Adobe Photoshop 2020 NEW Features and Updates Explained!

Let’s unravel the exciting updates in Adobe Photoshop 2020!

You’re going to love the fantastic performance enhancement tools in this version. Let’s get started!

Object Selection Tool

The new Object Selection Tool efficiently selects the subject using Artificial intelligence known as Adobe Sensei.

Simply drag around your image with the Object Selection Tool to automatically select the main subject.

You can fine-tune the selection by using other selection tools or the Select and Mask workspace.

Transform New Behavior

In Photoshop 2020, when scaling a layer, you no longer have to hold the shift key to scale proportionally.

In the Options Bar, the chain link icon enables or disables the proportional scale.

If you prefer the old resizing method (holding the Shift key to scale proportionally), go to the Preferences panel. Press Ctrl K (Windows) or Command K (macOS), and under the General tab, enable Use Legacy Free Transform.

New Brush Tool Keyboard Shortcuts in Photoshop 2020

In Photoshop 2020, you can now easily rotate the Brush Tool with a keyboard shortcut.

Press the left Left arrow key to rotate the Brush Tool counterclockwise and the Right Arrow key to rotate clockwise.

Pressing the Shift key along with the arrow key rotates the brush in large increments.

We can also adjust the angle from the Options Bar or the Brush Setting dialogue box.

Another new shortcut in Photoshop 2020 is the erase feature when pressing the Tilde key, (below the Escape key).

This shortcut makes it possible to erase with the same brush you are using to paint.

Zoom to Layer Keyboard Shortcut

You can zoom in to the content of a layer by pressing Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and clicking on the layer thumbnail.

Photoshop will zoom in to fit the pixels on the screen. This zoom feature only works on a single layer, not grouped layers.

The Properties Panel

The Properties Panel provides easy access to edit the settings of the selected layer. It will show you options for resizing and removing a background.

When working with a text layer, the Properties Panel will allow you to edit the font size, style, or alignment.

Cloud Document

Photoshop 2020 allows you to save Photoshop documents in the Adobe Creative Cloud.

When saving a new document, you’ll be greeted with a dialogue box with the option to save the document in the Cloud or on your computer.

Cloud documents are saved in the PSDC format. You can see the cloud icon in the document tab indicating that the file is saved in the Creative Cloud.

Convert Smart Objects to Layers

A feature that was heavily requested is now a reality in Photoshop 2020.

You can now convert a Smart Object to Layers. Simply right-click on a Smart Object and select Convert Smart Objects to Layers.

The Smart Object will be converted to a Layer Group.

Content-Aware Fill

The Content-Aware Fill dialog box lets you remove unwanted content from your photos. In Photoshop 2020, this powerful tool now lets you select the pixels to sample.

In the example below, you can remove the person jumping behind the smiling girl with just a few clicks.

Go to Edit and select Content-Aware Fill.

In the Content-Aware Fill, choose the sampling setting:

Auto
Photoshop automatically selects an area to analyze and generate the fill. The green overlay in the preview window areas determines the pixels Photoshop analyzed to generate the fill. You can add or subtract from the sample area if need be.

Rectangular
Creates a rectangle around the selected subject to be removed.

Custom
Allows you to paint from scratch the areas to sample from.

Remember to output to a new layer to work nondestructively.

Export As 2-Up Feature

This new Export As incorporates the 2-Up feature. This format helps you compare the quality and file size to the original image.

“Close Others” Command

Photoshop will now close all open documents except the document that’s currently active by going into File and choosing Close Others.

The keyboard shortcut is Alt Ctrl P (Windows), Option Command P (mac OS).

For floating documents nested in a tab, right-click on the active tab and choose Close Others. Photoshop will only close the documents nested on that tab.

Preset Improvement

In Photoshop 2020, Gradients, Patterns, Shapes, and Styles now have a dedicated panel that will give you total control of the corresponding presets.

From the Window menu, you can select Gradients, Patterns, Shapes, or Styles. In these panels, you can create and organize presets.

Warp Tool

The updated Warp Tool now offers new settings of 4 x 4 and 5 x 5 grids.

You can also customize the grids making a fantastic tool for Photomanipulation.

When you press Ctrl T (Windows) or Command T (macOS) to transform, you can click on the warp Icon in the Options bar.

Then you can use the Split icons to customize the grid. You can create vertical and horizontal splits over your warp to distort your image.

The splits are editable. You can right-click on a Split and choose Remove Warp Split.

Final Thoughts

These are the new and exciting Adobe Photoshop 2020 Top NEW Features and Updates!.

Let me know which are your favorite features. For more Photoshop tutorials, subscribe and visit the Photoshop Training Channel!

Previous Photoshop Updates

Photoshop 2022
Photoshop 2021
Photoshop 2020
Photoshop 2019
Photoshop CC 2018
Photoshop CC 2017
Photoshop CC 2015.5
Photoshop CC 2014
Photoshop CC
Photoshop CS6