Type in Adobe Photoshop consists of vector-based type outlines—mathematically defined shapes that describe the letters, numbers, and symbols of a typeface. Many typefaces are available in more than one format, the most common formats being Type 1 (also called PostScript fonts), TrueType, OpenType, New CID, and CID nonprotected (Japanese only).

Photoshop preserves vector-based type outlines and uses them when you scale or resize type, save a PDF or EPS file, or print the image to a PostScript printer. As a result, it’s possible to produce type with crisp, resolution-independent edges.

When you create type, a new type layer is added to the Layers panel. After you create a type layer, you can edit the type and apply layer commands to it.

Once you make a change to a type layer that requires it to be rasterized, however, Photoshop converts the vector-based type outlines to pixels. Rasterized type no longer has vector outlines and is uneditable as type. See Rasterize type layers.

You can make the following changes to a type layer and still edit the type:

• Change the orientation of type.
• Apply anti-aliasing.
• Convert between point type and paragraph type.
• Create a work path from type.
• Apply transformation commands from the Edit menu, except for Perspective and Distort.  

• Use layer styles.

• Use fill shortcuts (see Keys for painting).

• Warp type to conform to a variety of shapes.

Entering type

There are three ways to create type: at a point, inside a paragraph, and along a path.

• Point type is a horizontal or vertical line of text that begins where you click in the image. Entering text at a point is a useful way to add a few words to your image.

• Paragraph type uses boundaries to control the flow of characters, either horizontally or vertically. Entering text this way is useful when you want to create one or more paragraphs, such as for a brochure.

• Type on a path flows along the edge of an open or a closed path. When you enter text horizontally, characters appear along the path perpendicular to the baseline. When you enter text vertically, characters appear along the path parallel to the baseline. In either case, the text flows in the direction in which points were added to the path.

  If you enter more text that can fit within a paragraph boundary or along a path, a small box or circle containing a plus symbol (+) appears in place of a handle in the corner of the boundary or anchor point at the end of the path.

Clicking in an image with a type tool puts the type tool in edit mode. When the tool is in edit mode, you can enter and edit characters as well as perform some other commands from the various menus; however, certain operations require that you first commit changes to the type layer. To determine whether a type tool is in edit mode, look in the options bar—if you see the Commit button  and the Cancel button , the type tool is in edit mode.

Enter point type

When you enter point type, each line of type is independent—the line expands or shrinks as you edit it, but it doesn’t wrap to the next line. The type you enter appears in a new type layer.

Enter paragraph type

When you enter paragraph type, the lines of type wrap to fit the dimensions of the bounding box. You can enter multiple paragraphs and select a paragraph justification option.

You can resize the bounding box, causing the type to reflow within the adjusted rectangle. You can adjust the bounding box while you enter type or after you create the type layer. You can also use the bounding box to rotate, scale, and skew type.

The type you enter appears in a new type layer.

Paste lorem-ipsum placeholder text

Lorem-ipsum placeholder text lets you quickly fill a text block for layout purposes.

Resize or transform a type bounding box

Convert between point type and paragraph type

You can convert point type to paragraph type to adjust the flow of characters within a bounding box. Alternatively, you can convert paragraph type to point type to make each text line flow independently from the others. When you convert from paragraph type to point type, a carriage return is added at the end of each line of type (with the exception of the last line).