Select the layer you want to scale in the Layers panel.
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Get started
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Learn the basics
- Adobe Photoshop on desktop FAQ
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Set up toolbars and panels
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Settings and preferences
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- Generative AI in Photoshop
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Create, open, and import images
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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
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- Create a new image in Photoshop
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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
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- 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
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- Layer style effects and options overview
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- Manage contours
- Set a global lighting angle for all layers
- Scale layer effects
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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 profiles
- Work with OpenColorIO color management
- Set up color management in Photoshop
- Manage document colors for online viewing
- 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
- Color modes in Photoshop
- Color profiles for imported images
- Color modes
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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 Balance adjustment in Photoshop
- Color adjustment basics in Photoshop
- 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
- Customize indexed color tables
- Make selective color adjustments
- Mix color channels with Channel Mixer
- Color effects and techniques
- HDR and channel manipulation
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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
- 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
- Migrate presets from earlier Photoshop versions
- Paint with the Brush or Pencil tool
- Sync presets on multiple devices
- Improve painting and cloning performance
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Draw shapes and paths
- Create shapes
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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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Text and typography
- Get started with text
- 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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Effects and filters
- Get started with filters
- Smart filters
- Blur and sharpen filters
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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 texture and surface effects to filters
- Correct lens distortion and perspective
- Correct wide-angle lens distortion
- Vanishing Point in Photoshop
- 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
- Create and manage video layers
- Create images for videos
- Video layers in Photoshop
- 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
- Set up MATLAB to work with Photoshop
- Share images to Slack from Photoshop
- Share Photoshop work to Trello
- Save and manage cloud documents
- Install and manage plugins using the Plugin Marketplace
- Create a contact sheet
- Paste Illustrator artwork as layers
- Use Photoshop images in Adobe Illustrator
- 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
- Adobe Photoshop crashes or freezes on startup
- Fix Adobe Photoshop lag, freezing, and slow performance
- 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
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- Exported images have incorrect dimensions
- Adobe Photoshop library asset is not editable
- Unable to import Lr photos
- Recover damaged or corrupted Photoshop files
- Fix the Adobe Photoshop invalid document error
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Tool and feature issues
- Photoshop crashes while using bullets and numbers
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- Resolve video rendering issues
- Tools missing from the toolbar
- Troubleshoot fonts
- Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
- 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
- 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
Scale layers in Photoshop
Last updated on
Oct 6, 2026
Learn how to use Free Transform with adjustable aspect ratio controls to resize any layer type proportionally or freely.
Resizing layers while maintaining precise control over proportions prevents unwanted distortion in your compositions.
This procedure applies to all layer types—pixel layers, shapes, text, and Smart Objects. Since Photoshop 21.0 (November 2019), dragging a corner handle scales layers proportionally by default. This behavior helps preserve aspect ratios and prevents accidental stretching. The Maintain Aspect Ratio button in the Options bar controls this default behavior, and your preference persists between Photoshop sessions.
If your layer includes effects such as drop shadows or glows, those effects won't scale automatically with the layer's transformation. After scaling, adjust effect sizes separately by double-clicking the layer style icon and modifying the Scale slider in the Layer Style dialog.
Scale a layer with Free Transform
Select Edit > Free Transform, or press Ctrl + T (Windows) or Command + T (macOS).
To scale proportionally with the Maintain Aspect Ratio button (Link icon ) ON, drag any corner handle.
To scale non-proportionally, turn OFF the Maintain Aspect Ratio button, then drag a corner handle.
Press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS) to apply the transformation.
Tip
Hold Shift while dragging a corner handle to temporarily toggle between proportional and non-proportional scaling, regardless of the current Maintain Aspect Ratio setting.
To scale numerically instead of dragging, enter percentages in the W (width) and H (height) fields in the Options bar. Select the Link icon between these fields to maintain the aspect ratio when entering values.
Additional transform options
While in Free Transform mode, you can apply other transformations without exiting:
- Rotate: Move the pointer outside the bounding border until it becomes a curved two-sided arrow, then drag. Hold Shift to constrain rotation to 15-degree increments.
- Skew: Press Ctrl + Shift (Windows) or Command + Shift (macOS) and drag a side handle.
- Distort: Press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and drag any handle.
- Perspective: Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift (Windows) or Command + Option + Shift (macOS) and drag a corner handle.
To change which part of the layer remains fixed during transformation, select any square on the reference point locator in the Options bar. The selected point becomes the anchor for all transform operations.
Return to legacy transform behavior
If you prefer the pre-2019 behavior, where dragging freely scales non-proportionally by default:
Select Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Settings > General (macOS).
Enable Legacy Free Transform.
Select OK.
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