Speed Up Your Photoshop Work With Layer Shortcuts




Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Photoshop Layer Shortcuts
What are the most essential Photoshop layer shortcuts I should know?
Photoshop layer shortcuts can significantly speed up your workflow. Some of the most essential ones include Ctrl+J (Cmd+J on Mac) to duplicate a layer, Ctrl+Shift+N (Cmd+Shift+N on Mac) to create a new layer, and Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N (Cmd+Shift+Option+N on Mac) to create a new layer without the dialog box. Additionally, using the bracket keys [ and ] can decrease and increase brush size, respectively, which is particularly useful when working on layers with brushes.
How can I quickly select layers using keyboard shortcuts?
You can quickly select layers using the Alt+[ or Alt+] shortcuts (Option+[ or Option+] on Mac). These shortcuts allow you to move up or down through your layers. If you add Shift to the shortcut (Alt+Shift+[ or Alt+Shift+]), you can select multiple layers at once.
Is there a shortcut to hide or show layers in Photoshop?
Yes, you can easily hide or show layers in Photoshop using the shortcut Ctrl+comma (Cmd+comma on Mac). This will toggle the visibility of the selected layer. If you want to hide all other layers except the one you’re working on, Alt-click (Option-click on Mac) on the eye icon next to the layer.
How can I use shortcuts to change the blending mode of a layer?
You can change the blending mode of a layer by first ensuring the layer is selected, then pressing Shift+plus/minus to cycle through the blending modes. This can be a great time-saver when experimenting with different effects.
What is the shortcut for flattening layers in Photoshop?
The shortcut for flattening layers in Photoshop is Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (Cmd+Option+Shift+E on Mac). This creates a new layer that is a flattened version of all visible layers, which can be useful for applying effects to multiple layers at once.
How can I use shortcuts to adjust layer opacity in Photoshop?
You can adjust layer opacity by simply selecting the layer and pressing the numbers on your keyboard. For example, pressing 1 sets the opacity to 10%, pressing 5 sets it to 50%, and pressing 0 sets it to 100%. If you press two numbers quickly, you can set specific values, like 37% for pressing 3 and 7.
Is there a shortcut to link layers in Photoshop?
Yes, you can link layers in Photoshop by selecting the layers you want to link and then pressing Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (Cmd+Option+Shift+E on Mac). This will create a new layer that is a composite of the linked layers.
How can I use shortcuts to move layers in the layers panel?
You can move layers in the layers panel using the shortcuts Ctrl+[ and Ctrl+] (Cmd+[ and Cmd+] on Mac). These shortcuts move the selected layer up or down in the stack.
What is the shortcut for creating a clipping mask in Photoshop?
The shortcut for creating a clipping mask in Photoshop is Ctrl+Alt+G (Cmd+Option+G on Mac). This is useful for applying adjustments to specific layers.
How can I use shortcuts to group and ungroup layers in Photoshop?
You can group layers by selecting them and pressing Ctrl+G (Cmd+G on Mac), and ungroup layers by selecting the group and pressing Ctrl+Shift+G (Cmd+Shift+G on Mac). This is useful for organizing your layers and keeping your workspace tidy.
Jennifer Farley is a designer, illustrator and design instructor based in Ireland. She writes about design and illustration on her blog at Laughing Lion Design.
Published in
·Canvas & SVG·Design·Design & UX·HTML·HTML & CSS·Illustration·UI Design·September 16, 2015