How to Use Photoshop In Better Way With These Secret Tips

This article will help you in learning the photoshop hidden secret tips.It is proven that by using software shortcuts can boost up productivity. Here are some secret Photoshop shortcuts. Well, what I mean by "secret" is that these shortcuts are not documented in the menus. Keep reading and you will find how these shortcuts can speed up your productivity. Please read the whole article to get the best from it.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Adobe Photoshop installed in your pc.
• Knowledge of O/S.

1. 

   1. Drag selection
   With the Marquee tool, drag on the document (do not release the mouse yet), now hold down Spacebar, it will let you drag the undefined selection.

2. 

   2. Navigate the document left or right
   Hold down the Cmd key and scroll up or down allows you to navigate the document left or right. For example, hold down Cmd + scroll up will navigate to right.

3. 

   3. Browse the font list
   Put your cursor in the font list dropdown, you can browse the font list by pressing arrow Up or Down key.

4. 

   4. Scale font size
   Select the text that you want to scale the font size, press Cmd + Shift + > or < to increase / decrease font size.

5. 

   5. Zoom with the scroll wheel
   You can zoom in / out by Cmd + Opt + scroll up or down.

6. 

   6. Drag to adjust numberic value
   Mouseover the input box, hold down Cmd + drag left or right to increase / decrease. Hold down Cmd + Opt or Shift key and drag can change the value in decimal or 10 interval. This shortcut works in all dialog palettes.

7. 

   7. Scroll to adjust numeric value
   Put the cursor in the input box, scroll up or down to increase / decrease value. This shortcut works in all dialog palettes.

8. 

   8. Arrow up / down to adjust numeric value
   Put the cursor in the input box, press arrow Up or Down to increase / decrease. Hold down Shift and press arrow Up or Down will change value in 10 interval.

9. 

   9. Collapse or expand all layer groups
   You can collapse or expand all root-level layer groups by holding down Cmd + click on the triangle icon. Hold down Cmd + Opt + click on the triangle icon will collapse or expand all level layer groups.

10. 

    10. Show / hide in a row
    If you need to show / hide more than one layers, instead of clicking one by one, you can click on the visibility icon and drag in a row.

11. 

    11. Hide other layers
    Hold down Opt + click on the visibility icon will hide all other layers.

12. 

    12. Set specific blending mode
    Opt + Shift + C, N, M, S, D… allows to set layer to specific blending mode.
    For examples:
    Normal = Opt + Shift + N
    Screen = Opt + Shift + S
    Multiply = Opt + Shift + M
    Color = Opt + Shift + C

13. 

    13. Load Channel selection
    You probably know that Cmd + number keys (1, 2, 3) will activate the channels in sequent. Press Cmd + Opt + number keys will load the selection. For example, press Cmd + Opt + 4 will load Alpha channel 1.

14. 

    14. Duplicate layer
    There are several shortcuts to duplicate layers.
    1. You can hold down Cmd + Opt + drag to duplicate the active layer.
    2. Cmd + Opt + arrow keys (Up, Down, Left, Right).
    3. Cmd + J will duplicate the active layer in exact position.
    4. Hold down Opt + drag within the Layers palette can also duplicate layers.

15. 

    15. Change workspace background
    By default Photoshop use grey for the workspace background color. You can change that by:
    1. select your favorite color
    2. choose the Paint Bucket tool
    3. Hold down Shift + click on the working area (outside the document area)

16. 

    16. Finally…
    Finally, if you want to check or set your own custom shortcuts, press Cmd + Opt + Shift + K will bring up the Keyboard Shortcuts panel.

Tips & Warnings

• In some dialog boxes, holding the Opt key will turn the “Cancel” button into a most useful “Reset”. (by Miguel Tavares)
• To stroke a path, first select the path, then change to the brush tool, select a brush, and type Enter or Return. This works with all of the brush-like tools (eraser, clone, blur, etc.).
• Do you know more Photoshop shortcuts that are not listed in this article? Please post them in the comment form. Make sure they are "secret" (not documented in the Photoshop menus).
• Dont forget to leave a comment.

[JasneJ]

on 5/21/2008 WOW. I am saving this for printout to post next to my computer for Photoshop.Excellent!

[showpup]

on 5/19/2008 Great tips. I had no idea you could do most of these things. 5 stars