existing layers are hidden).
7 (Optional) To link pasted layers in the Layers palette, select Link Added Layers.

Use this option when you need to reposition the pasted layers as a unit.
8 Click OK.

Create frames using tweening
The term tweening is derived from “in betweening,” the traditional animation term used to describe this process.
Tweening significantly reduces the time required to create animation effects such as fading in or fading out, or
moving an element across a frame. You can edit tweened frames individually after you create them.
You use the Tween command to automatically add or modify a series of frames between two existing frames—
varying the layer properties (position, opacity, or effect parameters) evenly between the new frames to create the
appearance of movement. For example, if you want to fade out a layer, set the opacity of the layer in the starting frame
to 100%; then set the opacity of the same layer in the ending frame to 0%. When you tween between the two frames,
the opacity of the layer is reduced evenly across the new frames.

Using tweening to animate text position

1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 To apply tweening to a specific layer, select it in the Layers palette.
3 Select a single frame or multiple contiguous frames.

• If you select a single frame, you choose whether to tween the frame with the previous frame or the next frame.
• If you select two contiguous frames, new frames are added between the frames.
• If you select more than two frames, existing frames between the first and last selected frames are altered by the
tweening operation.

• If you select the first and last frames in an animation, these frames are treated as contiguous, and tweened frames
are added after the last frame. (This tweening method is useful when the animation is set to loop multiple times.)
4 Do one of the following:

• Click the Tween button

in the Animation palette.

• Select Tween from the Animation palette menu.
5 Specify the layer or layers to be varied in the added frames:
All Layers Varies all layers in the selected frame or frames.
Selected Layer Varies only the currently selected layer in the selected frame or frames.

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6 Specify layer properties to be varied:
Position Varies the position of the layer’s content in the new frames evenly between the beginning and ending

frames.
Opacity Varies the opacity of the new frames evenly between the beginning and ending frames.
Effects Varies the parameter settings of layer effects evenly between the beginning and ending frames.

7 If you selected a single frame in step 2, choose where to add frames from the Tween With menu:
Next Frame Adds frames between the selected frame and the following frame. This option is not available when you
select the last frame in the Animation palette.
First Frame Adds frames between the last frame and first frame. This option is available only if you select the last

frame in the Animation palette.
Previous Frame Adds frames between the selected frame and the preceding frame. This option is not available when

you select the first frame in the Animation palette.
Last Frame Adds frames between the first frame and last frame. This option is available only if you select the first

frame in the Animation palette.
8 Enter a value, or use the Up or Down Arrow key to choose the number of frames to add. (This option is not

available if you selected more than two frames.)
9 Click OK.

Add a new layer every time you create a frame
When you create a new layer, it is visible in all frames of an animation. To hide a layer in a specific frame, select the
frame in the Animation palette, and then hide the desired layer in the Layers palette.
You can use the Create Layer For Each New Frame option to automatically add a new layer to the image every time
you create a frame. The new layer is visible in the new frame but hidden in other frames. Using this option saves time
when you are creating an animation that requires you to add a new visual element to each frame.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Choose Create Layer For Each New Frame from the Animation palette menu.

A check mark indicates that the option is turned on.

Specify a delay time in frame animations
You can specify a delay—the time that a frame is displayed—for single frames or for multiple frames in an animation.
Delay time is displayed in seconds. Fractions of a second are displayed as decimal values. For example, one-quarter
of a second is specified as .25. If you set a delay on the current frame, every frame you create after that will remember
and apply that delay value.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Select one or more frames.
3 In the Animation palette, click the Delay value below the selected frame to view the Delay pop-up menu.
4 Specify the delay:

• Choose a value from the pop-up menu. (The last value used appears at the bottom of the menu.)

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• Choose Other, enter a value in the Set Frame Delay dialog box, and click OK. If you selected multiple frames,
specifying a delay value for one frame applies the value to all frames.

Choose a disposal method
The frame disposal method specifies whether to discard the current frame before displaying the next frame. You
select a disposal method for animations that include background transparency to specify whether the current frame
will be visible through the transparent areas of the next frame.

Frame disposal methods
A. Frame with background transparency with Restore To Background option B. Frame with background transparency with Do Not Dispose
option

The Disposal Method icon indicates whether the frame is set to Do Not Dispose
(No icon appears when Disposal Method is set to Automatic.)

or Restore To Background

1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Select a frame or frames for which you want to choose a disposal method.
3 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the frame thumbnail to view the Disposal Method context menu.
4 Choose a disposal method:
Automatic Determines a disposal method for the current frame automatically, discarding the current frame if the
next frame contains layer transparency. For most animations, the Automatic option (default) yields the desired
results.

Note: To enable Photoshop to preserve frames that include transparency, select the Automatic disposal option when you
are using the Redundant Pixel Removal optimization option.
Do Not Dispose Preserves the current frame as the next frame is added to the display. The current frame (and

preceding frames) may show through transparent areas of the next frame. Use a browser to see an accurate preview
of an animation using the Do Not Dispose option.
Dispose (Photoshop) Discards the current frame from the display before the next frame is displayed. Only a single
frame is displayed at any time (and the current frame does not appear through the transparent areas of the next
frame).

Specify looping in frame animations
You select a looping option to specify how many times the animation sequence repeats when played.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Click the Looping Option Selection box at the lower left corner of the Animation palette.
3 Select a looping option: Once, Forever, or Other.
4 If you selected Other, enter a value in the Set Loop Count dialog box, and click OK.

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Note: Looping options can also be set in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box. For more information, see “Save For
Web & Devices overview” on page 523.

Delete an entire animation
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Select Delete Animation from the Animation palette menu.

Creating timeline animations (Photoshop Extended)
Timeline animation workflow (Photoshop Extended)
To animate layer content in timeline mode (rather than frame mode), you set keyframes in the Animation palette,
as you move the current-time indicator to a different time/frame, and then modify the position, opacity, or style of
the layer content. Photoshop automatically adds or modifies a series of frames between two existing frames—varying
the layer properties (position, opacity, and styles) evenly between the new frames to create the appearance of
movement or transformation.
For example, if you want to fade out a layer, set the opacity of the layer in the starting frame to 100% and in the
Animation palette, click the Opacity stopwatch for the layer. Then move the current-time indicator to the time/frame
for the ending frame and set the opacity for the same layer to 0%. Photoshop Extended automatically interpolates
frames between the start and end frames, and the opacity of the layer is reduced evenly across the new frames.
In addition to letting Photoshop interpolate frames in an animation, you can also create a hand-drawn frame-byframe animation by painting on a blank video layer.
If you want to create a SWF format animation, use Adobe Flash, Adobe After Effects, or Adobe Illustrator.
To create a timeline-based animation in Photoshop Extended, use the following general workflow.
1. Create a new document.

Specify the size and background contents. Make sure the pixel aspect ratio and dimensions are appropriate for the
output of your animation. The color mode should be RGB. Unless you have special reasons for making changes, leave
the resolution at 72 pixels/inch, the bit depth at 8 bpc, and the pixel aspect ratio at square.
2. Specify the document timeline settings in the Animation palette menu.

Specify the duration and frame rate. See “Specify timeline duration and frame rate (Photoshop Extended)” on
page 549.
3. Add a layer.

Add any of the following:

• A new layer for adding content.
• A new video layer for adding video content.
• A new blank video layer for cloning content to or creating hand-drawn animations.

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4. Add content to the layer.
5. (Optional) Add a layer mask.

A layer mask can be used to reveal only a portion of the layer’s content. You can animate the layer mask to reveal
different portions of the layer’s content over time. See “Add layer masks” on page 319.
6. Move the current time indicator to the time or frame where you want to set the first keyframe.

See “Use keyframes to animate layer properties (Photoshop Extended)” on page 574.
7. Turn on keyframing for a layer property.

Click the triangle next to the layer name. A down-pointing triangle displays the layer’s properties. Then, click the
Time-Vary Stopwatch to set the first keyframe for the layer property you want to animate. You can set keyframes for
more than one layer property at a time.
8. Move the current time indicator and change a layer property.

Move the current time indicator to the time or frame where the layer’s property changes. You can do one or more of
the following:

• Change the position of the layer to make layer content move.
• Change layer opacity to make content fade in or out.
• Change the position of a layer mask to reveal different parts of the layer.
• Turn a layer mask on or off.
For some types of animation, such as changing the color of an object, or completely changing the content in a frame,
you need additional layers with the new content.
Note: To animate shapes, you animate the vector mask not the shape layer, using the Time-Vary Stopwatch for Vector
Mask Position or Vector Mask Enable.
9. Add additional layers with content and edit their layer properties as needed.
10. Move or trim the layer duration bar to specify when a layer appears in an animation.

See “Specify when a layer appears in a video or animation (Photoshop Extended)” on page 561 and “Set a work area
(Photoshop Extended)” on page 561.
11. Preview the animation.

Use the controls in the Animation palette to play the animation as you create it. Then preview the animation in your
web browser. You can also preview the animation in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box. See “Previewing video
or timeline animations (Photoshop Extended)” on page 580.
12. Save the animation.

You can save the animation as an animated GIF using the Save For Web & Devices command, or as an image
sequence or video using the Render Video command. You can also save it in PSD format, which can be imported
into Adobe After Effects.

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See also
“Choose interpolation method (Photoshop Extended)” on page 575
“Create hand-drawn animations (Photoshop Extended)” on page 576

Use keyframes to animate layer properties (Photoshop Extended)
You can animate different layer properties, such as position, opacity, and style. Each change can occur independently
of, or simultaneously with, other changes. If you want to animate different objects independently, it’s best to create
them on separate layers.
For a video on creating animations from images, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0024.
Here are some examples of how you can animate layer properties:

• You can animate position by adding a keyframe to the Position property, then moving the current time indicator
and dragging the layer in the document window.

• You can animate a layer’s opacity by adding a keyframe to the Opacity property, then moving the current time
indicator and changing the layer’s opacity in the Layers palette.
To animate a property using keyframes, you must set at least two keyframes for that property. Otherwise, changes
that you make to the layer property remain in effect for the duration of the layer.
Each layer property has a Time-Vary Stopwatch icon
that you click to begin animating. When the stopwatch is
active for a specific property, Photoshop automatically sets new keyframes whenever you change the current time
and the property value. When the stopwatch is inactive for a property, the property has no keyframes. If you type a
value for a layer property while the stopwatch is inactive, the value remains in effect for the duration of the layer. If
you deselect the stopwatch, you will permanently delete all of the keyframes for that property.
Keyframe icons (Photoshop Extended)

In the Animation palette, the appearance of a keyframe depends on the interpolation method you choose for the
interval between keyframes. See also “Choose interpolation method (Photoshop Extended)” on page 575.
Causes the animated property to change evenly over time from the previously defined state.
The one exception is the Layer Mask Position property which switches between enabled and disabled states abruptly.

Linear Keyframe

Causes the animated property to remain the same from the previous keyframe and change only
when the current time indicator is on the Hold keyframe.
Hold Keyframe

Move the current-time indicator to a keyframe (Photoshop Extended)

After you set the initial keyframe for a property, Photoshop displays the keyframe navigator, which you can use to
move from keyframe to keyframe or to set or remove keyframes. When the keyframe navigator box is selected, the
current-time indicator lies precisely at a keyframe for that layer property. When the keyframe navigator box is
deselected, the current-time indicator lies between keyframes. When arrows appear on each side of the keyframe
navigator box, other keyframes for that property exist on both sides of the current time.
❖ Click a keyframe navigator arrow. The arrow to the left moves the current-time indicator to the previous keyframe.

The arrow to the right moves the current-time indicator to the next keyframe.
Select keyframes (Photoshop Extended)
❖ In the Animation palette, do any of the following:

• To select a keyframe, click the keyframe icon.

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• To select multiple keyframes, Shift-click the keyframes or drag a marquee around the keyframes.
• To select all keyframes for a layer property, click the layer property name next to the Stopwatch icon.
Move keyframes (Photoshop Extended)
1 Select one or more keyframes.
2 Drag any of the selected keyframe icons to the desired time. If you selected multiple keyframes, then all of the

selected keyframes maintain their absolute distance to each other.
Option-drag moves the keyframes, maintaining their relative distance to each other.

Copy and paste keyframes (Photoshop Extended)

You can copy keyframes in the same layer or between layers for the same property (such as Position). Copied
keyframes are pasted at the proportional distance from the current-time indicator.
You can copy keyframes from only one layer at a time. When you paste keyframes into another layer, they appear in
the corresponding property in the destination layer. The earliest keyframe appears at the current time, and the other
keyframes follow in relative order. The keyframes remain selected after pasting, so you can immediately move them
in the timeline.
Note: You can copy and paste keyframes between more than one property at a time.
1 In the Animation palette, display the layer property containing the keyframes you want to copy.
2 Select one or more keyframes.
3 Open the Animation palette menu and choose Copy Keyframes.
4 In the Animation palette containing the destination layer, move the current-time indicator to the point in time

where you want the keyframes to appear.
5 Select the destination layer.
6 Open the Animation palette menu and choose Paste Keyframes.
Delete keyframes (Photoshop Extended)

Deleting keyframes can be useful when (for example), you make a mistake while setting keyframes, or if you decide
a keyframe is no longer needed.
❖ Select one or more keyframes and do one of the following:

• Open the Animation palette menu and choose Delete Keyframes.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) and choose Delete from the Context menu.

Choose interpolation method (Photoshop Extended)
Interpolation is the process of filling in the unknown data between two known values. In digital video and film, this
usually means generating new values between two keyframes. For example, if you want a graphic element to move
fifty pixels across the screen to the left in 15 frames, you’d set the position of the graphic in the first and 15th frames,
and mark them both as keyframes. Photoshop interpolates the frames between the two keyframes. (Interpolation is
sometimes called tweening.) Interpolation between keyframes can be used to animate movement, opacity, styles, and
global lighting.

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In Photoshop, the two types of interpolation are linear interpolation and hold interpolation.
Linear Interpolation Creates an evenly-paced change from one keyframe to another. Changes created with linear

interpolation start and stop abruptly at each keyframe.
Hold Interpolation Changes the value of a layer property over time without a gradual transition. This interpolation

method is useful for strobe effects, or when you want layers to appear or disappear suddenly.
If you apply Hold Interpolation to all keyframes of a layer property, the value of the first keyframe holds steady until
the next keyframe, when the values change immediately.
1 In the Animation palette, select one or more keyframes.
2 Do one of the following:

• Right-click a selected keyframe and choose either Linear Interpolation or Hold Interpolation from the Context menu.
• Open the Animation palette menu and choose either Keyframe Interpolation > Linear or Keyframe
Interpolation > Hold.

See also
“Use keyframes to animate layer properties (Photoshop Extended)” on page 574

Create hand-drawn animations (Photoshop Extended)
You can add a blank video layer to your document when you want to create frame-by-frame hand-drawn animations.
Adding a blank video layer above a video layer and then adjusting the opacity of the blank video layer, allows you to
see the contents of the video layer below. You can then rotoscope the video layer content by painting or drawing on
the blank video layer. See also “Paint frames in video layers (Photoshop Extended)” on page 557.
Note: If you’re animating several independent elements, create separate content on different blank video layers.
1 Create a new document.
2 Add a blank video layer.
3 Paint or add content to the layer.
4 (Optional) Click the Toggle Onion Skins button

to enable onion skinning.

5 Move the current-time indicator to the next frame.
6 Paint or add content to the layer in a slightly different position from the content in the previous frame.

You can add a blank video frame, duplicate a frame, or delete a frame from the blank video layer by choosing Layer >
Video Layers and then choosing the appropriate command.
As you create more hand-drawn frames, you can either drag the current time indicator or use the playback controls
in the Animation palette to preview your animation.

Insert, delete, or duplicate blank video frames (Photoshop Extended)
A blank video frame can be added to or removed from a blank video layer. You can also duplicate existing (painted)
frames in blank video layers.
1 In the Animation palette, select the blank video layer and then move the current-time indicator to the desired
frame.

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2 Choose Layer > Video Layers and then choose one of the following:
Insert Blank Frame Inserts a blank video frame in the selected blank video layer at the current time.
Delete Frame Deletes the video frame in the selected blank video layer at the current time.
Duplicate Frame Adds a copy of the video frame at the current time in the selected blank video layer.

Specify onion skin settings (Photoshop Extended)
Onion skin mode displays content drawn on the current frame plus content drawn on the surrounding frames. These
additional strokes appear at the opacity you specify to distinguish them from the strokes on the current frame. Onion
skin mode is useful for drawing frame-by-frame animations because it gives you reference points for the stroke
positions.
Use onion skin settings to specify how previous and forward strokes (surrounding the current frame) appear when
Onion Skin is enabled during playback in the Animation palette.
1 Open the Animation palette menu and choose Onion Skin Settings.
2 Specify options for the following:
Onion Skin Count Specifies how many previous and forward frames are displayed. Enter the Frames Before
(previous frames) and Frames After (forward frames) values in the text boxes.
Frame Spacing Specifies the number of frames between the displayed frames. For example, a value of 1 displays
consecutive frames, and a value of 2 displays strokes that are two frames apart.
Max Opacity Sets the percentage of opacity for the frames immediately before and after the current time.
Min Opacity Sets the percentage of opacity for the last frames of the before and after sets of onion-skin frames.
Blend Mode Sets the appearance of the areas where the frames overlap.

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Onion skinning
A. Current frame with one frame after B. Current frame with both one frame before and after C. Current frame with one frame before

See also
“List of blending modes” on page 344

Convert frame and timeline animations (Photoshop Extended)
A frame animation created in either Photoshop or Photoshop Extended can be converted to a timeline animation so
you can use keyframes and other timeline features to animate the layer properties. It’s also possible to convert
timeline animations to a frame animation. However, keep in mind that video layers will not play in frame animations,
and some keyframed layer properties might be lost in the conversion.
❖ In the Animation palette, do any of the following:

• From the Animation palette menu, choose either Convert To Frame Animation or Convert To Timeline.
• Click the Convert To Timeline Animation icon
• Click the Convert To Frame Animation icon

.
.

Open a multilayer animation
You can open animations that were saved in older versions of Photoshop as multilayer Photoshop (PSD) files. The
layers are placed in the Animation palette in their stacking order, with the bottom layer becoming the first frame.
1 Choose File > Open, and select the Photoshop file to open.

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2 In the Layers palette, select the layers you want for the animation, and choose Make Frames From Layers from the
Animation palette menu.

Keyframes are generated for the position, opacity, and style of each layer in the Animation palette so that the original
animation is preserved. You can edit the animation, use the Save For Web & Devices command to save an animated
GIF, or use the Render Video command to save the animation as a Quicktime movie.

Preview video and animations
Preview a frame animation
1 Do one of the following:

• Click the Play button

in the Animation palette.

• Use the spacebar to play and pause the animation.
The animation is displayed in the document window. The animation repeats indefinitely unless you specified
another repeat value in the Play Options dialog box.
2 To stop the animation, click the Stop button

3 To rewind the animation, click the Selects First Frame button

Note: To see a more accurate preview of the animation and timing, preview the animation in a web browser. In
Photoshop, open the Save For Web & Devices dialog box and click the Preview In Browser button. Use the browser’s Stop
and Reload commands to stop or replay the animation.

See also
“Preview optimized images in a web browser” on page 529

Set the timeline area to be previewed (Photoshop Extended)
❖ Do any of the following:

• Drag the work area bar over the section you want to preview.
• Drag the work area markers (at either end of the work area bar) to specify the beginning or end of the work area.

Dragging work area markers

• Move the current-time indicator to the frame you want, and then choose either Set Start Of Work Area or Set End
of Work Area from the Animation palette menu.

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Previewing video or timeline animations (Photoshop Extended)
Your video or animation can be previewed in the document window. Photoshop uses RAM preview to preview the
video or animation during your editing session. When you play or drag to preview frames, they are automatically
cached for faster playback the next time they’re played. The cached frames are indicated by the green bar in the work
area of the Animation palette. The number of frames cached depends on the amount of RAM available to Photoshop.
Preview a video or timeline animation (Photoshop Extended)
❖ Do any of the following:

• In the timeline, drag the current-time indicator.
• Use the playback buttons at the bottom of the Animation palette.
• Press the spacebar to play or stop the playback.
Note: To see a more accurate preview of an animation created for the web, preview the animation in a web browser. Use
the browser’s Stop and Reload commands to stop or replay the animation. Open the Save For Web & Devices dialog box
and click the Preview In Browser button.
Enable frame skipping (Photoshop Extended)

Photoshop Extended can skip uncached frames to achieve real-time playback.
❖ With the Animation palette in timeline animation mode, click the Animation Options icon

and choose Allow

Frame Skipping from the Animation palette menu.

