How To Move Layers Up In Photoshop

Photoshop Layers Essential Power Shortcuts

From creating, copying and selecting layers to blend modes, clipping masks and more, learn how to speed up your Photoshop workflow with these essential layers shortcuts!

When it comes to getting the almost out of Photoshop with the least amount of effort, there are two things we absolutely demand to know—how to use layers, and how to utilise keyboard shortcuts. Layers keep our work flexible, while keyboard shortcuts aid us complete our goals every bit quickly as possible.

In this tutorial, I've combined the two and rounded upwardly Photoshop's essential keyboard shortcuts for working with layers! Learning these powerful shortcuts will increase your productivity, and they'll heave your confidence as you take a giant bound forward on the route to Photoshop mastery!

This updated version of the tutorial is for Photoshop CS6 (which is what I'll exist using) and is fully compatible with Photoshop CC. If you're using Photoshop CS5 or earlier, yous'll desire to bank check out the original version of this tutorial. Allow'southward get started!

The Essential Layers Shortcuts

Show And Hide The Layers Panel

By default, Photoshop'due south Layers panel appears in the panel column along the right of the screen:

The Layers console opens in the lower right of Photoshop's interface.

You can bear witness or hide the Layers panel by pressing the F7 key on your keyboard. Press F7 once to hide the Layers panel. Printing F7 again to prove information technology. Notation that this volition also show and hide the Channels and Paths panels since they're nested in with the Layers panel in the same console grouping:

A closer view of the Layers panel.

Naming A New Layer

The normal manner to create a new layer in Photoshop is to click the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Clicking the New Layer icon.

Problem is, Photoshop gives the new layer a generic proper noun, similar "Layer 1", which doesn't tell usa anything most what the layer will exist used for:

Photoshop'southward generic layer names are not very helpful.

A better mode to create a new layer is to printing and hold the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) central on your keyboard as you click the New Layer icon:

Holding Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) while clicking the New Layer icon.

This tells Photoshop to starting time popular open the New Layer dialog box where we can proper noun the layer before it's added. For instance, if I was going to use the Clone Stamp Tool on this layer, I could name the layer "Cloning":

Giving the layer a more descriptive name.

Click OK to accept the name and close out of the New Layer dialog box. Here, we meet my new "Cloning" layer in the Layers panel:

The new layer appears with the custom name.

Creating A New Layer From The Keyboard

Nosotros can also create new layers directly from the keyboard without needing to click the New Layer icon at all. To create a new layer from your keyboard, press Shift+Ctrl+N (Win) / Shift+Command+N (Mac). Photoshop volition pop open the New Layer dialog box so you can give the layer a descriptive name.

If you don't care nigh the layer'due south proper name, press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+N (Win) / Shift+Command+Option+N (Mac) on your keyboard. This will bypass the New Layer dialog box and but add the new layer with one of Photoshop's generic names (like "Layer 2").

Copy A Layer, Or Copy A Selection To A New Layer

To rapidly make a copy of a layer, or to re-create a selection to a new layer, press Ctrl+J (Win) / Control+J (Mac). Hither, I've made a copy of my Background layer. Notice that Photoshop automatically named the re-create "Layer 1". If you want to name the layer yourself before it's added, press Ctrl+Alt+J (Win) / Control+Selection+J (Mac) which volition open up the New Layer dialog box:

Making a copy of the Background layer by pressing Ctrl+J (Win) / Control+J (Mac).

Copying A Layer While Moving Information technology

To copy and motion a layer at the aforementioned fourth dimension, first select the layer you demand in the Layers panel. And then press the letter V on your keyboard to select the Movement Tool. Press and hold your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key as yous click and drag on the layer in the certificate to move it. Rather than moving the original layer, you'll motion a copy of the layer while the original stays in place.

Adding A New Layer Below The Currently Selected Layer

By default, Photoshop adds new layers above the layer that'due south currently selected in the Layers panel, but nosotros can also add new layers below the currently selected layer. Discover in this screenshot that my top layer (Layer ane) is selected. To tell Photoshop to add together a new layer beneath information technology, all I need to practice is press and hold the Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key on my keyboard as I click the New Layer icon. If I wanted to name the new layer at the same time (which I'grand not going to do), I'd press and hold Ctrl+Alt (Win / Command+Selection (Mac) instead:

Belongings Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) while clicking the New Layer icon.

Photoshop adds the new layer, and because I was holding my Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key, it places the new layer below Layer i rather than above information technology. Note that this trick does not work when the Background layer is selected, since Photoshop does not allow us to place layers below the Groundwork layer:

The new layer appears below the layer that was previously selected.

