5 Photoshop Shortcuts/Tricks To Boost Productivity

Reader Douglas R. wrote in and asked if I can share few tricks and shortcuts to work around Photoshop more efficiently. I thought that’s an interesting topic, but that being said, depending on your job nature you’ll tend to have different list of frequently-used shortcuts.

As a designer cum developer, here’s 5 Photoshop shortcuts/tricks I frequently use. If you have something cool to share, feel free to leave them in comment box.

1. Smart object and Smart filters

In short, Smart Object and Smart Filter allow you to revert the actions made on images; let it be effects, filters or different sizes. In another word, once you’ve converted them to Smart objects/filters, they are non-destructive, original state and be easily recovered when wrong decisions are made.

Smart Objects

An image, after converting to Smart Object allows you resize to any dimension without loosing the image quality. To convert an image to Smart Object, right click on image layer, select Convert to Smart Object.

Smart Filters

An image, after converting to Smart Filter allow you to remove and re-apply filters without needed to bring back original image and start all over again.

2. Absolute Positioning

Say you have a canvas size of 500×300 and you want to place the iMac icon right in the center/middle. By positioning the icon manually with mouse, or perhaps with some Photoshop ruler guidance I argue it’ll be slightly inaccurate and it’s time consuming.

Here’s a simpler way. Simply highlight the canvas size, make sure you are selecting the iMac layer, select the Move Tool (v) and click on these 2 buttons on the top.

Align vertical centers
Align horizontal centers

You can be rest-assured that your icon is now absolutely center/middle.

3. The Hand Tool

You’ve got a big size file but a rather a small working canvas, if navigation from places to places within the canvas is troublesome, try the hand tool. Hold spacebar (your cursor will turn to a hand symbol) + left mouse click to move around your canvas. A pretty handy shortcut.

4. Layer Comps

Layer Comps is great in controlling the visibility of combination of layers and folders. They are extremely useful when you need to communicate your design with your peers, superiors or clients. It allows you to on/off any layers and folders at ease. All you need to do is define each visible screen to a layer comp.

Layer Comps can be found at Windows -> Layer Comps.

5. Zoom Reset In 1 Click

I think it’s a designer’s habit to zoom deep into a specific part, do some adjusting or tweaks and then move on to others. You can zoom into a opened Photoshop document by using alt + control + ‘+‘. To zoom really deep, just keep pressing the ‘+ (plus sign)’

No mater how many times you’ve zoomed in, you’ll just need one command to reset back to original size. Here’s the keyboard shortcut you need, alt + control + 0 (Windows), option + command + 0 (Mac)

Comments

Xavier August 4th, 2008

Wow! HongKiat, you are one of the most tech savvy guy in the tech arena! Your tips are absolutely great, really benefit those Photoshop users! Thanks!

Xavier Lur, the World’s Youngest Professional Blogger

http://www.KidTechGuru.blogspot.com
Reply
NOT AN ALIEN August 5th, 2008

Here’s another a lot of people don’t know: when drawing a selection marquee with the polygonal lasso tool, BACKSPACE removes the last clicked position.
Reply
Wendy August 5th, 2008

I use Option-Command-C (Mac) a lot to resize my canvas size.
Reply
PenangTuaPui August 5th, 2008

what a good shortcut key.. i always use the ruler to align the photo… do until eye blur…

then i think i can make a better photo watermarking on my PenangTuaPui food blog liao…
Reply
ash September 18th, 2008

Actually command option 0 = 100% and command 0 = Fit to screen
for PC it’s Control instead of command.

Try hitting the F key. It swaps between view modes which is a great shortcut too and the X key swaps background and foreground colours.
Reply
Alex October 5th, 2008

Double clicking the hand tool icon on the toolbar zooms the image to ‘fit to screen’.

Double clicking the zoom tool on the toolbar zooms the image to 100%.

Just another way of doing it…
Reply
Eric-from-Boston December 12th, 2008

the best one you just showed me is #4 Layer Comps – that would make things a little bit easier – off to try, thanks!
Reply
Anomaly December 25th, 2008

I think one of the most invaluable efficiency tactics is something that isn’t even in Photoshop (but should be built into the program)…The Expose function in the Mac OS is EXTREMELY handy when working with multiple images, which I do daily. When I use Photoshop on the PC, I SERIOUSLY miss this function.

Are you listening Adobe?
Reply
Clip-art April 25th, 2009

thank you so much for the info..
Reply
Jason Collin Photography October 2nd, 2009

I look forward to using the option-command-0 shortcut tonight. Thanks!
Reply
antónio November 14th, 2009

i have a cs4 trial photoshop
i open de softwaere ande de foto looks very bed, is not possible to understend to see what do you have see
Reply
Jazzikins December 4th, 2009

This is great. I found the ctrl + 0 thing on accident once, and have been using it religiously ever since.

I look forward to using the Smart Filter, I never knew that existed. That’s one thing I hate about filters and so I have tried to avoid them until now.

Thanks for this post. I’ve already retweeted it.
Reply