Mode
Last updated on
Oct 6, 2026
Find all the stack modes with formulas and use cases for noise reduction and object removal in Adobe Photoshop on desktop.
All stack modes operate on a per-channel basis and calculate values using only non-transparent pixels in the stack. For example, the Maximum mode returns the maximum red, green, and blue channel values for a pixel cross-section and merges them into one composite pixel value in the rendered image.
Available stack modes
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|
Result |
Use cases |
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Entropy |
entropy = - sum( (probability of value) * log2( probability of value) )Probability of value = (number of occurrences of value) / (total number of non-transparent pixels) |
Defines the minimum bits needed to encode information in a set (binary or zero-order entropy). |
|
Kurtosis |
kurtosis = ( sum( (value - mean)⁴ ) over non-transparent pixels ) / ( ( number of non-transparent pixels - 1 ) * (standard deviation)⁴ ) |
Measures distribution shape. Returns 3.0 for normal distribution, above 3 for peaked, below 3 for flat. |
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Maximum |
The maximum channel values for all non-transparent pixels |
Preserves the brightest values across the stack. |
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Mean |
The mean channel values for all non-transparent pixels |
Reduces noise by averaging pixel values to smooth variations. |
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Median |
The median channel values for all non-transparent pixels |
Reduces noise and removes transient objects by selecting middle values that filter out temporary elements. |
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Minimum |
The minimum channel values for all non-transparent pixels |
Preserves the darkest values across the stack. |
|
Range |
Maximum minus the minimum of the non-transparent pixel values |
Shows value spread for analyzing variation. |
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Skewness |
skewness = (sum( (value - mean)³ ) over non-transparent pixels ) / ( ( number of non-transparent pixels - 1 ) * (standard deviation)³ ) |
Measures distribution symmetry around the mean. |
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Standard Deviation |
standard deviation = Square Root(variance) |
Quantifies how much values vary from the mean. |
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Summation |
The sum channel values for all non-transparent pixels |
Accumulates all values for specialized analysis. |
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Variance |
variance = (sum( (value-mean)² ) over non-transparent pixels ) / ( number of non-transparent pixels - 1) |
Measures how far values spread from their average. |
Common workflows
Reducing image noise: Apply Mean for general noise reduction or Median when the scene includes occasional unwanted elements. Use Mean for purely random noise; choose Median when you need both noise reduction and the ability to filter transient objects.
Removing unwanted objects: Use the Median stack mode when you have a series of frames showing transient objects (people walking through a scene, passing vehicles) that you want to eliminate. The median calculation automatically excludes values that appear in only some frames.
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