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Layer basics

Use layers in Photoshop to make non-destructive edits by stacking images, text, or vector graphics one on top of the other without mixing the pixels of any of them.  

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Learn to make non-destructive edits using Layers in a few simple steps.

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Layers in Photoshop

Use layers to perform tasks such as compositing multiple images, adding text to an image, or adding vector graphic shapes.

You can add layer styles for special effects, such as a drop shadow or a glow, or sharpen objects.

You can also change the opacity of a layer to make the content on it partially transparent. 

Sharp details can make objects in nature photos really stand out. Perform non-destructive edits using layers to highlight the details using the Unsharp Mask filter.
Sharp details can make objects in nature photos really stand out. Perform non-destructive edits using layers to highlight the details using the Unsharp Mask filter.

Use layer groups to organize and manage layers

You usually start with a single layer when working on a new image, and the number of layers, layer effects, and layer sets you can add is limited mostly by your imagination.

Manage and organize layers in the Layers panel, and use groups to arrange them logically and reduce clutter in the panel. You can nest groups and use them to apply attributes and masks to multiple layers simultaneously.

For some great tips for working with layers, see the tutorial video Organize with layers and layer groups.

Perform non-destructive editing using layers

  • Adjustment layers: Make non-destructive adjustments to the colors and tones in your image, and keep editing the adjustment layers without permanently changing the pixels in the image. In short, they give greater control and flexibility over image edits than making direct adjustments. To know more about working with adjustment layers, check out Adjustment and fill layers.
  • Smart objects: Smart objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images. They preserve the source content of an image with all its original characteristics, letting you perform nondestructive editing to the layer. To know more about working with smart objects, check out Work with smart objects.

Work with the Layers panel

Use the Layers panel to view, create, and edit layers, layer groups, and layer effects in your image.

Turn on this panel by navigating to Window > Layers or pressing F7. 

Use this menu to create a new or duplicate layer, work with a layer group, convert to a smart object, and add layer effects.

You can also use this menu to adjust the size of the thumbnails. Select the preferred thumbnail and use the right-click option to select the right size. 

Different parts of the Layers panel in Photoshop
A. Layers panel menu, B. Layer filters; C. Layer group; D. Expand, collapse layer effects; E. Layer effects

Change thumbnail contents

Choose panel options from the Layers panel menu, and select Entire Document to display the contents of the entire document. Select Layer Bounds to restrict the thumbnail to the object’s pixels on the layer.

Note:

You can also turn off thumbnails to improve performance and save canvas space.

Filter layers

Use the filter options at the top of the Layers panel to locate key layers in complex documents. You can use the given options Kind, Name, Effect, Mode, or Artboard to display a subset of layers.

Follow these steps to use the filter options in the Layers panel.

Filter options in the Layers panel
Filter options in the Layers panel; use the toggle switch to switch between layer filters

  1. Choose a filter type from the pop-up menu.

  2. Select or enter the filter criteria.

  3. Click the toggle switch to switch layer filtering on or off.

Video layers

You can add a video to an image using video layers.

After importing a video clip into an image as a video layer, you can do the following:

  • Mask/transform the layer
  • Apply layer effects
  • Paint on individual frames, or 
  • Rasterize an individual frame and convert it to a standard layer 

Use the Timeline panel to play the video within the image or to access individual frames. See Supported video and image sequence formats.

Create a new layer when brushing

By default, shapes and text are created on a type of layer called a vector layer. No matter how much you zoom in on a vector layer, the edges always remain perfectly crisp.

When you rasterize a vector layer, Photoshop converts the layer to pixels. You might not notice a change at first, but when you zoom in on a newly rasterized layer, you'll see that the edges are now made up of tiny squares, called pixels.

Certain tools like the brush tools, eraser, paint bucket fill, and filters only work on rasterized layers. To use one of these tools on a vector layer, the layer must first be converted to pixels.

Be aware: when you convert a vector layer to pixels, it loses its vector functionality, meaning:

  • Shapes and text can no longer be scaled to any size without some loss of quality.
  • Text is no longer editable, meaning you cannot change the words or the font.

Instead of rasterizing to paint or draw directly on a vector layer, create an empty layer above the vector layer, then use any of the painting or drawing tools on the new layer.

