How to Set Up a Document in Adobe Photoshop: A Comprehensive Guide

Adobe Photoshop Shortcut Keys

Action Windows Mac Description
Shortcut Shortcut
File Operations
New File Ctrl + N Cmd + N Opens a new file dialog box.
Open File Ctrl + O Cmd + O Opens an existing file.
Save File Ctrl + S Cmd + S Saves the current file.
Save As Ctrl + Shift + S Cmd + Shift Opens the "Save As" dialog box.
+S
Close File Ctrl + W Cmd + W Closes the current file.
Editing
Undo Ctrl + Z Cmd + Z Toggles the last action (Undo/Redo).

Step Backward Ctrl + Alt + Z Cmd + Moves back multiple steps in history.
Option + Z
Step Forward Ctrl + Shift + Cmd + Shift Moves forward multiple steps in history.
Z +Z
Copy Ctrl + C Cmd + C Copies the selected content.
Paste Ctrl + V Cmd + V Pastes copied content.
Cut Ctrl + X Cmd + X Cuts the selected content.
Free Transform Ctrl + T Cmd + T Opens the Free Transform tool.
Fill Selection Shift + F5 Shift + F5 Opens the Fill dialog box.
Content-Aware Fill Shift + Shift + Delete Fills the selection with content-aware
Backspace pixels.
Layer Operations
New Layer Ctrl + Shift + Cmd + Shift Creates a new layer.
N +N
Duplicate Layer Ctrl + J Cmd + J Duplicates the selected layer.
Merge Layers Ctrl + E Cmd + E Merges selected layers.
Merge Visible Ctrl + Shift + Cmd + Shift Merges all visible layers.
Layers E +E
Create Clipping Ctrl + Alt + G Cmd + Clips the selected layer to the layer
Mask Option + G below.
Group Layers Ctrl + G Cmd + G Groups selected layers into a folder.
Ungroup Layers Ctrl + Shift + Cmd + Shift Ungroups selected layers.
G +G
Bring Layer to Ctrl + Shift + ] Cmd + Shift Moves the selected layer to the top.
Front +]
Send Layer to Back Ctrl + Shift + [ Cmd + Shift Moves the selected layer to the bottom.
+[
Selection Tools
Select All Ctrl + A Cmd + A Selects the entire canvas.
Deselect Ctrl + D Cmd + D Deselects the active selection.
Reselect Ctrl + Shift + Cmd + Shift Reselects the previous selection.
D +D
Inverse Selection Ctrl + Shift + I Cmd + Shift Inverts the current selection.
+I
Feather Selection Shift + F6 Shift + F6 Opens the Feather Selection dialog box.

Brush and Painting

Tools
Brush Tool B B Activates the Brush tool.
Increase Brush Size ] ] Increases the brush size.
Decrease Brush [ [ Decreases the brush size.
Size
Toggle Brush Shift + ] / [ Shift + ] / [ Adjusts the brush hardness.
Hardness
Eyedropper Tool I I Activates the Eyedropper tool to sample
colors.
View and
Navigation
Zoom In Ctrl + + Cmd + + Zooms into the canvas.
Zoom Out Ctrl + - Cmd + - Zooms out of the canvas.
Fit to Screen Ctrl + 0 Cmd + 0 Fits the canvas to the screen.
 Actual Pixels Ctrl + 1 Cmd + 1 Displays the canvas at 100% zoom.
(100% Zoom)
Hand Tool H H Activates the Hand tool to move around
the canvas.
Toggle Full Screen F F Toggles between different screen
modes.

Tips for Efficiency:

1. Memorize frequently used shortcuts like Ctrl/Cmd + T (Transform) and Ctrl/Cmd
+ J (Duplicate Layer) to speed up workflows.
2. Customize shortcuts under Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts for tasks you perform often.
3. Combine shortcuts with tools like actions and scripts to further automate repetitive
tasks.

