Adjust tonal range and color balance using Levels

The Levels adjustment gives you precise control over image tonal range and color balance by mapping intensity levels of shadows, midtones, and highlights to new values.

Use Levels when your image lacks contrast, appears too dark or light, or has an unwanted color cast. This adjustment redistributes pixel values across the full tonal range, increasing overall contrast and improving color accuracy. For images requiring localized tonal corrections or more complex curve adjustments, use the Curves adjustment instead.

The Levels histogram displays the distribution of pixels at each brightness level. The interface includes Input Level sliders (black, gray, and white) below the histogram and Output Level sliders below those. The outer two Input sliders map the black point and white point to the Output slider settings, which default to level 0 (black) and level 255 (white). Moving the black Input slider to the right maps darker pixels to level 0, while moving the white Input slider to the left maps lighter pixels to level 255. The middle Input slider adjusts gamma by moving the midtone without dramatically altering highlights and shadows.

To read the histogram display, see About histograms.

• Adobe Photoshop 2023 or later installed
• An image opens in RGB, CMYK, or Grayscale color mode
• Basic understanding of image histograms recommended

Try it in the app

Practice these Level adjustment techniques in Photoshop to see immediate results in your images.

Open Photoshop

Adjust shadows, midtones, and highlights

When you move the black point slider to level 5, Photoshop maps all pixels at level 5 and lower to level 0. Moving the white point slider to level 243 maps all pixels at or above level 243 to level 255.

This mapping affects the darkest and lightest pixels in each channel and adjusts corresponding pixels in other channels proportionately to maintain color balance. Clipped shadows appear as black pixels with no detail; clipped highlights appear as white pixels with no detail.

You can also enter values directly in the first and third Input Levels text boxes or enter a gamma value in the middle Input Levels box for precise adjustments.

Neutralize color casts

Select Auto in the Properties panel to apply the default adjustment. To experiment with different algorithms, choose Auto Options from the Properties panel menu, then change the algorithm in the Auto Color Correction Options dialog box. To achieve a neutral gray, set all color components to equal values. For example, assign equal red, green, and blue values in an RGB image.

To adjust tones for a specific color channel, choose an option from the Channel menu in the Properties panel. You can also Shif + click multiple channels in the Channels panel before choosing Image > Adjustments > Levels to edit channel combinations simultaneously. This method only works with direct adjustments, not adjustment layers.

Increase overall contrast

If the histogram shows gaps at either end, drag the Input sliders to the edges of the actual pixel data. This redistributes tonal values from pure black to pure white, adding contrast.

While adjustment layers provide non-destructive editing, you can apply Levels directly to an image layer. Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels and select OK in the New Layer dialog box to create an adjustment layer. Alternatively, choose Image > Adjustments > Levels to make direct adjustments. Choosing Image > Adjustments > Levels permanently modifies pixel information. Use adjustment layers whenever possible to maintain editing flexibility.

After making Levels adjustments, view the updated histogram in the Histogram panel to verify that your changes have improved the tonal distribution without excessive clipping.

For information about saving Level settings as presets for reuse, see Save adjustment settings and Reapply adjustment settings.