Learn how to import and export designs between Photoshop and Illustrator.
Importing Illustrator files for editing in Photoshop and the opposite way opens up exciting possibilities when designing artwork involving a combination of vector and bitmap objects. Read on to learn how to choose a workflow that is best suited to your design outcome.
- Photoshop User Guide
- Introduction to Photoshop
- Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
- Photoshop on mobile (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
- Get to know the workspace
- System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
- Create, open, and export documents
- Add photos
- Work with layers
- Draw and paint with brushes
- Make selections and add masks
- Retouch your composites
- Work with adjustment layers
- Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
- Apply transform operations
- Crop and rotate your composites
- Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
- Work with Type layers
- Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
- Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
- Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
- Manage app settings
- Touch shortcuts and gestures
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Edit your image size
- Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
- Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
- Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
- Work with Camera Raw files
- Create and work with Smart Objects
- Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
- Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
- Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
- Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
- Content aware fill for iPad
- Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop (beta) (not available in mainland China)
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
- Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
- Replace background with Generate background
- Get new variations with Generate Similar
- Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
- Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
- Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
- Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
- Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
- Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
- Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
- Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
- Unable to create or save a cloud document
- Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
- Collect cloud document sync logs
- Invite others to edit your cloud documents
- Share files and comment in-app
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Preferences
- Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
- Create documents
- Place files
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Tool galleries
- Performance preferences
- Contextual Task Bar
- Use tools
- Presets
- Grid and guides
- Touch gestures
- Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
- Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
- Technology previews
- Metadata and notes
- Place Photoshop images in other applications
- Rulers
- Show or hide non-printing Extras
- Specify columns for an image
- Undo and history
- Panels and menus
- Position elements with snapping
- Position with the Ruler tool
- Image and color basics
- How to resize images
- Work with raster and vector images
- Image size and resolution
- Acquire images from cameras and scanners
- Create, open, and import images
- View images
- Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
- Viewing multiple images
- Customize color pickers and swatches
- High dynamic range images
- Match colors in your image
- Convert between color modes
- Color modes
- Erase parts of an image
- Blending modes
- Choose colors
- Customize indexed color tables
- Image information
- Distort filters are unavailable
- About color
- Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
- Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
- Sample
- Color mode or Image mode
- Color cast
- Add a conditional mode change to an action
- Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
- Bit depth and preferences
- Layers
- Layer basics
- Nondestructive editing
- Create and manage layers and groups
- Select, group, and link layers
- Place images into frames
- Layer opacity and blending
- Mask layers
- Apply Smart Filters
- Layer comps
- Move, stack, and lock layers
- Mask layers with vector masks
- Manage layers and groups
- Layer effects and styles
- Edit layer masks
- Extract assets
- Reveal layers with clipping masks
- Generate image assets from layers
- Work with Smart Objects
- Blending modes
- Combine multiple images into a group portrait
- Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
- Align and distribute layers
- Copy CSS from layers
- Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
- Knockout to reveal content from other layers
- Selections
- Get started with selections
- Make selections in your composite
- Select and Mask workspace
- Select with the marquee tools
- Select with the lasso tools
- Adjust pixel selections
- Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
- Create a temporary quick mask
- Select a color range in an image
- Convert between paths and selection borders
- Channel basics
- Save selections and alpha channel masks
- Select the image areas in focus
- Duplicate, split, and merge channels
- Channel calculations
- Get started with selections
- Image adjustments
- Replace object colors
- Perspective warp
- Reduce camera shake blurring
- Healing brush examples
- Export color lookup tables
- Adjust image sharpness and blur
- Understand color adjustments
- Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
- Adjust shadow and highlight detail
- Levels adjustment
- Adjust hue and saturation
- Adjust vibrance
- Adjust color saturation in image areas
- Make quick tonal adjustments
- Apply special color effects to images
- Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
- High dynamic range images
- View histograms and pixel values
- Match colors in your image
- Crop and straighten photos
- Convert a color image to black and white
- Adjustment and fill layers
- Curves adjustment
- Blending modes
- Target images for press
- Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
- Adjust HDR exposure and toning
- Dodge or burn image areas
- Make selective color adjustments
- Adobe Camera Raw
- Camera Raw system requirements
- What's new in Camera Raw
- Introduction to Camera Raw
- Create panoramas
- Supported lenses
- Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
- Radial Filter in Camera Raw
- Manage Camera Raw settings
- Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
- Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
- Rotate, crop, and adjust images
- Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
- Process versions in Camera Raw
- Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
- Image repair and restoration
- Image enhancement and transformation
- Drawing and painting
- Paint symmetrical patterns
- Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
- About drawing
- Draw and edit shapes
- Painting tools
- Create and modify brushes
- Blending modes
- Add color to paths
- Edit paths
- Paint with the Mixer Brush
- Brush presets
- Gradients
- Gradient interpolation
- Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
- Draw with the Pen tools
- Create patterns
- Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
- Manage paths
- Manage pattern libraries and presets
- Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
- Create textured brushes
- Add dynamic elements to brushes
- Gradient
- Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
- Paint with a pattern
- Sync presets on multiple devices
- Migrate presets, actions, and settings
- Text
- Filters and effects
- Saving and exporting
- Color Management
- Web, screen, and app design
- Video and animation
- Printing
- Automation
- Troubleshooting
Work with Photoshop designs in Illustrator
There are several methods available for putting Photoshop images and artwork into Illustrator. The best option for you depends on how you plan to use the design in Illustrator.
