Format characters

Last updated on Oct 10, 2026

Apply formatting attributes such as size, color, and text treatments to individual characters or entire type layers in Adobe Photoshop on desktop.

Character formatting controls the visual appearance of text, from basic settings like font size and color to advanced options like small caps and superscript. You can format selected characters or an entire type layer. To maintain consistent formatting across multiple text elements, use character styles. Character formatting works with both point text and paragraph text.

Access character formatting controls from one of the following locations:

Character panel (Window > Character)
Properties panel
Type tool options bar
Contextual Task Bar when a type tool is active

Select characters

To activate a type layer, do one of the following:

Select the Move tool and double-click the type layer on the canvas.
Select the Horizontal Type tool or Vertical Type tool.
Select the type layer in the Layers panel.

To select characters:

Position the insertion point in the text.
Drag to select one or more characters.

You can also use shortcuts:

Double-click to select a word
Triple-click to select a line
Quadruple-click to select a paragraph
Quintuple-click to select all characters in a bounding box

To select all characters in a layer without positioning the insertion point:

Select the type layer in the Layers panel.
Double-click the layer's type icon.

Use Shift with the arrow keys to extend your character selection. Hold Shift + Ctrl (Windows) or Shift + Command (macOS) with arrow keys to select entire words.

Set type size

Select the characters you want to resize.

In the Character panel, enter or select a new value in the font size field.

Press Enter or Return to apply the change.

To use an alternate unit of measurement, enter the value followed by the unit (in, cm, mm, pt, px, or pica) in the font size text box.

By default, Photoshop uses points. One PostScript point equals 1/72 of an inch in a 72-ppi image. To change the default setting, select Edit > Preferences > Units & Rulers (Windows) or Photoshop > Settings > Units & Rulers (macOS).

Then choose one of the following for Point/Pica Size: PostScript (72 points/inch) or Traditional (72.27 points/inch).

Change type color

Select the characters you want to recolor.

Select the color selection box from the Character panel, the Properties panel, or the options bar.

Choose a color in the Color Picker.

Select OK.

The updated color appears after you deselect the characters. New text uses the current foreground color. You can also change color using fill shortcuts (Alt + Backspace (Windows) or Option + Delete (macOS), the Color or Swatches panel, or by applying an overlay layer style to the entire type layer.

Apply underline or strikethrough

Select the type you want to format.

For horizontal type, select the Underline or Strikethrough button in the Character panel.

This is the Character Style pane; You can use this panel for formatting and editing horizontal and vertical attributes.

Character Style panel

Choose a color in the Color Picker.

For vertical type, choose Underline Left or Underline Right from Type options in the Properties panel.

Underline or strikethrough use the same color as the text. For vertical type, you can apply an underline to either side of the type line.

Format as all caps or small caps

Select the type you want to format.

Select the all caps button or small caps button from Type options in the Properties panel. A check mark indicates the option is active.

Apply superscript or subscript

Select the type you want to format.

Select the superscript button or subscript button from Type options in the Properties panel. A check mark indicates the option is active.

Superscript and subscript characters appear smaller and are positioned above or below the baseline. If the font does not include superscript or subscript characters, Photoshop generates them automatically.

Access dynamic keyboard shortcuts

Dynamic shortcuts for common character formatting options are available from the Character panel menu when entering text, selecting type, or when the insertion point is in text. Shortcuts are available for Faux Bold, Faux Italic, All Caps, Small Caps, Superscript, Subscript, Underline, and Strikethrough. To view available shortcuts, select the panel menu icon in the Character panel.

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