• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Matt Doyle | Elated Communications

Web and WordPress Development

  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Design & Multimedia
      • Photoshop
      • Paint Shop Pro
      • Video & Audio
    • Online Marketing
      • E-Commerce
      • Social Media
    • Running a Website
      • WordPress
      • Apache
      • UNIX and Linux
      • Using FTP
    • Web Development
      • HTML
      • CSS
      • JavaScript
      • PHP
      • Perl and CGI Scripting
  • Portfolio
  • Contact Me
  • Hire Me
Home / Blog / Design & Multimedia / Photoshop / Selecting Layers in Photoshop

Selecting Layers in Photoshop

16 July 2007 / 21 Comments

If you’ve used Photoshop for any length of time, you no doubt use layers fairly extensively. They’re a great way to compose a design, because they let you edit and move design elements independently of each other. (If you’re new to layers in Photoshop, take a look at our Introduction to layers tutorial.)

Of course, to edit and manipulate a layer, you need to select it. Sometimes you want to select more than one layer at once. And sometimes, if your document has lots of layers, you want to select a layer quickly by clicking it in the document window. This tutorial walks you through all these techniques, and more, and explores the myriad ways of selecting layers in Photoshop.

We won’t be talking about selecting pixels on a layer here. This tutorial focuses on selecting layers themselves. For a thorough look at selecting pixels within layers, check out the Selecting stuff tutorial.

Selecting layers in the Layers palette

You’re no doubt aware that you can select a single layer for editing by clicking it in the Layers palette:

Selecting a layer in the Layers palette
Click a layer in the Layers palette to select it

When you select a layer, its background goes a darker colour. If you select just one layer, it’s often called the active layer. Most Photoshop features, such as the painting tools, the adjustments under Image > Adjustments, and the filters under the Filter menu, work on the active layer.

You can deselect all layers, if you’re so inclined. To do this, click in the empty space below the layers in the Layers palette, or click one layer in the palette then Ctrl+click (Win) or Command+click (Mac) the same layer to deselect it.

Selecting more than one layer

Often it’s handy to select more than one layer at once. For example, if you select a bunch of layers you can move them around together with the Move tool, or drag them around together in the Layers palette. You can also merge them together by choosing Layer > Merge Layers.

To select more than one layer, Ctrl+click (Win) or Command+click (Mac) each layer that you want to select. To deselect a selected layer, Ctrl/Command+click it again.

Selecting multiple layers in the Layers palette
To select multiple layers, Ctrl/Command+click each layer

To quickly select a bunch of layers that are next to each other in the Layers palette, Shift+click the top layer, then Shift+click the bottom layer (or the other way round if you prefer).

Keyboard shortcuts for selecting layers

You can also use the keyboard to select layers. To select the layer below the active layer, press Alt+[ (Win) or Option+[ (Mac). To select the layer above the active layer, press Alt/Option+].

To select a bunch of contiguous layers with the keyboard, select the first layer, then use Alt+Shift+[ (Win) or Option+Shift+[ (Mac) to add layers below to the selection, or Alt+Shift+]/Option+Shift+] to add layers above to the selection.

You can select the top layer in the Layers palette by pressing Alt+. (Win) or Option+. (Mac). To select the bottom layer, press Alt+, (Win) or Option+, (Mac).

To select all layers between the active layer and the top layer, press Alt+Shift+. (Win) or Option+Shift+. (Mac). To select the layers between the active layer and the bottom layer, press – you guessed it – Alt+Shift+, (Win) or Option+Shift+, (Mac).

Selecting multiple layers quickly

Photoshop gives you a few handy ways to quickly select lots of layers at once. You can select layers of the same type, you can select layers that are linked together, and you can select all layers in your document.

Selecting layers of the same type

You can quickly select layers of the same type. For example, you can instantly select all type layers in your document, or all adjustment layers.

To do this, select a layer, then choose Select > Similar Layers, or right-click the layer and choose Select Similar Layers.