Adobe Photoshop tools and their shortcut keys, organized for easy reference:

Selection Tools
Tool Name Shortcut Description
Key
Move Tool V Moves selected objects or layers.
Marquee Tool M Creates rectangular or elliptical selections.
Lasso Tool L Draws freehand selections.
Polygonal Lasso Shift + L Draws straight-edged selections.
Tool
Magnetic Lasso Shift + L Creates selections that snap to object edges.
Tool
Magic Wand Tool W Selects areas of similar color.
Quick Selection Shift + W Quickly selects parts of an image based on color
Tool and texture.

Crop and Slice Tools

Tool Name Shortcut Key Description
Crop Tool C Crops the canvas to a selected area.
 Slice Tool Shift + C Divides an image into slices for web design.
Slice Select Tool Shift + C Selects and modifies slices.

Measurement Tools
Tool Name Shortcut Key Description
Eyedropper Tool I Samples colors from the image.
Ruler Tool Shift + I Measures distances, angles, and positions.
Note Tool Shift + I Adds notes to the image.
Count Tool Shift + I Counts objects in the image.

Retouching and Painting Tools

Tool Name Shortcut Description
Key
Spot Healing Brush J Removes blemishes and imperfections.
Tool
Healing Brush Tool Shift + J Repairs imperfections using a sample or pattern.
Patch Tool Shift + J Repairs a selected area using nearby pixels.
Clone Stamp Tool S Duplicates part of an image.
Pattern Stamp Tool Shift + S Paints with a selected pattern.
Eraser Tool E Erases parts of an image.
Background Eraser Shift + E Erases areas to transparency based on color
Tool differences.
Magic Eraser Tool Shift + E Erases solid-colored areas to transparency.
Gradient Tool G Creates a gradual blend between colors.
Paint Bucket Tool Shift + G Fills areas with a solid color or pattern.
Blur Tool R Softens hard edges or reduces detail.
Sharpen Tool Shift + R Enhances edges to make them appear sharper.
Smudge Tool Shift + R Smudges and blends pixels.
Dodge Tool O Lightens areas of an image.
Burn Tool Shift + O Darkens areas of an image.
 Sponge Tool Shift + O Adjusts the saturation of an area.

Drawing and Type Tools

Tool Name Shortcut Key Description
Brush Tool B Paints with a brush stroke.
Pencil Tool Shift + B Paints with a hard-edged line.
Color Replacement Tool Shift + B Replaces specific colors in an image.
Mixer Brush Tool Shift + B Simulates realistic painting effects.
Type Tool (Horizontal) T Adds horizontal text to the canvas.
Type Tool (Vertical) Shift + T Adds vertical text to the canvas.
Path Selection Tool A Selects and moves paths.
Direct Selection Tool Shift + A Adjusts anchor points or path segments.

Shape Tools
Tool Name Shortcut Key Description
Rectangle Tool U Draws rectangular shapes.
Ellipse Tool Shift + U Draws elliptical shapes.
Polygon Tool Shift + U Draws polygonal shapes.
Line Tool Shift + U Draws straight lines.
Custom Shape Tool Shift + U Draws custom shapes from presets.

Navigation Tools
Tool Name Shortcut Key Description
Hand Tool H Moves the canvas.
Zoom Tool Z Zooms in or out of the canvas.

Additional Shortcuts
Action Shortcut Description
Key
 Default Foreground/Background D Resets colors to black and white.
Colors
Switch Foreground/Background X Swaps foreground and background
Colors colors.
Toggle Full Screen F Switches between screen modes.
Fit Canvas to Screen Ctrl + 0 Fits the entire canvas to the screen.
Actual Pixels View Ctrl + 1 Displays the canvas at 100%
zoom.

In Adobe Photoshop, setting up the correct document size, resolution, and color mode is
essential for ensuring your design looks its best in its intended medium (print or digital).
Below is a detailed guide to document setup, including a table that outlines size details in
various units (px, inches, cm, feet, etc.) and color mode specifications.
How to Set Up a Document in Adobe Photoshop: A Comprehensive Guide
In Adobe Photoshop, setting up the correct document size, resolution, and color mode is
essential for ensuring your design looks its best in its intended medium (print or digital).
Below is a detailed guide to document setup, including a table that outlines size details in
various units (px, inches, cm, feet, etc.) and color mode specifications.

