Layer basics

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Use layers to perform tasks such as compositing multiple images, adding text to an image, or adding vector graphic shapes.

You can add layer styles for special effects, such as a drop shadow or a glow, or sharpen objects.

You can also change the opacity of a layer to make the content on it partially transparent. 

You usually start with a single layer when working on a new image, and the number of layers, layer effects, and layer sets you can add is limited mostly by your imagination.

Manage and organize layers in the Layers panel, and use groups to arrange them logically and reduce clutter in the panel. You can nest groups and use them to apply attributes and masks to multiple layers simultaneously.

For some great tips for working with layers, see the tutorial video Organize with layers and layer groups.

• Adjustment layers: Make non-destructive adjustments to the colors and tones in your image, and keep editing the adjustment layers without permanently changing the pixels in the image. In short, they give greater control and flexibility over image edits than making direct adjustments. To know more about working with adjustment layers, check out Adjustment and fill layers.
• Smart objects: Smart objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images. They preserve the source content of an image with all its original characteristics, letting you perform nondestructive editing to the layer. To know more about working with smart objects, check out Work with smart objects.

Use the Layers panel to view, create, and edit layers, layer groups, and layer effects in your image.

Turn on this panel by navigating to Window > Layers or pressing F7. 

Use this menu to create a new or duplicate layer, work with a layer group, convert to a smart object, and add layer effects.

You can also use this menu to adjust the size of the thumbnails. Select the preferred thumbnail and use the right-click option to select the right size. 

Change thumbnail contents

Choose panel options from the Layers panel menu, and select Entire Document to display the contents of the entire document. Select Layer Bounds to restrict the thumbnail to the object’s pixels on the layer.

Filter layers

Use the filter options at the top of the Layers panel to locate key layers in complex documents. You can use the given options Kind, Name, Effect, Mode, or Artboard to display a subset of layers.

Follow these steps to use the filter options in the Layers panel.

You can add a video to an image using video layers.

After importing a video clip into an image as a video layer, you can do the following:

• Mask/transform the layer
• Apply layer effects
• Paint on individual frames, or 
• Rasterize an individual frame and convert it to a standard layer 

Use the Timeline panel to play the video within the image or to access individual frames. See Supported video and image sequence formats.

Create a new layer when brushing

By default, shapes and text are created on a type of layer called a vector layer. No matter how much you zoom in on a vector layer, the edges always remain perfectly crisp.

When you rasterize a vector layer, Photoshop converts the layer to pixels. You might not notice a change at first, but when you zoom in on a newly rasterized layer, you'll see that the edges are now made up of tiny squares, called pixels.

Certain tools like the brush tools, eraser, paint bucket fill, and filters only work on rasterized layers. To use one of these tools on a vector layer, the layer must first be converted to pixels.

Be aware: when you convert a vector layer to pixels, it loses its vector functionality, meaning:

• Shapes and text can no longer be scaled to any size without some loss of quality.
• Text is no longer editable, meaning you cannot change the words or the font.

Instead of rasterizing to paint or draw directly on a vector layer, create an empty layer above the vector layer, then use any of the painting or drawing tools on the new layer.

Select the New Layer icon in the Layers panel and then use the Brush Tool to paint on the new layer.

Alternatively, navigating to Preferences > General > Create a new layer when brushing can take care of that automatically. If switched on, when brushing on a layer that cannot be painted on (like a smart object, type, or adjustment layer) or if no layer is active, a new pixel layer will automatically be created in the layer stack, and all brushstrokes will be applied there.

Convert background and Photoshop layers

When creating a new image with a white/colored background, the Background is the starting (bottom-most) layer. An image can have only one Background layer.

Although you can't change the stacking order of the background layer or its blending mode and opacity, you can convert it into a regular layer and then modify its attributes.

When creating a new image with transparent content, the image does not have a background layer. You can move this layer anywhere in the Layers panel and its opacity and blending mode.

Follow these steps to convert the background layer into a regular layer:

Follow these steps to convert a regular layer into the background layer:

Duplicate Photoshop layers

You can duplicate layers within an image or into another or a new image.

Duplicate a Photoshop layer or group within an image

Duplicate a Photoshop layer or group in another image

Create a new document from a Photoshop layer or group

Sample from all visible Photoshop layers

You can sample or smudge color only from pixels on the active layer using the Mixer Brush, Magic Wand, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen, Paint Bucket, Clone Stamp, and Healing Brush tools. 

To smudge or sample pixels from all visible layers using these tools, select Sample All Layers from the options bar.

Change transparency preferences

Improvements in the Layers panel

With the latest release of Photoshop, several improvements have been made to the Layers panel to help streamline your workflows and turbocharge your creativity.

Streamlined Layers panel right-click and flyout menus

Use the new and improved Layers panel flyout-out menu and right-click menus like a pro and watch your productivity and efficiency soar.

To turn this preference off, navigate to Preferences > Interface > Show Simplified Right Click And Flyout Menus.

Work faster and easier with new tooltips and videos

Updated in Photoshop 24.6 (June 2023 release)

Hit the play button over the thumbnail image or the Watch quick video button to play them.

It's super convenient for new users to learn Photoshop through short videos embedded in rich tooltips.