Select All Layers At Once

To select all layers at once, press Ctrl+Alt+A (Win) / Command+Option+A (Mac). Note that this selects all layers except the Groundwork layer:

Pressing Ctrl+Alt+A (Win) / Control+Pick+A (Mac) to select all layers (except the Background layer).

Selecting Multiple Layers

To select multiple layers that are face-to-face (that is, direct above or beneath each other), click on the height layer to select it, then press and hold your Shift fundamental and click on the bottom layer (or vice versa). This will select the top layer, the bottom layer, and all layers in betwixt. Here, I've clicked on the "Dancer" layer, then Shift-clicked on the "Shadow" layer. Photoshop selected both layers plus the "Colour Fill up 1" layer between them:

Selecting face-to-face layers.

Some other way to select multiple layers that are all straight in a higher place or below each other is to press and hold Shift+Alt (Win) / Shift+Option (Mac) and utilize the left and right bracket keys ( [ and ] ) on your keyboard. The right bracket key will add the layer higher up the currently selected layer to your choice. Proceed pressing it to movement up the layer stack and select more than layers. The left subclass key volition add the layer below the currently selected layer. Press it repeatedly to move downwardly the layer stack adding more layers.

To select multiple layers that are non-contiguous (not directly in a higher place or below each other), press and agree your Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) central and click on each layer you desire to select:

Selecting not-contiguous layers.

Scroll Through The Layers

To scroll through the layers in the Layers panel, printing and hold Alt (Win) / Choice (Mac) and use your left and right bracket keys ( [ and ] ). The correct subclass primal scrolls up through the layers; the left subclass key scrolls downward.

Move Layers Upward And Down The Layer Stack

To motility the selected layer up or downwardly the layer stack, press and hold Ctrl (Win) / Control (Mac) and use your left and correct subclass keys ( [ and ] ). The right bracket key moves the layer upwardly; the left bracket key moves it down. Note that this does not work with the Groundwork layer since you lot can't move the Groundwork layer. Also, you lot won't be able to move any other layers below the Background layer.

Jump A Layer Directly To The Top Or Bottom Of The Layer Stack

To instantly jump the selected layer straight to the top of the layer stack, press Shift+Ctrl+] (Win) / Shift+Command+] (Mac). Here, I've jumped my "Color Fill up one" layer to the top:

Jumping the selected layer to the summit of the stack.

To jump the selected layer to the bottom of the layer stack, or at least to the spot just above the Groundwork layer (since we tin can't place layers below the Background layer), press Shift+Ctrl+[ (Win) / Shift+Command+[ (Mac). Again, neither one of these shortcuts works with the Background layer:

Jumping the selected layer to the lesser of the stack (higher up the Groundwork layer).

Prove And Hibernate Layers

If you've been using Photoshop for a while, you probably know that you lot can temporarily hide a layer in the document by clicking its visibility icon (the eyeball) in the Layers panel:

Click the visibility (eyeball) icon to toggle a layer on or off.

What you may not know is that you lot can temporarily hide every layer except for that one layer by pressing and holding your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) cardinal every bit you lot click the visibility icon. Notice that the eyeball is at present visible only for my "Dancer" layer, which tells us that every other layer in the certificate is now hidden. But that one layer remains visible. To turn all the layers back on, once once more press and hold Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click the same visibility icon.

Alt-clicking (Win) / Option-clicking (Mac) toggles all other layers on and off.

Viewing Layers One At A Fourth dimension

One very helpful trick many people don't know about is that afterwards y'all've Alt-clicked (Win) / Selection-clicked (Mac) on a layer'due south visibility icon to hide all layers except for that ane layer, you can then curlicue through your layers, showing them one at a time, past keeping your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key held down and pressing the left and correct bracket keys ( [ and ] ).

The correct bracket fundamental will roll up through the layers; the left subclass cardinal volition scroll downwards. As yous go far at each new layer, Photoshop will make that layer visible in the document and leave all the others hidden. This makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to scroll through your layers and see exactly what's on each 1.

Select The Contents Of A Layers

To select the contents of a layer, press and hold your Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) primal and click direct on the layer's preview thumbnail in the Layers panel. A selection outline will appear around the layer's contents in the document:

Holding Ctrl (Win) / Control (Mac) and clicking on the layer's preview thumbnail.

Select The Entire Layer

To select the entire layer itself, not only its contents, first click on the layer to arrive agile, then press Ctrl+A (Win) / Command+A (Mac) on your keyboard.