Select the New Layer icon in the Layers panel and then use the Brush Tool to paint on the new layer.

Alternatively, navigating to Preferences > General > Create a new layer when brushing can take care of that automatically. If switched on, when brushing on a layer that cannot be painted on (like a smart object, type, or adjustment layer) or if no layer is active, a new pixel layer will automatically be created in the layer stack, and all brushstrokes will be applied there.

Navigate to Preferences > General > Create a new layer when brushing to turn off the preference to create a layer
Navigate to Preferences > General > Create a new layer when brushing to automatically turn off the preference.

Convert background and Photoshop layers

When creating a new image with a white/colored background, the Background is the starting (bottom-most) layer. An image can have only one Background layer.

Although you can't change the stacking order of the background layer or its blending mode and opacity, you can convert it into a regular layer and then modify its attributes.

When creating a new image with transparent content, the image does not have a background layer. You can move this layer anywhere in the Layers panel and its opacity and blending mode.

Follow these steps to convert the background layer into a regular layer:

  1. Double-click Background in the Layers panel or navigate to Layer > New > Layer From Background.

  2. Set layer options. (See Create layers and groups.)

  3. Select OK.

Follow these steps to convert a regular layer into the background layer:

  1. Select the regular layer in the Layers panel.

  2. Navigate to Layer > New > Background From Layer.

    Any transparent pixels in the layer are converted to the background color and the layer drops to the bottom of the layer stack.

    Note:

    You cannot create a background by giving a regular layer the name, Background—you must use the Background From Layer command.

Duplicate Photoshop layers

You can duplicate layers within an image or into another or a new image.

Duplicate a Photoshop layer or group within an image

  1. Select a layer or group in the Layers panel.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Drag the layer or group to the Create a New Layer button.

      Or,

    • Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu. Enter a name for the layer or group and select OK.

Duplicate a Photoshop layer or group in another image

  1. Open the source and destination images.

  2. From the Layers panel of the source image, select one or more layers or a layer group.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • Drag the layer or group from the Layers panel to the destination image.

      Or,

    • Select the Move tool  and drag from the source image to the destination image. The duplicate layer or group appears above the active layer in the Layers panel of the destination image. Shift-drag to move the image content to the same location it occupied in the source image (if the source and destination images have the same pixel dimensions) or to the center of the document window (if the source and destination images have different pixel dimensions).

      Or,

    • Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu. Choose the destination document from the Document pop‑up menu, and select OK.

      Or,

    • Choose Select > All to select all the pixels on the layer and then Edit > Copy. Then, navigate to Edit > Paste in the destination image. (This method copies only pixels, excluding layer properties such as blending mode.)

Create a new document from a Photoshop layer or group

  1. Select a layer or group from the Layers panel.

  2. Choose Duplicate Layer or Duplicate Group from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu.

  3. Choose New from the Document pop‑up menu and select OK.

Sample from all visible Photoshop layers

You can sample or smudge color only from pixels on the active layer using the Mixer Brush, Magic Wand, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen, Paint Bucket, Clone Stamp, and Healing Brush tools. 

To smudge or sample pixels from all visible layers using these tools, select Sample All Layers from the options bar.

Change transparency preferences

  1. Navigate to Edit > Preferences > Transparency & Gamut in Windows and to Photoshop > Preferences > Transparency & Gamut in macOS.

  2. Choose the size and color for the transparency checkerboard or None for Grid Size to hide the transparency checkerboard.

  3. Select OK.

Improvements in the Layers panel

With the latest release of Photoshop, several improvements have been made to the Layers panel to help streamline your workflows and turbocharge your creativity.

Streamlined Layers panel right-click and flyout menus

Use the new and improved Layers panel flyout-out menu and right-click menus like a pro and watch your productivity and efficiency soar.

To turn this preference off, navigate to Preferences > Interface > Show Simplified Right Click And Flyout Menus.

Work with a customizable and streamlined right-click options with the Photoshop November 2023 release

Work faster and easier with new tooltips and videos

Updated in Photoshop 24.6 (June 2023 release)

Hit the play button over the thumbnail image or the Watch quick video button to play them.

It's super convenient for new users to learn Photoshop through short videos embedded in rich tooltips. 


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