Preview your document on a video monitor
The Video Preview plug-in lets you preview the current frame specified in the Animation timeline (or any image
open in Photoshop) through FireWire (IEEE 1394) on a display device, such as a video monitor. You can also adjust
the aspect ratio for proper display of images. The Video Preview plug-in supports RGB, grayscale, and indexed
images. (The plug-in converts 16-bpc images to 8-bpc images.) The Video Preview plug-in does not support alpha
channels. Transparency is displayed as black.
Note: The Video Preview plug-in does not lock the display device. When Photoshop is in the background on your
computer and another application moves into the foreground, the preview turns off and the device is unlocked so other
applications can use it for preview purposes.
1 Connect a display device, such as a video monitor, to your computer via FireWire (IEEE 1394).
2 With a document open in Photoshop, do one of the following:

• If you don’t want to set output options for viewing your document on a device, choose File > Export > Send Video
Preview To Device. You can skip the rest of the steps in this procedure.

• To set output options before viewing your document on the device, choose File > Export > Video Preview.
The Video Preview dialog box opens. If your document’s pixel aspect ratio doesn’t match the aspect ratio settings of
the display device, you will see an alert.
Note: The Send Video Preview To Device command uses the previous settings in the Video Preview dialog box.
3 Under Device Settings, specify options for the device that will display the image:

• (Mac OS) To specify an output mode, select NTSC or PAL. If the output mode and the device do not match (for
example, specifying NTSC for the output mode and connecting to a device in PAL mode), black patches appear
on previewing.

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• To specify the aspect ratio of the display device, choose either Standard (4:3) or Widescreen (16:9) from the Aspect
Ratio menu.
Note: The Aspect Ratio setting determines which placement options are available.
4 Under Image Options, choose a placement option to determine how the image appears in the display device:
Center Places the center of the image at the center of the screen, cropping the portions that fall outside the display
edges of the video preview device.
Pillarbox Displays a 4:3 image on a 16:9 display with the center of the image at the center of the screen and gray
bands on the left and right sides of the image. This option is available only if you chose Widescreen (16:9) for the
device aspect ratio.
Crop to 4:3 Displays a 16:9 image on a 4:3 display with the center of the image at the center of the screen and without

distortion by cropping the left and right edges of the frame that fall outside the display edges of the video preview
device. This option is available only if you chose Standard (4:3) for the device aspect ratio.
Letterbox Scales a 16:9 image to fit on a 4:3 display. Gray bands appear on the top and bottom of the image due the
difference in aspect ratio between the 16:9 image and the 4:3 display. This maintains the display aspect ratio without
cropping or distorting the image. This option is available only if you chose Standard (4:3) for the device aspect ratio.
Crop To 14:9/Letterbox Displays a widescreen image cropped to a 14:9 aspect ratio with black bands on either the
top and bottom of the image (when viewed on a 4:3 display) or on the left and right sides (when viewed on a 16:9
display). This maintains the display aspect ratio without distorting the image.

5 Choose an option from the Image Size menu to control whether the document pixels are scaled to the device
display:
Do Not Scale Applies no vertical scaling to the image. The image is cropped if its height is greater than that of the

video display.
Scale To Fit Within Frame Increases or decreases the image height and width proportionally to fit in the video frame.

With this option, a 16:9 image appears on a 4:3 display as letterbox, and a 4:3 image appears on a 16:9 display as
pillarbox.
6 Select the Apply Pixel Aspect Ratio To Preview check box to display the image using the document’s (nonsquare)

pixel aspect ratio. Deselect this option to display the image as it appears on your computer (square pixel) monitor.
By default, the Apply Pixel Aspect Ratio To Preview check box is selected to maintain the image’s pixel aspect ratio.
In general, you would deselect this option if the document’s pixel aspect ratio is assumed to be square and you want
to view the image as it would appear on a computer (square pixel) monitor.
7 Click OK to export the document to the device display.

Save and export video and animations
Video and animation export formats
You can save animations as GIFs for viewing on the web.
In Photoshop Extended, videos and animations can be saved as QuickTime movies or PSD files. If you’re not
rendering your work to video, then saving the file as PSD is best because it preserves the edits and saves the file in a
format that’s supported by Adobe digital video applications and many motion picture editing applications.
For a video on working with Image Sequences, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0026.

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Optimize animation frames
After you complete your animation, you should optimize it for efficient download to a web browser. You optimize
an animation in two ways:

• Optimize the frames to include only areas that change from frame to frame. This greatly reduces the file size of
the animated GIF.

• If you are saving your animation as a GIF image, optimize it as you would any GIF image. A special dithering
technique is applied to animations to ensure that dither patterns are consistent across all frames and to prevent
flickering during playback. Due to these additional optimization functions, more time may be required to
optimize an animated GIF than to optimize a standard GIF.
When optimizing the colors in an animation, use the Adaptive, Perceptual, or Selective palette. This ensures that the
colors are consistent across frames.
1 (Photoshop Extended) Make sure the Animation palette is in frame animation mode.
2 Choose Optimize Animation from the Animation palette menu.
3 Set the following options:
Bounding Box Crops each frame to the area that has changed from the preceding frame. Animation files created

using this option are smaller but are incompatible with GIF editors that do not support the option. (This option is
selected by default and is recommended.)
Redundant Pixel Removal Makes all pixels transparent in a frame that are unchanged from the preceding frame. The

Transparency option in the Optimize palette must be selected for redundant pixel removal to work. (This option is
selected by default and is recommended.)
Important: Set the frame disposal method to Automatic when using the Redundant Pixel Removal option. (See “Choose
a disposal method” on page 571.)
4 Click OK.

See also
“Optimize an image for the web” on page 525
“GIF and PNG-8 optimization options” on page 531

Flatten frames into layers
When you flatten frames into layers, a single layer is created for each frame in a video layer. This can be useful, for
example, if you’re exporting the individual video frames as separate image files, or if you’re planning to use the video
of a static object in an Image Stack.
1 In the Animation or Layers palette, select the video layer.
2 In the Animation palette, choose Flatten Frames Into Layers from the Palette menu.

See also
“Image Stacks (Photoshop Extended)” on page 594

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Export video
Note: In Photoshop, you can export QuickTime or Image Sequences. In Photoshop Extended, you can export timeline
animations with video layers.
1 Choose File > Export > Render Video.
2 In the Render Video dialog box, enter a name for the video or image sequence.
3 Click the Select Folder button, navigate to the location you want to save your video, and then click Choose.

To create a folder to contain your exported video, select the Create New Subfolder option and enter a name for the
subfolder.
4 Under File Options, select QuickTime Export and then choose a file format from the pop-up menu.
5 (Optional) Depending on the QuickTime video file format you choose, click the Settings button and specify the

export settings.
Note: iPod (320x240) automatically uses H.264 (High Quality, RGB 24 bits) settings.
6 Under Range, select one of the following options:
All Frames Renders all the frames in the Photoshop document.
In Frame Lets you specify the specific frames to render.
Currently Selected Frames Renders the frames selected by the work area bar in the Animation palette.

7 (Optional) Specify render options:
Alpha Channel Specifies how alpha channels are rendered. (This option is only available in formats that support
Alpha channel, such as PSD or TIFF).
Frame Rate Determines how many frames per second (fps) the rendered video plays.

8 Click Render.

See also
“Interpret video footage (Photoshop Extended)” on page 556
QuickTime export file formats
3G A file format developed for third-generation mobile devices. 3G is based on the MP4 file format.
FLC An animation format for playback of computer-generated animations on workstations, Windows, and Mac OS
computers. This format is also referred to as FLI.
Flash Video (FLV) Adobe® Flash® Video is the Adobe format for streaming audio and video over the web and other

networks (you must install a FLV QuickTime encoder).
iPod (320x240) An .m4v file containing H.264 video and AAC that is optimized for playing on an iPod.
QuickTime Movie The Apple Computer multimedia architecture that includes a number of Codecs.
AVI Audio Video Interleave (AVI) is a format for audio/video data on Windows computers.
DV Stream A video format with intraframe compression that uses FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface to transfer video
to nonlinear editing systems.
Image Sequence A sequence of still images that can reside within one folder and use the same numeric or alphabetic
filename pattern (such as Sequence1, Sequence2, Sequence3, and so forth).

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MPEG-4 A multimedia standard for delivering audio and video streams over a range of bandwidths.

Note: Photoshop also supports other third-party formats such as Avid AVR Codecs; however, the necessary QuickTime
Codecs must be installed.
3G export settings

For more information on 3G settings, search for 3G on the Apple Computer web site.
File Format 3GPP and 3GPP2 are standards for the creation, delivery, and playback of multimedia over third-gener-

ation high-speed wireless networks. 3GPP is for GSM networks and 3GPP2 is for CDMA 2000 networks. 3GPP
(Mobile MP4), 3GPP2 (EZmovie), and AMC (EZmovie) are for specific networks. 3GPP (Mobile MP4) is for NTT
DoCoMo’s i-motion 3G service. 3GPP2 (EZmovie) is for KDDI’s 3G network service. AMC (EZmovie) is for KDDI
subscribers with AMC-capable phones.
Video Choose Video from the pop-up menu below the File Format menu and specify the following:

• Video Format Selects the Codec used during video export. If your source movie has only one video track and it is
already compressed, you can choose Pass Through so that the video doesn't get compressed again.

• Data Rate Specifies the kilobits per second (kbps) during playback. A higher kbps rate usually improves movie
playback quality; however, don't choose a data rate higher than the available bandwidth.
• Optimized For Specifies the intended delivery method if you choose H.264 from the Video Format menu. This
setting tells the Codec how much the data rate can vary above and below the data rate you choose.
• Image Size Specifies a standard for sending the file to a mobile phone. Current maintains the source material size;
the resulting file may not play on a mobile phone. Choose Custom to specify a size not listed in the menu.
• Preserve Aspect Ratio Using Specifies an option when you’re changing the image size and the movie needs to be
scaled to the new dimensions. Letterbox scales the source proportionally to fit into the clean aperture, adding black
bars to the top and bottom or sides as necessary. Crop centers, scales, and trims to the clean aperture. Fit Within Size
adjusts to the destination size by fitting to the longest side, scaling if necessary.
• Frame Rate Specifies the frames per second (fps) during playback. In most cases, your video will look better if you
choose a number that is exactly divisible by the fps of your source. For example, if your source is captured at 30 fps,
choose a frame rate of 10 or 15. Don't choose a rate larger than that of your source material.
• Key Frame Specifies how frequently keyframes are created in the exported video. A higher keyframe rate (lower
number) improves video quality, but increases the file size.
• Video Options If available, click the Video Options button to open the 3G Advanced Video Settings dialog box.
Depending on the video, you can specify whether to add re-sync markers inside the video frames to help with packet
loss recovery when streaming. With H.264 video, you can also speed up the compression process (for preview
purposes, for example) by choosing Faster Encode (Single-pass). The default option, Best Quality (Multi-pass),
allows the Codec to determine how many passes are needed to compress the data for the best quality.
Audio Although the Audio option is available in the pop-up menu below the File Format menu, Photoshop
Extended CS3 does not support audio tracks.
Text Choose Text from the pop-up menu below the File Format menu and specify the following:

• Text Format Specify formatting or no formatting for displaying the text on mobile devices.
• Text Encoding Selects UTF8, UTF16, or (if available) STML Native encoding.
• Require Text Capability On Handset Allows the movie to play only if the text can be displayed on the receiving
device. Deselect this option to allow the audio and video to play even if the text can't be displayed on the device.

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Note: These options are available only if your movie has a text track, such as credits, titles, subtitles, and so forth.
Streaming Choose Streaming from the pop-up menu below the File Format menu and specify the following:

• Enable Streaming Creates a file for RTSP streaming to QuickTime Player. This option creates a hint track
(instructions necessary for streaming a file).
• Optimize For Server Helps the server to process the file faster, but increases the file size.
Advanced Choose Advanced from the pop-up menu below the File Format menu and specify the following:

• Restrict Distribution Specifies how many times the file can play back on the handset once downloaded. Also
specifies file expiration options: set the file to expire in a number of days or enter a date. If your file is in Mobile MP4
or EZmovie format, you can restrict distribution so that once the file is on a handset it can't be sent or copied
elsewhere.
• Fragment Movie Enables the file to download via HTTP in small pieces so that playback can start faster and so
that larger files can be played on the handset (only the fragment, not the entire movie, must fit on the handset at one
time).
FLC export settings

The following options are available in the FLC Export Settings dialog box:
Color Table Specifies the color table using the Windows system colors or Mac OS system colors in the exported

movie.
Motion Sets the playback frame rate.

Specify AVI export settings
1 In the Render Video dialog box, select QuickTime Export and then choose AVI from the pop-up menu.
2 Click the Settings button.
3 In the AVI Settings dialog box, make sure Video is selected.

Important: Although the AVI Settings dialog box has Sound options, Photoshop Extended CS3 does not support audio
tracks.
4 Under Video, click the Settings button and set the following:
Compression Type Chooses the video compressor (Codec) to compress your video. For the highest quality at the

lowest data rate (or the smallest file), H.264 is recommended.
Frame Per Second Specifies the number of individual images shown every second. NTSC is generally the standard
video format and is 29.97 fps. PAL is a European video format that is 25 fps. The standard for film is 24 fps.
QuickTime movies are sometimes created with a slower frame rate to reduce bandwidth and CPU requirements.

Movies with higher frame rates display motion better, but have larger file sizes. If you choose a frame rate that's lower
than the movie's current frame rate, frames are deleted. If you choose a number that's higher than the movie's current
frame rate, existing frames are duplicated (not recommended, since it increases file size without improving quality).
In most cases, your video will look better if you choose a number that is exactly divisible by the fps of your source.
For example, if your source is captured at 30 fps, choose a frame rate of 10 or 15. Don't choose a rate larger than that
of your source material.
Key Frame Every Specifies the keyframe frequency. A higher keyframe rate (lower number) improves video quality,

but increases the file size. With some compressors, an additional keyframe is inserted automatically if too much of
the image has changed from one frame to the next. In general, one keyframe every 5 seconds (multiply the frames
per second by 5) is usually sufficient. If you are creating a file for RTSP streaming and have concerns about the

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reliability of the delivery network, you may want to increase keyframe frequency to one keyframe every 1 or 2
seconds.
Limit Data Rate To Specifies the kilobits per second (kbps) during playback. A higher kbps rate usually improves

movie playback quality; however, don't choose a data rate higher than the available bandwidth.
Depth Specifies the number of colors to include in video that you export. This menu is not available if the selected

Codec supports only one color depth.
Quality If available, drag the slider or type a value to adjust the exported video’s picture quality and, consequently,

its file size. If you are using the same Codec to capture and export, and you’ve rendered previews of a sequence, you
can save rendering time by matching the export quality setting with your original capture quality setting. Increasing
quality above the original capture quality does not increase quality, but may result in longer rendering times.
Scan Mode Specifies whether the exported movie has fields (Interlaced) or no fields (Progressive).
Aspect Ratio Specifies a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio for the exported movie.
Options (Intel Indeo® Video 4.4 only) Sets compression, transparency options, and access for the Intel Indeo® Video
4.4 Codec.

DV Stream export settings

The following settings are available in the DV Export Settings dialog box:
DV Format Specifies either the DV or DVCPRO format for your exported video.
Video Format Specifies either NTSC or PAL video broadcast standard.
Scan Mode Specifies whether the exported video has interlaced fields or no fields (Progressive Scan).
Aspect Ratio Specifies an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 16:9.
Preserve Aspect Ratio Using Specifies an option if the movie is scaled to new pixel dimensions. Letterbox scales the

source proportionally to fit into the clean aperture, adding black bars to the top and bottom or sides as necessary.
Crop centers, scales, and trims to the clean aperture.
Important: Although the DV Export Settings dialog box has Audio Format options, Photoshop Extended CS3 does not
support audio tracks.
Specify MPEG-4 export settings (Photoshop Extended)
1 In the Render Video dialog box, select QuickTime Export and then click the Settings button.
2 In the MPEG-4 Export Settings dialog box, choose MP4 or MP4 (ISMA) from the File Format menu. The MP4
(ISMA) format ensures operability with devices made by ISMA members.
3 Under Video, specify the following:
Video Format Chooses the Codec to compress your video. For the highest quality at the lowest data rate (or the

smallest file), H.264 is recommended. If you need the file to play on a device that supports MPEG-4 video, choose
MPEG-4 Basic or MPEG-4 Improved, depending on the target device. If your source movie’s video track is already
compressed, you can choose Pass Through so that the video doesn't get compressed again.
Data Rate Specifies the kilobits per second (kbps) during playback. A higher kbps rate usually improves movie

playback quality; however, don't choose a data rate higher than the available bandwidth.
Optimized For Specifies how much the data rate can vary above and below the data rate you choose.
Image Size Specifies the pixel dimensions of your exported video. Current maintains the source material size. To
specify a size not listed in the Image Size menu, choose Custom.

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Preserve Aspect Ratio Using Specifies an option if the movie needs to be scaled to the new pixel dimensions.

Letterbox scales the source proportionally to fit into the clean aperture, adding black bars to the top and bottom or
sides as necessary. Crop centers, scales, and trims to the clean aperture. Fit Within Size adjusts to the destination size
by fitting to the longest side, scaling if necessary.
Frame Rate Specifies the frame rate for the playback of your exported video. Usually, your video looks better if you
choose a number that is exactly divisible by the frames per second (fps) of your source. For example, if your source
is captured at 30 fps, choose a frame rate of 10 or 15. Don’t choose a rate greater than that of your source material.
Key Frame Specifies that keyframes are generated automatically or specifies how frequently keyframes are created in

the exported video. A higher keyframe rate (lower number) improves video quality, but increases the file size.
4 (MP4 file format only) Click the Video Options button and specify the following:
Re-sync Markers (MPEG-4 Basic and MPEG-4 Improved only) Uses re-sync markers in the video bit-stream. This
can help regain synchronization due to transmission errors.
Restrict Profile(s) To (H.264 only) Selects profiles for playing video files on a device that conforms to one or more of
the standard's profiles.
Encoding Mode (H.264 only) Specifies whether you want the best quality or faster encoding.

Specify QuickTime Movie settings (Photoshop Extended)
1 In the Render Video dialog box, select QuickTime Export and then choose QuickTime Movie from the pop-up menu.
2 Click the Settings button.
3 In the Movie Settings dialog box, make sure Video is selected.

Important: Although the Movie Settings dialog box has Sound options, Photoshop Extended CS3 does not support audio
tracks.
4 Under Video, click the appropriate button to set the following:
Settings Opens the Standard Video Compression Settings dialog box so you can set the video compression and
accompanying options.
Filter Opens the Choose Video Filter dialog box, where you can apply built-in QuickTime video effects.
Size Opens the Export Size Settings dialog box to specify pixel dimensions for your exported video.

5 (Optional) If your movie is being delivered over the Internet, select Prepare For Internet Streaming and choose
any of the following:
Fast Start Sets up the movie to start playing from a web server before the movie has completely downloaded to a

user’s computer hard drive.
Fast Start-Compressed Header Compresses the movie’s header losslessly and sets up the movie to start playing from
a web server before the movie has completely downloaded to a user’s computer hard drive.
Hinted Streaming Sets up the movie to be streamed by a QuickTime Streaming Server.

QuickTime standard video compression settings

The following options are available in the Standard Video Compression Settings dialog box:
Compression Type Choose the Codec to apply when exporting a file.
Motion Specify the frame rate for your video by choosing the number of frames per second (fps). Some Codecs

support a specific set of frame rates. Increasing the frame rate may produce smoother motion (depending on the

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original frame rates of the source clips) but uses more disk space. If available, specify how often the keyframes are
generated. Certain QuickTime Codecs use frame differencing to compress the movie file by taking one full image
frame of video information and generating the next number of frames by storing only the differences between each
frame and the first full image frame. The first full image frame is called a keyframe (not to be confused with the
keyframes used in the timeline mode of the Animation palette).
Data Rate Select (if available for the selected compressor) and type a data rate to place an upper limit on the amount

of video data produced by the exported video when it is played back.
Compressor Set compressor options specific to the selected Codec. Click the Option button (if available) to specify

further compressor options. If available, choose the color depth, or the number of colors to include in video that you
export. This menu is not available if the selected Codec supports only one color depth.
If the Quality slider is available under Compressor, drag the slider or type a value to adjust the exported video’s
picture quality and, consequently, its file size. If you are using the same Codec to capture and export, and you’ve
rendered previews of a sequence, you can save rendering time by matching the export quality setting with your
original capture quality setting. Increasing quality above the original capture quality does not increase quality, but
may result in longer rendering times.
Note: Compressor options are not available for the Component Video Codec.
QuickTime movie size settings

The following settings are available in the Export Size Settings dialog box:
Dimensions Specifies the frame size for your exported movie. If you want to specify a frame size not included in the
Dimensions menu, choose Custom and enter values for Width and Height.
Preserve Aspect Ratio Using Specifies an option if the movie is scaled to a new frame size. Letterbox scales the

source proportionally to fit into the clean aperture, adding black bars to the top and bottom or sides as necessary.
Crop centers, scales, and trims to the clean aperture. Fit Within Dimensions adjusts to the destination size by fitting
to the longest side, scaling if necessary.
Deinterlace Source Video Deinterlaces the two fields in each interlaced video frame.