Selecting linked layers

If you’ve linked some layers together, you can select them all in one go by selecting one of the linked layers and choosing Layer > Select Linked Layers.

Selecting all layers

To select all layers in the document – apart from the Background layer – choose Select > All Layers, or press Ctrl+Alt+A (Win) or Command+Option+A (Mac).

Selecting layers in the document window

As well as selecting layers using the Layers palette and the keyboard, you can select layers directly in the document window. This is very handy if you have a lot of layers in your document, or if you’re not sure which layer is which in the Layers palette.

Using Auto-Select

Photoshop’s Move tool features a handy Auto-Select feature that selects layers or groups when you click them in the document window.

To use this feature, select the Move tool in the toolbox, select the Auto-Select checkbox in the options bar, and select Layer from the menu to the right of the checkbox. Now click a layer in the document window to select it.

To select a group, select Group from the Auto-Select menu, and click one of the group’s layers in the document window.

Selecting a layer using Auto-Select
Use Auto-Select to select layers or groups by clicking them in the document window
You can also use this trick from most other tools by Ctrl+clicking (Win) / Command+clicking (Mac) the layer in the document window, provided the Move tool’s Auto-Select option is available.

To select multiple layers or groups this way, hold down Shift while clicking in the document window.

Using a keyboard shortcut

This little-known shortcut is a fantastic way to select a layer. Simply Ctrl+Alt+right-click (Win) or Command+Option+right-click (Mac) the layer in the document window. This works from within all tools except the Hand tool, and it works regardless of the Move tool’s Auto-Select setting.

If you’re using a one-button mouse on your Mac, Command+Option+Control+click the layer instead.

Throw in the Shift key as well to select multiple layers.

Rubber-band selection

This is another little-known Photoshop trick. Select the Move tool, and make sure Auto-Select is disabled in the options bar. Ctrl+click (Win) or Command+click (Mac) anywhere in the Background layer in the document window (or, if you don’t have a Background layer, click a transparent area), then drag out a marquee. As you drag, any layer that falls inside the marquee is selected.

This trick is a fantastic way to quickly select a bunch of clustered layers in the document window.

Rubber-band selection
Select the Move tool, then Ctrl/Command+drag in the document window to quickly select a bunch of layers.

Selecting layers buried under other layers

What if the layer you want to select sits under another layer in the document window? No problem – just select the Move tool, then right-click the top layer in the document window. You’ll see a pop-up menu appear, showing you all the layers and groups underneath the point you clicked. Click a layer or group to select it.

One-button mouse users on the Mac can Control+click in the document window to do the same thing.
Selecting buried layers in the document window
Right-click with the Move tool in the document window to choose the layer you want to select

You can select multiple layers by Shift+right-clicking the top layer.

To select all layers of the same type as the one you clicked on, choose Select Similar Layers from the pop-up menu.

You can also use this technique outside the Move tool by Ctrl+right-clicking (Win) or Command+right-clicking (Mac) the top layer.

As you can see, Photoshop gives you a wealth of techniques for selecting layers, from clicking in the Layers palette through to selecting layers in the document window. You’ll probably find that you use only one or two techniques most of the time, but they’re all worth knowing. For example, there are situations where the rubber-band technique will save you lots of time and effort. Happy selecting!

Filed Under: Photoshop Tagged With: auto select, marquee, move tool, multiple layers, right-click

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BK says

    6 February 2013 at 4:23 am

    Thanks was very helpful will save a lot of time at my workplace.

    Reply
  2. Aisland3 says

    19 February 2013 at 9:00 am

    Thanks!!

    It’s very helpful…

    Reply
  3. Moremoe says

    13 May 2013 at 10:17 am

    Thx for the great article.Here is a little problem in Photoshop CS6 to use Rubber-band selection.It didn’t work for me.Anyone got the same problem???

    Reply
  4. mguerra79 says

    14 May 2013 at 6:08 am

    Hi guys! Thanks for the tutorial. I’m proud to say that I knew 99% of it, only one or two «tricks» that in Portuguese keyboards don’t work due to keys positions. Well, even those I knew a few… lucky me, ahahah!

