Arrange your layers in the Layers panel so the base layer (the layer that will define the mask) sits below the layers you want to mask.
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Layer masks
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Create and manage clipping masks
Last updated on
Sep 29, 2026
Create and manage clipping masksLearn how to use the content of a base layer to control visibility of layers above it.
Clipping masks give you precise control over which parts of your layers remain visible by using one layer's content to define the visibility of layers above it.
A clipping mask uses the content of a base layer to mask the layers above it. The non-transparent areas of the base layer reveal the content of the clipped layers, while transparent areas hide it. This technique works well for filling text or shapes with images, creating photo frames, or applying effects within specific boundaries.
You can include multiple layers in a clipping mask, but they must be consecutive in the layer stack. The base layer name appears underlined in the Layers panel, and clipped layer thumbnails display with indentation and a clipping mask icon.
The Blend Clipped Layers As Group option in the Layer Style dialog determines whether the base layer's blending mode affects the entire group or only the base layer itself. For more information about how blending modes interact with layer groups, see layer opacity and blending.
Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and position the pointer over the line between the base layer and the first layer above it in the Layers panel. When the pointer changes to two overlapping circles, click to create the clipping mask.
Alternatively, you can select the first layer above the base layer in the Layers panel and choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.
To add more layers to an existing clipping mask, repeat the process with each additional layer immediately above the previously clipped layer. All clipped layers inherit the opacity and blending mode of the base layer.
Note
If you create a new layer or drag an existing layer between layers in a clipping mask, that layer automatically becomes part of the clipping mask.
Remove a layer from a clipping mask
Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and position the pointer over the line separating two clipped layers in the Layers panel. When the pointer changes to two overlapping circles, click to remove the upper layer from the clipping mask.
You can also select any clipped layer in the Layers panel and choose Layer > Release Clipping Mask. This removes the selected layer and all layers above it from the clipping mask.
Release all layers in a clipping mask
Select the first clipped layer (the layer immediately above the base layer) in the Layers panel.
Select Layer > Release Clipping Mask to remove all layers from the clipping mask.
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