Export image sequences
1 Choose File > Export > Render Video.
2 In the Render Video dialog box, enter a name for the video or image sequence.
3 Click the Select Folder button, navigate to the location you want to save your video, and then click Choose.

To create a folder to contain your exported files, select the Create New Subfolder option and enter a name for the
subfolder.
4 Under File Options, select Image Sequence, then choose a file format from the pop-up menu.
5 (Optional) Click the Settings button to set options for saving the files.

For more information on file formats and their export options, see also “File formats” on page 459 and “Saving and
exporting files in other formats” on page 452.
6 (Optional) If you selected Image Sequence in step 4, enter the Starting number and choose the number of digits
from the Digits pop-up menu.

This option specifies the numbering system for the exported image sequence files.
7 Use the Size pop-up menu to specify the pixel dimensions for the exported files.

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8 Under Range, select one of the following options:
All Frames Renders all the frames in the Photoshop document.
In Frame Lets you specify the specific frames to render.
Currently Selected Frames Renders the frames selected by the work area bar in the Animation palette.

9 (Optional) Specify render options:
Alpha Channel Determines how alpha channels are rendered in the exported files.
Frame Rate Determines how many frames per second (fps) the image sequence plays.

Note: The available render options depend on the export file format you chose.
10 Click Render.

See also
“Interpret video footage (Photoshop Extended)” on page 556
Image Sequence export settings for QuickTime Export

The following settings are available in the Export Image Sequence Settings dialog box:
Format Chooses a file format for the exported images.
Frames Per Second Sets the frame rate for the image sequence.
Insert Space Before Number Inserts a space between the name and generated number in the image’s filename.
Options If available, click the Options button and specify export settings for the file format you chose.

For more information on the specific file formats and their options, see also “Saving and exporting files in other
formats” on page 452 and “File formats” on page 459.
For a video on working with Image Sequences, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0026.

Alpha channel rendering in video and image sequences (Photoshop Extended)
Video and image sequences with alpha channels can be straight or premultiplied. If you’re working with video or
image sequences containing alpha channels, it’s important to specify how Photoshop Extended interprets the alpha
channel to get the results you expect. When premultiplied video or images are in a document with certain
background colors, you may get undesirable ghosting or halos. You can specify a matte color so the semi-transparent
pixels blend (multiply) with the background without producing halos.
Ignore Ignores the alpha channel in the video.
Straight - Unmatted Interprets the alpha channel as straight alpha. If the application you used to create the video
doesn’t premultiply the alpha channel, select this option.
Premultiplied - Matte Interprets the alpha channel as premultiplied with black, white, or a color. If necessary, click

the color swatch in the Interpret Footage dialog box to open the Adobe Color Picker to specify the matte color.

590

Chapter 19: Technical imaging
Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended offers powerful tools for technical image analysis and editing, including MATLAB
integration, support for DICOM medical imaging formats, and image stack technology for sophisticated image
enhancement. Measurement tools let you precisely measure complex image content, record data, and create and
display measurement scales. With 3D layers you can open and manipulate 3D models, edit model textures, and
combine 3D and 2D layers in composite images.

Photoshop and MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)
About Photoshop and MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)
MATLAB is a high-level technical computing language and interactive environment for algorithm development,
data visualization, data analysis, and numeric computation. With Photoshop Extended you can view MATLAB
image processing results in Photoshop, and combine MATLAB commands with Photoshop’s image editing features.
Once you connect to Photoshop from MATLAB, typing commands into the MATLAB command prompt performs
operations in Photoshop. You can run MATLAB algorithms and view the results in your image in Photoshop.
Note: Communication between Photoshop and MATLAB uses the Photoshop JavaScript interface and the MATLAB
library interface.

Set up MATLAB and Photoshop (Photoshop Extended)
Install Photoshop and MATLAB on your computer. Once you have installed Photoshop Extended and MATLAB,
you should verify the MATLAB integration.
Verify MATLAB integration
1 Start Photoshop Extended and then MATLAB.
2 From MATLAB, add the path Photoshop/MATLAB, including subfolders.
3 At the MATLAB prompt, open the MATLAB folder, locate and open the Tests folder, and then type testall.
4 Photoshop and MATLAB run a series of tests to ensure integration between the two programs and display a
summary report.
(Optional) Set access to Photoshop from MATLAB

You can set up a path to Photoshop Extended to allow direct access to Photoshop commands from MATLAB.
1 From MATLAB, choose File > Set Path.
2 Click Add Folder and select the MATLAB folder where Photoshop Extended is installed.
3 Click Save and then Close.
4 From the MATLAB menu, choose File > Preferences.
5 In the Preferences dialog box, click the General tree (top left).
6 Click the Update Toolbox Path Cache button.

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7 Click Apply and then OK.

Connect/disconnect to Photoshop from MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)
❖ In MATLAB, do one of the following:

• To launch or connect to Photoshop, type pslaunch, and then press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).
• To disconnect from Photoshop and quit, type psquit and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).

Using help and getting started (Photoshop Extended)
MATLAB’s help system includes examples of a MATLAB/Photoshop workflow.
1 Choose Help > Full Product Family Help.

You will see a Photoshop Toolbox with submenu items, including Examples for getting started. If you don’t see the
Photoshop Toolbox, try the following steps.
2 Click the Start Button.
3 Choose Desktop Tools > View Source Files.
4 Click the Refresh Start button, then Close, then retry the Help menu.

MATLAB commands (Photoshop Extended)
Typing commands in the MATLAB command line lets you connect and disconnect to Photoshop, and generate
pixels viewable in a Photoshop document.
For a list of all MATLAB Photoshop commands, browse the file psfunctionscat.html, available in the MATLAB
folder in the directory where you installed Photoshop. Enter help (command name) at the MATLAB command
prompt for a fuller description of each command, including syntax, arguments, and examples.
Note: All MATLAB commands are supported for Japanese characters. MATLAB for Windows supports a Japanese
language user interface on Japanese language WinXP systems. MATLAB for Mac OS supports US English only on
Japanese language Mac OS systems. For more information, please contact The MathWorks, Inc.

Create a new document in MATLAB (Photoshop Extended)
1 In MATLAB, enter psnewdoc.
2 To specify the attributes of the new document, enter one of the following:

• To create a new document using the default values, enter psnewdoc(). For information on default values, see
below.

• To create a new document with a specific width and height, enter psnewdoc(W,H). The W and H values use the
current units set in the Units & Rulers option in the Photoshop Preferences dialog box. Other document attributes
are set to their default values.
Note: Enter “undefined” as a string to skip input arguments. The default size for a new document is 504 x 360 pixels.

• To create a new document and specify attributes, enter psnewdoc(W,H,R,N,M,F,A,B,P). For information on
new document attributes, see below.
Here is an example code for creating a new document and specifying all the attributes in MATLAB:
psnewdoc(10, 10, 72, 'hi', 'cmyk', 'transparent', 2.5, 16, 'U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2')

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New document attributes and defaults

Entering psnewdoc(W,H,R,N,M,F,A,B,P) creates a new document with values for the following attributes:
W Specifies the width of the document using the current units from the Units & Rulers option in the Photoshop

Preferences dialog box. The default width is 504 pixels.
H Specifies the height of the document using the current units in the Units & Rulers panel in the Photoshop

Preference dialog box. The default height is 360.
R Specifies the resolution. The default is 72 ppi.
N Specifies the document name. The default is Untitled-X, where X is the index for new documents.
M Specifies the color mode: RGB, CMYK, Lab, Bitmap, or Grayscale. The default is RGB.
F Specifies the background contents of the new document: White, Background Color, or Transparent. The default

is White.
A Specifies the pixel aspect ratio. The default is 1.0 (square).
B Specifies the bit depth: 1, 8, 16, or 32. The default is 8.
P Specifies the color profile. The default is the working color space for the specified color mode. The working spaces
are specified in the Photoshop Color Settings dialog box.

DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)
About DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)
DICOM is the most common standard for receiving medical scans. Photoshop Extended allows you to open and
work with DICOM (.dc3, .dcm, .dic, or no extension) files. DICOM files can contain multiple “slices” or frames,
which represent different layers of a scan.
Photoshop reads all frames from a DICOM file and converts them to Photoshop layers. Photoshop can read 8-, 10-,
12-, or 16-bit DICOM files. (Photoshop converts 10- and 12-bit files to 16-bit files.)
Once you’ve opened a DICOM file in Photoshop, you can use any Photoshop tool to adjust, mark up, or annotate the
file. For example, use the Notes tool to add a comment to the file, the Pencil tool to mark a specific area of the scan
or the Dust And Scratches filter to remove dust or scratches from a scan.
You can save 8-bit DICOM files in any file format Photoshop supports (16-bit files must be saved as DICOM, Large
Document Format, Photoshop, Photoshop PDF, Photoshop Raw, PNG, or TIFF files).
Important: When you save a file as DICOM, any layer styles, adjustments, blend modes, or masks are discarded.
You can also view and edit metadata for DICOM files in Bridge or in the Photoshop File Info dialog box. DICOM
files support external automation through scripting (see “About scripting” on page 622).
For a video about DICOM files, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0028.

See also
“Annotating images” on page 467
“Paint with the Brush tool or Pencil tool” on page 326
“Apply the Dust And Scratches filter” on page 397

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Open a DICOM file (Photoshop Extended)
Before you open a DICOM file, you can specify how DICOM frames are opened (as layers or in a grid), and set
options (in the DICOM File Import dialog box) that anonymize patient metadata and display overlays. Once you
open the file in Photoshop, you can perform pans, zooms, and window leveling.
The DICOM import dialog box also displays DICOM header information—textual information about the file, such
as its dimensions, data resolution, and whether or not the data has been compressed.
You can import a sequence of multiple, single-frame DICOM files into a single multilayered Photoshop file, using the
New Video Layer from File command. See “Import image sequences (Photoshop Extended)” on page 554
For a video on opening DICOM files, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0028.
1 Choose File > Open, select a DICOM file, and click Open.
2 Select the frames you want to open. Shift-click to select contiguous frames. To select noncontiguous frames, Ctrlclick (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS). Click Select All to select all frames.

To quickly scroll through frames, use the mouse scroll wheel (Windows) or click the right or left arrow buttons below
the large preview area.
3 Choose from the following options, and then click Open.
Frame Import Import Frames As Layers places DICOM frames on layers. N-Up Configuration displays multiple

frames in a grid (enter values in the Rows and Columns boxes to specify height and width of grid).
DICOM Dataset Anonymize overwrites patient metadata with “anonymize.” Show Overlays displays overlays such as

annotations, curves, or text.
Windowing Adjust the contrast and brightness of the frame with windowing options. Select Show Windowing

Options, and adjust window width (contrast) and level (brightness) by entering values in the Window Level or
Window Width boxes. Alternatively, you can drag the Window Level tool up or down to adjust the level, or to the
right or left to adjust the width. You can also choose common radiology presets from the Window Preset menu
(Default, Lung, Bone, or Abdomen). Select Reverse Image to invert the brightness values of the frame.
To zoom, choose a zoom level from the Select Zoom Level menu (or click the plus and minus symbols to zoom in and
out). To pan, click the Hand icon at the top of the dialog box and drag across the frame.

Export DICOM frames as JPEG files (Photoshop Extended)
1 Open a DICOM file and set options in the DICOM File Import dialog box (see “Open a DICOM file (Photoshop
Extended)” on page 593).
2 Select frames in the DICOM File Import dialog box: Shift-click to select contiguous frames, Ctrl-click (Windows)
or Command-click (Mac OS) to select noncontiguous frames, or click Select All to select all frames.
3 Enter a prefix in the Prefix box in the Export Options area.
4 Click Export Presentation (JPEG), select a folder, and click Select.

The JPEG files are saved in the specified location with the prefix added to the filenames. If you selected multiple
frames, Photoshop appends successive numbering to the end of each filename (for example, DICOM Frame1,
DICOM Frame2, DICOM Frame3).

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DICOM metadata (Photoshop Extended)
You can view and edit several categories of DICOM metadata in the Photoshop File Info dialog box.
Patient data Includes patient name, ID, sex, and date of birth.
Study data Includes study ID, referring physician, study date and time, and study description.
Series data Includes series number, modality, series date and time, and series description.
Equipment data Includes the equipment institution and manufacturer.
Image data Includes the transfer syntax, photometric interpretation, image width and height, bits per pixel, and

frames. (These fields are not editable.)

See also
“About metadata” on page 466

Animate DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)
To animate DICOM slices or frames, select all DICOM layers and choose Make Frames From Layers from the
Animation (Timeline) palette menu.
After creating frames in the (Animation) Timeline palette, you can save DICOM files as QuickTime movies (change
grayscale DICOM files to RGB, and then render to video). You can also save frames as animated GIF files (choose
File > Save for Web and Devices).

See also
“Export video” on page 583
“Creating frame animations” on page 564
“Create a PDF presentation” on page 472
“Timeline animation workflow (Photoshop Extended)” on page 572

Image Stacks (Photoshop Extended)
About image stacks (Photoshop Extended)
An image stack combines a group of images with a similar frame of reference, but differences of quality or content
across the set. Once combined in a stack, you can process the multiple images to produce a composite view that
eliminates unwanted content or noise.
You can use image stacks to enhance images in number of ways:

• To reduce image noise and distortion in forensic, medical, or astrophotographic images.
• To remove unwanted or accidental objects from a series of stationary photos or a series of video frames. For
example, you want to remove a figure walking through an image, or remove a car passing in front of the main
subject matter.

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Image stacks are stored as Smart Objects. The processing options you can apply to the stack are called stack modes.
Applying a stack mode to an image stack is a non-destructive edit. You can change stack modes to produce different
effects; the original image information in the stack remains unchanged. To preserve changes after you apply the stack
mode, save the result as a new image, or rasterize the Smart Object. You can create an image stack manually or using
a script.

Creating an image stack (Photoshop Extended)
For best results, images contained in an image stack should have the same dimensions and mostly similar content,
such as a set of still images taken from a fixed viewpoint, or a series of frames from a stationary video camera. The
content of your images should be similar enough to allow you to register or align them to other images in the set.
1 Combine the separate images into one multi-layered image. See “Duplicate layers” on page 281.

Note: An image stack must contain at least two layers.
You can also combine images using a script (File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack).
2 Choose Select > All Layers.

Note: To make the Background layer selectable with the All Layers command, you must first convert it to a regular layer.
3 Choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers and select Auto as the alignment option. If Auto does not create good registration of your layers, try the Reposition option.
4 Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object.
5 Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Stack Mode and select a stack mode from the submenu.

• For noise reduction, use the Mean or Median plug-ins.
• For removing objects from the image, use the Median plug-in.
The output is a composite image the same size as the original image stack. You may need to experiment with different
plug-ins to get the best enhancement for a particular image.
To change the rendering effect, choose a different Stack Mode from the submenu. Stack rendering is not
cumulative—each render effect operates on the original image data in the stack and replaces previous effects.
Stack modes

Stack modes operate on a per-channel basis only, and only on non-transparent pixels. For example, the Maximum
mode returns the maximum red, green, and blue channel values for a pixel cross-section and merges those into one
composite pixel value in the rendered image.

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Rendering plug-in name

Result

Comments

Entropy

entropy = - sum( (probability of value) * log2( prob- The binary entropy (or zero order entropy) defines
ability of value) )
a lower bound on how many bits would be necessary to losslessly encode the information in a set.
Probability of value = (number of occurrences of
value) / (total number of non-transparent pixels)

Kurtosis

kurtosis = ( sum( (value - mean)4 ) over non-transparent pixels ) / ( ( number of non-transparent
pixels - 1 ) * (standard deviation)4 ).

Maximum

The maximum channel values for all non-transparent pixels

Mean

The mean channel values for all non-transparent
pixels

Median

The median channel values for all non-transparent Effective for noise reduction and removal of
pixels
unwanted content from the image

Minimum

The minimum channel values for all non-transparent pixels

Range

Maximum minus the minimum of the non-transparent pixel values

Skewness

skewness = (sum( (value - mean)3 ) over non-trans- Skewness is a measure of symmetry or asymmetry
parent pixels ) / ( ( number of non-transparent
around the statistical mean
pixels - 1 ) * (standard deviation)3 )

Standard Deviation

standard deviation = Square Root(variance)

Summation

The sum channel values for all non-transparent
pixels

Variance

variance = (sum( (value-mean)2 ) over non-transparent pixels ) / ( number of non-transparent pixels
- 1)

A measure of peakedness or flatness compared to
a normal distribution. The kurtosis for a standard
normal distribution is 3.0. Kurtosis greater than 3
indicates a peaked distribution, and kurtosis less
than 3 indicates a flat distribution (compared to a
normal distribution).

Effective for noise reduction

Remove stack rendering
❖ Choose Layers > Smart Objects > Stack Mode > None to remove any rendering from an image stack and convert

it back to a regular Smart Object.
Edit an image stack

Because an image stack is a Smart Object, you can edit the original images that make up the stack layers at any time.
❖ Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents, or double-click the layer thumbnail. After you save the edited

Smart Object, the stack is automatically rendered with the last rendering option applied to the stack.
Convert an image stack

To preserve rendering effects on an image stack, convert the Smart Object to a regular layer. (You may want to copy
the Smart Object before converting, in case you want to later re-render the image stack.)
❖ Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Rasterize.

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Use a script to create an image stack (Photoshop Extended)
You can use the Statistics script to automate creating and rendering an image stack.
1 Choose File > Scripts > Statistics.
2 Choose a stack mode from the Choose Stack Mode menu.
3 Apply the stack mode to currently open files, or browse to select a folder or individual files.

Files you select are listed in the dialog box.
4 Select whether to automatically align images (equivalent to choosing Edit > Auto-Align Layers) and click OK.

Photoshop combines the multiple images into a single multilayered image, converts the layers into a Smart Object,
and applies the selected stack mode.

Measurement (Photoshop Extended)
About measurement (Photoshop Extended)
Using the Photoshop Extended Measurement feature you can measure any area defined with the Ruler tool or with
a selection tool, including irregular areas selected with the lasso, quick select, or magic wand tools. You can also
compute the height, width, area, and perimeter, or track measurements of one image or multiple images.
Measurement data is recorded in the Measurement Log palette. You can customize the Measurement Log columns,
sort data within columns, and export data from the log to a tab-delimited, Unicode text file.
For a video on measurement features, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0029.
Measurement scale

Setting a measurement scale sets a specified number of pixels in the image equal to a number of scale units, such as
inches, millimeters, or microns. Once you’ve created a scale, you can measure areas and receive calculations and log
results in the selected scale units. You can create multiple measurement scale presets, although only one scale can be
used in a document at a time.
Scale markers

You can place scale markers on an image to display the measurement scale. Scale markers can appear with or without
a caption displaying measurement scale units.

Set the measurement scale (Photoshop Extended)
Use the Ruler tool to set the measurement scale for a document. You can create measurement scale presets for
frequently used measurement scales. Presets are added to the Analysis > Set Measurement Scale submenu. The
current measurement scale for a document is checked in the submenu, and appears in the Info palette.
Choose Analysis > Set Measurement Scale > Default to return to the default measurement scale, 1 pixel = 1 pixel.
Set measurement scale
1 Open a document.
2 Choose Analysis > Set Measurement Scale > Custom. The Ruler tool

is automatically selected. Drag the tool
to measure a pixel distance in the image or enter a value in the Pixel Length text box. Your current tool setting is
restored when you close the Measurement Scale dialog box.

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3 Enter the Logical Length and Logical Units that you want to set equal to the Pixel Length.

For example, if the Pixel Length is 50, and you want to set a scale of 50 pixels per micron, enter 1 for Logical Length,
and microns for the Logical Units.
4 Click OK in the Measurement Scale dialog box to set the measurement scale on the document.
5 Choose File > Save to save the current measurement scale setting with the document.

To display the scale in the Info palette, choose Palette Options from the palette menu and select Measurement Scale
in the Status Information area.
To display the measurement scale at the bottom of the document window, choose Show > Measurement Scale from
the document window menu.
Create a measurement scale preset
1 Open a document.
2 Choose Analysis > Set Measurement Scale > Custom.
3 Create a measurement scale.
4 Click Save Preset and name the preset.
5 Click OK. The preset you created is added to the Analysis > Set Measurement Scale submenu.
Delete a measurement scale preset
1 Choose Analysis > Set Measurement Scale > Custom.
2 Select the preset you want to delete.
3 Click Delete Preset and click OK.