Some Useful Website For Design:

free stock platforms, design idea sites, free PNG resources, color tools, and design
philosophy and rules sites:

Category Platform Use Link

Free Stock Pixabay Free stock images, videos, Pixabay
Platforms and illustrations for personal
and commercial use.
Pexels High-quality free photos and Pexels
videos for personal or
professional projects.
Unsplash Professional-grade free Unsplash
images contributed by
photographers worldwide.
Burst by Shopify Free stock images curated Burst
for entrepreneurs and
creative professionals.
 Gratisography Quirky and creative high- Gratisography
resolution images for free
use.
StockSnap High-quality free stock StockSnap
images added daily.
Free PNG Flaticon A vast collection of free Flaticon
Resources icons for use in graphic
design and digital projects.
PNGTree Free and premium PNG PNGTree
images, vectors, and
backgrounds for design
projects.
FreePNGImg Free transparent PNG FreePNGImg
images for logos, icons, and
backgrounds.
CleanPNG Free PNG images with CleanPNG
transparent backgrounds
across various categories.
Design Behance A platform for showcasing Behance
Inspiration creative portfolios and
discovering design
inspiration.
Dribbble Explore design projects and Dribbble
ideas from professionals
worldwide.
Pinterest Find visual inspiration and Pinterest
creative ideas for all types of
design projects.
Awwwards Discover award-winning Awwwards
website designs and trends
for inspiration.
Designspiration A curated platform for visual Designspiration
inspiration and creative
resources.
Moodboard Create digital mood boards Moodboard
for project inspiration and
organization.
 Color Tools Coolors Generate color palettes and Coolors
find inspiration for color
combinations.
Adobe Color Create and save custom Adobe Color
color palettes for Photoshop
projects.
Paletton Explore and create Paletton
harmonious color schemes.
Colormind AI-powered tool for Colormind
generating color palettes.
Design Interaction Design Learn about user-centered IxDF
Philosophy & Foundation design principles, UX, and
Rules best practices.
Smashing Articles and resources on Smashing
Magazine web design, UX, graphic Magazine
design, and trends.
Canva Design Tutorials and lessons on Canva Design
School design principles, color School
theory, and layout rules.
The Futur Insights on design thinking, The Futur
branding, and creative
strategies.
Laws of UX A collection of key UX Laws of UX
principles and their
application in design.
Tuts+ by Envato Free tutorials on graphic Tuts+
design, web design, and
creative tools like
Photoshop.
Phlearn Photoshop tutorials for Phlearn
beginners and advanced
users, including free
resources.

This table provides a wide range of free resources, inspiration platforms, and learning
tools for design professionals and beginners alike.
 i) Introduction
ii) Document Size Setup Details

When setting up a new document in Photoshop, you can specify the size in different units.
Below is a breakdown of the most common document sizes, including pixel dimensions and
other units like inches, centimeters, and feet for various types of projects:
Unit Purpose/Use Size Width Height Resolution
(px) (px) (ppi)
Inches Print (e.g., Flyers, 8.5 x 11 inches 2550 3300 px 300 ppi
Posters) px
24 x 36 inches 7200 10800 300 ppi
px px
Centimeters Print, especially for 21 x 29.7 cm 2550 3508 px 300 ppi
international sizes (A4) px
50 x 70 cm 5906 8268 px 300 ppi
px
Pixels (px) Digital (Web, 1920 x 1080 px 1920 1080 px 72 ppi
Screens, Social (HD) px
Media)
1080 x 1080 px 1080 1080 px 72 ppi
(Instagram Post) px
 Feet Large Print 3 x 4 feet 3600 4800 px 300 ppi
(Posters, Banners) px
6 x 8 feet 7200 9600 px 300 ppi
px

