Save and load selections

Last updated on Oct 6, 2026

Learn how to save selections as alpha channels and reload them for future editing sessions.

Selections stored as alpha channels let you preserve complex selections and reuse them later without recreating them from scratch.

Use alpha channels when you need to preserve a selection for future editing sessions, apply the same selection to multiple layers, or transfer selections between documents. Alpha channels store selections as editable grayscale masks in the Channels panel that you can reload, modify, or combine with other selections at any time.

For information about creating masks from scratch or editing channel options, see Create and edit alpha channel masks. To understand how masks and channels work conceptually, see About masks and alpha channels.

Save a selection quickly

Create a selection using any selection tool.

Select Window > Channels to open the Channels panel if it's not visible.

Click the Save Selection button at the bottom of the Channels panel.

A new alpha channel appears in the Channels panel with an automatic name (Alpha 1, Alpha 2, etc.). The selection is now preserved and can be reloaded whenever you need it.

Tip

Name alpha channels descriptively (such as "subject outline" or "sky mask") to quickly identify their contents in documents with multiple saved selections. To rename a channel, double-click its name in the Channels panel.

Save a selection with options

Create a selection using any selection tool.

Select Select > Save Selection.

Choose a destination from the Document menu to save in the current image, another open image with matching pixel dimensions, or a new image.

Select New from the Channel menu to create a new alpha channel, or choose an existing channel to combine the selection with it.

Type a descriptive name in the Name field if creating a new channel.

If saving to an existing channel, choose an operation: Replace Channel overwrites existing content, Add to Channel combines both selections, Subtract From Channel removes the new selection from the existing one, or Intersect With Channel keeps only overlapping areas.

Select OK.

Load a selection from the Channels panel

Select Window > Channels to open the Channels panel if it's not visible.

Select the alpha channel containing the selection you want to load.

Click the Load Selection button at the bottom of the panel.

Click the composite color channel (RGB, CMYK, or Lab) near the top of the panel to return to normal editing.

The saved selection appears as an active selection in your image.

Alternative loading methods

You can also load selections using keyboard shortcuts in the Channels panel:

Drag the alpha channel onto the Load Selection button
Ctrl + click (Windows) or Command + click (macOS) the alpha channel thumbnail
Ctrl + Shift + click (Windows) or Command + Shift + click (macOS) to add the channel to an existing selection
Ctrl + Alt + click (Windows) or Command + Option + click (macOS) to subtract the channel from an existing selection
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + click (Windows) or Command + Option + Shift + click (macOS) to load the intersection of the channel and an existing selection

Load a selection between documents

Open both the source document containing the saved selection and the destination document where you want to use it.

Activate the destination document by clicking its window.

Select Select > Load Selection.

Choose the source document from the Document menu.

Choose the channel containing the selection from the Channel menu.

Select Invert if you want to load the non-selected areas instead of the selected areas.

If the destination image already has an active selection, choose an operation: New Selection replaces any existing selection, Add To Selection combines both selections, Subtract From Selection removes the loaded selection from the existing one, or Intersect With Selection keeps only overlapping areas.

Select OK.

The saved selection appears as an active selection in the destination document. You can now apply adjustments, filters, or other edits to the selected area.

Note

When loading selections between documents, both images must have identical pixel dimensions for accurate alignment. If dimensions differ, the selection may not align correctly with the intended content.

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