Use scale markers (Photoshop Extended)
Measurement scale markers display the measurement scale used in your document. You should set the measurement
scale for a document before creating a scale marker. You can set the marker length in logical units, include a text
caption indicating the length, and set the marker and caption color to black or white.
Create a scale marker
1 Choose Analysis > Place Scale Marker.
2 In the Measurement Scale Marker dialog box, set the following options:
Length Enter a value to set the length of the scale marker. The length of the marker in pixels will depend on the

measurement scale that is currently selected for the document.
Display Text Select this option to show the logical length and units for the scale marker.
Text position Displays caption above or below the scale marker.
Color Sets the scale marker and caption color to black or white.

3 Click OK.

The scale marker is placed in the lower left corner of the image. The marker adds a layer group to the document,
containing a text layer (if the Display Text option is selected) and a graphic layer. You can use the Move tool to move
the scale marker, or the Text tool to edit the caption or change text size, font, or color.
For a video on understanding and using the measurement features, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0029.

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Add or replace scale markers

You can place multiple scale markers in a document, or replace existing markers.
Note: Additional scale markers are placed in the same position on the image and may obscure each other, depending on
their length. To view an underlying marker, turn off the scale marker layer set.
1 Choose Analysis > Place Scale Marker.
2 Click Remove or Keep.
3 Enter settings for the new marker and click OK.
Delete a scale marker
1 In the Layers palette, select the Measurement Scale Marker layer group for the scale marker you want to delete.
2 Right-click the layer group and select Delete Group from the context menu, or click the Delete Layer button.
3 Click Group and Contents.

Performing a measurement (Photoshop Extended)
You can measure using the Photoshop selection tools, Ruler tool, or Count tool. Choose a measurement tool that
matches the kind of data you want to record in the Measurement Log.

• Create a selection area to measure values such as height, width, perimeter, area, and pixel gray values. You can
measure one selection or several selections at once.

• Draw a line with the Ruler tool to measure linear distance and angle.
• Use the Count tool to count items on the image, then record the number of items (see “About counting (Photoshop
Extended)” on page 603).
Each measurement measures one or more data points. The data points you select determine the information
recorded in the Measurement log. Data points correspond to the type of tool you’re measuring with. Area, perimeter,
height, and width are available data points for measuring selections. Length and angle are available data points for
Ruler tool measurements. You can create and save sets of data points for particular types of measurements to speed
your workflow.
1 Open an existing document.
2 Choose Analysis > Set Measurement Scale and choose a measurement scale preset for the document (see “Set the
measurement scale (Photoshop Extended)” on page 597), or choose Custom and set a custom measurement scale.

Measurements are computed and recorded in the Measurement Log using the scale units in effect when a
measurement is recorded. If no measurement scale exists, the default scale is 1 pixel = 1 pixel.
3 (Optional) Choose Analysis > Select Data Points and do one of the following:

• Choose Custom to select data points to measure.
• Select an existing data point preset from the submenu.
For a video on understanding and using the measurement features, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0029.
In the Select Data Points dialog box, data points are grouped according to the measurement tool that can measure
them. The Common data points are available for all tools. They add useful information to the Measurement Log such
as the name of the file being measured, the measurement scale, and the date/time of the measurement.
By default all data points are selected. You can select a subset of data points for a particular kind of measurement and
save the combination to make it available as a data point preset.

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Note: When you measure with a particular tool, only the data points associated that tool will be displayed in the log,
even if other data points are selected. For example, if you make a measurement with the Ruler tool, only the Ruler tool
data points will appear in the Measurement Log, along with any Common data points that are selected.
4 Choose an image feature and measurement tool to match the selected data points. Do one of the following:

• Create one or more selections on the image.
• Choose Analysis > Ruler Tool, or click the Ruler tool in the toolbox, then use the tool to measure the length of an
image area.

• Choose Analysis > Count Tool, or click the Count tool in the toolbox, then count items in the image.
5 Choose Window > Measurement Log to open the Measurement Log palette.
6 Choose Analysis > Record Measurements, or click Record Measurements in the Measurement Log palette.

Note: If your currently selected data points do not correspond to the your current measurement tool, you are asked to
select data points for that tool.
The Measurement log has columns for each data point you selected in the Measurement Data Points dialog box. Each
measurement you make enters a new row of data in the Measurement Log.
If you measure multiple selected areas on the image, one row of data is created in the log containing summary or
cumulative data for all selected areas, followed by a row of data for each selection area. Each selection area is listed
as a separate Feature in the Label column of the log and assigned a unique number.
You can repeat steps 2 through 6 for a variety of different selections in the same or multiple documents. The
Document column in the Measurement Log reflects the source of the measurement data.
Measurement Data Points
Angle Angle of orientation (±0-180) of the Ruler tool.
Area Area of selection in square pixels, or in calibrated units according to the current measurement scale (such as
square millimeters).
Circularity 4pi(area/perimeter2). A value of 1.0 indicates a perfect circle. As the value approaches 0.0, it indicates an

increasingly elongated polygon. Values may not be valid for very small selections.
Count Varies according to the measuring tool used. Selection tool: the number of discontiguous selection areas on

the image. Count tool: the number of counted items on the image. Ruler tool: the number of Ruler lines visible (1 or 2).
Date and Time Applies a date/time stamp of when the measurement occurred.
Document Identifies the document (file) measured.
Gray Value This is a measurement of brightness, either from 0 to 255 (for 8-bit images), 0 to 32,768 (for 16-bit

images), or 0.0 to 10 (for 32-bit images). For all gray value related measurements, the image is internally converted
to grayscale (equivalent to choosing Image > Mode > Grayscale) using the default grayscale profile. Then the
requested calculations (mean, median, minimum, maximum) are calculated for each feature and for the summary.
Height Height of the selection (max y - min y), in units according to the current measurement scale.
Histogram Generates histogram data for each channel in the image (three for RGB images, four for CMYK, and so
on), recording the number of pixels at each value from 0 to 255 (16-bit or 32-bit values are converted to 8-bit). When
you export data from the Measurement Log, the numeric histogram data is exported to a CSV (comma separated
value) file. The file is placed in its own folder at the same location where the measurement log tab-delimited text file
is exported. Histogram files are assigned a unique number, starting at 0 and progressing by 1. For multiple selections

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measured at once, one histogram file is generated for the total selected area, plus additional histogram files for each
selection.
Integrated Density The sum of the values of the pixels in the selection. This is equivalent to the product of Area (in
pixels) and Mean Gray Value.
Label Identifies and automatically numbers each measurement as Measurement 1, Measurement 2, and so on. For
multiple selections measured simultaneously, each selection is assigned an additional Feature label and number.
Length Linear distance defined by the Ruler tool on the image, in units according to the current measurement scale.
Perimeter The perimeter of the selection. For multiple selections measured at once, one measurement is generated
for the total perimeter of all selections, plus additional measurements for each selection.
Scale The measurement scale of the source document (for example, 100 px = 3 miles).
Scale Units Logical units of the measurement scale.
Scale Factor The number of pixels assigned to the scale unit.
Source Source of the measurement: Ruler tool, Count Tool, or Selection.
Width Width of the selection (max x - min x), in units according to the current measurement scale.

Create a data point preset
1 Choose Analysis > Select Data Points > Custom.
2 Select data points to include in the preset.
3 Click Save Preset and name the preset.
4 Click OK. The preset is saved and is now available from the Analysis > Select Data Points submenu.
Edit a data point preset
1 Choose Analysis > Select Data Points > Custom.
2 Choose the preset you want to edit from the Preset menu.
3 Select or deselect data points. The Preset name changes to Custom.
4 Click Save Preset. Enter the original preset name to replace the existing preset, or a new name to create a new
preset.
Delete a data point preset
1 Choose Analysis > Select Data Points > Custom.
2 Choose the preset you want to delete from the Preset menu.
3 Click Delete Preset, then Yes to confirm the deletion.
4 Click OK.

Use the Measurement Log (Photoshop Extended)
When you measure an object, the Measurement Log palette records the measurement data. Each row in the log
represents a measurement set; columns represent the data points in a measurement set.
When you measure an object, a new row appears in the Measurement Log. You can reorder columns in the log, sort
data in columns, delete rows or columns, or export data from the log to a comma-delimited text file.
For a video on understanding and using the measurement features, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0029.

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Display the Measurement Log
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose Analysis > Record Measurements.
• Choose Window > Measurement Log.
Select rows in the Log
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click a row in the log to select it.
• To select multiple contiguous rows, click the first row and drag through additional rows, or click the first row and
then Shift-click the last row.

• To select noncontiguous rows, click the first row and then Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac)
additional rows.

• To select all rows, click Select All.
• To deselect all rows, click Select None.
Select columns in the Log
❖ Do one of the following:

• Click a column header.
• To select contiguous columns, click a column header and drag through additional columns, or click the first
column header and then Shift-click the last column header.

• To select noncontiguous columns, click the first column header and then Ctrl-click (Windows) or Commandclick (Mac) additional column headers.
Reorder, resize, or sort columns in the Log
❖ Do one of the following:

• Drag selected columns to reorder them in the log. The column position is indicated by a double black line.
• To resize a column, click the column header and then drag the separator.
• To sort data in a column, click the column header to change the sort order, or right-click the header and choose
Sort Ascending or Sort Descending. (Rows cannot be manually reordered.)
Delete rows or columns from the Log
1 Select one or more rows or columns in the log.
2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Delete from the Measurement Log options menu.
• Click the Delete icon at the top of the palette.
• Right-click in a row or column header, then select Delete from the pop-up menu.
Export Measurement Log data

You can export data from the Measurement Log into a comma-delimited text file. You can open the text file in a
spreadsheet application and perform statistical or analytical calculations from the measurement data.
1 Select one or more rows of data in the log.

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2 Do one of the following:

• Choose Export from the Measurement Log options menu.
• Click the Export icon at the top of the palette.
• Right-click in a row, then select Export from the pop-up menu.
3 Enter a filename and location, and click Save.

The measurements are exported to a comma-delimited, UTF-8 text file.

Counting objects in an image (Photoshop Extended)
About counting (Photoshop Extended)
You can use the Count Tool to count objects in an image. To count objects manually, you click the image with the
Count tool and Photoshop tracks the number of clicks. The count number is displayed on the item and in the Count
Tool options bar.
Photoshop can also automatically count multiple selected areas in an image, and record the results in the
Measurement Log palette.

See also
“Performing a measurement (Photoshop Extended)” on page 599

Manually count items in an image (Photoshop Extended)
1 To set the color for the count item, do one of the following:

• Use the Color Picker in the Count Tool options bar.
• Choose Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grids, Slices & Count, then set the color in the Count panel of the Preferences dialog box.
2 Click an object in the image to add a count number.

• Drag an existing number to move it.
• Shift-click to constrain the drag horizontally or vertically.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) to remove a number. The total count is updated.
• Click Clear in the options bar to reset the count to 0.
Note: Counts already recorded in the Measurement Log are not changed by clearing count numbers from the image.
3 (Optional) To display or hide the count numbers:

• Choose View > Show > Count.
Note: Count numbers are not saved with the document.

• Choose View > Extras, View > Show > All, or View > Show > None.
4 (Optional) Choose Analysis > Record Measurements or click Record Measurements in the Measurement Log
palette to record the count number to the Measurement Log.

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Note: To record a count to the Measurement Log, you must have Count selected as a measurement data point. Choose
Analysis > Select Data Points > Custom and select the Count data point in the Count Tool area.

Automatic counting using a selection (Photoshop Extended)
Use the Photoshop automatic counting feature to count multiple selection areas in an image. Define selection areas
using the Magic Wand tool or the Color Range command.
1 Select the Magic Wand tool, or choose Select > Color Range.
2 Create a selection that includes the objects in the image that you want to count. For best results, use an image with
objects that contrast well against their background.

• If you are using the Magic Wand tool, increase or decrease the Tolerance option as needed to optimize the
selection of the objects you want to count in the image. Deselect the Anti-alias and Contiguous options.

• For Color Range, set Fuzziness and Selected Colors to fine tune the selected areas in the image (see “Select a color
range” on page 250).
3 Choose Analysis > Select Data Points > Custom.
4 In the Selections area, select the Count data point and click OK.
5 Open the Measurement Log.
6 Choose Analysis > Record Measurements, or click Record Measurements in the Measurement Log.

Photoshop counts the selection areas and enters the number in the Count column in the Measurement Log.

See also
“Select with the Magic Wand tool” on page 250

Working with 3D files (Photoshop Extended)
3D files in Photoshop (Photoshop Extended)
The three-dimensional (3D) file support in Photoshop allows you to open and work with 3D files (.u3d, .3ds, .obj,
.kmz, and Collada file formats) created by programs like Adobe® Acrobat® 3D Version 8, 3D Studio Max, Alias, Maya,
and Google Earth.
Photoshop places 3D models on a separate 3D layer. You can use the 3D tools to move or scale a 3D model, change
the lighting, or change render modes—for example, from solid to wireframe mode.
Note: To edit the 3D model itself, you must use a 3D authoring program.
You can add multiple 3D layers to an image, combine a 3D layer with two-dimensional (2D) layers to create a
backdrop for your 3D content, or convert a 3D layer into a 2D layer or a Smart Object.
If the 3D file contains textures, they are opened with the file and appear as separate layers in the Layers palette. You
can edit the textures using any of the Photoshop painting or adjustment tools, and then reapply the textures to the
model and view the results.
Note: You cannot create new textures in Photoshop, or change how they are mapped to areas of the model.
For a video on importing 3D Models as Smart Objects, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0018.

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For a video on mapping 2D images onto 3D models, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0020.
For a video on using the 3D camera tool, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0022.

Opening 3D files (Photoshop Extended)
You can open a 3D file or add it to an existing Photoshop file as a 3D layer. When opening a 3D file, you will need
to set a height and width for the file. (3D models can be scaled to any dimension.) When adding a file as a 3D layer,
the layer will use the dimensions of the existing file. A 3D layer contains the 3D model and a transparent background.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose File > Open.
• With a document open, choose Layer > 3D Layers > New Layer From 3D File.
Choose from the several 3D model templates available.

• If opening a 3D file outside an existing image, set image file height and width and click OK.
Like vector art, 3D models can be scaled up or down without losing detail or quality. Setting larger or smaller image
dimensions will scale the model up or down proportionately to fill the image frame.
Note: A 3D layer does not preserve any background or alpha information from the original 3D file.

Transforming 3D models (Photoshop Extended)
After you open a 3D model you can change the model’s position, camera view, lighting, or render mode, create a
cross-section view, or play animation contained in the 3D file. To create these changes, you use the Photoshop 3D
tools.
Note: When you are using the 3D tools, you will not be able to access other Photoshop functions or menu commands
until you save or cancel any changes to the 3D content.

3D Transform options bar
A. Activate 3D object editing tools (C - H) B. Activate 3D camera editing tools (Q - V) C. Return to initial object position D. Rotate E. Roll
F. Drag G. Slide H. Scale I. View menu J. Delete current view K. Save current camera location as a view L. Lighting and render mode
options M. 3D cross-section options N. Animation playback controls O. Cancel current 3D transform P. Commit current 3D transform
Q. Return to initial camera position R. Orbit S. Roll T. Pan U. Walk V. Zoom

Use the 3D tools
❖ Do one of the following:

• In the Layers palette, double-click the 3D layer thumbnail.
• Choose Layer > 3D Layers > Transform 3D Model.
The options bar changes to show the 3D tools. To leave 3D transform mode, click Cancel 3D Transform or Commit
3D Transform in the options bar.

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Move, rotate, or scale a 3D model

You can use the 3D object editing tools to rotate a 3D model around its x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis; move the model along
an axis; or scale the object. While you manipulate the 3D model the camera view remains fixed.
For tooltips on each 3D tool, choose Palette Options from the Info Palette’s options menu and select Show Tool Hints.
Click a tool, then move the cursor into the image window to view tool details in the Info Palette.
1 Click Edit the 3D Object in the options bar.
2 Click a navigation tool to activate it:

Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the Rotate, Drag, Slide or Scale tool to a single direction of movement.
Rotate Drag up or down to rotate the model around its x-axis, or side to side to rotate it around its y-axis. Hold down

Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag to roll the model.
Roll Drag side to side to rotate the model around its z-axis.
Drag Drag side to side to move the model horizontally, or up or down to move it vertically. Hold down Ctrl

(Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag to move in the x/z direction.
Slide Drag side to side to move the model horizontally, or up or down to move it closer or farther away. Hold down
Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag to move in the x/y direction.
Scale Drag up or down to scale the model larger or smaller. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you
drag to scale in the z direction.

Click the Return to default view icon in the Options bar to return the model to its initial view.
To view or edit the numeric x, y, and z position, rotation, or scaling of the 3D model, click the arrow to the right of
the 3D tools.
Edit the 3D camera

Use the Edit Camera tools to move the camera view while leaving the position of the 3D object fixed.
For tooltips on each 3D tool, choose Palette Options from the Info Palette’s options menu and select Show Tool Hints.
Click a tool, then move the cursor into the image window to view tool details in the Info Palette.
1 Click Edit the 3D Camera in the options bar.
2 Click a camera editing tool to activate it.

Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the Orbit, Pan, or Walk tools to a single direction of movement.
Orbit Drag to orbit the camera in the x or y direction. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag
to roll the camera.
Roll Drag to roll the camera.
Pan Drag to pan the camera in the x or y direction. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you drag to
pan in the x or z direction.
Walk Drag to walk the camera (z translation and y rotation). Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you

drag to walk in the z/x direction (z translation and x rotation).
Zoom Drag to change the field of view of the 3D camera. Maximum field of view is 180.

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To view or edit the numeric values for the x, y, and z position, rotation or field of view of the 3D camera, click the
arrow to the right of the Edit Camera tools to open the 3D Camera Settings.
Select Orthographic View to display the model in accurate scale view without any perspective distortion.
Change or create 3D camera views
❖ Do one of the following:

• Select a preset camera view of the model from the View menu.
• To add a custom view, place the 3D camera in the desired position using the Edit Camera tools, then click Save in
the options bar.
To return to the default camera view of the model, click the Return to default camera icon in the options bar while
the Edit Camera tools are selected.
Change lighting effects

You can apply different lighting effects to a 3D model such as daylight, interior light or colored light, or remove
lighting entirely to create a silhouette effect. The default lighting setting, Lights from File, displays the 3D model
using the lighting settings from the original file (created in a 3D authoring program).
❖ Click the Lighting and Appearance Settings icon and select a lighting mode from the pop-up palette.

Change rendering effects

The default render mode is solid. Modes such as wireframe, outline, or vertice reveal the underlying structure of the
model’s components. You can combine wireframe and solid rendering (Solid Wireframe mode), or adjust the transparency of solid areas in the model (Transparent or Transparent Wireframe).
Render modes such as Solid Outline and Line Illustration allow you to adjust the number of structural lines that
appear in the model by adjusting the Crease Threshold setting. A crease or line, is formed when two polygons in a
model come together at a particular angle. If edges meet at an angle below the Crease Threshold setting (0-180), the
line they form is removed. At a setting of 0, the entire wireframe is displayed.
1 Click the Lighting and Appearance Settings icon and select a render mode from the pop-up palette.
Bounding Box Draws a box around each component part of the model with the minimal dimensions required to

contain that component.
Transparent Displays the model with adjustable opacity. Enter an Opacity value to change transparency from 0 to

100 percent.
Line Illustration Displays the model as a solid (unshaded) with overlaid outlines. Use Face Color to set the solid

color; Line Color to set the outline color.
Solid Outline Similar to Solid Wireframe mode, except decreasing the Crease Threshold gradually reduces the

wireframe to simple outlines.
Wireframe/Shaded Wireframe Displays the wireframe only, in the selected color or as a shaded grayscale.
Hidden Wireframe Displays or hides the wireframe view without any visible hidden surfaces. A similar effect can be
obtained using Solid Outline mode with the outline angle set to 0.
Vertices Displays all vertices or intersections of polygons that make up the wireframe model.

2 Set Line Color, Face Color, Opacity, and Crease Threshold as available for the selected render mode.

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View cross sections

You can view a cross-section of a 3D model by intersecting it with an invisible plane that slices through the model at
any angle and displays content only on one side of the plane.
1 Click the Cross Section Settings icon to open the pop-up palette.
2 In the Cross Section Settings area, select Enable Cross Section and choose options for alignment, position, and
orientation.
Alignment Select an axis (x, y, or z) for the intersecting plane. The plane is perpendicular to the selected axis.
Position and Orientation Use Offset to shift the plane along its axis, without changing its tilt. At a default offset of 0,
the plane intersects the 3D model at its midpoint. At maximum positive or negative offsets, the plane moves beyond
any intersection with the model. Use Tilt settings to rotate the plane up to 3600 in either of its possible tilt directions.
For a particular axis, the tilt settings will rotate the plane along the other two axes. For example, a plane aligned to
the y-axis can be rotated around the x-axis (Tilt 1) or the z-axis (Tilt 2).
Flip Changes the displayed area of the model to the opposite side of the intersecting plane.

