(Tricks #11-50 would cover workspaces, history states, scratch disks, etc.) | # | Trick | How to do it | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 51 | Copy a layer: Drag layer to "New Layer" icon. | Ctrl+J / Cmd+J | | 52 | Duplicate to new doc: Right-click layer > Duplicate Layer > New. | Right-click | | 53 | Select all layers of an object: Right-click the object > "Select Similar Layers". | Context menu | | 54 | Merge down: Combine with layer below. | Ctrl+E / Cmd+E | | 55 | Stamp visible (New layer of everything): Creates a composite. | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E / Cmd+Opt+Shift+E | | 56 | Flip layer horizontally: Edit > Transform. | Ctrl+T > right-click > Flip Horizontal | | 57 | Lock transparent pixels: Paint only on existing pixels. | \ key (or lock icon) | | 58 | Link layers: Select two > click chain icon. | Click chain | | 59 | Change layer opacity: Use number keys (5 = 50%). | 1 through 0 keys | | 60 | Fill vs Opacity: Fill affects layer style shadows; Opacity affects everything. | Slider difference |
This is a curated guide to mastering Photoshop through the lens of a “1000 Photoshop Tricks” concept. Since a single PDF containing exactly 1,000 unique tricks would be tens of thousands of pages long, this guide instead provides a and the top 50 essential tricks to get you started, plus a roadmap to find the remaining 950 on your own. 1000 photoshop tricks pdf
(Tricks #61-100: Blend modes, smart objects, layer comps, clipping masks) Top 15 Selection Tricks | # | Trick | Result | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 101 | Quick Mask mode: Paint with black to hide, white to show. | Q | | 102 | Select > Subject (AI): One-click main subject. | Ctrl+Alt+S / Cmd+Opt+S (2023+) | | 103 | Color Range: Select by skin tone or specific color. | Select > Color Range | | 104 | Transform selection (not image): Select > Transform Selection. | Menu | | 105 | Intersect selection: Hold Alt+Shift / Opt+Shift and drag. | Modifier keys | | 106 | Feather edges: Soften selection. | Shift+F6 | | 107 | Refine Edge (Hair/fur): Use "Decontaminate Colors". | Select > Select and Mask | | 108 | Load layer transparency as selection: Ctrl+click / Cmd+click on layer thumbnail. | Click thumbnail | | 109 | Save selection as channel: Select > Save Selection. | Menu | | 110 | Subtract from selection: Hold Alt / Opt and drag. | Modifier keys | | 111 | Grow selection: Select > Grow (expands by tolerance). | Menu | | 112 | Similar selection: Selects similar pixels across entire image. | Menu | | 113 | Inverse selection: Swap selected/unselected. | Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Shift+I | | 114 | Deselect: | Ctrl+D / Cmd+D | | 115 | Reselect last selection: | Ctrl+Shift+D / Cmd+Shift+D | Part 4: Retouching (Tricks #201-350) The "Fix Anything" List | # | Trick | Tool / Method | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 201 | Remove pimple: Spot Healing Brush (Content-Aware mode). | J | | 202 | Remove large object: Edit > Fill > Content-Aware. | Shift+F5 | | 203 | Fix red eye: Red Eye tool (under Spot Healing). | Toolbar | | 204 | Dodge (lighten) without painting: Curves adjustment layer + mask. | Layer > Adjustment | | 205 | Frequency Separation (pro skin): Separate color from texture (requires manual setup). | Filter > Gaussian Blur | | 206 | Clone stamp with rotation: Clone source panel > rotate. | S + Source panel | | 207 | Heal with offset sampling: Clone stamp > hold Alt to sample > release Alt to paint offset. | Manual | | 208 | Remove color cast: Curves > Grey eyedropper on neutral area. | Curves dialog | | 209 | Whiten teeth: Lasso teeth > Hue/Sat > Reduce Yellow saturation. | Adjustment | | 210 | Sharpen eyes: Duplicate layer > High Pass filter > Blend mode "Overlay". | Filter > Other | Part 5: Color & Tone (Tricks #351-500) | # | Trick | Action | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 351 | Match color of two photos: Image > Adjustments > Match Color. | Menu | | 352 | Create cinematic teal/orange: Color Balance > Add cyan to shadows, red to highlights. | Adjustment | | 353 | Black and white with one color: Hue/Sat > Desaturate all > Use history brush to paint color back. | Brush on B&W | | 354 | Vibrance vs Saturation: Vibrance protects skin tones. | Adjustment | | 355 | Invert colors: Like a negative. | Ctrl+I / Cmd+I | | 356 | Threshold for line art: Filter > Other > Threshold. | Filter | | 357 | Gradient Map for duo-tone: Layer > New Fill > Gradient Map. | Adjustment | | 358 | Auto tone vs Auto contrast vs Auto color: One-click fixes (often imperfect). | Image > Auto | | 359 | Levels white/black point: Hold Alt while moving sliders to see clipping. | Levels dialog | | 360 | Curves for contrast: S-curve (pull down shadows, pull up highlights). | Curves panel | Part 6: Filters & Effects (Tricks #501-650) | # | Trick | How-to | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 501 | Fake sunlight (Lens Flare): Create new black layer > Fill with black > Filter > Render > Lens Flare > Blend mode "Screen". | Multi-step | | 502 | Re-apply last filter: | Ctrl+F / Cmd+F | | 503 | Fade last filter (reduce strength): Edit > Fade. | Ctrl+Shift+F / Cmd+Shift+F | | 504 | Oil painting effect: Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint. | Filter | | 505 | Tilt-shift miniaturization: Filter > Blur Gallery > Tilt-Shift. | Blur Gallery | | 506 | Water reflection: Flip image vertically > Filter > Distort > Ripple. | Distort | | 507 | Neon glow: Duplicate layer > Gaussian Blur > Blend mode "Linear Dodge". | Blur + Blend | | 508 | Vintage halftone: Convert to Bitmap mode > Halftone Screen. | Image > Mode | | 509 | Clouds for texture: Filter > Render > Clouds. | Filter | | 510 | Vanishing point (perspective cloning): Filter > Vanishing Point. | Filter | Part 7: Typography (Tricks #651-750) | # | Trick | Tip | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 651 | Text on a path: Draw path with Pen > Click Type tool on path. | Pen + Type | | 652 | Warp text: Type layer > Right-click > Warp Text. | Context menu | | 653 | Vertical text: Type tool > Change orientation in Options bar. | Options bar | | 654 | Fill text with image: Place image above text > Create Clipping Mask ( Ctrl+Alt+G / Cmd+Opt+G ). | Clipping mask | | 655 | Text as a mask: Type text > Ctrl+click text thumbnail > Hide text layer > Select image layer > Add mask. | Masking | | 656 | Character styles panel: Save font/size/color as preset. | Window > Character Styles | | 657 | Change text case: Type > Change Case. | Menu | | 658 | Fake 3D text (no 3D panel): Duplicate text layer > Move down 1px > Repeat 20x. | Manual extrusion | | 659 | Spell check: Type > Check Spelling. | Menu | | 660 | Find/Replace font: Type > Find/Replace Font. | Menu | Part 8: Automation (Tricks #751-850) | # | Trick | Method | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 751 | Record an Action: Window > Actions > New Action > Press Record. | Actions panel | | 752 | Batch process folder: File > Automate > Batch. | Automate | | 753 | PDF presentation: File > Automate > PDF Presentation. | Automate | | 754 | Contact sheet: File > Automate > Contact Sheet II. | Automate | | 755 | Droplet (drag & drop action): File > Automate > Create Droplet. | Automate | | 756 | Image Processor (resize many): File > Scripts > Image Processor. | Scripts | | 757 | Load files into stack: File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack. | Scripts | | 758 | Delete empty layers: File > Scripts > Delete All Empty Layers. | Scripts | | 759 | Export layers to files: File > Export > Layers to Files. | Export | | 760 | Conditional action: If document is RGB, convert to CMYK. | Action > Conditional | Part 9: Export & Save (Tricks #851-900) | # | Trick | Why | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 851 | Save for Web (Legacy): Best for JPEG compression control. | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S / Cmd+Opt+Shift+S | | 852 | Export As: Newer, better for PNG with transparency. | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+W / Cmd+Shift+Opt+W | | 853 | Quick export as PNG: Right-click layer > Quick Export as PNG. | Right-click | | 854 | Reduce file size without quality: File > Export > Save for Web > Reduce quality to 60%. | Export | | 855 | Save as PDF with layers: Uncheck "Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities" for smaller PDF. | Save As dialog | | 856 | Export artboards: File > Export > Artboards to Files. | Export | | 857 | Color profile warning: Edit > Color Settings > Turn off "Ask when opening". | Settings | | 858 | Save as template: File > Save As > Format: Photoshop Template (*.PSD). | Save As | | 859 | Maximum compatibility: Always turn on (for older PS versions). | Save As dialog | | 860 | Trim transparent pixels: Image > Trim > Transparent Pixels. | Menu | Part 10: The "Hidden 100" (Tricks #901-1000) These are the tricks most users never find. | Context menu | | 54 | Merge down: Combine with layer below