Name each layer uniquely based on its content or purpose, such as "Foreground Tree" or "Background Sky." Naming layers uniquely prevents After Effects from misidentifying layers during import.
- What's new
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Get started
- Technical requirements and installation
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Learn the basics
- Adobe Photoshop on desktop FAQ
- Home screen overview
- Workspace overview
- Access the Discover panel
- Save custom workspaces
- Switch workspaces
- Delete workspaces
- Restore workspaces
- Boost workflows with the Contextual Task Bar
- Rearrange document windows
- Hide or show all panels
- Dock or undock panels
- Move panels
- Add and remove panels
- Stack floating panels
- Expand or collapse panel icons
- Change text size in panels and tooltips
- Use simple math in number fields
- High-density monitor support and per-monitor scaling
- Arrange and group panels
- Zoom images in Photoshop
- Calibrate and profile your monitor
- Creative Cloud Libraries in Photoshop
- Request access to test experimental features
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Set up toolbars and panels
- Customize toolbar
- Tooltips overview
- Create tool presets
- Use spring-loaded shortcuts
- Use Undo and Redo commands
- History panel settings
- Set History Log preferences
- View history logs
- Use snapshots in the History panel
- Paint with image states from the History panel
- Manage image states
- Restore parts of an image to a previous state
- Edit images with AI Assistant
- View and synchronize multiple images
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Settings and preferences
- Adjust preferences
- Backup and restore preferences
- Reset preferences
- View keyboard shortcuts
- Change tool pointers
- Change Photoshop language settings
- Configure Photoshop performance preferences
- Connect social media accounts for Content Credentials (Beta)
- Info panel display values
- Display file information
- Photoshop preferences locations
- Migrate presets, actions, and settings
- Generative AI in Photoshop
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Create, open, and import images
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Import files
- Browse, select, and import Adobe Stock assets
- Import images from a digital camera
- Understand raster and vector files
- Scan images into Photoshop
- Place a file in Photoshop
- Open PDF files in Photoshop
- Create libraries and add assets in Photoshop
- Use library-linked assets in Photoshop
- Open DICOM files
- Use stock images in your Photoshop documents
- View cloud document version history
- Open and import files in Photoshop
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Create images
- Generate an image with descriptive text prompts
- Edit images with Generative Fill
- Generate sharper variations with Enhance Detail
- Explore beyond the canvas with Generative Expand
- Use reference images for consistent results
- Generate images guided by a reference image
- Edit images with Prompt to edit
- Use Markup for AI image generation
- Create documents from Adobe Stock templates
- Create documents using presets
- Create a new image in Photoshop
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Import files
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Create and manage layers
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Get started with layers
- Layers overview
- Organize layers with layer groups
- Work with the Layers panel
- Video Layers overview
- Convert background and regular layers
- Duplicate layers
- Create document from layer or group
- Change transparency preferences
- Sample from all visible layers
- Flatten layers in an image
- Use artboards to lay out designs
- Rasterize layers
- Organize layers in the Layers panel
- Merge and stamp layers
- Transform and manipulate layers
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Color adjustment and fill layers
- Adjustment and fill layers overview
- Work with adjustment layers
- Use layer masks to target adjustment or fill layers
- Create adjustment layers
- Merging adjustment or fill layers
- Adjustment presets overview
- Create custom presets
- Correct color balance with Color and vibrance
- Create fill layers
- Adjustment layer options
- Change adjustment and fill layer options
- Adjust contrast with Clarity and Dehaze
- Adjust texture with Grain
- Adjust image lighting with Light
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Apply layer effects
- Add layer styles
- Work with preset styles
- Layer style effects and options overview
- Manage preset styles
- Display or hide layer styles
- Copy and paste layer styles
- Import preset style libraries
- Manage contours
- Set a global lighting angle for all layers
- Scale layer effects
- Remove layer effects
- Work with layer styles
- Convert layer styles to image layers
