How to Work With Photoshop Actions

An “action” in Photoshop is a command, or a series of commands, that you can record and play back on another file or in multiple files. For example, if you have photographs from a digital camera, you can create an action to resize all of them, rather than change each image individually. Most commands and tools are recordable as actions. Photoshop contains predefined actions and actions that you can customize.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use the Actions palette to record, play, edit and delete individual actions. To display the Actions palette, click "Window," and then "Actions." If the Actions palette tab is not visible, press the "Alt" key and "F9" to make it appear.

2. Select a predefined action. Click on the action’s name in the palette. You can expand the options in each folder by clicking the arrow to the left of the name. Select multiple actions by holding down the "Ctrl" key and clicking on the names.

3. Create a new set of actions by clicking “Create New Set” in the palette, or choosing “New Set” from the menu. Enter the name of the set.

4. Click “Record.” The button in the Actions palette will turn red. Choose the commands you want included in the action and perform the steps you want included.

5. Click the "Stop" button when you're finished or choose “Stop Recording” from the palette. You also may press the "Escape" key. To resume recording the same action, choose "Start Recording" from the palette menu.