Photoshop uses a variety of units for measurement depending on the settings and preferences
of the user. Below is a table that summarizes the most common units in Photoshop and their
equivalence:
Unit Description Measurement Details
Pixels (px) The default unit for digital images. 1 pixel = 1 dot in the image
Represents individual dots on the (resolution-dependent, tied to PPI or
screen. DPI).
Inches (in) Common for print projects. 1 inch = 2.54 cm; depends on
resolution (PPI or DPI).
Centimeters Metric unit for print or physical 1 cm = 0.3937 inches; depends on
(cm) measurements. resolution (PPI or DPI).
Millimeters Smaller metric unit, useful for 1 mm = 0.1 cm; depends on resolution
(mm) precise print layouts. (PPI or DPI).
Points (pt) Standard unit for typography. 1 point = 1/72 inch (approximately
0.3528 mm).
Picas Used in graphic design and 1 pica = 12 points = 1/6 inch.
typesetting.
Percent (%) Relative unit based on a percentage Used in scaling, positioning, or
of the canvas or layer size. gradients.
Em/En Units used for typography, relative to 1 em = current font size; 1 en = half
font size. of 1 em.
Additional Notes:
• Resolution Dependency: For units like inches, centimeters, or millimeters, the
resolution (measured in PPI—Pixels Per Inch) plays a critical role in determining the
actual size. For example, at 300 PPI, 1 inch = 300 pixels.
 • Unit Preferences: You can change the default measurement unit in Photoshop by
going to Edit > Preferences > Units & Rulers (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences
> Units & Rulers (Mac).
• Ruler Customization: The rulers in Photoshop can be toggled on or off using Ctrl+R
(Windows) or Cmd+R (Mac) and can display measurements in any of the units listed
above.
• Print Sizes, Social Media Poster Sizes, and Design Sizes

Name Inches Centimeters Pixels Use Cases

(Width × (Width × (Width ×
Height) Height) Height) (300
PPI)
A4 8.3 × 11.7 21 × 29.7 2480 × 3508 Standard office paper,
flyers, documents.
A5 5.8 × 8.3 14.8 × 21 1748 × 2480 Small booklets,
invitations.
A3 11.7 × 16.5 29.7 × 42 3508 × 4961 Posters, presentations,
large brochures.
Letter 8.5 × 11 21.6 × 27.9 2550 × 3300 Common in North
America for
documents.
Legal 8.5 × 14 21.6 × 35.6 2550 × 4200 Contracts, legal
documents.
Tabloid 11 × 17 27.9 × 43.2 3300 × 5100 Newsletters, small
posters.
Flyer 8.5 × 11 21.6 × 27.9 2550 × 3300 Single-page
(Standard) advertisements, event
promotion.
Brochure 8.5 × 11 21.6 × 27.9 2550 × 3300 Folded marketing
(Tri-Fold) materials, product
details.
Brochure 11 × 17 27.9 × 43.2 3300 × 5100 Folded pamphlets,
(Bi-Fold) menus, product guides.
4" × 6" 4×6 10.2 × 15.2 1200 × 1800 Standard photo print,
postcard.
5" × 7" 5×7 12.7 × 17.8 1500 × 2100 Greeting cards, photo
frames.
8" × 10" 8 × 10 20.3 × 25.4 2400 × 3000 Framed photos, small
posters.
YouTube 6.4 × 3.6 16.26 × 9.14 1280 × 720 Standard size for
Thumbnail YouTube video
thumbnails.
Instagram 5×5 12.7 × 12.7 1500 × 1500 Square format for
Post Instagram feed.
Instagram 9 × 16 22.86 × 40.64 1080 × 1920 Vertical format for
Story Instagram and
Facebook Stories.
 Facebook 8 × 4.2 20.32 × 10.67 1200 × 630 Shared posts, images,
Post or ads.
Facebook 8.46 × 3.15 21.5 × 8 851 × 315 Facebook page or
Cover profile covers.
Twitter Post 7×4 17.78 × 10.16 1200 × 675 Tweets with images or
ads.
LinkedIn 8 × 4.5 20.32 × 11.43 1200 × 627 Shared updates,
Post articles, or ads.
Pinterest Pin 2×3 5.08 × 7.62 1000 × 1500 Vertical pins
optimized for
Pinterest.
16" × 20" 16 × 20 40.6 × 50.8 4800 × 6000 Large framed photos,
art prints.
18" × 24" 18 × 24 45.7 × 61 5400 × 7200 Posters, displays.
24" × 36" 24 × 36 61 × 91.4 7200 × 10800 Large posters,
advertisements.
•