- Create texture effects with Knockout
- Set layer opacity and blending modes
- Use advanced blending options
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Smart objects
- Smart Objects - overview and benefits
- Create embedded Smart Objects
- Create linked Smart Objects
- Update Linked Smart Objects
- View Linked Smart Object properties
- Embed Linked Smart Objects
- Package and locate linked Smart Objects
- Convert embedded Smart Objects to linked
- Filter the Layers panel by Smart Objects
- Duplicate an embedded Smart Object
- Edit the contents of a Smart Object
- Replace the contents of a Smart Object
- Convert Smart Objects to layers
- Rasterize Smart Objects
- Export the contents of an embedded Smart Object
- Reset Smart Object transforms
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Create layer compositions
- Align layers
- Auto-align image layers
- Distribute layers
- Copy and paste layers
- Create and manage layer comps
- Create collages and montages using layers
- Create layers and layer groups
- Resize, reposition, and rotate images in the collage
- Non-destructive editing techniques
- Create and process image stacks
- Image stack rendering modes
- Show and hide layers and groups
- Layout and design tools
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Get started with layers
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Crop, resize, and transform
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Resize and adjust resolution
- Printed image resolution
- Set image size and resolution
- Resample option in the Image Size dialog
- Monitor resolution and image display size
- File size
- Printer resolution
- Resolution specs for printing images
- Preserve visual content when scaling images
- Specify content to protect when scaling
- Resize images
- Resampling options in Photoshop
- Change the pixel dimensions of images
- Change print dimensions and resolution
- Manage image file size
- Resizing parameters in Photoshop
- Change the canvas size
- Image size, resolution, and resampling
- Effects of Crop tool on image dimensions
- Transform images, shapes, and paths
- Crop and straighten images
- Crop and straighten
- Transform, manipulate, and reshape
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Resize and adjust resolution
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Make selections
- Get started with selections
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Automatic and color-based selections
- Improve Select Subject and Remove Background results
- Make precise selections using Select People
- Remove objects with Delete and Fill Selection
- Improve hair selections with the Refine Hair tool
- Mask all objects in a layer
- Detect subject using Select Subject
- Paint a selection with Quick Selection tool
- Select areas by color with the Magic Wand tool
- Freehand selections
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Refine and modify selections
- Move a selection or selection border
- Refine your selection and mask
- Hover layer bounds in the Move tool
- Copy and paste selections
- Create multiple copies of a selection within an image
- Paste one selection into or outside another
- Delete or cut selected pixels
- Control the movement of a selection
- Hide or show selection edges
- Inverse selection
- Adjust a selection manually
- Select only an area intersected by other selections
- Refine and soften selection edges
- Select pixels using anti-aliasing
- Define a feathered edge for a selection tool
- Create a selection around a selection border
- Expand or contract a selection
- Clean up stray pixels in a color-based selection
- Fringe pixels around a selection
- Decrease the fringe on a selection
- Remove a matte from a selection
- Use selections for generative editing
- Convert between paths and selections
- Select areas and pixels of images in focus
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Create masks
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Layer masks
- Add layer masks
- Create layer masks for all detected objects in a layer
- Unlink layers and masks
- Disable or enable layer masks
- Apply or delete layer masks
- Alpha channels and masks in Photoshop
- Create temporary quick masks
- Create alpha channel masks
- Create and manage clipping masks
- Edit and refine existing layer masks
- Mask layers with vector masks
- Save and load selections
- Use Enhance edge to refine masks
- Position elements with snapping
- Blend images
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Layer masks
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Repair and retouch
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Remove objects and fill space
- Remove background in your images
- Replace background with Generate Background
- Retouch tools overview
- Blend objects and people into any background with Harmonize
- Remove objects and fill the area with Content-Aware Fill
