Create and record actions

Keep in mind the following guidelines when recording actions:

• You can record most, but not all, commands in an action.
• You can record operations performed with the Marquee, Move, Polygon, Lasso, Magic Wand, Crop, Slice, Magic Eraser, Gradient, Paint Bucket, Type, Shape, Notes, Eyedropper, and Color Sampler tools, as well as those performed in the History, Swatches, Color, Paths, Channels, Layers, Styles, and Actions panels.
• Results depend on file and program setting variables, such as the active layer and the foreground color. For example, a 3‑pixel Gaussian blur won’t create the same effect on a 72‑ppi file as on a 144‑ppi file. Nor will Color Balance work on a grayscale file.
• When you record actions that include specifying settings in dialog boxes and panels, the action will reflect the settings in effect at the time of the recording. If you change a setting in a dialog box or panel while recording an action, the changed value is recorded.
• Modal operations and tools, as well as tools that record position, use the units currently specified for the ruler. A modal operation or tool is one that requires you to press Enter or Return to apply its effect, such as transforming or cropping. Tools that record position include the Marquee, Slice, Gradient, Magic Wand, Lasso, Shape, Path, Eyedropper, and Notes tools.
• You can record the Play command listed on the Actions panel menu to cause one action to play another.

Record an action

When recording a new action, Photoshop adds each command and tool you use until you stop recording.

Overview of Record tools in actions

Photoshop lets you record tools such as the brush tool in your action. To enable this feature, choose Allow Tool Recording from the Actions panel menu.

Remember to: 

• Choose your brush as part of the action when recording a tool, or Photoshop will use the currently selected brush.
• Set measurement units to percentage and not define the brush size as part of a brush preset when recording the action to play back at a different size. 

Record a path

Use the Insert Path command to include a complex path (path created with the Pen tool) as part of an action. When the action is played back, the work path is set to the recorded path. You can insert a path when recording an action or after it has been recorded.

If you need to insert more than one path in an action, save each path after inserting it. Record a Save Path step in the Paths panel after each Insert Path step so the previous path isn’t replaced.

Insert a stop

Use stops in an action to pause for a task that can’t be recorded (for example, painting). After completing the task, select Play in the Actions panel to resume the action.

You can display a short message at the stop as a reminder. Include a Continue button in the message box if no other task needs to be done.

Change settings when playing an action

Insert a modal control to pause an action and change settings for a specific step.

Exclude commands from an action

You can exclude commands from an action so they don’t play back. 

Insert a non-recordable menu command

Use the Insert Menu Item command to add commands that can’t be recorded directly into an action. These commands run only when the action is played.

If the command opens a dialog box, playback pauses until you select OK or Cancel.

Edit and re-record actions

You can update the settings of a specific command in an action.

Overwrite a single command

Add commands to an action

Rearrange commands within an action

Record an action again