KEYBOARD TIPS AND TRICKS
No matter how long you have been using Photoshop, it seems there is ALWAYS
something new to learn! Here are a few tips and tricks that you might want to
incorporate into your workflow to make editing faster and easier. For those of
you who really want to delve into this topic, Adobe posts an entire list of default
keyboard shortcuts here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/default-keyboard-shortcuts.html
1. Combine images with text
There’s a really easy way to overlay an image on top of
text. Drop an image layer over a type layer then hold down
Alt and click the line between the two layers in the Layers
Panel to clip the image to the text.
2. Bird’s Eye View
When zoomed in close, hold down H and drag in the image
to instantly dart out to full screen then jump back to
another area. One of the best Photoshop tips for viewing
work!
3. Quick full Layer Masks
You can Alt-click on the Layer Mask icon to add a full
mask that hides everything on the layer.
4. Easier marquee selections
Hold down Alt to start a selection at the center point with
any Marquee tool, and then hold Space to temporarily
move the selection around.
5. 1000 History states
Go to Edit>Preferences>Performance to change the
number of History states up to a maximum of 1000.
Beware though of the effect that this has on performance.
6. Color Code Layers
Use color coding to organize your Layers Panel. Rightclick over a layer’s eye icon to quickly access 8 color code
choices.
7. Close all images
To close all of your documents at the same time, Shiftclick any image window’s close icon.
8. Spring-loaded Move
While using any tool, hold Cmd/Ctrl to temporarily switch
to the Move tool. Release to go back to your original tool.
Note that spring-loaded keyboard shortcuts work for
other tool shortcuts, too.
9. Interactive Zoom
For interactive zooming, hold Cmd/Ctrl+Space then drag
right to zoom in, or left to zoom out. The zoom targets
where your mouse icon is, so it’s one of the quickest ways
to navigate around an image.
10. Lightning fast layer copies
Hold down Cmd+Alt and drag any layer to instantly make
a copy.
11. Undo, Undo, Undo
You probably know that Cmd/Ctrl+Z is Undo, but you may
not know Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+Z lets you undo more than one
history state.
12. Cycle Blend Modes
Shift + or – will cycle through different layer Blend Modes,
so long as you don’t have a tool that uses Blend Mode
options settings.
Shortcuts (13-41)
13. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E will merge a copy of all Layers
14. F Cycle through workspace backgrounds
15. X Change your foreground and background colors
16. D Reset foreground and background colors to black
and white
14
NM CliQ Magazine | January 2016
17. ] and [ Change your brush tip size
18. Cmd/Ctrl+J Duplicate a layer or selection
19. Space Bar Hold Space and drag to navigate around
the image
20. TAB Hides or shows all panels and tools
21. Cmd/Ctrl+T Transform a layer
22. Cmd/Ctrl+E Merge selected layer down, or merges
several highlighted layers
23. Cmd/Ctrl/+Shift+Opt+S Save for web & devices
24. Cmd/Ctrl+L Bring up levels box
25. Cmd/Ctrl+M Open Curves
26. Cmd/Ctrl+B Edit Color Balance
27. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Opt+C Scale your image to your
preferred state
28. Cmd/Ctrl+Opt+G Create clipping mask
29. Cmd/Ctrl+0 Fit on screen
30. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+>/< Increase/decrease size of
selected text by 2pts
31. Cmd/Ctrl+Option+Shift->/< Increase/decrease size
of selected text by 10pts
32. ]/[ Increase/decrease brush size
33. Shift+F5 Fill the selection
34. }/{ Increase/decrease brush hardness
35. ,/. previous/next brush
36. First/last brush
37. Cmd/Ctrl+] Bring layers forward
38. Cmd/Ctrl+[ Send layer back
39. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+[ Send layer to bottom of stack
40. Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+] Bring layer to top of stack
41. Converting Layer Styles
Converting a Layer Style to a normal pixel-based layer
gives you greater control to edit the contents. To do so,
add a style then right-click Effects and choose Create
Layer.
42. View one layer
If you’re working with multiple layers and you want to view
one layer on its own, there’s no need to hide all the others
manually, simply hold down Alt and click the Eye icon of
a layer to make every other layer invisible. Hold down Alt
and click again to reveal them.
43. Invert a Layer Mask
After adding any Adjustment Layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl+I to
invert the Layer Mask and quickly hide the effect, then
paint back over the image with white to selectively reveal
the adjustment.
44. Unlink layers and masks
You can move either a mask or an image independently
of one another by clicking the link between the two
thumbnails in the Layers Panel. Highlight the thumbnail
you want to reposition, then grab the Move tool.
45. Quick copy
Hold down Alt and drag a mask, style or layer to
quickly duplicate it.
46. Convert the Background
Double-click the Background Layer and hit OK to convert
it to an editable layer