To combine two rendering modes on a model, duplicate the 3D layer, then change the render mode on the duplicated
layer. Set the cross section to the same position on each layer, then flip one cross section.
View 3D animations

If a 3D file contains animation, it is included with the file when Photoshop opens the 3D model. To view animations,
you use the animation controls in the options bar.
1 Choose Layer > 3D Layers > Transform 3D Model.
2 Do one of the following:

• Click playback buttons to play the animation, rewind it, or advance forward or backwards by frame.
• Click the arrow next to the playback buttons to open the slider control, then drag the slider forward or backwards
to move through the animation.

Editing 3D textures (Photoshop Extended)
You can use the Photoshop painting and adjustment tools to edit the textures contained in a 3D file. Textures are
imported as 2D files with the 3D model. They appear as entries under the 3D layer.
To display or hide an individual texture on a 3D model, click the Eye icon next to the Texture layer. To hide or display
all textures, click the Eye icon next to the top level Texture layer.
Note: You cannot edit textures when the 3D tools are active. Click Commit or Cancel in the options bar to exit 3D
transform mode.
For a video on editing textures, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0021.
1 Double-click a texture in the Layers palette.

The texture opens as a separate document in its own window.
2 Use any Photoshop tool to edit or paint on the texture.
3 Save the texture document. The updated texture is applied to the 3D model.
4 For non-Photoshop format 3D files, choose Layer > 3D Layers > Replace Textures after editing texture files to save
your changes.

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For 3D files saved in Photoshop format, texture edits are saved when you save the file. For other 3D file formats that
store textures in external files, use the Replace Textures command to save your texture edits.
Note: For 3D file formats such as .u3d and .kmz that store textures in the same file with the model, Replace Textures will
update the model file. For formats such as .3ds, Replace Textures will update the separate texture files associated with
the model file.

See also
“Paint with the Brush tool or Pencil tool” on page 326

Place 3D objects in an image (Photoshop Extended)
You can place a 3D model against a background image and change its position or viewing angle to match the
background.
For a video on mapping 2D images onto 3D models, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0020.
1 Open the file you want to serve as the backdrop.
2 Open the 3D file.
3 Drag the 3D layer from the 3D file from its Layers palette into the background image window to add the 3D layer
to the background file.
4 Choose Layer > 3D Layers > Transform 3D Model or double-click the 3D layer in the Layers palette and use a 3D
Tool to position or scale the 3D model against the background.

Save 3D files (Photoshop Extended)
You can save Photoshop files containing 3D layers in PSD, PSB, TIFF, or PDF format. The 3D model position,
lighting, render mode, and cross-sections are maintained when the file is saved.
❖ Choose File > Save or File > Save As, and select Photoshop (PSD), Photoshop PDF, or TIFF format and click OK.

610

Chapter 20: Automating tasks
Automating tasks can save you time and ensure consistent results for many types of operations. Photoshop provides
a variety of ways to automate tasks—using actions, droplets, the Batch command, scripting, templates, variables, and
data sets.

Automating with actions
About actions
An action is a series of tasks that you play back on a single file or a batch of files—menu commands, palette options,
tool actions, and so on. For example, you can create an action that changes the size of an image, applies a filter to the
image for a particular effect, and then saves the file in the desired format.
Actions can include stops that let you perform tasks that cannot be recorded (for example, using a painting tool).
Actions can also include modal controls that let you enter values in a dialog box while playing an action.
In Photoshop, actions are the basis for droplets, which are small applications that automatically process all files that
are dragged onto their icon.
Photoshop and Illustrator come with predefined actions installed that help you perform common tasks. You can use
these actions as is, customize them to meet your needs, or create new actions. Actions are stored in sets to help you
organize them.
You can record, edit, customize, and batch-process actions, and you can manage groups of actions by working with
action sets.

Actions palette overview
You use the Actions palette (Window > Actions) to record, play, edit, and delete individual actions. This palette
(called the Actions panel in Illustrator) also lets you save and load action files.

A
B

Photoshop Actions palette
A. Action set B. Action C. Recorded commands D. Included command E. Modal control (toggles on or off)

Expand and collapse sets, actions, and commands
❖ Click the triangle to the left of the set, action, or command in the Actions palette. Alt-click (Windows) or Option-

click (Mac OS) the triangle to expand or collapse all actions in a set or all commands in an action.

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View actions by name only
❖ Choose Button Mode from the Actions palette menu. Choose Button Mode again to return to list mode.

Note: You can’t view individual commands or sets in Button mode.
Select actions in the Actions palette
❖ Click an action name. Shift-click action names to select multiple, contiguous actions, and Ctrl-click (Windows)

or Command-click (Mac OS) action names to select multiple, discontiguous actions.

Play an action on a file
Playing an action executes the action’s recorded commands in the active document. (Some actions require that you
make a selection before playing; some can be executed on an entire file.) You can exclude specific commands from
an action or play only a single command. If the action includes a modal control, you can specify values in a dialog
box or use a modal tool when the action pauses.
Note: In Button mode, clicking a button executes the entire action—although commands previously excluded are not
executed.
1 If necessary, select objects on which to play the action, or open a file.
2 Do one of the following:

• (Illustrator) To play a set of actions, select the set name, and click the Play button

in the Actions palette, or

choose Play from the palette menu.

• To play an entire single action, select the action name, and click the Play button in the Actions palette, or choose
Play from the palette menu.

• If you assigned a key combination to the action, press that combination to play the action automatically.
• To play only a part of an action, select the command from which you want to start playing, and click the Play
button in the Actions palette, or choose Play from the palette menu.

• To play a single command, select the command, and then Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the
Play button in the Actions palette. You can also press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS), and double-click
the command.
In Photoshop, to undo an action, take a snapshot in the History palette before you play an action, and then select the
snapshot to undo the action.

Specify playback speed
You can adjust an action’s playback speed or pause it to help you debug an action.
1 Choose Playback Options from the Actions palette menu.
2 Specify a speed, and click OK:
Accelerated Plays the action at normal speed (the default).

Note: When you play an action at accelerated speed, the screen may not update as the action executes—files may be
opened, modified, saved, and closed without ever appearing on-screen, enabling the action to execute more quickly. If
you want to see the files on-screen as the action executes, specify the Step By Step speed instead.
Step By Step Completes each command and redraws the image before going on to the next command in the action.
Pause For __ Seconds Specifies the amount of time the application should pause between carrying out each

command in the action.

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3 (Photoshop only) Select Pause For Audio Annotation to ensure that each audio annotation in an action is played
before the next step in the action is initiated. Deselect this option if you want an action to continue while an audio
annotation is playing.

Manage actions
Manage actions in the Actions palette to keep them organized and to make available only the actions you need for a
project. You can rearrange, duplicate, delete, rename, and change options for actions in the Actions palette.
Rearrange actions in the Actions palette
❖ In the Actions palette, drag the action to its new location before or after another action. When the highlighted line

appears in the desired position, release the mouse button.
Duplicate actions, commands, or sets
❖ Do one of the following:

• Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the action or command to a new location in the Actions palette.
When the highlighted line appears in the desired location, release the mouse button.

• Select an action or command. Then choose Duplicate from the Actions palette menu.
• Drag an action or command to the Create New Action button at the bottom of the Actions palette.
You can duplicate sets with any of the same methods.
Delete actions, commands, or sets
1 In the Actions palette, select the action, command, or set.
2 Do any of the following:

• Click the Delete icon

on the Actions palette. Click OK to complete the deletion.

• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Delete icon to delete the selection without displaying a confirmation dialog box.

• Drag the selection to the Delete icon on the Actions palette to delete without displaying a confirmation dialog box.
• Choose Delete from the Actions palette menu.
Delete all actions in the Actions palette
❖ Choose Clear All Actions (Photoshop) or Clear Actions (Illustrator) from the Actions palette menu.

Even after clearing all actions, the Actions palette can be restored to its default set of actions.
Rename an action or change options
1 Select the action, and choose Action Options from the Actions palette menu.
2 Type a new name for the action, or change the options for its set, function key combination, or button color.
3 Click OK.

Double-clicking the action name in the Actions palette in Illustrator also opens the Action Options dialog box. In
Photoshop, you can double-click an action in the Actions palette and enter a new name.

Manage action sets
You can create and organize sets of task-related actions that can be saved to disk and transferred to other computers.

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Note: Any actions that you create are automatically listed in the Actions palette, but to truly save an action and not risk
losing it if you delete your preferences file (Illustrator) or Actions palette file (Photoshop), you have to save it as part of
an action set.
Save a set of actions
1 Select a set.

If you want to save a single action, first create an action set and move the action to the new set.
2 Choose Save Actions from the Actions palette menu.
3 Type a name for the set, choose a location, and click Save.

You can save the file anywhere. You can save only the entire contents of a set in the Actions palette, not individual
actions.
Note: (Photoshop only) If you place the saved action-set file in the Presets/Actions folder, the set will appear at the bottom
of the Actions palette menu after you restart the application.
(Photoshop only) Press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS) when you choose the Save Actions
command to save the actions in a text file. You can use this file to review or print the contents of an action. However,
you can’t reload the text file back into Photoshop.
Load a set of actions

By default, the Actions palette displays predefined actions (shipped with the application) and any actions you create.
You can also load additional actions into the Actions palette.
❖ Do one of the following:

• Choose Load Actions from the Actions palette menu. Locate and select the action set file, and then click Load
(Photoshop) or Open (Illustrator).

• (Photoshop only) Select an action set from the bottom of the Actions palette menu.
Photoshop action set files have the extension .atn; Illustrator action set files have the extension .aia.
Restore actions to the default set
1 Choose Reset Actions from the Actions palette menu.
2 Click OK to replace the current actions in the Actions palette with the default set, or click Append to add the set
of default actions to the current actions in the Actions palette.
Organize action sets

To help you organize your actions, you can create sets of actions and save the sets to disk. You can organize sets of
actions for different types of work—such as print publishing and online publishing—and transfer sets to other
computers.

• To create a new set of actions, click the Create New Set button

in the Actions palette or choose New Set from

the palette menu. Then enter the name of the set, and click OK.
Note: If you plan to create a new action and group it in a new set, make sure you create the set first. Then, the new set
will appear in the set popup menu when you create your new action.

• To move an action to a different set, drag the action to that set. When the highlighted line appears in the desired
position, release the mouse button.

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• To rename a set of actions, double-click the name of the set in the Actions palette or choose Set Options from the
Actions palette menu. Then enter the new name of the set, and click OK.

• To replace all actions in the Actions palette with a new set, choose Replace Actions from the Actions palette menu.
Select an actions file, and click Load (Photoshop) or Open (Illustrator).
Important: The Replace Actions command replaces all sets of actions in the current document. Before using the
command, make sure that you have already saved a copy of your current set of actions using the Save Actions command.

Creating actions
Recording actions
Keep in mind the following guidelines when recording actions:

• You can record most—but not all—commands in an action.
• You can record operations that you perform with the Marquee, Move, Polygon, Lasso, Magic Wand, Crop, Slice,
Magic Eraser, Gradient, Paint Bucket, Type, Shape, Notes, Eyedropper, and Color Sampler tools—as well as those
that you perform in the History, Swatches, Color, Paths, Channels, Layers, Styles, and Actions palettes.

• Results depend on file and program setting variables, such as the active layer and the foreground color. For
example, a 3-pixel Gaussian blur won’t create the same effect on a 72-ppi file as on a 144-ppi file. Nor will Color
Balance work on a grayscale file.

• When you record actions that include specifying settings in dialog boxes and palettes, the action will reflect the
settings in effect at the time of the recording. If you change a setting in a dialog box or palette while recording an
action, the changed value is recorded.
Note: Most dialog boxes retain the settings specified at the previous use. Check carefully that those are the values you
want to record.

• Modal operations and tools—as well as tools that record position—use the units currently specified for the ruler.
A modal operation or tool is one that requires you to press Enter or Return to apply its effect, such as transforming
or cropping. Tools that record position include the Marquee, Slice, Gradient, Magic Wand, Lasso, Shape, Path,
Eyedropper, and Notes tools.
If you record an action that will be played on files of different sizes, set the ruler units to percentages. As a result, the
action will always play back in the same relative position in the image.

• You can record the Play command listed on the Actions palette menu to cause one action to play another.
Recording actions works similarly in Photoshop and Illustrator.

Record an action
When you create a new action, the commands and tools you use are added to the action until you stop recording.
To guard against mistakes, work in a copy: at the beginning of the action before applying other commands, record
the File > Save A Copy command (Illustrator) or record the File > Save As command and select As A Copy
(Photoshop). Alternatively, in Photoshop you can click the New Snapshot button on the History palette to make a
snapshot of the image before recording the action.
1 Open a file.
2 In the Actions palette, click the Create New Action button

, or choose New Action from the Actions palette menu.

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3 Enter an action name, select an action set, and set additional options:
Function Key Assigns a keyboard shortcut to the action. You can choose any combination of a function key, the Ctrl

key (Windows) or Command key (Mac OS), and the Shift key (for example, Ctrl+Shift+F3), with these exceptions:
In Windows, you cannot use the F1 key, nor can you use F4 or F6 with the Ctrl key.
Note: If you assign an action the same shortcut that is used for a command, the shortcut will apply the action rather
than the command.
Color Assigns a color for display in Button mode.

4 Click Begin Recording. The Begin Recording button in the Actions palette turns red

Important: When recording the Save As command, do not change the filename. If you enter a new filename, that new
name is recorded and used each time you run the action. Before saving, if you navigate to a different folder, you can
specify a different location without having to specify a filename.
5 Perform the operations and commands you want to record.

Not all tasks in actions can be recorded directly; however, you can insert most nonrecordable tasks using commands
in the Actions palette menu.
6 To stop recording, either click the Stop Playing/Recording button, or choose Stop Recording from the Actions

palette menu. (In Photoshop, you can also press the Esc key.)
To resume recording in the same action, choose Start Recording from the Actions palette menu.

Record a path
The Insert Path command lets you include a complex path (a path created with a pen tool or pasted from Adobe
Illustrator) as part of an action. When the action is played back, the work path is set to the recorded path. You can
insert a path when recording an action or after it has been recorded.
1 Do one of the following:

• Start recording an action.
• Select an action’s name to record a path at the end of the action.
• Select a command to record a path after the command.
2 Select an existing path from the Paths palette.
3 Choose Insert Path from the Actions palette menu.

If you record multiple Insert Path commands in a single action, each path replaces the previous one in the target file.
To add multiple paths, record a Save Path command using the Paths palette after recording each Insert Path
command.
Note: Playing actions that insert complex paths may require significant amounts of memory. If you encounter problems,
increase the amount of memory available to Photoshop.

Insert a stop
You can include stops in an action that let you perform a task that cannot be recorded (for example, using a painting
tool). After you complete the task, click the Play button in the Actions palette to complete the action.

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You can also display a short message when the action reaches the stop as a reminder of what needs to be done before
continuing with the action. You can include a Continue button in the message box in case no other task needs to be done.
1 Choose where to insert the stop by doing one of the following:

• Select an action’s name to insert a stop at the end of the action.
• Select a command to insert a stop after the command.
2 Choose Insert Stop from the Actions palette menu.
3 Type the message you want to appear.
4 If you want the option to continue the action without stopping, select Allow Continue.
5 Click OK.

You can insert a stop when recording an action or after it has been recorded.

Change settings when playing an action
By default, actions are completed using the values specified when they were originally recorded. If you want to
change the settings for a command within an action, you can insert a modal control. A modal control pauses an action
so that you can specify values in a dialog box or use a modal tool. (A modal tool requires pressing Enter or Return
to apply its effect—once you press Enter or Return, the action resumes its tasks.)
A modal control is indicated by a dialog box icon
to the left of a command, action, or set in the Actions palette.
A red dialog box icon
indicates an action or set in which some, but not all, commands are modal. You can’t set a
modal control in Button mode.
❖ Do one of the following:

• To enable a modal control for a command within an action, click the box to the left of the command name. Click
again to disable the modal control.

• To enable or disable modal controls for all commands in an action, click the box to the left of the action name.
• To enable or disable modal controls for all actions in a set, click the box to the left of the set name.

Exclude commands from an action
You can exclude commands that you don’t want to play as part of a recorded action. You can’t exclude commands in
Button mode.
1 If necessary, expand the listing of commands in the action by clicking the triangle to the left of the action name
in the Actions palette.
2 Do one of the following:

• To exclude a single command, click to clear the check mark to the left of the command name. Click again to
include the command.

• To exclude or include all commands or actions in an action or set, click the check mark to the left of the action or
set name.

• To exclude or include all commands except the selected command, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS)
its check mark.
To indicate that some of the commands within the action are excluded, in Photoshop the check mark of the parent
action turns red; in Illustrator the check mark of the parent action becomes dimmed.

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Insert a non-recordable menu command
You cannot record the painting and toning tools, tool options, View commands, and Window commands. However,
you can insert many non-recordable commands into an action using the Insert Menu Item command.
You can insert a command when recording an action, or after it has been recorded. An inserted command doesn’t
execute until the action is played, so the file remains unchanged when the command is inserted. No values for the
command are recorded in the action. If the command opens a dialog box, the dialog box appears during playback,
and the action pauses until you click OK or Cancel.
Note: When you use the Insert Menu Item command to insert a command that opens a dialog box, you cannot disable
the modal control in the Actions palette.
1 Choose where to insert the menu item:

• Select an action’s name to insert the item at the end of the action.
• Select a command to insert the item at the end of the command.
2 Choose Insert Menu Item from the Actions palette menu.
3 With the Insert Menu Item dialog box open, choose a command from its menu.
4 Click OK.

Edit and rerecord actions
It is easy to edit and customize actions. You can tweak the settings of any specific command within an action, add
commands to an existing action, or step through an entire action and change any or all settings.
Overwrite a single command
1 In the Actions palette, double-click the command.
2 Enter the new values, and click OK.
Add commands to an action
1 Do one of the following:

• Select the action name to insert a new command at the end of the action.
• Select a command in the action to insert a command after it.
2 Click the Begin Recording button, or choose Start Recording from the Actions palette menu.
3 Record the additional commands.
4 When finished, click the Stop Playing/Recording button in the Actions palette or choose Stop Recording from the
palette menu.
Rearrange commands within an action
❖ In the Actions palette, drag a command to its new location within the same or another action. When the

highlighted line appears in the desired position, release the mouse button.
Record an action again
1 Select an action, and choose Record Again from the Actions palette menu.
2 If a modal tool appears, use the tool to create a different result, and press Enter or Return, or just press Enter or
Return to retain the same settings.

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3 If a dialog box appears, change the settings, and click OK to record them, or click Cancel to retain the same values.

Processing a batch of files
Convert files with the Image Processor
The Image Processor converts and processes multiple files. Unlike the Batch command, the Image Processor lets you
process files without first creating an action. You can do any of the following in the Image Processor:

• Convert a set of files to either JPEG, PSD, or TIFF format; or convert files simultaneously to all three formats.
• Process a set of camera raw files using the same options.
• Resize images to fit within specified pixel dimensions.
• Embed a color profile or convert a set of files to sRGB and save them as JPEG images for the web.
• Include copyright metadata into the converted images.
The Image Processor works with Photoshop (PSD), JPEG, and camera raw files.
1 Do any of the following:

• Choose File > Scripts > Image Processor (Photoshop)
• Choose Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor (Bridge)
2 Select the images you want to process. You can choose to process any open files, or select a folder of files to process.
3 (Optional) Select Open First Image To Apply Settings to apply the same settings to all the images.

If you are processing a group of camera raw files taken under the same lighting conditions, you can adjust the setting
in the first image to your satisfaction and then apply the same settings to the remaining images.
Use this option with PSD or JPEG source images if the file’s color profile does not match your working profile. You
can choose a color profile in which to convert the first image and all images in the folder.
Note: The settings you apply with the Image Processor are temporary and used only with the Image Processor. The
image’s current camera raw settings are used to process the image, unless you change them in the Image Processor.
4 Select the location where you want to save the processed files.

If you process the same file multiple times to the same destination, each file is saved with its own file name and not
overwritten.
5 Select the file types and options to save.
Save As JPEG Saves images in JPEG format within a folder called JPEG in the destination folder.
Quality Sets the JPEG image quality between 0 and 12.
Resize To Fit Resizes the image to fit within the dimensions you enter in Width and Height. The image retains its

original proportions.
Convert Profile To sRGB Converts the color profile to sRGB. Make sure that Include ICC Profile is selected if you

want to save the profile with the image.
Save As PSD Saves images in Photoshop format within a folder called PSD in the destination folder.
Maximize Compatibility Saves a composite version of a layered image within the target file for compatibility with
applications that can't read layered images.