Quick Summary of Common Units

Unit Use Common Use Cases

Pixels Digital (Web, Social Media) Web design, UI, social media posts

Inches Print Flyers, posters, brochures, business cards

Centimeters Print (Metric system) Brochures, posters (Europe, metric countries)

Millimeters Print (Detailed design) Business cards, packaging, product labels

Points Typography (Font size) Font sizes, text formatting

Picas Typography (Design Layouts) Newspaper, magazine layout design

Feet Large Print (Banners, Large-scale print designs (e.g., billboards)

Billboards)

Percent Resizing/Scaling Resizing layers, creating responsive designs

Resolution Image Quality Determines sharpness for print or digital

(ppi/dpi) designs

Key Notes:
1. YouTube Thumbnail:
 o Optimal size is 1280 × 720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio).
o Use high-contrast visuals and readable text for better engagement.
2. Flyers and Brochures:
o Flyers are typically 8.5 × 11 inches, while brochures come in bi-fold or tri-
fold formats.
o Include bleed margins (usually 0.125 inches or 3 mm) for print-safe areas.
3. Social Media Sizes:
o Use the highest recommended dimensions to avoid compression artifacts.
o Save files in JPEG or PNG formats for best results.
Notes:
1. Pixel Dimensions: Calculated based on 300 PPI (standard for high-quality prints).
For lower resolutions like 150 PPI, divide pixel dimensions by 2.
2. Standard Resolutions:
o 300 PPI: Professional-quality printing.
o 150 PPI: Basic printing, often for large posters.
o 72 PPI: Screen use only (not suitable for print).
3. Regional Variations:
o A-series sizes: Used internationally (ISO 216 standard).
o Letter and Legal: Common in North America.
4. Bleed and Margins:
o Add 0.125 inches (3 mm) around edges for bleed to avoid cropping important
elements during printing.
Colour Mood
table explaining color modes, their types, and uses in design and production:

Color Acronym Description Primary Applications/Industrie

Mode Use s
RGB Red, Green, - Additive color Digital Web design, social
Blue mode where screens media, video,
colors are and presentations.
created by devices.
combining red,
green, and blue
light.
- Supports a
wide color
gamut and
vibrant colors.
CMYK Cyan, Magenta, - Subtractive Print Flyers, brochures,
Yellow, Key color mode used media. posters, packaging.
(Black) in printing
where colors are
created by
layering inks.
- Offers precise
control for
physical
printing
processes.
Pantone PMS (Pantone - Standardized Brand Corporate branding,
Matching color system consistenc logos, premium
System) with pre-mixed y and packaging.
inks for
 consistency specialty
across different printing.
materials.
Grayscal N/A - Uses shades of Black-and- Newsletters,
e gray, ranging white photography,
from black to printing or minimalistic design.
white, to design.
represent
images or
designs.
LAB Lightness, A - Device- Color High-end photo editing,
(Green-Red), B independent correction color adjustments.
(Blue-Yellow) color model and
based on human editing.
perception of
color.
Indexed N/A - Limited palette Optimizing GIFs, icons, simple web
of colors (up to web graphics.
256) used to graphics
reduce file size for fast
for web loading.
graphics.
HSB/HS Hue, Saturation, - Describes Color Graphic design, photo
V Brightness/Valu colors based on selection in editing.
e human digital
perception, design
using hue, tools.
saturation, and
brightness/value
.

Key Notes:
1. RGB (Digital Use):
o Used for designs meant for screens (websites, social media, apps, etc.).
o Displays colors through light; colors may appear brighter than in print.
o Resolution typically measured in PPI (Pixels Per Inch).
2. CMYK (Print Use):
o Used for designs intended for physical printing.
 o Colors may appear duller on screen compared to RGB but are accurate for
print.
o Resolution typically measured in DPI (Dots Per Inch).
3. Pantone:
o Ensures exact color matching across various printing methods.
o Ideal for branding to maintain consistent visual identity.
4. Grayscale:
o Simplifies designs by removing color, using only tones of gray.
o Commonly used for drafts, sketches, and monochromatic printing.
5. LAB:
o Ideal for professional photo editing as it represents a wide range of colors
beyond RGB and CMYK.
o Device-independent, ensuring consistency across platforms.
6. When to Use:
o RGB: Anything digital.
o CMYK: Anything printed.
o Pantone: Branding and specialty projects.
o Grayscale: Black-and-white or minimalistic projects.

