The Guided mode provides you with guided edits - a wizard-like interface to accomplish certain predefined effects. Each guided edit has an associated image. As you move the mouse horizontally over the image, the portion to the left of the slider displays the image before the effect is applied. The portion to the right of the slider displays the image after the effect is applied.
Duotone Effect guided edit enables you to apply cool, custom duotone effects to your photos for a beautiful two-color creation. Choose from custom preset social sizes, add a gradient, and more!


The Pattern Brush Guided Edit lets you jazz up any photo with fun patterns like hearts or stars. The main subject of your photo is masked so you can avoid applying your pattern to it.


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Choose one of the following:
- Paint - Choose this option to manually apply the pattern to your photo. You can control the size, scatter (distance between each shape in the pattern), and opacity of the pattern by using the respective slider.
- Fill - Choose this option to let Photoshop Elements automatically fill the entire photo with the pattern. You can control the opacity of the pattern using the Opacity slider.
Note:
By default, Protect Subject is selected to mask the subject(s). Unselect this option to unmask the subject(s) in your photo.
The Double Exposure guided edit lets you create a surreal double exposure effect by merging two images. You can import a photo from your computer or select from one of the included sample photos.
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Select the main subject of your photo using the Auto or Quick selection tool.
For more information about Auto selection tool, see Use the Auto Selection tool.
For more information about Quick selection tool, see Use the Quick Selection tool.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: You can upload your photo online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Effects Collage Guided Edit helps you apply effects to different sections of your photograph. Take a regular image and apply multiple effects to it to make an eye-popping piece of contemporary art.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
Convert any photo into an entertaining meme right out-of-the-box from Photoshop Elements. The Meme Maker guided edit helps you to create a meme with a combination of photo and text.
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Enter the desired text for your meme. You can change the font, size, color, and style of the text from the Tool Options bar in the Guided workspace. When you are done typing, click the green check mark (
) to commit your changes.
Note:
If you are editing the text at the top, clicking the green check mark auto-selects the bottom text for editing.
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(Optional) Do one of the following to resize your photo:
- Drag the Zoom slider to left to zoom out or drag it to right to zoom in.
- Click the horizontal
or vertical
flip button to flip your photo.
- Select Fit Photo to Canvas option to expand the photo to cover up the entire canvas. Selecting this option disables the Zoom and border customization features.
- Double-click on the photo to display the heads-up-display (HUD). Use the HUD to rotate your photo left or right, zoom in or out, or you can also change the main photo. Once you have made the desired changes, click the green check mark to commit your changes.
Note:
You can also resize your photo frame by dragging the bounding box around the photo frame. To scale the photo proportionally, drag a corner handle.
- Drag the Zoom slider to left to zoom out or drag it to right to zoom in.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Multi-Photo Text guided edit allows you to create visual text with a different photo inside each letter. Use the Multi-Photo Text guided edit to use any photo as a background, add a text, and add a photo inside each letter to create a visually-rich photo.
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Choose if you want to resize the text on your photo using the Fit or Fill options.
- Fit: Expands the text to fit across the width of the photo. The aspect ratio of the font is maintained.
- Fill: Expands the text to cover the height and width of the photo.
Note:
You can also drag the textbox to change its position.
- Fit: Expands the text to fit across the width of the photo. The aspect ratio of the font is maintained.
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Do one of the following to add photo to text:
- Click on the instructional text within a character frame to browse and select a photo. This option gives you more control on choosing the desired photo to apply on a character.
- Click Computer and choose one or multiple photos from a single folder.
- Click Photo Bin to use photos available in the photo bin. The drop-down list in the Photo Bin allows you to choose photos selected in Elements Organizer or an album.
Note:
If you select more photos from Computer or the Photo Bin contains more photos than the number of character frames, then photos are filled within each frame in an orderly manner. All extra photos are discarded. However, if you choose lesser number of photos, then you will have some blank character frames.
- Click on the instructional text within a character frame to browse and select a photo. This option gives you more control on choosing the desired photo to apply on a character.
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(Optional) Do one of the following to change a photo or swap photos in text frames:
- Double-click on a character frame to display the heads-up-display (HUD). Use the HUD to rotate your photo left or right, zoom in or out, and you can also change the photo. Once you have made the desired changes, click the green check mark to commit your changes.
- Double-click on a character frame and drag the photo onto the photo frame with which you want to swap the photo. When you see a double-arrow cursor, drop the image. The images between the source and target frames are swapped.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
For more information on the features used in this Guided Edit, see Using the Effects panel, Specify the opacity of a layer, and About Levels adjustments.
The Out Of Bounds option in Guided Edit helps you add a frame to an image and display a selected part of the image outside the frame.