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Save As TIFF Saves images in TIFF format within a folder called TIFF in the destination folder.
LZW Compression Saves the TIFF file using the LZW compression scheme.

6 Set other processing options.
Run Action Runs a Photoshop action. Choose the action set from the first menu and the action from the second

menu. The action set must be loaded in the Actions palette before they appear in these menus.
Copyright Info Includes any text you enter in the IPTC copyright metadata for the file. Text you include here

overwrites the copyright metadata in the original file.
Include ICC Profile Embeds the color profile with the saved files.

7 Click Run.

Before you process your images, click Save to save the current settings in the dialog box. The next time you need to
process files using this group of settings, click Load and navigate to your saved Image Processor settings.
For a tutorial on image processing techniques, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_ps_processraw.

Process a batch of files
The Batch command runs an action on a folder of files. If you have a digital camera or a scanner with a document
feeder, you can also import and process multiple images with a single action. Your scanner or digital camera may
need an acquire plug-in module that supports actions.
Note: If the third-party plug-in wasn’t written to import multiple documents at a time, it may not work during batchprocessing or if used as part of an action. Contact the plug-in’s manufacturer for further information.
You can also import PDF images from Acrobat Capture or other software programs.
When batch-processing files, you can leave all the files open, close and save the changes to the original files, or save
modified versions of the files to a new location (leaving the originals unchanged). If you are saving the processed
files to a new location, you may want to create a new folder for the processed files before starting the batch.
To batch-process using multiple actions, create a new action that plays all the other actions, and then batch-process
using the new action. To batch-process multiple folders, create aliases within a folder to the other folders you want
to process, and select the Include All Subfolders option.
For better batch performance, reduce the number of saved history states and deselect the Automatically Create First
Snapshot option in the History palette.
For a tutorial on image processing techniques, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_ps_processraw.
Batch-process files
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose File > Automate > Batch (Photoshop)
• Choose Tools > Photoshop > Batch (Bridge)
2 Specify the action you want to use to process files from the Set and Action pop-up menus. The menus display
actions available in the Actions palette. You may need to choose a different set or load a set in the palette if you don’t
see your action.
3 Choose the files to process from the Source pop-up menu:
Folder Processes files in a folder you specify. Click Choose to locate and select the folder.

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Import Processes images from a digital camera, scanner, or a PDF document.
Opened Files Processes all open files.
Bridge Processes selected files in Adobe Bridge. If no files are selected, the files in the current Bridge folder are

processed.
4 Set processing, saving, and file naming options. For descriptions of the Batch dialog box settings see “Batch and
droplet processing options” on page 621.
Batch-process files in nested folders into different formats
1 Process your folders as you would normally, until the Destination step.
2 Choose Save And Close for the destination. You can specify options for Override Action “Save As” Commands to
do the following:

• If the “Save As” step in the action contains a file name, this name is overridden by the name of the document being
saved; all “Save As” steps are treated as if they were recorded without a file name.

• The folder you specified in the “Save As” action step is overridden by the document’s original folder.
Note: You must have a “Save As” step in the action; the Batch command does not automatically save files.
You can use this procedure, for instance, to sharpen, resize, and save images as JPEGs in their original folders. You
create an action that has a sharpen step, a resize step, and then a “Save As JPEG” step. When you batch-process this
action, you select Include All Subfolders, make the destination Save And Close, and select Override Action “Save As”
Commands.
For a tutorial on image processing techniques, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_ps_processraw.

Create a droplet from an action
A droplet applies an action to one or more images, or a folder of images, that you drag onto the Droplet icon. You can
save a droplet on the desktop or to another location on disk.

Droplet icon

Actions are the basis for creating droplets—you must create the desired action in the Actions palette prior to creating
a droplet. (See “Recording actions” on page 614.)
1 Choose File > Automate > Create Droplet.
2 Specify where to save the droplet. Click Choose in the Save Droplet In section of the dialog box and navigate to

the location.
3 Select the Action Set, and then designate which action you intend to use within the Set and Action menus. (Select
the action in the Actions palette before you open the dialog box to preselect these menus.)
4 Set processing, saving, and file naming options. For descriptions of the Batch dialog box settings see “Batch and
droplet processing options” on page 621.

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Tips for cross-platform droplets

When creating droplets for both Windows and Mac OS, keep the following compatibility issues in mind:

• After moving a droplet created in Windows to Mac OS, you must drag the droplet onto the Photoshop icon on
your desktop. Photoshop updates the droplet for use in Mac OS.

• When creating a droplet in Mac OS, use the .exe extension to make droplets compatible with both Windows and
Mac OS.

• References to file names are not supported between operating systems. If an action step references a file or folder
name (such as an Open command, Save As command, or adjustment command that loads its settings from a file),
execution pauses and the user is prompted for a file name.
Process a file with a droplet
❖ Drag a file or folder onto the droplet icon. Photoshop starts if it is not already running.

Batch and droplet processing options
Specify these options in the Batch and Droplet dialog boxes.
Override Action “Open” Commands Ensures that the files you selected in the Batch command are processed, without

opening the file you may have specified in the action's Open command. If the action contains an Open command
that opens a saved file and you don't select this option, the Batch command opens and processes only the file you
used to record the Open command (This occurs because the Batch command opens the file specified by the action
after each of the files in the Batch source folder is opened. Because the most recently opened file is the one named in
the action, the Batch command performs the action on that file, and none of the files in the Batch source folder are
processed.)
To use this option, the action must contain an Open command. Otherwise, the Batch command won't open the files
you've selected for batch processing. Selecting this option doesn't disregard everything in an Open command—only
the choice of files to open.
Deselect this option if the action was recorded to operate on an open file, or if the action contains Open commands
for specific files that are required by the action.
Include All Subfolders Processes files in subdirectories of the specified folder.
Suppress Color Profile Warnings Turns off display of color policy messages.
Suppress File Open Options Dialogs Hides File Open Options dialog boxes. This is useful when batching actions on

camera raw image files. The default or previously specified settings will be used.
Destination menu Sets where to save the processed files

• None Leaves the files open without saving changes (unless the action includes a Save command).
• Save And Close Saves the files in their current location, overwriting the original files.
• Folder Saves the processed files to another location. Click Choose to specify the destination folder.
Override Action “Save As” Commands Ensures that processed files are saved to the destination folder specified in the

Batch command (or to their original folder if you chose Save and Close), with their original names or the names you
specified in the File Naming section of the Batch dialog box.
If you don't select this option and your action includes a Save As command, your files will be saved into the folder
specified by the Save As command in the action, instead of the folder specified in the Batch command. In addition,

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if you don't select this option and the Save As command in the action specifies a filename, the Batch command
overwrites the same file (the file specified in the action) each time it processes an image.
If you want the Batch command to process files using the original file names in the folder you specified in the Batch
command, save your image in the action. Then, when you create the batch, select Override Action "Save As"
Command and specify a destination folder. If you rename the images in the Batch command and don't select Override
Action "Save As" Command, Photoshop saves your processed images twice: once with the new name in the specified
folder, and once with the original name in the folder specified by the Save As command in the action.
To use this option, the action must contain a Save As command. Otherwise, the Batch command won't save the
processed files. Selecting this option doesn't skip everything in the Save As command—only the specified file name
and folder.
Note: Some Save options aren’t available in the Batch or Create Droplet commands (such as JPEG compression or TIFF
options). To use these options, record a Save As step in the action that contains the desired options, and then use the
Override Action “Save As” Commands option to make sure that your files are saved where you specify in the Batch or
Create Droplet command. Photoshop disregards the specified filename and path in the Action's Save As command, and
retains the Save options using the new path and filename you specify in the Batch dialog.
File Naming Specifies file naming conventions if writing files to a new folder. Select elements from the pop-up

menus or enter text into the fields to be combined into the default names for all files. The fields let you change the
order and formatting of the components of the file name. You must include at least one field that is unique for every
file (for example, file name, serial number, or serial letter) to prevent files from overwriting each other. Starting Serial
Number specifies the starting number for any serial number fields. Serial letter fields always start with the letter “A”
for the first file.
Compatibility Makes file names compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Unix operating systems.

Saving files using the Batch command options usually saves the files in the same format as the original files. To create
a batch process that saves files in a new format, record the Save As command followed by the Close command as part
of your original action. Then choose Override Action “Save As” Commands for the Destination when setting up the
batch process.
Error menu Specifies how to handle processing errors:

• Stop For Errors Suspends the process until you confirm the error message.
• Log Errors to File Records each error in a file without stopping the process. If errors are logged to a file, a message
appears after processing. To review the error file, open with a text editor after the Batch command has run.

Scripting
About scripting
Photoshop supports external automation through scripting. In Windows, you can use scripting languages that
support COM automation, such as VB Script. In Mac OS, you can use languages such as AppleScript that allow you
to send Apple events. These languages are not cross-platform but can control multiple applications such as Adobe
Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Microsoft Office. In Mac OS, you can also use Apple’s Photoshop Actions for
Automator to control tasks in Photoshop.
You can also use JavaScript on either platform. JavaScript support lets you write Photoshop scripts that run on either
Windows or Mac OS.

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Note: Refer to the scripting documentation included with your Photoshop application installation: Photoshop AppleScript Reference Guide.pdf, Photoshop JavaScript Reference Guide.pdf, Photoshop Scripting Guide.pdf, and Photoshop
VBScript Reference Guide.pdf. These guides can be found in Photoshop CS3/Scripting Guide.

Run a JavaScript
❖ Choose File > Scripts and then select the script from the list. The scripts list includes all the script files saved with

a .js or .jsx extension and saved in the Photoshop CS3/Presets/Scripts folder. To run a script saved in another
location, choose File > Scripts > Browse and navigate to the script.

Set scripts and actions to run automatically
You can have an event, such as opening, saving, or exporting a file in Photoshop, trigger a JavaScript or a Photoshop
action. Photoshop provides several default events, or you can have any scriptable Photoshop event trigger the script
or action. See the Photoshop Scripting Guide for more information on scriptable events.
1 Choose File > Scripts > Script Events Manager.
2 Select Enable Events To Run Scripts/Actions.
3 From the Photoshop Event menu, choose the event that will trigger the script or action.
4 Select either Script or Action, and then choose the script or action to run when the event occurs.

Photoshop has several sample scripts you can choose. To run a different script, choose Browse and then navigate to
the script. For actions, choose the action set from the first pop-up menu and an action from that set in the second
menu. The action must be loaded in the Actions palette to appear in these menus.
5 Click Add. The event and its associated script or action are listed in the dialog box.
6 To disable and remove individual events, select the event in the list and click Remove. To disable all events, but
keep them in the list, deselect Enable Events To Run Scripts/Actions.

Creating data-driven graphics
About data-driven graphics
Data-driven graphics make it possible to produce multiple versions of an image quickly and accurately for print or
web projects. For example, you can produce 100 versions of a web banner with different text and images, all based
on a template design.
You generate the graphics by exporting them from Photoshop, or you can create templates for use in other programs
such as Adobe® GoLive® or Adobe® Graphics Server (see “Saving templates for use with other Adobe products” on
page 628).
Follow these general steps to create graphics from templates and data sets:
1. Create the base graphic to use as the template.

Use layers to separate the elements that you want to change in the graphic.
2. Define variables in the graphic.

Variables specify the parts of the image that change. (See “Define variables” on page 624.)

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3. Create or import the data sets.

You can create the data sets in the template, or import them from a text file. (See “Define a data set” on page 626 and
“Creating data sets in external files” on page 627.)
4. Preview the document with each data set.

To see how your final graphics will look, you can preview before you export all the files. (See “Preview or apply a data
set” on page 626.)
5. Generate your graphics by exporting them with the data.

You can export them as Photoshop (PSD) files. (See “Generate graphics using data sets” on page 627.)
A

Flower

Daisy

Lily

Rose

Creating different versions of an image using variables
A. Source file template B. User defines layers as variables. C. Different versions of the image can be created, each with a different variable
data set.

Define variables
You use variables to define which elements in a template change. You can define three types of variables. Visibility
variables show or hide the content of a layer. Pixel Replacement variables replace the pixels in the layer with pixels
from another image file. Text Replacement variables replace a string of text in a type layer.
Note: GoLive recognizes all text and visibility variables, but not Pixel Replacement variables.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 625
User Guide

B
A

B
C

Two versions of an image based on the same template
A. Visibility variable B. Pixel Replacement variable C. Text Replacement variable

You cannot define variables for the Background layer.
1 Choose Image > Variables > Define.
2 Select a layer from the Layer pop-up menu that contains the content you want to define as a variable.
3 Select one or more types of variables:
Visibility Shows or hides the content of the layer.
Pixel Replacement Replaces the pixels in the layer with pixels from another image file.
Text Replacement Replaces a string of text in a type layer.

4 Do one of the following:

• Choose Name and enter a name for the variable. Variable names must begin with a letter, underscore, or colon and
cannot contain spaces or special characters (except for periods, hyphens, underscores, and colons).

• Choose an existing variable from the Name pop-up menu to link this layer to. Layers linked to the same variable
are shown next to the Name menu, along with the link icon.
5 For Pixel Replacement variables, set the following options.

• Choose a method for scaling the replacement image: Fit scales the image so that it fits in the bounding box (which
may leave parts of the bounding box empty), Fill scales the image so that it fills the bounding box entirely (which
may cause the image to extend beyond the bounding box), As Is applies no scaling to the image, and Conform
scales the image non-proportionally so that it fits in the bounding box.

• Click a handle on the alignment icon

to choose an alignment for placing the image inside the bounding box.
(This option is not available for Conform.)

• Select Clip To Bounding Box to clip areas of the image that do not fit in the bounding box. This option is available
only when the Fill or As Is replacement method is selected. (This option is not available for Conform.)

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6 To define variables for another layer, choose a layer from the Layer pop-up menu. An asterisk appears next to the
name of a layer that contains variables. You can use the navigation arrows to move between layers.
7 Click OK.

Rename a variable
1 Choose Image > Variables > Define.
2 Choose the layer that contains the variable from the Layer pop-up menu.
3 To rename the variable, enter a name in the Name text box. Variable names must begin with a letter, underscore,

or colon and cannot contain spaces or special characters (except for periods, hyphens, underscores, and colons).
4 To remove the variable, deselect it.

Define a data set
A data set is a collection of variables and associated data. You define a data set for each version of the graphic that
you want to generate.
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose Image > Variables > Data Sets.
• If the Variables dialog box is open, choose Data Sets from the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog box, or click Next.
Note: You must define at least one variable before you can edit the default data set.
2 Click the New Data Set button

3 Select a variable from the Name pop-up menu or the list at the bottom of the dialog box.
4 Edit the variable data:

• For Visibility variables

, select Visible to show the layer’s content or Invisible to hide the layer’s content.

• For Pixel Replacement variables

, click Select File and select a replacement image file. Click Do Not Replace
before the data set is applied to leave the layer in its current state.

Note: Do Not Replace does not reset the file to its original state if another replacement has been applied previously.

• For Text Replacement variables

, enter a text string in the Value text box.

5 Define additional data sets for each version of the graphic you want to generate.

You can edit, rename, or delete the data set later by first choosing it from the Data Set pop-up menu and editing its
options. Use the arrow icons to move between data sets. Click the Delete icon to delete a data set.

Preview or apply a data set
You can apply a data set’s contents to the base image while leaving all the variables and data sets intact. This changes
the look of the PSD document to contain the values of the data set. You can also preview how each version of your
graphic will look with each data set.
Note: Applying a data set overwrites your original document.
❖ Choose Image > Apply Data Set. Select the data set from the list and preview the image in the document window.

To apply the data set, click Apply. Click cancel if you are previewing and don’t want to change the base image.
You can also apply and preview a data set in the Data Set page of the Variables dialog box.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 627
User Guide

Generate graphics using data sets
After you define variables and one or more data sets, you can output, in batch mode, images using the data set values.
You can output images as PSD files.
1 Choose File > Export > Data Sets As Files.
2 Enter a base name for all files generated. You may create your own file-naming scheme if you want.
3 Click the Choose button to select a destination directory for your files.
4 Choose data sets to export.
5 Click OK.

Creating data sets in external files
You can quickly create a large number of data sets by creating an external text file that contains all the variable information and loading that file into a PSD document containing variables. One method is to enter your data into a text
file or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and then export it to a tab or comma-separated file.
The syntax of the external text file is as follows (where each line that starts with “Variable” or “Value” is an entire line
by itself in your file):
VariableName1VariableName2 VariableNameN
Value1-1Value2-1>ValueN-1
Value1-2Value2-2ValueN-2
Value1-MValue2-MValueN-M

All the variable names are listed on the first line, in the order that the values are given in subsequent lines. Each
subsequent line represents one data set, with the values for each variable given.
To create multiple lines of text in a single line of text in a data set, enclose the text in double quotes and insert hard
returns in the tab- or comma-separated file where you want the breaks to occur.
External text file syntax elements

Either a comma-separated (CSV) or a
tab (tab-delimited) file that separates
each variable name or value.

A newline character that ends each
data set and can be a line feed, carriage
return, or both.

“true” and “false”

Allowed values for a visibility variable.

Spaces

Spaces around the delimiter are
removed when parsing the file;
between words in a value string (e.g.,
two of a kind) spaces are maintained
and leading and trailing spaces are
maintained if enclosed in double
quotes (e.g., “one kind ”).

Double quotes

Can be part of a value if preceded by
another double quote (e.g., ““B”” would
be “B” in the data set).

If or is part of the variable value, then the entire value must be enclosed in double quotes.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 628
User Guide

All variables defined in the PSD document must be defined in the text file. An error is displayed if the number of
variables in the text file does not match the number in the document.
Example data set:
Using a template for flowers that holds variables for tulip and sunflower, you can set up a text file that looks like this:
{contents of FlowerShow.txt}
Variable 1, Variable 2, Variable 3
true, TULIP, c:\My Documents\tulip.jpg
false, SUNFLOWER, c:\My Documents\sunflower.jpg
false, CALLA LILY, c:\My Documents\calla.jpg
true, VIOLET, c:\My Documents\violet.jpg

Note: You can use a relative path for the image location if the text file is in the same folder as the image file. For example,
the last item in the example can be: true, VIOLET, violet.jpg.

Import a data set
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose File > Import > Variable Data Sets.
• Choose Image > Variables > Data Sets and click the Import button.
2 Navigate to the text file to import.
3 Set up your import options.
Use First Column For Data Set Names Names each data set using the content of the first column of the text file (the

values for the first variable listed). Otherwise, the data sets are named “Data Set 1, Data Set 2, and so on.”
Replace Existing Data Sets Deletes any existing data sets before importing.

4 Set the encoding of the text file or leave the setting Automatic.
5 Click OK.

Saving templates for use with other Adobe products
You can save a template in PSD format for use with other Adobe products, such as Adobe Graphics Server (available
only in English) and Adobe GoLive. For example, a GoLive user can place a PSD template in a page layout, bind its
variables to a database using dynamic links, and then use Graphics Server to generate iterations of the artwork.
Likewise, a developer working with Graphics Server can bind the variables in the PSD file directly to a database or
another data source.
For more information on using PSD templates to create data-driven graphics, see Adobe GoLive Help and the Adobe
Graphics Server Developer Guide.

629

Chapter 21: Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts make you more productive in Photoshop. You can use the default shortcuts listed here, or add
and customize shortcuts to suit your needs.

Customizing keyboard shortcuts
About customizing keyboard shortcuts
Photoshop lets you view a list of all shortcuts, and edit or create shortcuts. The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box serves
as a shortcut editor, and includes all commands that support shortcuts, some of which aren’t addressed in the default
shortcut set.
In addition to using keyboard shortcuts, you can access many commands using context-sensitive menus. Contextsensitive menus display commands that are relevant to the active tool, selection, or palette. To display a contextsensitive menu, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) in the document window or palette.

Define new keyboard shortcuts
1 Do one of the following:

• Choose Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
• Choose Window > Workspace > Keyboard Shortcuts & Menus and click the Keyboard Shortcuts tab.
2 Choose a set of shortcuts from the Set menu at the top of the Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus dialog box.
3 Choose a shortcut type from the Shortcuts For menu:
Application Menus Lets you customize keyboard shortcuts for items in the menu bar.
Palette Menus Lets you customize keyboard shortcuts for items in palette menus.
Tools Lets you customize keyboard shortcuts for tools in the toolbox.