Create A New Group From Layers

To quickly create a layer group from your selected layers, starting time select the layers you want to include (we covered selecting multiple layers earlier):

Selecting the layers to place inside the grouping.

Then, with the layers selected, press Ctrl+G (Win) / Control+G (Mac) on your keyboard. Photoshop will create a new layer group and place your selected layers within information technology. To ungroup the layers, press Shift+Ctrl+One thousand (Win) / Shift+Command+Chiliad (Mac):

Press Ctrl+Thousand (Win) / Command+M (Mac) to grouping layers.

Merging Layers

To merge a layer with the layer directly below it in the Layers console, press Ctrl+E (Win) / Control+E (Mac).

To merge multiple layers together, first select the layers you want to merge, then press Ctrl+Due east (Win) / Command+East (Mac).

To merge two or more layers onto a new layer while however keeping the original layers, first select the layers you want to merge, then press Ctrl+Alt+E (Win) / Command+Option+E (Mac).

To merge all layers and flatten the image onto a unmarried layer, printing Shift+Ctrl+E (Win) / Shift+Command+Due east (Mac).

To merge all layers onto a new, divide layer and go on the originals, press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+Eastward (Win) / Shift+Command+Selection+Due east (Mac).

Create A Clipping Mask

In that location'southward a couple of quick ways to create clipping masks in Photoshop using keyboard shortcuts. The commencement way is to hover your mouse cursor directly over the dividing line betwixt 2 layers in the Layers panel. And so, press and hold your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) cardinal and click. The top layer will exist clipped to the layer below it. Do the same thing once again to release the clipping mask:

With Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) held down, your mouse cursor volition change into a clipping mask icon.

Another way to create a clipping mask is to first select the layer that should exist clipped to the layer below it. Then press Ctrl+Alt+G (Win) / Command+Option+G (Mac) on your keyboard. Pressing the aforementioned shortcut again will release the mask.

Cycle Through Layer Blend Modes

When trying to decide which layer blend style to utilise, virtually people choose i from the Alloy Mode drib-downward list in the top left corner of the Layers console to see what effect it has on their image. So, they cull a different one from the list to view the outcome. Then so they choose another, and another, and so on. There's a much better way.

To easily cycle through Photoshop'due south layer blend modes and preview the results, press and hold your Shift key and use the plus ( + ) and minus ( - ) keys on your keyboard. The plus fundamental scrolls downward through the list; the minus key scrolls upwardly.

Notation, though, that some of Photoshop's tools, similar the diverse brush tools, shape tools and the Gradient Tool, take their own alloy modes to choose from. Using this keyboard shortcut with one of these tools selected will wheel you through the tool's blend modes, not the layer alloy modes::

Concur Shift and use the plus and minus keys to bicycle through the blend modes.

Yous can likewise jump to specific blend modes from the keyboard. For a consummate list of blend manner shortcuts, check out our Layer Blend Modes Essential Keyboard Shortcuts tutorial.

Irresolute The Layer Opacity

To quickly change the opacity of a layer, first press the alphabetic character Five on your keyboard to select Photoshop's Motion Tool, then type a number. Type "5" for 50% opacity, "8" for 80%, "3" for 30%, and so on. If yous need a more specific opacity value, like 25%, type "25" quickly. For 100% opacity, type "0". Whatever opacity value you enter appears in the Opacity option in the peak right corner of the Layers panel (across from the Blend Fashion choice):

Select a layer in the Layers console, then type a number to change the its Opacity value.

You don't technically need to have the Move Tool selected for this shortcut to work, but you practice need to have a tool selected that does non accept its ain contained Opacity pick (otherwise you lot'll change the tool'south opacity, non the layer opacity). The Move Tool does not have its own Opacity choice, and since it'southward located at the top of the Tools panel, it's the easiest to select.

Changing The Fill Value

We can also alter a layer'southward Make full value from the keyboard in much the aforementioned way. The Fill up choice is located directly under the Opacity selection, and like Opacity, Fill controls the transparency of a layer. The difference betwixt them is that Opacity controls the transparency level for both the contents of the layer and any layer styles practical to it, while Fill ignores any layer styles and affects only the layer's actual contents. See our Layer Opacity vs Fill tutorial for more than details.

To modify the Fill value from the keyboard, press and agree Shift, then type in the new value:

Hold Shift and type a number to change the Fill value.

Deleting A Layer

Finally, to delete a layer, rather than dragging information technology down onto the Trash Bin at the lesser of the Layers panel, only press Backspace (Win) / Delete (Mac) on your keyboard.

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