    Cheers from Portugal!

    Márcio Guerra

    Reply
  5. ESHWOR KC says

    1 July 2013 at 9:05 am

    it is very useful …. thank u so much

    Reply
  6. smoonly says

    4 July 2013 at 2:00 am

    It’s very helpful, thanks ~~

    Reply
  7. Anniet21 says

    4 July 2013 at 10:40 pm

    Thanks a lot!!!

    Reply
  8. Jeff says

    3 August 2013 at 11:14 am

    Thanks, Matt, for creating such a very helpful & CLEARLY stated/illustrated article. Most such are not nearly so easy to understand and follow.

    Reply
  9. matt says

    13 August 2013 at 12:13 am

    Thanks Jeff 🙂

    Reply
  10. roofrins says

    12 February 2014 at 1:14 am

    Thanks for the help! That was just what I was needing. I was trying to get a photoshop image ready for a Spanish page for my website, and I had hundreds of little “dots” that I was needing to select and space-out properly, and your advice will save me lots of time from now on!

    Reply
  11. CandiHensley says

    19 February 2014 at 12:30 am

    Select the layer you wish to have left on. Then, press and hold Alt (Option for Mac) and click the eye icon for that layer. All of the other layers will turn off besides your selected layer. However this will only work for Photoshop CS2 or higher. Alternately, you can select all of the layers you want turned off and then go to Layer > Hide Layers. It’s also a good idea to group your layers if you have a ton of them. Just click the little folder icon in the layers palette and drag your layers into the new folder. This way you can show/hide multiple layers just by clicking their corresponding folder.

    Reply
  12. joymoix says

    9 August 2014 at 2:37 am

    Good tutorial! Thanks man!

    Reply
  13. jlaprade01 says

    9 August 2014 at 3:12 am

    glj

    Reply
  14. danielvprice says

    10 August 2014 at 11:26 am

    hh

    Reply
  15. chrishirst says

    10 August 2014 at 11:54 am

    Piss OFF you bloody idiots.

    Reply
  16. terranceelong says

    11 August 2014 at 12:40 pm

    thanks

    Reply
  17. mikesdowdy says

    12 August 2014 at 2:00 am

    Thanks

    Reply
  18. eugenechill says

    12 August 2014 at 4:22 am

    Its good..

    Reply
  19. billiehtuggle says

    14 August 2014 at 6:49 am

    Thanks

    Reply
  20. backgroundremov says

    30 May 2017 at 12:27 am

    Very useful tutorials about photo shop layers. Thank you so much for sharing this guideline with us.

    Reply
  21. saracanaday225 says

    27 September 2017 at 4:45 am

    Photoshop layers are like tracing sheets. You can see through transparent areas of a layer to the layers underneath. You move a layer to position the content material at the layer, like sliding a tracing sheet in a stack. You can also change the opacity of a layer to make content material in part transparent.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

To include a block of code in your comment, surround it with <pre> ... </pre> tags. You can include smaller code snippets inside some normal text by surrounding them with <code> ... </code> tags.

Allowed tags in comments: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> <pre> .

Primary Sidebar

Hire Matt!

Matt Doyle headshot

Need a little help with your website? I have over 20 years of web development experience under my belt. Let’s chat!

Matt Doyle - Codeable Expert Certificate

Hire Me Today

Call Me: +61 2 8006 0622

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to get a quick email whenever I add new articles, free goodies, or special offers. I won’t spam you.

Subscribe

Recent Posts

  • Make a Rotatable 3D Product Boxshot with Three.js
  • Speed Up Your WordPress Website: 11 Simple Steps to a Faster Site
  • Reboot!
  • Wordfence Tutorial: How to Keep Your WordPress Site Safe from Hackers
  • How to Make Awesome-Looking Images for Your Website

Footer

Contact Matt

  • Email Me
  • Call Me: +61 2 8006 0622

Follow Matt

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • GitHub
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 1996-2023 Elated Communications. All rights reserved.
Affiliate Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Service T&C | Credits