To learn more about a workflow that suits your design objectives, check out any of the resources listed below:
Looking to work with Illustrator design in Photoshop? See Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop.
If you want to preserve layers, text, and paths when bringing your Photoshop designs into Illustrator, do the following:
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In Illustrator, choose File > Open.
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Locate the Photoshop file in the Open File dialog box and click Open.
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Choose the appropriate options in the Photoshop import dialog box and click OK.
Photoshop Import Options
- Convert Photoshop Layers To Objects: This option converts the layers to Illustrator objects. It preserves masks, blend modes, transparency, and (optionally) slices and image maps. However, it does not support Photoshop adjustment layers and layer effects.
- Flatten Photoshop Layers To A Single Image: This option merges all layers into a single layer. It preserves the look of the image, but individual layers cannot be edited.
For other import options and details, see Import artwork from Photoshop.
These methods are good choices if you want to preserve layers, text, and paths when bringing the artwork into Illustrator. Illustrator supports most Photoshop data, including layer comps, layers, editable text, and paths. Adjustment layers that have visibility turned off are imported (though inaccessible) into Illustrator and restored if exported back to Photoshop.
When your artwork is linked instead of being embedded in the file, changes made to the source artwork in Photoshop are reflected in Illustrator. Illustrator centers the image in the open illustration. A red X through the image indicates it is linked, and therefore not editable.
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In Illustrator, choose File > Place.
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Locate the desired Photoshop file from the Place dialog box, check the Link option, and click Place.
When you embed a Photoshop artwork into an Illustrator file, it copies the full resolution artwork that increases the file size. If you do not want your artwork to get updated when the original Photoshop file is edited, do the following:
These methods are a good choice if you want to copy a selection of pixels to incorporate into your Illustrator design.
Paste pixels from Photoshop into Illustrator
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In Photoshop, make a selection of the pixels you want to copy. Ensure that the layer is active instead of the layer mask or the mask will be copied instead.
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From the main Photoshop menu, select Edit > Copy.
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In your Illustrator file, select Edit > Paste.
Move pixels from Photoshop into Illustrator
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In Photoshop, make a selection of the pixels you want to copy.
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Select the Photoshop Move tool and drag the selection to your Illustrator file. When using the move tool, any transparent pixels will be filled with white.
Import all paths to Illustrator (but no pixels)
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Choose File > Export > Paths To Illustrator.
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Choose a location for the exported path and enter a filename. Make sure that Work Path is chosen from the Path menu to export the path.
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Click Save.
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Open the file in Adobe Illustrator. You can manipulate the path or use the path to align Illustrator objects that you add to the file.
Copy paths from Photoshop and paste into Illustrator
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In Photoshop, select one or more paths.
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Choose Edit > Copy.
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In your Illustrator file, Select Edit > Paste.
In the Paste Options dialog box, you can choose whether to paste the path as a compound shape or a compound path. Pasting as a compound path is faster, but may result in some loss of editability.
Drag and drop paths from Photoshop to Illustrator
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In Photoshop, select one or more paths
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Choose Edit > Copy.
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Drag the path to Illustrator.
Crop marks in Illustrator reflect the dimensions of the Photoshop image. The position of the path within the Photoshop image is maintained, provided you don’t change the crop marks or move the path.
You can easily select any path or path segment in Photoshop that appears in the Paths panel, including shape vector masks, work paths, and saved paths, and move it to Illustrator. with the Paths To Illustrator option. One use of this option is to align Illustrator text or objects with Photoshop paths.
Learn more
Work with Illustrator designs in Photoshop
Now, going the other direction, there are also several methods available for getting Illustrator images and artwork into Photoshop.
To learn more about these options, see:
For a quick overview of how to move artwork back and forth between Illustrator and Photoshop, watch this video.
Best practices for optimal file management
The editing capabilities of your imported assets and their final output quality depends on how you export your artwork. While you move your artwork from Photoshop to Illustrator, check out some best practices for Optimal file management in Photoshop and Illustrator.
What's next?
Did you know you can save and organize your design assets in Creative Cloud Libraries? This can be very helpful in grouping assets for a given project to make them easy to find and use from multiple apps.
Creative Cloud Libraries is a web service that allows you to organize, browse, and access creative assets across various Adobe desktop and mobile applications. Each Creative Cloud Library is a collection of design assets.
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From Photoshop, you can add the following elements to Libraries and then easily access them in several Creative Cloud apps.
For more information, see Creative Cloud Libraries in Photoshop |
From Illustrator you can add the following elements to Libraries and then easily access them in several Creative Cloud apps.
For more information, see Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator. |
Share your creations
If you have questions to ask or creations to share, visit the Adobe Photoshop Community and the Adobe Illustrator Community. We'd love to hear from you and see your creations.
