Saving selections in Photoshop Elements

Saving a selection allows you to edit a selected area of a photo at a later time. You can work on other parts of the photo before loading the saved selection.

Saving selection (top), loading selection (center), and using the selection to fill with a solid color (bottom)

In the Edit workspace, make a selection in your photo.

Choose Select > Save Selection.

In the Save Selection dialog box, choose New from the Selection pop‑up menu.

Enter a name for the selection in the Name box, and then click OK.

To load the selection, choose Select > Load Selection, choose the saved selection from the Selection menu, and then click OK.

To delete a selection, choose Select > Delete Selection, choose a saved selection from the Selection menu, and then click OK.

You can modify saved selections by replacing, adding to, or subtracting from them.

In the Edit workspace, make a selection in your photo.

Choose Select > Save Selection.

In the Save Selection dialog box, choose the selection you want to modify from the Selection menu.

Select one of the following and click OK:

Replace Selection

Replaces the saved selection with the current selection.

Add To Selection

Adds the current selection to the saved selection.

Subtract From Selection

Subtracts the current selection from the saved selection.

Intersect With Selection

Replaces the saved selection with the intersection between the current selection and the saved selection.

Note:

You can also modify a saved selection by loading it and using selection tools to add to it (Shift-drag) or subtract from it (Alt-drag in Windows, Option-drag in Mac). (See Add to or subtract from a selection.)

In the Edit workspace, open a photo that contains a saved selection.

Make a new selection in your photo.

Choose Select > Load Selection.

Choose a saved selection from the Selection menu.

Select one of the following operations:

Add To Selection

Adds the saved selection to the current selection.

Subtract From Selection

Subtracts the saved selection from the current selection.

Intersect With Selection

Replaces the current selection with the intersection between the current selection and the saved selection.

To invert the selected area, select Invert and click OK.

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Saving selections

Save, load, or delete a selection

Modify a saved selection

Modify a new selection with a saved selection

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