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Stroke a selection or layer with color
Last updated on
Oct 27, 2025
Learn how to apply a colored stroke to a selection or layer in Adobe Photoshop to enhance visual impact or define edges.
Applying a stroke to a selection or layer creates a colored border around it. Strokes are useful for emphasizing elements or creating outlines. You can apply a stroke to any type of selection, including rectangular or elliptical shapes, freeform selections, or even text converted to a selection.
Select the area you want to stroke using any selection tool. To stroke a layer, select it in the Layers panel.
Select Edit > Stroke.
Tip
If Edit > Stroke is grayed out, your layer might be a shape, text, or smart object. Right-click the layer and select Rasterize Layer from the shortcut menu.
In the Stroke dialog box, specify the width of the border in pixels.
Select Inside, Center, or Outside for Location to determine where the stroke appears over your selection or layer edge.
Under Blending, set the Mode and Opacity for the stroke. Lower opacity values create more transparent strokes.
Select Preserve Transparency to stroke only the areas of the layer that already have pixels.
Select OK to apply the stroke. A colored border appears around your selection or layer.
Note
If the layer contents fill the entire image, a stroke applied outside the layer isn't visible.
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