- Adjust Content-Aware Fill settings
- Tools to fine-tune sampling and fill areas
- Apply or cancel Content-Aware fill changes
- View full-resolution preview in the Preview panel
- Remove objects from within the Contextual Task Bar
- Remove tool known issues and workarounds
- Remove tool minimum and recommended hardware requirements
- Remove objects
- Remove wires, people, and general distractions
- Review and refine general distractions
- Fill selections with Multi-Image Content-Aware Fill
- Use the Content-Aware Patch tool
- Use the Content-Aware Move tool
- Heal and clone
- Adjust light and tone
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Clean and restore images
- Enhance image quality with Generative Upscale
- Define planes to adjust perspective
- Manipulate the planes to adjust perspective
- Edit different perspectives in the same image
- Keyboard shortcuts to adjust perspective
- Get started with Photomerge
- Create panoramic images with Photomerge
- Create 360-degree panoramas
- Remove imperfections with the Spot Healing Brush
- Retouch a large area with the Healing Brush tool
- Repair an area with the Patch tool
- Remove red eye in flash photos
- Define an image as a preset pattern
- Erase parts of an image with the Eraser tool
- Auto Erase with the Pencil tool
- Create smoother brush strokes using stroke smoothing
- Change pixels to transparent with the Background Eraser tool
- Remove similar pixels with the Magic Eraser tool
- Remove reflections
- Remove small spots with the Spot Healing Brush
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Remove objects and fill space
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Adjust color
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Color profiles
- About color profiles
- Embed color profiles
- Change color profile for documents
- Color management in Photoshop
- Color management in video layers
- Color management policy options
- Color profiles
- Tools with 32-bit support in Photoshop
- Work with OpenColorIO color management
- Set up color management in Photoshop
- Manage document colors for online viewing
- Change a document's color profile
- Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
- Download Adobe Color Management Module
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Choose colors
- Set foreground and background colors
- Choose colors with the Adobe Color Picker
- Choose a color while painting
- Choose web-safe colors
- Choose a CMYK equivalent for a non-printable color
- Choose a spot color
- Spot color libraries
- Manage color profiles when opening images
- Choose colors in the Color panel
- Change the color picker
- Work with the Swatches panel
- Manage color swatches and swatch libraries
- Share color swatches between applications
- Color modes in Photoshop
- Color profiles for imported images
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Color modes
- Convert an image to another color mode
- Convert an image to Bitmap mode
- Convert a color photo to Grayscale mode
- Convert a Bitmap mode image to Grayscale mode
- Convert a grayscale or RGB image to indexed color
- Conversion options for indexed-color images
- Identify and correct out-of-gamut colors
- Bit depth in Photoshop
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Color corrections
- Apply a Hue or Saturation adjustment
- Colorize a grayscale image or create a monotone effect
- Adjust color and tone with Curves
- Adjust color saturation using a Vibrance adjustment layer
- Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
- Adjust tonal range and color balance using Levels
- Apply the Brightness/Contrast adjustment
- Apply color adjustments with the Adjustments panel
- Apply Color Balance adjustment in Photoshop
- Color adjustment basics in Photoshop
- Color adjustment commands
- Equalize brightness values in an image
- Save and reapply adjustment presets
- Use Auto Tone, Auto Contrast, and Auto Color
- Use the Histogram panel
- Adjust image color and tone
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Selective color adjustments
- Match color in different images
- Match color between two images
- Match color of two layers in the same image
- Save and apply settings in Match Color
- Replace Object Colors by Applying a Hue or Saturation Adjustment
- Create monochrome images with Channel Mixer
- Customize indexed color tables
- Make selective color adjustments
- Mix color channels with Channel Mixer
- View pixel color values in an image
- Color effects and techniques
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HDR and channel manipulation
- Adjust HDR exposure and toning
- Set up HDR display support in Photoshop
- Adjust the HDR preview display
- Duplicate, split, and merge channels
- Blend channels with Apply Image and Calculations
- Channels in Photoshop
- Convert an HDR image to a lower bit depth
- Features that support 32-bpc HDR images
- HDR images in Photoshop
