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Learn the basics
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Smart objects
- Smart Objects - overview and benefits
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Resize and adjust resolution
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Make selections
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Automatic and color-based selections
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Refine and modify selections
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Remove objects and fill space
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- Retouch tools overview
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Clean and restore images
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Remove objects and fill space
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Adjust color
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Apply painting techniques
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Brushes and presets
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Effects and filters
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Add video and animation
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About the measurement scale and scale markers
Last updated on
Oct 27, 2025
Learn more about measuring objects, defining scales, and using scale markers in Adobe Photoshop to calculate and log accurate dimensions.
Measurement in Photoshop
The Measurement feature in Photoshop allows you to calculate and record dimensions of specific areas in your images. You can measure areas defined with the Ruler tool or any selection tool, including irregular selections made with the Lasso, Quick Selection, or Magic Wand tools.
With this feature, you can:
- Compute height, width, area, and perimeter.
- Track measurements across one or multiple images.
- Record measurement data in the Measurement Log panel.
- Customize Measurement Log columns, sort data, and export results to a tab-delimited Unicode text file.
Measurement scale
A measurement scale links the number of pixels in an image to a real-world unit such as inches, millimeters, or microns. Once a scale is defined, Photoshop displays all calculated values in those units.
Key points about measurement scales:
- A scale ensures accurate, real-world calculations for areas and dimensions.
- You can save multiple scale presets, but only one scale can be active in a document at a time.
Scale markers
Scale markers provide a visible reference to the measurement scale directly on an image. These markers help communicate scale clearly when images are shared or printed.
- You can add scale markers with or without captions.
- Captions display the unit of measurement, such as millimeters or inches.
- Only one marker is needed to represent the active measurement scale.
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