Adobe Photoshop Interface:

ToolBar
Collapsed Toolbar Overview
The collapsed toolbar is a compact version of the default Photoshop toolbar, where tools are
grouped under a single icon. You can expand hidden tools by clicking and holding on the
visible tool icon or by using shortcut keys.

1. Selection Tools
Tool Group Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Key
Move Tool None Moves selected areas, layers, V
or guides.
Marquee Tools - Rectangular Marquee Creates rectangular or square M
Tool selections.
- Elliptical Marquee Creates circular or elliptical Shift + M
Tool selections.
- Single Row/Column Selects a single row or Shift + M
Marquee Tool column of pixels.
 Lasso Tools - Lasso Tool Draws freehand selections. L
- Polygonal Lasso Tool Creates straight-edged Shift + L
selections.
- Magnetic Lasso Tool Snaps the selection border to Shift + L
edges in the image.
Quick - Quick Selection Tool Selects areas based on W
Selection Tools similar color and texture.
- Magic Wand Tool Selects areas of similar color Shift + W
with a single click.

2. Crop and Slice Tools

Tool Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Group Key
Crop - Crop Tool Crops or trims an image. C
Tools
- Perspective Crop Crops and corrects the perspective of Shift + C
Tool an image.
Slice - Slice Tool Divides an image into slices for web None
Tools design.
- Slice Select Tool Selects and edits slices. None

3. Retouching Tools
Tool Group Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Key
Spot Healing - Spot Healing Removes blemishes and J
Tools Brush Tool imperfections automatically.
- Healing Brush Repairs imperfections using a Shift + J
Tool sampled area or pattern.
- Patch Tool Repairs selected areas using a Shift + J
sample or pattern.
- Content-Aware Moves selected objects and fills the Shift + J
Move Tool background intelligently.
- Red Eye Tool Removes red-eye from Shift + J
photographs.
 Clone Tools - Clone Stamp Tool Duplicates pixels from a sampled S
area.
- Pattern Stamp Paints using a selected pattern. Shift + S
Tool
Eraser Tools - Eraser Tool Erases pixels to transparency or E
background color.
- Background Removes background areas based Shift + E
Eraser Tool on color.
- Magic Eraser Erases areas of similar color with Shift + E
Tool one click.
Blur/Sharpen - Blur Tool Softens edges or reduces details in R
Tools an image.
- Sharpen Tool Enhances details by increasing Shift + R
contrast.
- Smudge Tool Smears pixels, mimicking a finger Shift + R
smudging wet paint.
Dodge/Burn - Dodge Tool Lightens specific areas of an image. O
Tools
- Burn Tool Darkens specific areas of an image. Shift + O
- Sponge Tool Adjusts the saturation of specific Shift + O
areas.

4. Painting Tools
Tool Group Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Key
Brush Tools - Brush Tool Paints soft strokes with adjustable size B
and opacity.
- Pencil Tool Paints hard-edged strokes. Shift + B
- Color Replaces a specific color while Shift + B
Replacement Tool preserving texture and shading.
- Mixer Brush Tool Simulates realistic painting by Shift + B
blending colors.
Gradient - Gradient Tool Creates smooth color transitions. G
Tools
- Paint Bucket Tool Fills areas with a solid color or pattern. Shift + G
5. Drawing and Type Tools
Tool Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Group Key
Type - Horizontal Type Adds horizontal text to an image. T
Tools Tool
- Vertical Type Tool Adds vertical text to an image. Shift + T
- Horizontal Type Creates a text selection horizontally. Shift + T
Mask Tool
- Vertical Type Mask Creates a text selection vertically. Shift + T
Tool
Pen Tools - Pen Tool Draws precise paths and shapes. P
- Freeform Pen Tool Draws freehand paths. Shift + P
- Add Anchor Point Adds anchor points to a path. None
Tool
- Delete Anchor Removes anchor points from a path. None
Point Tool
- Convert Point Tool Converts anchor points between smooth None
and corner points.
Shape - Rectangle Tool Draws rectangles or squares. U
Tools
- Ellipse Tool Draws circles or ellipses. Shift + U
- Polygon Tool Draws polygons with customizable Shift + U
sides.
- Line Tool Draws straight lines. Shift + U
- Custom Shape Tool Draws predefined custom shapes. Shift + U