- Manage channels in the Channels panel
- Merge photos into an HDR image
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Color profiles
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Apply painting techniques
- Fill objects, selections, and layers
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Create and fill with patterns
- Pattern Preview best practices
- Create a new pattern
- Fill paths with color
- Generate patterns with Pattern Maker
- Paint symmetrical patterns
- Paint with the Mixer Brush
- Manage patterns in the Patterns panel
- Stroke paths with color
- Use the Pattern Stamp tool for a hand-painted look
- Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
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Brushes and presets
- Get started with brush presets
- Display the Brush Settings panel and brush options
- Create a brush tip from an image
- Create a brush and set painting options
- Select a preset brush
- Create a new preset brush
- Create preset brush groups
- Rename preset brushes
- Delete preset brushes
- Import brushes and brush packs
- Create a textured brush in Photoshop
- Manage presets with the Preset Manager
- Migrate presets from earlier Photoshop versions
- Photoshop presets locations
- Textured and dual brush settings
- Paint with the Brush or Pencil tool
- Configure cursor preferences for painting tools
- Sync presets on multiple devices
- Improve painting and cloning performance
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Draw shapes and paths
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Create shapes
- Drawing tools overview
- Draw shapes
- Modify fill and stroke for shapes
- Draw custom shapes
- Create star shapes
- Add legacy custom shapes
- Modify anchor points on paths
- Count objects in images
- Draw rectangles with the Rectangle tool
- Reshape path segments
- Manage path components in Photoshop
- Manage paths in the Paths panel
- Select paths and path segments
- Set and manage shape stroke options
- Paths in Photoshop
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Draw lines and curves
- Draw a circle, square, or rectangle
- Draw lines and line segments
- Shape, path, and pixel mode options
- Draw an arrow
- Trace images with the Content-Aware Tracing tool
- Draw curves and straight segments
- Draw paths with the Pen tool
- Overview of Pen tool settings
- Understand shapes, paths, and drawing modes
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Create shapes
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Text and typography
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Get started with text
- Add text
- Edit text
- Add bulleted and numbered lists
- Copy and paste text
- Resize text
- Move text
- Change text color
- Set up paragraph formatting
- Rotate text
- Update text layers for vector-based output
- Apply anti-aliasing to a type layer
- Check and correct spelling
- Edit text on a type layer
- Find and replace text
- Rasterize type layers
- Scale and rotate type
- Select and manage fonts
- Type layers and creation
- Text on paths and shapes
- Characters and glyphs
- International text and languages
- Work with Dynamic Text
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Get started with text
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Effects and filters
- Get started with filters
- Smart filters
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Blur and sharpen filters
- Overview of adding blur to images
- Create depth of field with lens blur
- Soften hard edges or reduce detail with the Blur tool
- Enhance edge contrast with the Sharpen tool
- Apply path blur effects in the Blur Gallery
- Apply spin blur effects in the Blur Gallery
- Filter effects in Photoshop
- Increase sharpness in image areas
- Use Blur Gallery depth-of-field effects
- Work with Arabic and Hebrew type
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Artistic and stylize filters
- Reshape and distort images with Transform Warp
- Warp a Layer with Cylindrical Transform
- Get precise distortions with Split Warp
- Distort specific image areas with Puppet Warp
- Overview of Liquify filter
- Overview of distortion tools
- Use Liquify to distort an image
- Freeze or thaw areas
- Work with meshes
- Work with backdrops
- Reconstruct distortions
- Replace the sky in images
- Select and manage sky presets
- Enhance images with generative AI filters
- Apply distortion and stylize filters
- Apply texture and surface effects to filters
- Correct lens distortion and perspective
- Reduce image noise and JPEG artifacts
- Apply the Dust & Scratches filter
- Create a custom filter
- Correct wide-angle lens distortion
- Paint in Vanishing Point
- Measure in Vanishing Point
- Vanishing Point in Photoshop
- Define perspective planes in Vanishing Point
- Oil Paint filter settings
- Neural filters
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Use grids and measurement guides