4 In the Shortcut column of the scroll list, select the shortcut you want to modify.
5 Type a new shortcut.

If the keyboard shortcut is already assigned to another command or tool in the set, an alert appears. Click Accept to
assign the shortcut to the new command or tool and erase the previously assigned shortcut. After you reassign a
shortcut, you can click Undo Changes to undo the change, or click Accept and Go To Conflict to assign a new
shortcut to the other command or tool.
6 When you’re finished changing shortcuts, do one of the following:

• To save all changes to the current set of keyboard shortcuts, click the Save Set button

. Changes to a custom set
are saved. If you’re saving changes to the Photoshop Defaults set, the Save dialog box opens. Enter a name for the
new set and click Save.

• To create a new set based on the current set of shortcuts, click the Save Set As button

. In the Save dialog box,
enter a name for the new set in the Name text box, and click Save. The new keyboard shortcut set will appear in
the pop-up menu under the new name.

• To discard the last saved change without closing the dialog box, click Undo.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 630
User Guide

• To return a new shortcut to the default, click Use Default.
• To export the displayed set of shortcuts, click Summarize. You can use this HTML file to display the set of
shortcuts in a web browser.

• To discard all changes and exit the dialog box, click Cancel.
Note: If you haven’t saved the current set of changes, you can click Cancel to discard all changes and exit the dialog box.

Clear shortcuts from a command or tool
1 Choose Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2 In the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, select the command or tool name whose shortcut you want to delete.
3 Click Delete Shortcut.

Delete a set of shortcuts
1 Choose Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2 In the Set pop-up menu, choose the shortcut set that you want to delete.
3 Click the Delete icon

and then click OK to exit the dialog box.

Default keyboard shortcuts
Keys for selecting tools
In Photoshop, shortcuts are customizable by using the Keyboard Shortcuts command. Choose Edit > Keyboard
Shortcuts. For more information, see “Define new keyboard shortcuts” on page 629.
Note: In rows with multiple tools listed, use the same shortcut to toggle through the different tools (they are grouped by
shortcuts just as they are grouped in the Tools palette).
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Cycle through tools with the same shortcut Shift-press shortcut key (if Use Shift Key for
key
Tool Switch preference is selected)

Shift-press shortcut key (if Use Shift Key for
Tool Switch preference is selected)

Cycle through hidden tools

Alt-click + tool (except add anchor point,
delete anchor point, and convert point
tools)

Option-click + tool (except add anchor
point, delete anchor point, and convert
point tools)

Move tool

Rectangular Marquee tool†

Elliptical Marquee tool
Lasso tool
Polygonal Lasso tool
Magnetic Lasso tool
Magic Wand tool
Quick Selection tool
Crop tool

PHOTOSHOP CS3 631
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Slice tool

Slice Select tool
Spot Healing Brush tool
Healing Brush tool
Patch tool
Red Eye tool
Brush tool
Pencil tool
Color Replacement tool
Clone Stamp tool
Pattern Stamp tool
History Brush tool
Art History Brush tool
Eraser tool†
Background Eraser tool
Magic Eraser tool
Gradient tool
Paint Bucket tool
Blur tool
Sharpen tool
Smudge tool
Dodge tool
Burn tool
Sponge tool
Pen tool
Freeform Pen tool
Horizontal Type tool
Vertical Type tool
Horizontal Type mask tool
Vertical Type mask tool
Path Selection tool
Direct Selection tool

PHOTOSHOP CS3 632
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Rectangle tool

Hand tool†

Zoom tool†

Rounded Rectangle tool
Ellipse tool
Polygon tool
Line tool
Custom Shape tool
Notes tool
Audio Annotation tool
Eyedropper tool†
Color Sampler tool
Measure tool
Count tool*

†Use

same shortcut keys for Extract, Liquify, and Pattern Maker

*Photoshop

Extended only

Keys for selecting tools in the Extract toolbox
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Edge Highlighter tool

Fill tool

Eyedropper tool

Cleanup tool

Edge Touchup tool

Keys for selecting tools in the Liquify toolbox
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Forward Warp tool

Reconstruct tool

Twirl Clockwise tool

Pucker tool

Bloat tool

Push Left tool

Mirror tool

PHOTOSHOP CS3 633
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Turbulence tool

Freeze Mask tool

Thaw Mask tool

Keys for working with Extract, Liquify, and Pattern Maker
Result (Extract, Liquify, and Pattern
Maker)

Windows

Mac OS

Cycle through controls on right from top

Tab

Cycle through controls on right from
bottom

Shift + Tab

Temporarily activate Hand tool

Spacebar

Change Cancel to Reset

Alt

Option

Result (Extract and Liquify)

Windows

Mac OS

Decreases or increases brush size

Up or Down arrow keys

Result (Extract and Pattern Maker)

Windows

Mac OS

Fit in window

Control + 0

Command + 0

Zoom in

Control + + (plus)

Command + + (plus)

Zoom out

Control + - (hyphen)

Command + - (hyphen)

Result (Extract only)

Windows

Mac OS

Toggle between Edge Highlighter tool and
Eraser tool

Alt + Edge Highlighter/Eraser tool

Option + Edge Highlighter/Eraser tool

Toggle Smart Highlighting

Control with Edge Highlighter tool selected Command with Edge Highlighter tool
selected

Remove current highlight

Alt + Delete

Option + Delete

Highlight entire image

Control + Delete

Command + Delete

Fill foreground area and preview extraction Shift-click with Fill tool selected

Shift-click with Fill tool selected

Move mask when Edge Touchup tool is
selected

Control-drag

Command-drag

Add opacity when Cleanup tool is selected

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Toggle Show menu options in preview
between Original and Extracted

Enable Cleanup and Edge Touchup tools
before preview

Shift + X

Cycle through Display menu in preview
from top to bottom

PHOTOSHOP CS3 634
User Guide

Result (Extract only)

Windows

Mac OS

Cycle through Display menu in preview
from bottom to top

Shift + F

Decrease/increase brush size by 1

Down Arrow/Up Arrow in Brush Size text
box†

Down Arrow or Up Arrow in Brush Size text
box†

Decrease/increase brush size by 1

Left Arrow/Right Arrow with Brush Size
Slider showing†

Set strength of Cleanup or Edge Touch-up
tool

0–9

Result (Liquify only)

Windows

Mac OS

Reverse direction for Bloat, Pucker, Push
Left, and Mirror tools

Alt + tool

Option + tool

Continually sample the distortion

Alt-drag in preview with Reconstruct tool,
Displace, Amplitwist, or Affine mode
selected

Option-drag in preview with reconstruct
tool, Displace, Amplitwist, or Affine mode
selected

Decrease/increase brush size by 2, or
density, pressure, rate, or turbulent jitter by
1

Down Arrow/Up Arrow in Brush Size,
Density, Pressure, Rate, or Turbulent Jitter
text box†

Down Arrow/Up Arrow in Brush Size,
Density, Pressure, Rate, or Turbulent Jittertext box†

Decrease/increase brush size by 2, or
density, pressure, rate, or turbulent jitter by
1

Left Arrow/Right Arrow with Brush Size,
Density, Pressure, Rate, or Turbulent Jitter
slider showing†

Redo last step

Control + Z

Command + Z

Result (Pattern Maker only)

Windows

Mac OS

Delete current selection

Control + D

Command + D

Undo a selection move

Control + Z

Command + Z

Generate or generate again

Control + G

Command + G

Intersect with current selection

Shift + Alt + select

Shift + Option + select

Toggle view: original/generated pattern

Go to first tile in Tile History

Home

Go to last tile in Tile History

End

Go to previous tile in Tile History

Left Arrow, Page Up

Go to next tile in Tile History

Right Arrow, Page Down

Delete current tile from Tile History

Delete

†Hold

down Shift to decrease/increase by 10

Nudge selection when viewing the original Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down
Arrow
Arrow
Increase selection nudging when viewing
the original

Shift + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Shift + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or
Down Arrow
Down Arrow

PHOTOSHOP CS3 635
User Guide

Keys for using the Filter Gallery
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Apply a new filter on top of selected

Alt-click a filter

Option-click a filter

Open/close all disclosure triangles

Alt-click a disclosure triangle

Option-click a disclosure triangle

Change Cancel button to Default

Control

Command

Change Cancel button to Reset

Alt

Option

Undo/Redo

Control + Z

Command + Z

Step forward

Control + Shift + Z

Command + Shift + Z

Step backward

Control + Alt + Z

Command + Option + Z

Keys for using the Refine Edge dialog box
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Open the Refine Edge dialog box

Control + Alt + R

Command + Option + R

Cycle (forward) through preview modes

Cycle (backward) through preview modes

Shift + F

Toggle between original image and selection preview

Toggle the preview option (on and off )

Keys for using the Black-and-White dialog box
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Open the Black-and-White dialog box

Shift + Control + Alt + B

Shift + Command + Option+ B

Increase/decrease selected value by %1

Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Increase/decrease selected value by %10

Shift + Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Change the values of the closest color slider Click-drag on the image

Click-drag on the image

Keys for using the Camera Raw dialog box
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Zoom tool

Hand tool

White Balance tool

Color Sampler tool

Crop tool

Straighten tool

Rotate image left

PHOTOSHOP CS3 636
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Rotate image right

Zoom in

Control + + (plus)

Command + + (plus)

Zoom out

Control + - (hyphen)

Command + - (hyphen)

Temporarily switch to Zoom In tool

Control

Command

Temporarily active the White Balance tool
(does not work if Crop tool is active)

Shift

Select multiple points in Curves panel

Click the first point; Shift-click additional
points

Add point to curve in Curves panel

Control-click in preview

Command-click in preview

(Doesn’t work when Straighten tool is
selected. If Crop tool is active, temporarily
switches to Straighten tool.)

Move selected point in Curves panel (1 unit) Arrow keys

Arrow keys

Move selected point in Curves panel (10
units)

Shift-arrow

Open selected images in Camera Raw
dialog box from Bridge

Control + R

Command + R

Open selected images from Bridge
bypassing Camera Raw dialog box

Shift + double-click imag

Shift + double-click image

Change Cancel button to Reset and Save
button to bypass Save dialog box

Alt

Option

Display highlights that will be clipped in
Preview

Alt-drag Exposure, Recovery, or Black sliders Option-drag Exposure, Recovery, or Black
sliders

Keys for using the Curves dialog box
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Open the Curves dialog box

Control + M

Command + M

Select next point on the curve

Control + Tab

Select the previous point on the curve

Shift + Control + Tab

Select multiple points on the curve

Control-click on the points

Command-click on the points

Deselect a point

Control + D

Command + D

To delete a point on the curve

Select a point and press Delete

Select a point and press Delete.

Move the selected point 1 unit

Arrow keys

Move the selected point 10 units

Shift + Arrow keys

Display highlights and shadows that will be Alt-drag black/white point sliders
clipped

Option-drag black/white point sliders

PHOTOSHOP CS3 637
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Set a point to the composite curve

Control-click the image

Command-click the image

Set a point to the channel curves

Shift + Control-click the image

Shift + Command-click the image

Toggle grid size

Alt-click the field

Option-click the field

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Select Image tool

Rotate Image tool

Set Vanishing Point tool

Zoom tool

Move View tool

Switch to Move View tool (temporary)

Spacebar

Step backward

Control + Z

Command + Z

Step forward

Control + Shift + Z

Command + Shift + Z

Move selected image 1 pixel

Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down
Arrow
Arrow

Change Cancel to Reset

Alt

Option

Show individual image border

Alt-move pointer over image

Option-move pointer over image

Keys for using Photomerge

Keys for using Vanishing Point
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Zoom tool

Zoom 2x (temporary)

Hand tool

Switch to Hand tool (temporary)

Spacebar

Zoom in

Control + + (plus)

Command + + (plus)

Zoom out

Control + - (hyphen)

Command + - (hyphen)

Fit in view

Control + 0 (zero), Double-click Hand tool

Command + 0 (zero), Double-click Hand
tool

Zoom to center at 100%

Double-click Zoom tool

Increase brush size (Brush, Stamp tools)

]

Decrease brush size (Brush, Stamp tools)

[

Increase brush hardness (Brush, Stamp
tools)

Shift + ]

PHOTOSHOP CS3 638
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Decrease brush hardness (Brush, Stamp
tools)

Shift + [

Undo last action

Control + Z

Command + Z

Redo last action

Control + Shift + Z

Command + Shift + Z

Deselect all

Control + D

Command + D

Hide selection and planes

Control + H

Command + H

Move selection 1 pixel

Arrow keys

Move selection 10 pixels

Shift + arrow keys

Copy

Control + C

Command + C

Paste

Control + V

Command + V

Repeat last duplicate and move

Control + Shift + T

Command + Shift + T

Create a floating selection from the current
selection

Control + Alt + T

Command + Option + T

Fill a selection with image under the pointer Control-drag

Command-drag

Create a duplicate of a floating selection

Control + Alt-drag

Command + Opt-drag

Constrain a rotate plan to a 15˚ rotation

Alt + Shift to rotate

Option + Shift to rotate

Select a plane under another selected plane Control-click the plane

Command-click the plane

Render plane grids

Alt-click OK

Option-click OK

Create 90 degree plane off parent plane

Control-drag

Command-drag

Delete last node while creating plane

Backspace

Make a full canvas plane, square to the
camera

Double-click the Create Plane tool

Show/hide measurements (Photoshop
Extended only)

Control + Shift + H

Command + Shift + H

Export to a DFX file (Photoshop Extended
only)

Control + E

Command + E

Export to a 3DS file (Photoshop Extended
only)

Control + Shift + E

Command + Shift + E

Keys for working with blending modes
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Cycle through blending modes

Shift + + (plus) or – (minus)

Normal

Shift + Alt + N

Shift + Option + N

Dissolve

Shift + Alt + I

Shift + Option + I

Behind (Brush tool only)

Shift + Alt + Q

Shift + Option + Q

Clear (Brush tool only)

Shift + Alt + R

Shift + Option + R

PHOTOSHOP CS3 639
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Darken

Shift + Alt + K

Shift + Option + K

Multiply

Shift + Alt + M

Shift + Option + M

Color Burn

Shift + Alt + B

Shift + Option + B

Linear Burn

Shift + Alt + A

Shift + Option + A

Lighten

Shift + Alt + G

Shift + Option + G

Screen

Shift + Alt + S

Shift + Option + S

Color Dodge

Shift + Alt + D

Shift + Option + D

Linear Dodge

Shift + Alt + W

Shift + Option + W

Overlay

Shift + Alt + O

Shift + Option + O

Soft Light

Shift + Alt + F

Shift + Option + F

Hard Light

Shift + Alt + H

Shift + Option + H

Vivid Light

Shift + Alt + V

Shift + Option + V

Linear Light

Shift + Alt + J

Shift + Option + J

Pin Light

Shift + Alt + Z

Shift + Option + Z

Hard Mix

Shift + Alt + L

Shift + Option + L

Difference

Shift + Alt + E

Shift + Option + E

Exclusion

Shift + Alt + X

Shift + Option + X

Hue

Shift + Alt + U

Shift + Option + U

Saturation

Shift + Alt + T

Shift + Option + T

Color

Shift + Alt + C

Shift + Option + C

Luminosity

Shift + Alt + Y

Shift + Option + Y

Desaturate

Sponge tool + Shift + Alt + D

Sponge tool + Shift + Option + D

Saturate

Sponge tool + Shift + Alt + S

Sponge tool + Shift + Option + S

Dodge/burn shadows

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Alt + S

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Option + S

Dodge/burn midtones

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Alt + M

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Option + M

Dodge/burn highlights

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Alt + H

Dodge tool/Burn tool + Shift + Option + H

Set blending mode to Threshold for bitmap Shift + Alt + N
images, Normal for all other images

Shift + Option + N

Keys for viewing images
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 640
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Cycles through open documents

Control + Tab

Close a file in Photoshop and open Bridge

Shift-Control-W

Shift-Command-W

Toggle between Standard mode and Quick
Mask mode

Toggle (forward) between Standard screen F
mode, Maximized screen mode, Full screen
mode, and Full screen mode with menu bar

Toggle (backward) between Standard
screen mode, Maximized screen mode, Full
screen mode, and Full screen mode with
menu bar

Shift + F

Toggle (forward) canvas color

Space + F (or right-click canvas background Space + F (or Control-click canvas backand select color)
ground and select color)

Toggle (backward) canvas color

Space + Shift + F

Fit image in window

Double-click Hand tool

Magnify 100%

Double-click Zoom tool

Switch to Hand tool (when not in text-edit
mode)

Spacebar

Switch to Zoom In tool

Control + spacebar

Command + spacebar

Switch to Zoom Out tool

Alt + spacebar

Option + spacebar

Move Zoom marquee while dragging with
the Zoom tool

Spacebar-drag

Apply zoom percentage, and keep zoom
percentage box active

Shift + Enter in Navigator palette zoom
percentage box

Shift + Return in Navigator palette zoom
percentage box

Zoom in on specified area of an image

Control-drag over preview in Navigator
palette

Command-drag over preview in Navigator
palette

Scroll image with Hand tool

Spacebar-drag, or drag view area box in
Navigator palette

Scroll up or down 1 screen

Page Up or Page Down†

Scroll up or down 10 units

Shift + Page Up or Page Down†

Move view to upper left corner or lower
right corner

Home or End

Toggle layer mask on/off as rubylith (layer
mask must be selected)

\ (backslash)

†Hold

down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) to scroll left (Page Up) or right (Page Down)

Keys for selecting and moving objects
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 641
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Any marquee tool (except single column
and single row) + spacebar-drag

Add to a selection

Any selection tool + Shift-drag

Subtract from a selection

Any selection tool + Alt-drag

Any selection tool + Option-drag

Intersect a selection

Any selection tool (except Quick Selection
tool) + Shift-Alt-drag

Any selection tool (except Quick Selection
tool) + Shift-Option-drag

Constrain marquee to square or circle (if no
other selections are active)‡

Shift-drag

Draw marquee from center (if no other
selections are active)‡

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Constrain shape and draw marquee from
center‡

Shift + Alt-drag

Shift + Option-drag

Switch to Move tool

Control (except when Hand, Slice, Path,
Shape, or any Pen tool is selected)

Command (except when Hand, Slice, Path,
Shape, or any Pen tool is selected)

Switch from Magnetic Lasso tool to Lasso
tool

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Switch from Magnetic Lasso tool to polygonal Lasso tool

Alt-click

Option-click

Apply/cancel an operation of the Magnetic
Lasso

Enter/Esc or Control + . (period)

Return/Esc or Command + . (period)

Move copy of selection

Move tool + Alt-drag selection‡

Move tool + Option-drag selection‡

Move selection area 1 pixel

Any selection + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up
Arrow, or Down Arrow†

Move selection 1 pixel

Move tool + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up
Arrow, or Down Arrow†‡

Move layer 1 pixel when nothing selected
on layer

Control + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, Command + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up
or Down Arrow†
Arrow, or Down Arrow†

Increase/decrease detection width

Magnetic Lasso tool + [ or ]

Accept cropping or exit cropping

Crop tool + Enter or Esc

Crop tool + Return or Esc

Toggle crop shield off and on

/ (forward slash)

Make protractor

Ruler tool + Alt-drag end point

Ruler tool + Option-drag end point

Snap guide to ruler ticks (except when
View > Snap is unchecked)

Shift-drag guide

Convert between horizontal and vertical
guide

Alt-drag guide

Option-drag guide

Reposition marquee while

†Hold

selecting‡

down Shift to move 10 pixels

‡Applies

to shape tools

Keys for editing paths
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 642
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Select multiple anchor points

Direct selection tool + Shift-click

Select entire path

Direct selection tool + Alt-click

Direct selection tool + Option-click

Duplicate a path

Pen (any pen tool), Path Selection or Direct
Selection tool + Control + Alt-drag

Pen (any pen tool), Path Selection or Direct
Selection tool+ Command + Option-drag

Switch from Path Selection, Pen, Add
Control
Anchor Point, Delete Anchor Point, or
Convert Point tools, to Direct Selection tool

Command

Switch from Pen tool or Freeform Pen tool to Alt
Convert Point tool when pointer is over
anchor or direction point

Option

Close path

Magnetic Pen tool-double-click

Close path with straight-line segment

Magnetic Pen tool + Alt-double-click

Magnetic Pen tool + Option-double-click

Keys for painting objects
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Eyedropper tool

Any painting tool + Alt or any shape tool +
Alt (except when Paths option is selected)

Any painting tool + Option or any shape
tool + Option (except when Paths option is
selected)

Select background color

Eyedropper tool + Alt-click

Eyedropper tool + Option-click

Color sampler tool

Eyedropper tool + Shift

Deletes color sampler

Color sampler tool + Alt-click

Color sampler tool + Option-click

Sets opacity, tolerance, strength, or exposure for painting mode

Any painting or editing tool + number keys
(e.g., 0 = 100%, 1 = 10%, 4 then 5 in quick
succession = 45%) (When airbrush option is
enabled, use Shift + number keys)