6. Navigation Tools
Tool Group Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut Key
Hand Tool None Moves the canvas within the workspace. H
Zoom Tool None Zooms in or out on the canvas. Z

7. Miscellaneous Tools
 Tool Group Collapsed Tools Use Shortcut
Key
Eyedropper - Eyedropper Samples colors from the image. I
Tools Tool
- Ruler Tool Measures distances, angles, and Shift + I
alignments.
- Note Tool Adds notes to the canvas. Shift + I
- Count Tool Counts objects in an image. Shift + I

How to Collapse or Expand the Toolbar

1. Collapse Toolbar: Click the double arrows at the top of the toolbar to switch
between the collapsed and expanded views.
2. Shortcut to Expand Hidden Tools: Press and hold the Shift + Shortcut Key to
toggle through the tools in a group.
o Example: For the Lasso Tool group (L), pressing Shift + L toggles between
Lasso Tool, Polygonal Lasso Tool, and Magnetic Lasso Tool.

Tips for Working with the Collapsed Toolbar

• Customization: Rearrange or hide tools using Edit > Toolbar.
• Restore Default Toolbar: Reset the toolbar by selecting Edit > Toolbar > Restore
Defaults.
• Quick Access: Memorize the primary shortcut keys (V, M, L, C, etc.) to save time.

Photoshop tips for easy reference:

Category Tip Shortcut Key (if

applicable)
General Learn frequently used shortcuts for —
efficiency.
Cycle through collapsed tools in a Shift + [Tool Shortcut]
group.
Reset a tool to its default settings. Right-click tool icon >
Reset Tool
 Undo multiple steps. Ctrl + Alt + Z (Windows) /
Cmd + Opt + Z (Mac)
Selection Tools Add to a selection. Hold Shift while selecting
Subtract from a selection. Hold Alt (Windows) /
Option (Mac)
Feather edges for smoother Adjust Feather in Options
selections. Bar
Crop Tool Cycle through crop overlays like Rule O (while using Crop Tool)
of Thirds or Golden Ratio.
Brush Tool Increase/decrease brush size. [/]
Sample a color while painting. Hold Alt (Windows) /
Option (Mac)
Clone Stamp Sample a source area to duplicate Hold Alt (Windows) /
Tool pixels. Option (Mac)
Type Tool Resize text quickly using Free Ctrl + T (Windows) / Cmd
Transform. + T (Mac)
Layers Duplicate a layer instantly. Ctrl + J (Windows) / Cmd
+ J (Mac)
Navigation Zoom in and out. Ctrl + + / Ctrl + -
(Windows)
Cmd + + / Cmd + - (Mac)
Pan across the canvas. Hold Spacebar
Fit the canvas to the screen. Ctrl + 0 (Windows) / Cmd
+ 0 (Mac)
Customization Rearrange the toolbar to prioritize Edit > Toolbar
frequently used tools.
Save a custom workspace layout for Window > Workspace >
specific workflows. New Workspace
Performance Increase Photoshop's allocated Preferences >
memory for faster processing. Performance
Use Smart Objects for non- —
destructive editing.
Adjust the number of undo states to Preferences >
avoid running out of history. Performance
 Saving & Save your work frequently to avoid Ctrl + S (Windows) / Cmd
Workflow data loss. + S (Mac)
Toggle visibility of all toolbars and Tab
panels for a clutter-free workspace.
Reset zoom to 100%. Double-click Zoom Tool

This table provides a concise and organized way to reference helpful Photoshop tips!