History Log: HIDDEN Photoshop Script That Generates Written Tutorials
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History Log in Photoshop records every edit you make to an image, saved automatically as a text file or hidden inside the image’s own metadata.
In this tutorial, you are going to learn about a little-known Photoshop feature called the History Log. It will allow you to track all the edits that you make to a photo.
This script basically allows you to create a written-step-by-step tutorial automatically.
This feature is helpful if you need to keep a record of your edits for a client or legal purposes. It can also simply remind you of the edits that you have applied to an image.
As you may already know, Photoshop is always tracking your edits. You can see what Photoshop is tracking through the History Panel (Under Window > History).
The problem with the History panel is that you can only see the generic basic steps that you have applied.
In this case Levels, Vibrance, and Smart Sharpen. But you don’t get specific information on the settings or options that were applied to those adjustments.
Also, you cannot export these History States as text.
If you want to track all the steps and settings that you have made to a file, then you have to enable a little-known feature called History Log.
The video was recorded in Photoshop 2018 (version 19.1), and the History Log setting still works exactly the same way in the current version of Photoshop.
Key Takeaways
- The History Log is a built-in Photoshop preference, not a separate script to find or install.
- Save the log to the image’s own metadata, to a separate text file, or to both at once.
- The Detailed option records the specific settings behind every edit, similar to what the Actions panel shows.
- Sessions Only timestamps when you open, close, start, or quit Photoshop, without recording what you actually changed.
- A client, an attorney, or your own memory can all read the finished log as proof of exactly what you did to a photo.
- In the current version of Photoshop, this setting lives under History & Content Credentials in Preferences, not a tab named “History Log.”
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- How To Use The History Log in Photoshop
- Step 01 – Enable The History Log
- Step 02 – Decide Where To Save The History Log Steps
- Metadata
- Text File
- Both
- Step 03 – Select The Level of Detail History Log
- Sessions Only
- Concise
- Detailed
- How To See The History Log Steps
- View The External History Log File
- View The History Log Within The File’s Metadata in Photoshop
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to turn on the History Log in Photoshop’s Preferences.
- How to choose where Photoshop saves the log: metadata, a text file, or both.
- How to pick a detail level: Sessions Only, Concise, or Detailed.
- How to open a saved log as a text file or inside a file’s metadata.
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 2018 (version 19.1 or later) or the current version.
How To Use The History Log in Photoshop
The History Log is a textual history of the edits that you have made to an image. In other words, Photoshop tracks all the changes that you make and saves them as text.
All you need to do is enable this feature, and let Photoshop do the rest!
Here are the three basic steps to get you started using the History Log.
Step 01 – Enable The History Log
Bring up the Preferences Panel by pressing CtrlK (Windows) or CommandK (macOS).
From the History Log tab, enable the History Log checkbox.
Note: In the current version of Photoshop, this tab is named History & Content Credentials. Adobe folded the History Log settings in with its newer Content Credentials options, but the checkbox and every option below still work exactly the same way.
Preferences controls more than logging edits. See our tutorial on customizing the Photoshop interface color for another setting worth knowing about.
Step 02 – Decide Where To Save The History Log Steps
Under “Save Log Items To” you can decide where to save the written steps that the History Log tracks.
Metadata
You can save the History Log’s text information within the image file itself, in the Metadata.
Keep in mind that storing many editing operations within the file metadata increases file size.
If you need to prove that the file’s metadata has not been altered in any way, you can use Adobe Acrobat to digitally sign the file.
For a faster way to mark an image as yours before you ever export it, see our tutorial on turning your signature into a watermark.
Text File
You can save the History Log in a separate text file. Selecting this option brings up the “Save As” window. You can give the text file a name and decide where to save it on your computer.
Both
The “Both” option will allow you to save the History Log both within the metadata of the image and in a separate text file.
Step 03 – Select The Level of Detail History Log
Under “Edit Log Items” you must select the level of detail contained in the History Log.
Sessions Only
Keeps a record of each time that you start or quit Photoshop and each time that you open or close files. The filename is also included in the history log. This option does not contain any information about edits that you make.
“Sessions” is a useful setting for time tracking. But keep in mind that with this setting the History Log will not record activity. Only open and close times.
Concise
Concise includes the information from the Sessions option, along with the text that appears in the History panel next to the History state. Only a basic description of the steps but no details on settings or options used.
Detailed
Records the same information as the Concise option, and it also gives you a complete history of all the changes made to your image. Including settings, options used, and file locations.
The information displayed with this option is very similar to the text that appears in the Actions Panel when you open an action to see the steps.
How To See The History Log Steps
Once you save your history log, you will be able to see the changes you made to a file. There are at least two ways that you can review the History Log.
View The External History Log File
To view the external text file, just go to the folder where you saved the file and double-click on it.
This will open the text file and you will see the detailed information about the changes you made.
Photoshop hides more than an edit log behind a checkbox. See our tutorial on three secret Photoshop shortcuts that bring up truly hidden menus for more tricks like this one.
View The History Log Within The File’s Metadata in Photoshop
From Photoshop, you can see the Metadata information of any file.
If your History Log is saved within the file’s metadata, then go to File > File Info, and then select the Photoshop Tab.
From this panel, you will see the history log of the currently active file.
Don’t forget to watch my Lightroom course on Adobe’s website!
Frequently Asked Questions
The History Log is a Preferences setting that writes a plain-text record of every edit you make to an image. Turn it on once, and Photoshop keeps logging automatically in the background.
Press Ctrl K (Windows) or Command K (macOS) to open Preferences, then select the History Log tab. In the current version of Photoshop, the same tab is named History & Content Credentials instead.
You can save it inside the image’s own metadata, in a separate text file, or in both places at once. Choose which one under Save Log Items To in Preferences.
Concise logs only the basic step names, the same short text the History panel already shows. Detailed adds every setting and option you used for each edit, similar to what the Actions panel records.
For a text file, open the folder where you saved it and double-click the file. For a log saved in metadata, go to File > File Info and select the Photoshop tab.
The History Log itself does not slow Photoshop down. Saving a Detailed log inside a file’s metadata does add to that file’s size, so a separate text file is the lighter option during a long editing session.
Yes. Save the log to the file’s metadata, then use Adobe Acrobat to digitally sign the file. A digital signature shows whether the metadata has changed since you signed it.
Conclusion
The History Log turns Photoshop into its own record keeper. Turn it on once, and every edit gets written down without any extra effort from you.
Save it as metadata, a text file, or both. Open it any time you need to show a client, an attorney, or your future self exactly what you did to an image.
Watch the video above for the full walkthrough, and comment on the video if you have a question.
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