Sets flow for painting mode

Any painting or editing tool + Shift +
number keys (e.g., 0 = 100%, 1 = 10%, 4 then
5 in quick succession = 45%) (When
airbrush option is enabled, omit Shift)

Cycles through blending modes

Shift + + (plus) or – (minus)

Fills selection/layer with foreground or
background color

Alt + Backspace, or Control + Backspace

Option + Delete, or Command + Delete†

Fills from history

Control + Alt + Backspace†

Command + Option + Delete†

Displays Fill dialog box

Shift + Backspace

Shift + Delete

Lock transparent pixels on/off

/ (forward slash)

Connects points with a straight line

Any painting tool + Shift-click

†Hold

down Shift to preserve transparency

†

PHOTOSHOP CS3 643
User Guide

Keys for transforming selections, selection borders, and paths
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Transform from center or reflect

Alt

Option

Constrain

Shift

Distort

Control

Command

Apply

Enter

Return

Cancel

Control + . (period) or Esc

Command + . (period) or Esc

Free transform with duplicate data

Control + Alt + T

Command + Option + T

Transform again with duplicate data

Control + Shift + Alt + T

Command + Shift + Option + T

Keys for selecting, editing, and navigating through text
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Move type in image

Control-drag type when Type layer is
selected

Command-drag type when Type layer is
selected

Select 1 character left/right or 1 line
down/up, or 1 word left/right

Shift + Left Arrow/Right Arrow or Down
Arrow/Up Arrow, or Control + Shift + Left
Arrow/Right Arrow

Shift + Left Arrow/Right Arrow or Down
Arrow/Up Arrow, or Command + Shift + Left
Arrow/Right Arrow

Select characters from insertion point to
mouse click point

Shift-click

Move 1 character left/right, 1 line down/up, Left Arrow/Right Arrow, Down Arrow/Up
or 1 word left/right
Arrow, or Control + Left Arrow/Right Arrow

Left Arrow/Right Arrow, Down Arrow/Up
Arrow, or Command + Left Arrow/Right
Arrow

Create a new text layer, when a text layer is
selected in the Layers palette

Shift-click

Select word, line, paragraph, or story

Double-click, triple-click, quadruple-click,
or quintuple-click

Show/Hide selection on selected type

Control + H

Command + H

Display the bounding box for transforming
text when editing text, or activate Move
tool if cursor is inside the bounding box

Control

Command

Scale text within a bounding box when
resizing the bounding box

Control-drag a bounding box handle

Command-drag a bounding box handle

Move text box while creating text box

Spacebar-drag

Keys for formatting type
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 644
User Guide

Result

Windows

Align left, center, or right

Horizontal type tool + Control + Shift + L, C, Horizontal type tool + Command + Shift + L,
or R
C, or R

Align top, center, or bottom

Vertical type tool + Control + Shift + L, C, or
R

Vertical type tool + Command + Shift + L, C,
or R

Return to default font style

Control + Shift + Y

Command + Shift + Y

Choose 100% horizontal scale

Control + Shift + X

Command + Shift + X

Choose 100% vertical scale

Control + Shift + Alt + X

Command + Shift + Option + X

Choose Auto leading

Control + Shift + Alt + A

Command + Shift + Option + A

Choose 0 for tracking

Control + Shift + Q

Command + Control + Shift + Q

Justify paragraph, left aligns last line

Control + Shift + J

Command + Shift + J

Justify paragraph, justifies all

Control + Shift + F

Command + Shift + F

Toggle paragraph hyphenation on/off

Control + Shift + Alt + H

Command + Control + Shift + Option + H

Toggle single/every-line composer on/off

Control + Shift + Alt + T

Command + Shift + Option + T

Decrease or increase type size of selected
text 2 points or pixels

Control + Shift + < or >†

Command + Shift + < or >†

Decrease or increase leading 2 points or
pixels

Alt + Down Arrow or Up Arrow††

Option + Down Arrow or Up Arrow††

Decrease or increase baseline shift 2 points
or pixels

Shift + Alt + Down Arrow or Up Arrow††

Shift + Option + Down Arrow or Up Arrow††

Decrease or increase kerning/tracking
20/1000 ems

Alt + Left Arrow or Right Arrow††

Option + Left Arrow or Right Arrow††

†Hold

Mac OS

down Alt (Win) or Option (Mac OS) to decrease/increase by 10

††Hold

down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) to decrease/increase by 10

Keys for slicing and optimizing
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Toggle between Slice tool and Slice Selection tool

Control

Command

Draw square slice

Shift-drag

Draw from center outward

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Draw square slice from center outward

Shift + Alt-drag

Shift + Option-drag

Reposition slice while creating slice

Spacebar-drag

Open context-sensitive menu

Right-click slice

Control-click slice

Keys for using palettes
This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu
commands or tool tips.

PHOTOSHOP CS3 645
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Set options (except for Actions, Animation,
Styles, Brushes, Tool Presets, and Layer
Comps palettes)

Alt-click New button

Option-click New button

Delete without confirmation (except for the Alt-click Delete button
Brushes palette)

Option-click Delete button

Apply value and keep text box active

Shift + Enter

Shift + Return

Load as a selection

Control-click channel, layer, or path thumb- Command-click channel, layer, or path
nail.
thumbnail.

Add to current selection

Control + Shift-click channel, layer, or path
thumbnail.

Command + Shift-click channel, layer, or
path thumbnail.

Subtract from current selection

Control + Alt-click channel, path, or layer
thumbnail.

Command + Option-click channel, path, or
layer thumbnail.

Intersect with current selection

Control + Shift + Alt-click channel, path, or
layer thumbnail.

Command + Shift + Option-click channel,
path, or layer thumbnail.

Show/Hide all palettes

Tab

Show/Hide all palettes except the toolbox
and options bar

Shift + Tab

Highlight options bar

Select tool and press Enter

Select tool and press Return

Increase/decrease units by 10 in a pop-up
menu

Shift + Up Arrow/Down Arrow

Keys for using the Actions palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Turn command on and all others off, or
turns all commands on

Alt-click the check mark next to a
command.

Option-click the check mark next to a
command.

Turn current modal control on and toggle
all other modal controls

Alt-click

Option-click

Change action set options

Alt + double-click action set

Option + double-click action set

Display Options dialog box

Double-click set or actions

Play entire action

Control + double-click an action

Command + double-click an action

Collapse/expand all components of an
action

Alt-click the triangle

Option-click the triangle

Play a command

Control-click the Play button

Command-click the Play button

Create new action and begin recording
without confirmation

Alt-click the New Action button

Option-click the New Action button

Select contiguous items of the same kind

Shift-click the action/command

Select discontiguous items of the same kind Control-click the action/command

Command-click the action/command

PHOTOSHOP CS3 646
User Guide

Keys for using the Animation palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Select/deselect multiple contiguous frames Shift-click second frame.

Shift-click second frame.

Select/deselect multiple discontiguous
frames

Control-click multiple frames.

Command-click multiple frames.

Paste using previous settings without
displaying the dialog box

Alt + Paste Frames command from the
Palette pop-up menu

Option + Paste Frames command from the
Palette pop-up menu

Keys for using the Animation palette Timeline Mode (Photoshop Extended Only)
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Start playing the timeline or Animation
palette

Spacebar

Switch between timecode and frame
numbers (current time view)

Alt + click the current-time display in the
upper-left corner of the timeline.

Option + click the current-time display in
the upper-left corner of the timeline.

Expand and collapse list of layers

Alt + click

Option + click on list triangles

Jump to the next/previous whole second in Hold down the Shift key when clicking the
timeline (during playback)
Next/Previous Frame buttons (on either
side of the Play button).

Hold down the Shift key when clicking the
Next/Previous Frame buttons (on either
side of the Play button)

Increase playback speed

Hold down the Shift key while dragging the Hold down the Shift key while dragging the
current time.
current time.

Decrease playback speed

Hold down the Control key while dragging
the current time.

Hold down the Command key while dragging the current time.

Snap an object (keyframe, the current time, Shift-drag
layer in point, and so on) to the nearest
object in timeline

Shift-drag

Scale (evenly distribute to condensed or
extended length) a selected group of
multiple keyframes

Option-drag (first or last keyframe in the
group)

Alt-drag (first or last keyframe in the selection)

Keys for using the Clone Source
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Show Clone Source (overlays image)

Alt + Shift

Opt + Shift

Nudge Clone Source

Alt + Shift + arrow keys

Opt + Shift + arrow keys

Rotate Clone Source

Alt + Shift + < or >

Opt + Shift + < or >

Scale (increase or reduce size) Clone Source Alt + Shift + [ or ]

Opt + Shift + [ or ]

PHOTOSHOP CS3 647
User Guide

Keys for using the Brushes palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Delete brush

Alt-click brush

Option-click brush

Rename brush

Double-click brush

Decrease/increase brush size

[ or ]

Decrease/increase brush softness/hardness Shift + [ or ]
in 25% increments

Shift + [ or ]

Select previous/next brush size

, (comma) or . (period)

Select first/last brush

Shift + , (comma) or . (period)

Display precise cross hair for brushes

Caps Lock

Toggle airbrush option

Shift + Alt + P

Shift + Option + P

Keys for using the Channels palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Set options for Save Selection as Channel
button

Alt-click button

Option-click button

Create a new spot channel

Control-click Create New Channel button

Command-click Create New Channel
button

Select/deselect multiple color-channel
selection

Shift-click color channel

Select/deselect alpha channel and
show/hide as a rubylith overlay

Shift-click alpha channel

Display channel options

Double-click alpha or spot channel thumb- Double-click alpha or spot channel thumbnail
nail

Display composite

~ (tilde)

Keys for using the Color palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Select background color

Alt-click color in color bar

Option-click color in color bar

Display Color Bar menu

Right-click color bar

Control-click color bar

Cycle through color choices

Shift-click color bar

Keys for using the History palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Create a new snapshot

Alt + New Snapshot

Option + New Snapshot

Rename snapshot

Double-click snapshot name

Step forward through image states

Control + Shift + Z

Command + Shift + Z

PHOTOSHOP CS3 648
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Step backward through image states

Control + Alt + Z

Command + Option + Z

Duplicate any image state, except the
current state

Alt-click the image state

Option-click the image state

Permanently clear history (no Undo)

Alt + Clear History (in History palette
pop-up menu)

Option + Clear History (in History palette
pop-up menu)

Keys for using the Info palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Change color readout modes

Click eyedropper icon

Change measurement units

Click cross-hair icon

Keys for using the Layer Comps palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Create new layer comp + box

Alt-click Create New Layer Comp button

Option-click Create New Layer Comp
button

Open Layer Comp Options dialog box

Double-click layer comp

Rename inline

Double-click layer comp name

Select/deselect multiple contiguous layer
comps

Shift-click

Select/deselect multiple discontiguous
layer comps

Control-click

Command-click

Keys for using the Layers palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Load layer transparency as a selection

Control-click layer thumbnail

Command-click layer thumbnail

Load filter mask as a selection

Control-click filter mask thumbnail

Command-click filter mask thumbnail

Group layers

Control + G

Command + G

Ungroup layers

Control + Shift + G

Command-Shift + G

Create/release clipping mask

Control + Alt + G

Command-Option + G

Select all layers

Control + Alt + A

Command + Option + A

Merge visible layers

Control + Shift + E

Command + Shift + E

Create new empty layer with dialog box

Alt-click New Layer button

Option-click New Layer button

Create new layer below target layer

Control-click New Layer button

Command-click New Layer button

Select top layer

Alt + . (period)

Option + . (period)

Select bottom layer

Alt + , (comma)

Option + , (comma)

Add to layer selection in Layers palette

Shift + Alt + [ or ]

Shift + Option + [ or ]

PHOTOSHOP CS3 649
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Select next layer down/up

Alt + [ or ]

Option + [ or ]

Move target layer down/up

Control + [ or ]

Command + [ or ]

Merge a copy of all visible layers into target
layer

Control + Shift + Alt + E

Command + Shift + Option + E

Merge down

Control + E

Command + E

Move layer to bottom or top

Control + Shift + [ or ]

Command + Shift + [ or ]

Copy current layer to layer below

Alt + Merge Down command from the
Palette pop-up menu

Option + Merge Down command from the
Palette pop-up menu

Merge all visible layers to a new layer above Alt + Merge Visible command from the
the currently selected layer
Palette pop-up menu

Option + Merge Visible command from the
Palette pop-up menu

Show/hide this layer/layer group only or all
layers/layer groups

Right-click the eye icon

Control-click the eye icon

Show/hide all other currently visible layers

Alt-click the eye icon

Option-click the eye icon

Toggle lock transparency for target layer, or / (forward slash)
last applied lock

/ (forward slash)

Edit layer effect/style, options

Double-click layer effect/style

Hide layer effect/style

Alt-double-click layer effect/style

Option-double-click layer effect/style

Edit layer style

Double-click layer

Disable/enable vector mask

Shift-click vector mask thumbnail

Open Layer Mask Display Options dialog
box

Double-click layer mask thumbnail

Toggle layer mask on/off

Shift-click layer mask thumbnail

Toggle filter mask on/off

Shift-click filter mask thumbnail

Toggle between layer mask/composite
image

Alt-click layer mask thumbnail

Option-click layer mask thumbnail

Toggle between filter mask/composite
image

Alt-click filter mask thumbnail

Option-click filter mask thumbnail

Toggle rubylith mode for layer mask on/off

\ (backslash), or Shift + Alt-click

\ (backslash), or Shift + Option-click

Select all type; temporarily select type tool

Double-click type layer thumbnail

Create a clipping mask

Alt-click the line dividing two layers

Option-click the line dividing two layers

Rename layer

Double-click the layer name

Edit filter settings

Double-click the filter effect

Edit the Filter Blending options

Double-click the Filter Blending icon

Create new layer set below current
layer/layer set

Control-click New Layer Set button

Command-click New Layer Set button

Create new layer set with dialog box

Alt-click New Layer Set button

Option-click New Layer Set button

Create layer mask that hides all/selection

Alt-click Add Layer Mask button

Option-click Add Layer Mask button

Create vector mask that reveals all/selection Control-click Add Layer Mask button

Command-click Add Layer Mask button

PHOTOSHOP CS3 650
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Create vector mask that hides all/selection

Control + Alt-click Add Layer Mask button

Command + Option-click Add Layer Mask
button

Display layer group properties

Right-click layer group or double-click
group

Control-click the layer group or double-click
group

Select/deselect multiple contiguous layers

Shift-click

Select/deselect multiple discontiguous
layers

Control-click

Command-click

Keys for using the Paths palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Add path to selection

Control + Shift-click pathname

Command + Shift-click pathname

Subtract a path from selection

Control + Alt-click pathname

Command + Option-click pathname

Retain intersection of path as a selection

Control + Shift + Alt-click pathname

Command + Shift + Option-click pathname

Hide path

Control + Shift + H

Command + Shift + H

Set options for Fill Path with Foreground
Alt-click button
Color button, Stroke Path with Brush
button, Load Path as a Selection button,
Make Work Path from Selection button, and
Create New Path button

Option-click button

Keys for using the Swatches palette
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Create new swatch from foreground color

Click in empty area of palette

Select background color

Control-click swatch

Command-click swatch

Delete color

Alt-click swatch

Option-click swatch

Keys for using Measurement (Photoshop Extended Only)
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Record a measurement

Shift + Control + M

Shift + Command + M

Deselects all measurements

Control + D

Command + D

Selects all measurements

Control + A

Command + A

Hide/show all measurements

Shift + Control + H

Shift + Command + H

Removes a measurement

Backspace

Delete

Nudge the measurement

Arrow keys

Nudge the measurement in increments

Shift + arrow keys

Extend/shorten selected measurement

Left/right arrow key

PHOTOSHOP CS3 651
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Extend/shorten selected measurement in
increments

Shift + left/right arrow key

Rotate selected measurement

Control + arrow key

Command + arrow key

Rotate selected measurement in increments

Shift + Control + arrow key

Shift + Command + arrow key

Keys for using 3D tools (Photoshop Extended)
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Enable 3D object tools

Enable 3D camera tools

Constrain 3D object tool/3D camera tool to
a single direction of movement

Shift

Rotate the 3D object/Orbit the 3D camera

Roll the 3D object/Roll the 3D camera

Drag the 3D object/Pan the 3D camera

Slide the 3D object/Walk the 3D camera

Scale the 3D object/Zoom the 3D camera

Keys for working with DICOM files (Photoshop Extended)
Result

Windows

Mac OS

Zoom tool

Hand tool

Window Level tool

Select all frames

Control + A

Command + A

Deselect all frames

Control + D

Command + D

Navigate through frames

Right Arrow/Left Arrow

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Invoke Help

Help key

Function keys

Undo/Redo

Cut

Copy

Paste

Show/Hide Brushes palette

PHOTOSHOP CS3 652
User Guide

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Show/Hide Color palette

Show/Hide Layers palette

Show/Hide Info palette

Show/Hide Actions palette

Option + F9

Revert

F12

Fill

Shift + F5

Feather Selection

Shift + F6

Inverse Selection

Shift + F7

653

Index
Numerics
16 bpc images 60

Actual Pixels view 35

32 bpc images 81

Adaptive color palette 116

3D files

Add Noise filter 391

Actual Size view 35

formats supported 604

Add option 276

opening 605

adjustment layers

saving 609

about 158, 306

Adobe Photoshop
See also Photoshop format,
Photoshop PDF format,
Photoshop RAW format
legacy serial number 50
metadata in 466
testing mobile content created
in 443

3D layers 609

creating 307

using with Device Central 443

3D models

editing 308

Adobe Photoshop EPS format. See
EPS files

editing textures from 608
placing against a background 609
transforming 605
8 bpc images 60

merging 308
Adobe Acrobat

Adobe RGB color space 147

presets for exporting to 445

Adobe Version Cue

Adobe After Effects
A
Accented Edges filter 390
accessibility
of Help 4
Acrobat. See Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Premiere Pro 462

comparing versions 447

importing Photoshop (PSD) files
into 553

about 70
Adobe Video Workshop 5
airbrush 342

Adobe applications, integration
between 478

alert messages, hiding and
showing 49

Adobe Bridge

Align Layers command 286

about 21

Align To Selection command 286

action sets 613

Creative Suite color settings 130,
132

aligning

actions

metadata in 467

action playback speed 611

about 610
adjusting tonal range and color
with 159
changing recorded values in 616
deleting 612
duplicating 612
editing 617
excluding tasks from 616

Adobe Color Picker
alerts 122
choosing 124
choosing a custom color with 123
displaying 120
out-of-gamut alert in 120, 121
selecting a CMYK color with 121

layers 286
selections 245
shapes 376
slices 513
Alignment buttons 286
alignment. See aligning
All Caps command 414
all caps, in type 414

selecting web-safe colors with 122

All Channels View of Histogram
palette 152

loading 613

specifying a hexadecimal color
in 122

Allow Non-Linear History option 55

playing 611

specifying a Lab color with 121

inserting stops in 615

processing files with droplets 621

Adobe Design Center 9

rearranging 612

Adobe Help 2

recording 614

Adobe Illustrator

recording again 617

files, opening 71, 73

renaming 612

importing art from by placing 71

selecting 611

metadata in 466

undoing 611

using Photoshop files in 479

Actions palette
about 610
keyboard shortcuts for 645
activation of software 1
active layer 283

Adobe InDesign
metadata in 466
Adobe PDF conversion settings 445
Adobe PDF presets. See PDF files

alpha channel interpretation 557
alpha channels
See also channels
about 265
adding texture with 402
calculating 275
converting to spot channel 503
creating 272
deleting 269
file formats for saving 265
file size of 265
in JPEG 2000 files 458
loading a saved selection from 274

INDEX 654

options for 272

playing in actions 612

Auto Select Group option 285

saving 441

Auto Select Layer option 285

saving selection in 273

viewing in Save For Web dialog
box 525

auto slices. See slices

ALT HTML element 515
alternate glyphs
OpenType fonts 417

ANPA colors 123

Auto-Align Layers command 287,
324

anti-aliasing

Auto-Blend Layers command 288

Adobe Illustrator files 73

automatic frame disposal 571

adding or deleting 377

EPS files 73

automating

converting 378

layer styles 300

batch processing 619

moving and nudging 373, 374

selections 256

batches of data sets 627

rules for adjusting 373

type 407

saving templates for other Adobe
applications 628

anchor points

angle

in web graphics 527

brush option 335

Apple Color Picker 124

global lighting 302

AppleScript 622

through scripting 622
using droplets 620

Angled Strokes filter 390

Apply Image command 275

automating contact sheets 474

Angular Gradient tool 348

arrowhead options 362

automation. See actions

animated GIFs. See animations

Art History Brush tool 327

Average Blur filter 389

animation frames

Artistic filters 388

Adobe Photoshop CS3 User Guide En

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