- Alignment grids and guides
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Measure and scale
- Manage measurement scales
- Manage scale markers
- Use the measurement log for performing measurements
- Measurement data points overview
- Create, edit, and delete data point presets
- Manage measurement logs
- About the measurement scale and scale markers
- Use rulers in Photoshop
- Measure and position with the Ruler tool
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Add video and animation
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Create animation frames
- Create frame-based animations
- Add frames to animations
- Select animation frames
- Edit animation frames
- Unify layer properties in animation frames
- Copy frames with layer properties
- Create frames using tweening
- Manage layer visibility in animation frames
- Specify a delay time in frame animations
- Choose a frame disposal method
- Specify looping in frame animations
- Delete animations
- Configure and navigate the Timeline panel
- Create and manage video layers
- Create images for videos
- Video layers in Photoshop
- Prepare Photoshop images for After Effects
- Paint and clone frames in video layers
- Interpret video footage
- Interpret alpha channels in video footage
- Edit video layer timing and duration
- Timeline panel controls and features
- Supported video and image sequence formats
- Use keyframes
- Organize and manage video groups
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Create animation frames
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Automate tasks
- Create and record actions
- Process a batch of files
- Automation settings and presets
- Data-driven graphics
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Save and export
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Save files
- Save your work
- Save large documents
- Revert to legacy Save As options
- File saving properties and preferences
- macOS image preview options
- Common questions on Photoshop cloud documents
- Save as Photoshop PDF
- Save for Web
- Customize the file format list
- Save and open WebP files in Photoshop
- Save images in TIFF format
- Slices overview
- PDF does not open automatically after saving on a Mac
- Manage slices in Photoshop
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Export files to different formats
- Video and animation export formats
- Enhance animation frames
- Flatten frames into layers
- Export video files or image sequences
- Photoshop file formats overview
- File compression in Photoshop
- Supported file formats in Photoshop
- Image file formats supported in Photoshop
- Export your work using the Quick Export as option
- Fine-tune export settings with Export As
- Export settings and export location preferences
- Export files in different sizes
- Export layers as files
- Export artboards as PDF
- Export artboards as files
- Save and export to cloud
- Export color lookup tables
- Metadata, CSS, and content credentials
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Save files
- Share and collaborate
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App integrations
- Access Adobe Express Templates
- Refine Firefly-generated images
- Transform image to video
- Open Photoshop files in Illustrator
- Work with optional extensions
- Install and manage Marketplace plugins
- Install the ScriptingListener plug-in
- Install textures for the Texturizer filter
- MATLAB document attributes for Photoshop
- Place Photoshop files in InDesign
- Extension descriptions and compatibility
- Set up MATLAB to work with Photoshop
- Share images to Slack from Photoshop
- Share Photoshop work to Trello
- Troubleshoot Photoshop files in InDesign
- Save and manage cloud documents
- Invite others to edit images in cloud documents
- Make cloud documents available offline
- Install and manage plugins using the Plugin Marketplace
- Create a contact sheet
- Create a PDF presentation
- Paste Illustrator artwork as layers
- Use Photoshop images in Adobe Illustrator
- Use Photoshop layer comps in InDesign
- Photoshop file behavior in InDesign
- Photoshop cloud documents overview
- Photoshop plugins and extensions
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Troubleshoot
- Tools and resources
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Performance and stability issues
- Known issues in Adobe Photoshop on desktop
- Resolve graphics processor (GPU) and graphics driver issues
- Troubleshoot scratch disk full errors in Photoshop
- Memory allocation in Adobe Photoshop
- Fine-tune Adobe Photoshop features for performance
- Adobe Photoshop crashes or freezes on startup
- Fix Adobe Photoshop lag, freezing, and slow performance
- Adobe Photoshop performance optimization basics
- Fix the Generator error when launching Adobe Photoshop
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File and format issues
- Resolve program error while saving files