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The Share panel is displayed to the right of your picture. In this panel, you can save the picture at the same location or save it as another picture. You can take the picture to the Quick Edit or Expert Edit rooms. You can also share the picture on Flickr, or Twitter.
Save: Save / Save As
Save your edited picture to a folder on your computer. If you have not saved the edits before, you are asked to pick a folder on your computer where you want to save your picture.
Use the Save As option to save the edited picture to another folder or by another name.
The JPEG Options dialog allows you to select some advanced image formatting options. If you don't want to make any special changes, click OK to accept the settings that are applied by Photoshop Elements.
Continue Editing: In Quick / In Expert
Take your picture to the Quick Edit or Expert Edit rooms. This means that you have made edits in the Guided Edit and now making more adjustments in the Quick or Expert modes.
Share: Flickr / Twitter
Share your freshly edited picture with your family and friends on Twitter. Or upload you pictures to Flickr where you can create photo albums that you can share.
Note:
For Flickr and Twitter, Photoshop Elements will ask you to allow it to post your pictures to their websites. However, this is a one-time activity for each of them.
Painterly is a way to create artistic output by painting your photo with a brush on different textured canvasses and applying different painting effects. Find this Guided Edit in Guided > Fun Edits > Painterly.
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Click Paint Brush. You are about to select the area of the photo that you will work on for the rest of this task.
- Show / Hide. Use Show to paint over areas you want to reveal. Use Hide to paint over areas you want to hide.
- Presets. Choose the kind of brush you want to use to create the right effect for your painting.
- Size. Use the Size slider to determine the size of brush strokes on your photo.
- Opacity. Use the opacity slider to determine the intensity of the original revealed upon painting with the brush.
- Brush Angle. Use the Brush Angle control to rotate the brush.
Paint over the areas that you want to reveal in your painting.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
Use the Partial Sketch guided edit to convert your favorite photo into an artistic sketch. Choose from the predefined effects, soften sharp edges, or flip the effect to get a great looking sketch.
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Drag the Brush Size slider to increase or decrease the brush size. Use the following options to adjust the settings of the brush:
- Add: Use this option to apply the effect on the desired area in the photo.
- Subtract: Use this option to remove the effect from the desired area in the photo.
- Size: Increases or decreases the brush size.
- Opacity: Increases or decreases the opacity of the brush stroke.
Note:
Once you have made the selection, you can change the effect by clicking on the desired effect's thumbnail.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Photo Text Guided Edit allows you to use one of your photos to create cool visual text. Use any photo as a background, and when you use the Photo Text Guided Edit, you can get fun text that is stenciled on to your photo.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Picture Stack Guided Edit helps you add frames to your photo, giving it an outlook of a creative collage.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
In Guided Edit, transform an image into pop art in three simple steps. What’s more, you have a choice of two styles.
The Puzzle Effect Guided Edit creates the visual effect of a photograph being created by putting together pieces of a puzzle. With the Guided Edit, you can extract a few pieces of the puzzle from their slots, and move them around to simulate the feel of an unfinished puzzle.

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The Share panel is displayed to the right of your picture. In this panel, you can save the picture at the same location or save it as another picture. You can take the picture to the Quick Edit or Expert Edit rooms. You can also share the picture one Flickr or Twitter.
Save: Save / Save As
Save your edited picture to a folder on your computer. If you have not saved the edits before, you will be asked to pick a folder on your computer where you want to save your picture.
Use the Save As option to save the edited picture to another folder or by another name.
The JPEG Options dialog allows you to select some advanced image formatting options. If you don't want to make any special changes, click OK to accept the settings that are applied by Photoshop Elements.
Continue Editing: In Quick / In Expert
Take your picture to the Quick Edit or Expert Edit rooms. This means that you have make edits in the Guided Edit room and then make some more adjustments in the Quick and Expert rooms.
Share: Flickr / Twitter
Share your freshly edited picture with your family and friends on Twitter. Or upload you pictures to Flickr where you can create photo albums that you can share.
Note:
For Flickr and Twitter, Photoshop Elements will ask you to allow it to post your pictures to their websites. However, this is a one-time activity for each of them.
Note:
For best results, avoid skipping a step or performing the steps in a random order.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
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Use the Quick Selection Tool to select the portion of the image or an object in your picture that you want to provide a sense of motion to. Use the Add or Subtract buttons to add to or refine your selection.
Note:
Use the Brush Size slider to select large objects quickly or select smaller objects more carefully.
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Click Add Focus Area to remove portions of the effect applied. For example, if the effect is applied to the image in the projection path of a selected object, paint that path. The effect should noticeably reduce in that area of the image. Repeat until the speed effect is only in the regions you would like it to appear.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Shape Overlay Effect guided edit lets you add different shapes to your photo and create amazing effects. You can add inside and outside effects after adding a shape to your photo.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: You can upload your photo online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.
The Speed Pan guided edit is a great way to add a sense of motion to your photo’s subject by blurring the background. Here's how:
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Click Quick Selection Tool, and then select the object in the photograph that must appear to be moving.
- Add. Add areas to the object selection.
- Subtract. Remove areas that must be part of the background that must appear with motion blur.
- Brush Size. Use the slider to set the size of the brush.
Mark your selection with the Quick Selection Tool
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Click Add Motion Blur, to introduce the sense of movement in the photo.
- Intensity. Use the Intensity slider to vary the amount of blur introduced in the image.
- Angle. Use the Angle control to vary the direction of the perceived motion.
The Speed Pan effect applied at an approximate angle of 115 degrees.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.

The Zoom Burst effect creates the illusion of motion, with attention drawn to the central object in your photograph. This effect can, generally, be produced manually by zooming in on an object, while the shutter is open.
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After you get the desired result, click Next to choose how you would like to proceed:
- Save - Save / Save As: Preserve the newly created image in any of the available formats.
- Continue editing - In Quick / In Expert: Choose where you would like to continue working on the image - in Quick mode or Expert mode.
- Share - Flickr / Twitter: Choose to place your image online through one of the social or sharing services available in Photoshop Elements.