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Photoshop Elements

Photoshop Elements

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  1. Photoshop Elements User Guide
  2. Introduction to Photoshop Elements
    1. What's new in Photoshop Elements
    2. System requirements | Photoshop Elements
    3. Workspace basics
    4. Guided mode
    5. Making photo projects
  3. Workspace and environment
    1. Get to know the Home screen
    2. Workspace basics
    3. Preferences
    4. Tools
    5. Panels and bins
    6. Open files
    7. Rulers, grids, and guides
    8. Enhanced Quick Mode
    9. File information
    10. Presets and libraries
    11. Multitouch support
    12. Scratch disks, plug-ins, and application updates
    13. Undo, redo, and cancel actions
    14. Viewing images
  4. Fixing and enhancing photos
    1. Resize images
    2. Cropping
    3. Process camera raw image files
    4. Add blur, replace colors, and clone image areas
    5. Adjust shadows and light
    6. Retouch and correct photos
    7. Combine Photos
    8. Sharpen photos
    9. Transforming
    10. Auto Smart Tone
    11. Recomposing
    12. Using actions to process photos
    13. Photomerge Compose
    14. Create a panorama
    15. Moving Overlays
    16. Moving Elements
  5. Adding shapes and text
    1. Add text
    2. Edit text
    3. Create shapes
    4. Editing shapes
    5. Painting overview
    6. Painting tools
    7. Set up brushes
    8. Patterns
    9. Fills and strokes
    10. Gradients
    11. Work with Asian type
  6. Quick Actions
  7. Guided edits, effects, and filters
    1. Guided mode
    2. Filters
    3. Guided mode Photomerge edits
    4. Guided mode Basic edits
    5. Adjustment filters
    6. Effects
    7. Guided mode Fun edits
    8. Guided mode Special edits
    9. Artistic filters
    10. Guided mode Color edits
    11. Guided mode Black & White edits
    12. Blur filters
    13. Brush Stroke filters
    14. Distort filters
    15. Other filters
    16. Noise filters
    17. Render filters
    18. Sketch filters
    19. Stylize filters
    20. Texture filters
    21. Pixelate filters
  8. Working with colors
    1. Understanding color
    2. Set up color management
    3. Color and tonal correction basics
    4. Choose colors
    5. Adjust color, saturation, and hue
    6. Fix color casts
    7. Using image modes and color tables
    8. Color and camera raw
  9. Working with selections
    1. Make selections in Photoshop Elements
    2. Saving selections
    3. Modifying selections
    4. Move and copy selections
    5. Edit and refine selections
    6. Smooth selection edges with anti-aliasing and feathering
  10. Working with layers
    1. Create layers
    2. Edit layers
    3. Copy and arrange layers
    4. Adjustment and fill layers
    5. Clipping masks
    6. Layer masks
    7. Layer styles
    8. Opacity and blending modes
  11. Creating photo projects
    1. Project basics
    2. Making photo projects
    3. Editing photo projects
    4. Creating Photo Reels
  12. Saving, printing, and sharing photos
    1. Save images
    2. Printing photos
    3. Share photos online
    4. Optimizing images
    5. Optimizing images for the JPEG format
    6. Dithering in web images
    7. Guided Edits - Share panel
    8. Previewing web images
    9. Use transparency and mattes
    10. Optimizing images for the GIF or PNG-8 format
    11. Optimizing images for the PNG-24 format
  13. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keys for selecting tools
    2. Keys for selecting and moving objects
    3. Keys for the Layers panel
    4. Keys for showing or hiding panels (expert mode)
    5. Keys for painting and brushes
    6. Keys for using text
    7. Keys for the Liquify filter
    8. Keys for transforming selections
    9. Keys for the Color Swatches panel
    10. Keys for the Camera Raw dialog box
    11. Keys for the Filter Gallery
    12. Keys for using blending modes
    13. Keys for viewing images (expertmode)

Learn to use Combine Photos to seamlessly blend multiple images, merging subjects from one photo, backgrounds from another, and elements from many more to create a unique composition. 

Combine Photos has been introduced in Photoshop Elements 2025.

Combine Photos feature can be invoked from three places:

  • In Photoshop Elements Guided room,  choose Combine > Combine Photos
  • In Photoshop Elements, choose Image menu > Combine Photos
  • In Element Organizer, choose Edit Menu > Combine > Combine Photos

The primary steps in this feature involve importing a photo, editing each photo separately, and finally matching the tone to create a seamless composite.

Importing a photo

Import Panel is the first panel available inside the workspace and can be used to select the photos you want to combine and to choose a layout for the final output.

  1. Do one of the following to select the photos you want to combine:

    • Use the  OPEN button or File > Open option to add photos inside the Photo Bin and drag them on the canvas to use them.
    • You can also use the Import panel inside the Combine Photos workspace to add photos from:
      • Computer: Add photos from the local drive.
      • Organizer: Add photos from the Elements Organizer catalog.
      • Adobe Stock: Use free Adobe Stock photos.

  2. Choose a Layout

    You can change the default layout by selecting a layout from across eight categories: Standard, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and Threads. The default layout aspect ratio is 16:9

Edit

In the Edit panel, various options are available to customize each photo. These editing options only apply to the selected photo. You can select a photo by clicking on it or by using the Layers panel, which can be toggled on with Show Layers at the top.

  1. Remove Background
    Select this option to automatically detect the subject from your selected photo and remove the background.

    • Hide/Reveal: Use Reveal to paint over areas you want to reveal. Use Hide to paint over areas you want to hide.
    • Size: Use the Size slider to determine the size of brush strokes on your photo. 
    • Select Done to get the final output from the selected photo.

  2. Extract Objects
    Select one of the following tools and create a selection of the object in your photo:

    • Auto: Use the Auto Selection tool to automatically create a selection when you draw a shape around the object you want to select. For more information, see Use the Auto Selection tool.
    • Quick: Use the Quick Selection tool to make a selection based on color and texture similarity when you click or click-drag the object you want to select. For more information, see Use the Quick Selection tool.
    • Brush: Use the Selection Brush tool to paint over the object you want to select. For more information, see Use the Selection Brush tool.
    • Refine: Use the Refine Selection Brush tool to add or remove areas to and from a selection by automatically detecting the edges. For more information, see Edit and refine selections.

  3. Flip and Rotate 

    • Select the horizontal or vertical flip button to flip your photo.
    • Select the left or right rotate button to rotate your photo.

  4. Use as Background 

    Use this option on one of the photos to use it as a background photo. You can scale and move the background image using the Move tool from the tools panel on the left.

  5. Opacity

    Adjust the opacity of the selected photo using the slider.

  6. Blend

    Select one of the blending options from the dropdown to blend the selected photo.

    Note:

    All editing options only work on the selected photo. Select the photo to be edited by clicking over it on the canvas area.

Match Tone

Auto Match Tone

  • Click Auto Match Tone to blend the extracted objects with the background.
  • Fine-tune the results using sliders for contrast, saturation, temperature, and luminance.
  • Reset adjustments by clicking the Reset button.
Note:

Clicking the Reset button will reset the adjustment sliders and bring the photo to the state where Auto Match Tone was applied. If you want to remove Auto Match Tone also, click the Reset Image icon near the top right side of the panel.

Additional Tools

Toolbar on the left:

  • Hand Tool: Pan the selected photo within the canvas.
  • Zoom Tool: Zoom in or out.
  • Spot Healing Brush Tool: Quickly remove spots and blemishes.
  • Move Tool: Move the selected photo within the canvas.

 Adobe

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