Manage color swatches and swatch libraries

Last updated on Oct 6, 2026

Learn how to use the Swatches panel to add, delete, save, and share custom colors across projects in Adobe Photoshop on desktop.

The Swatches panel stores frequently used colors, making it easy to apply consistent colors throughout your work and across multiple documents.

Use these procedures when you need to build a custom color palette, import colors from web files, organize colors into reusable libraries, or synchronize color sets across Adobe applications. Swatches created persist between editing sessions when saved to a library.

Add a color as a swatch

Make the color you want to add the foreground color using the Color Picker or other color selection methods.

Select the New Swatch option in the Swatches panel or choose New Swatch from the panel menu.

Enter a descriptive name for the color and select OK.

Select Add To Swatches to add colors directly from the Color Picker.

Add colors from HTML, CSS, or SVG files

Select Load Swatches from the Swatches panel menu.

In the Load window, navigate to an HTML, CSS, or SVG file and select Open.

Photoshop reads all color values from the document and adds them to the panel.

Photoshop recognizes the following color syntax formats: #112233, #123, rgb(1,2,3), rgba (1,2,3,4), hsb(1,2,3), and hsba(1,2,3,4). Duplicate color values are automatically excluded. To delete a swatch, drag it to the Delete swatch icon in the Swatches panel. Alternatively, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and select the swatch when the pointer turns into scissors.

Load or replace a swatch library

Select one of the following from the Swatches panel menu:

Load Swatches: Adds a library to your current swatches
Replace Swatches: Replaces the current set
Select a specific color library name from the lower portion of the menu.

Navigate to the library file you want to use and select Load.

If replacing, Photoshop prompts you to save the current swatch set before replacing it.

When you load a named color library from the panel menu, you can choose to either replace or append the current swatch set.

Save a custom swatch library

Arrange the Swatches panel to include only the colors you want in your library.

Choose Save Swatches from the Swatches panel menu.

Choose a location, and enter a filename, and then select Save.

To make your library appear in the Swatches panel menu after restart, save the file to the Presets/Swatches folder in the default presets location.

Reset to the default swatch library

Choose Reset Swatches from the Swatches panel menu.

Choose whether to replace the current swatches or append the defaults to your existing set.

Share swatches between Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign

In the Swatches panel, create the process and spot-color swatches you want to share and remove any you don't want to include.

Select Save Swatches For Exchange from the Swatches panel menu and save the library in an accessible location.

Load the saved library into the Swatches panel in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign.

Note

Patterns, gradients, Registration swatches (Illustrator/InDesign), and specialized color references such as book colors, HSB, XYZ, duotone, monitorRGB, opacity, total ink, and webRGB (Photoshop) cannot be shared between applications. These swatch types are automatically excluded when you save for exchange.

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