Select the Slice Select tool from the toolbar.
Last updated on
Sep 28, 2026
Learn how to use the Slice Select tool to select, move, resize, align, and organize slices for web image optimization in Adobe Photoshop on desktop.
Slices divide images into smaller sections for web optimization. After creating slices, you can select, move, resize, combine, and organize them to refine your layout before export. User slices offer full editing control, while auto slices adjust automatically when you modify user slices or layer-based slices.
These procedures apply to user slices and layer-based slices in Photoshop. Auto slices cannot be edited directly, but they regenerate automatically to fill the remaining image areas when you modify other slice types. To edit an auto slice, first convert it to a user slice. Layer-based slices must be converted to user slices before you can move, resize, or combine them independently of their source layers.
Select slices
Do one of the following:
- Select a slice by clicking it,
- Press Shift-click additional slices to add them to your selection
- Click in an auto slice area or outside the image and drag across multiple slices to select them.
Press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) to temporarily switch between the Slice tool and Slice Select tool when either is active.
When working with overlapping slices, select the visible portion of an underlying slice to bring it into focus.
Move slices
Select one or more user slices with the Slice Select tool.
Position your pointer inside the slice selection border and drag to the new location.
Press Shift while dragging to constrain movement to vertical, horizontal, or 45-degree diagonal directions.
Resize slices
Select one or more user slices with the Slice Select tool.
Drag a side or corner handle of the selection border.
Press Shift while dragging to constrain proportions. When you resize adjacent slices together, their shared edges move as a unit.
Position slices numerically
Select one or more user slices.
Select the Options button in the options bar, or double-click a slice to open the Slice Options dialog box.
In the Dimensions area, enter values for X (left edge position), Y (top edge position), W (width), or H (height) in pixels.
The X and Y coordinates measure from the ruler origin in the document window, which defaults to the upper-left corner of the image.
Snap slices
Select View > Snap To and choose the elements you want slices to snap to, such as guides, other slices, or document bounds.
Select View > Snap to enable the snap feature.
Move your selected slices near the snap target—they automatically align when within 4 pixels of the target element.
Divide slices
Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Select Divide in the options bar to open the Divide Slice dialog box.
Enable Preview to see changes as you adjust settings.
Select Divide Horizontally Into to split slices lengthwise, Divide Vertically Into to split them widthwise, or both.
Choose either Slices Down or Slices Across, then enter a number to evenly divide each slice, or choose Pixels Per Slice and enter a pixel dimension to create slices of a specific size.
Select OK to apply the division.
Note
You cannot divide layer-based slices. Divided slices are treated as user slices regardless of their original slice type. If a slice cannot be divided evenly by your specified pixel dimension, Photoshop creates an additional slice from the remainder.
Duplicate slices
Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Press Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) from inside the selected slice to create a duplicate at the new position.
Note
Duplicate slices maintain the same dimensions and optimization settings as the original. If you duplicate a linked user slice, the duplicate joins the same linked collection. All duplicates become user slices regardless of the original type.
Copy and paste slices
Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Select Edit > Copy.
If pasting into another image, open and display the image first.
Select Edit > Paste.
Note
You cannot copy a slice if an active marquee selection or selected path exists in the document. Deselect these elements before copying slices. Copying a slice captures all layers within the slice bounds, not just the active layer. When pasted into a Photoshop document, the slice content creates a new layer.
Combine slices
Select two or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Right-click (Windows) or press Ctrl-click (macOS) the selection and select Combine Slices.
Note
Photoshop creates a rectangular slice from the outer edges of the combined slices. If the original slices are not adjacent or have different proportions, the combined slice may overlap other slices. The combined slice adopts the optimization settings from the first slice in your selection and always becomes a user slice. You cannot combine layer-based slices.
Change stacking order
Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Select a stacking order option in the options bar: Bring To Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, or Send To Back.
Note
The stacking order determines which slice appears on top when slices overlap. Newly created slices appear at the top of the stacking order by default. You cannot rearrange the stacking order of auto-slices.
Align slices
Select the user slices you want to align.
Select the Slice Select tool and choose an alignment option in the options bar: Top, Vertical Centers, Bottom, Left, Horizontal Centers, or Right.
Aligning user slices can eliminate unnecessary auto slices and generate more efficient HTML code when you export your optimized image. To align layer-based slices, align the layers' contents instead.
Distribute slices
Select the user slices you want to distribute.
Choose a distribution option in the options bar: Top, Vertical Centers, Bottom, Left, Horizontal Centers, or Right.
Note
Distributing user slices evenly can eliminate unnecessary auto slices and generate more efficient HTML code when you export your optimized image. To distribute layer-based slices, distribute the layers' contents instead.
Delete slices
Select one or more slices with the Slice Select tool.
Select Backspace or Delete.
Note
When you delete user slices or layer-based slices, Photoshop regenerates auto slices to fill the document area. Deleting a layer-based slice does not delete its associated layer, but deleting the layer removes the layer-based slice. You cannot delete auto slices. After deleting all user- and layer-based slices, one auto-slice remains covering the entire image.
To delete all user slices and layer-based slices at once, select View > Clear Slices.
Lock slices
Select View > Lock Slices to prevent accidental changes to all slices.
To unlock slices, select View > Lock Slices again to disable the lock.
Note
Locking slices prevents resizing, moving, or modifying any slice properties. This protection helps preserve your slice layout while you work on other aspects of your image.
After organizing your slices, you can optimize and export them using File > Export > Export As or the legacy File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) command. Each slice exports as a separate image file with its own optimization settings.
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