- Cloud documents file access error
- Adobe Photoshop cannot open supported file formats on macOS
- Unable to create or save a cloud document
- Exported images have incorrect dimensions
- Adobe Photoshop library asset is not editable
- Unable to import Lr photos
- Neural Filters fail to download or run
- Recover damaged or corrupted Photoshop files
- Prevent file loss in Adobe Photoshop
- Fix the Adobe Photoshop invalid document error
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Tool and feature issues
- Photoshop crashes while using bullets and numbers
- Keyboard shortcuts not working
- Limitations while working with Illustrator
- Resolve video rendering issues
- Unexpected tool behavior in Adobe Photoshop
- Tools missing from the toolbar
- Troubleshoot fonts
- Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
- Plugin crashes and errors in Adobe Photoshop
- Capture diagnostic logs for Adobe Photoshop input issues
- Errors using Adobe Photoshop scripts
- Issues while using filters and effects
- Adobe Photoshop crashes, lags, or freezes
- Troubleshoot Photoshop droplets on Windows
- Stock assets fail to update fully
- Text randomly changes or is corrupted
- Plug-in folder locations in Photoshop
- Photoshop for Apple Silicon limitations
- My presets, actions, or plug-ins are missing
- Oil Paint filter is grayed out
- Print settings option unavailable in Print dialog box
- Actions are missing
- Extension could not be loaded because it was not properly signed
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Quick actions
- Blur image backgrounds
- Add duotone effect to images
- Adjust lighting in images
- Apply Charcoal filter to images
- Apply diffuse glow to images
- Swirling night sky filter
- Woodcut print filter
- Colorize old photographs
- Desaturate image backgrounds to black and white
- Convert images to black and white
- Select backgrounds in images
- Select skies in images
- Select subject in images
- Smooth skin in your images
- Remove JPEG artifacts from images
Prepare Photoshop images for After Effects
Last updated on
Oct 10, 2026
Optimize layer structure, naming, and color settings to prepare Photoshop images for After Effects.
Learn how to configure layer structure, naming, and color settings in Photoshop to ensure smooth import into After Effects.
After Effects preserves individual layers, layer styles, transparent areas, layer masks, and adjustment layers from Photoshop files. After Effects works natively with RGB color mode. It can automatically convert CMYK files, but adjusting colors in Photoshop before import reduces processing time. Ensure the following prerequisites are met before you begin to prepare images for After Effects.
- Have Adobe Photoshop latest version
- Have After Effects latest version
- Understand Photoshop layers and file formats
Organize layers for animation
Group related layers into Smart Objects when they animate as a single unit, such as grouping all foreground elements into one Smart Object and background elements into another.
Arrange layers in the Layers panel in the order they should appear in your After Effects composition.
Note
Smart Objects let you animate complex layer groups as single units in After Effects for depth effects or coordinated movement.
Configure file compatibility settings
Select Edit > Preferences > File Handling (Windows) or Photoshop > Settings > File Handling (macOS).
In the File Compatibility section, choose Always from the Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility drop-down.
Select OK to save the preference change. The Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility setting ensures After Effects can properly read your layered files. Without this setting, After Effects may not recognize all layer information.
When creating a new document for video work, choose File > New, then select Film & Video from the document preset categories.
Select the appropriate preset for your target video system, such as HDTV 1080p or Film(4K), to ensure correct pixel dimensions.
Apply edits and color profiles
Verify your document is in RGB color mode by checking Image > Mode and selecting RGB Color if needed.
Complete all color correction, scaling, and cropping adjustments in Photoshop before import.
Select Edit > Assign Profile to open the color profile dialog.
Choose the appropriate video color profile for your output format:
- Rec. ITU-R BT.601: For standard-definition NTSC or PAL video
- Rec. ITU-R BT.709: For high-definition video
Select OK to embed the profile, allowing After Effects to interpret colors correctly.
Save your file in PSD format.
Caution
If you change layer names or delete layers in Photoshop after importing into After Effects, After Effects lists those layers as missing in the Project panel. Finalize your layer structure before the initial import to avoid workflow disruptions.
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