Selecting, grouping, and linking layers, Select layers, Select layers in the layers panel – Adobe Photoshop CS4 User Manual
Page 295: Select layers in the document window, Select a layer in a group
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USING PHOTOSHOP CS4
Layers
Last updated 1/10/2010
Selecting, grouping, and linking layers
Select layers
You can select one or more layers to work on them. For some activities, such as painting or making color and tonal
adjustments, you can work on only one layer at a time. A single selected layer is called the active layer. The name of the
active layer appears in the title bar of the document window.
For other activities, such as moving, aligning, transforming, or applying styles from the Styles panel, you can select and
work on multiple layers at a time. You can select layers in the Layers panel or with the Move tool
.
You can also link layers. Unlike multiple layers selected at the same time, linked layers stay linked when you change
the selection in the Layers panel. See “
If you don’t see the desired results when using a tool or applying a command, you may not have the correct layer
selected. Check the Layers panel to make sure that you’re working on the correct layer.
Select layers in the Layers panel
❖
Do one of the following:
•
Click a layer in the Layers panel.
•
To select multiple contiguous layers, click the first layer and then Shift-click the last layer.
•
To select multiple noncontiguous layers, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac
OS) them in the Layers
panel.
Note: When selecting, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the area outside the layer thumbnail. Ctrl-
clicking or Command-clicking the layer thumbnail selects the nontransparent areas of the layer.
•
To select all layers, choose Select > All Layers.
•
To select all layers of a similar type (for example all type layers), select one of the layers, and choose Select > Similar
Layers.
•
To deselect a layer, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the layer.
•
To have no layer selected, click in the Layers panel below the background or bottom layer, or choose Select >
Deselect Layers.
Select layers in the document window
1
Select the Move tool
.
2
Do one of the following:
•
In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Layer from the drop-down menu, and click in the document on
the layer you want to select. The top layer containing pixels under the cursor is selected.
•
In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Group from the drop-down menu, and click in the document on
the content you want to select. The top group containing pixels under the cursor is selected. If you click an
ungrouped layer, it becomes selected.
•
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac
OS) in the image, and choose a layer from the context menu. The
context menu lists all the layers that contain pixels under the current pointer location.
Select a layer in a group
1
Click the group in the Layers panel.