5 Photoshop Tricks & Tips That You Don’t Know (Probably) – Part 3
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These five Photoshop tricks you don’t know bring back a hidden dialog box, log every edit automatically, open huge files faster, lock a PDF, and sample color from anywhere.
In this video, I will describe five Photoshop tricks and tips you probably don’t know.
This is part three of my Photoshop tricks series. If you have not seen part 1 or part 2, then check them out now!
Here’s a quick overview of this video’s Photoshop tricks and techniques.
Key Takeaways
- Holding Shift (Windows) or Shift (macOS) while choosing Select and Mask reopens the legacy Refine Edge dialog instead of the newer workspace. This only works when a selection or mask is already active.
- Turning on the History Log in Preferences (CtrlK (Windows) or CommandK (macOS)) saves a plain text file that lists every step you take. Each entry includes the adjustment layer, filter, or layer style you applied, along with its exact settings.
- Holding ShiftAlt (Windows) or ShiftOption (macOS) while opening a layered PSD loads a flattened copy instead, which is much faster on a very large file.
- A password set under Security in the Save Adobe PDF dialog blocks printing, editing, and copying until the recipient enters it in Acrobat.
- The Eyedropper Tool (I (Windows) or I (macOS)) can sample a color from any window on your screen, not just the Photoshop canvas. Drag the cursor past the canvas edge to pick up a color from another app.
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- Keyboard Shortcuts for These Photoshop Tricks You Don’t Know
- Photoshop Trick 01 – Bring Back Select and Mask in Photoshop
- Photoshop Trick 02 – Keep a Text Record of Every Step With Photoshop’s History Log
- Photoshop Trick 03 – Open a Flattened Version of a Layered PSD
- Photoshop Trick 04 – Protect Your Images
- Photoshop Trick 05 – Select Any Color From Outside of Photoshop
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Try These Photoshop Tricks You Don’t Know Today
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to bring back the classic Refine Edge dialog box in Photoshop
- How to record every editing step you take with the History Log
- How to open a flattened version of a large, layered PSD
- How to lock a PDF export with a password
- How to sample a color from outside Photoshop with the Eyedropper Tool
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 2017 (version 18.0) or the current version.
Keyboard Shortcuts for These Photoshop Tricks You Don’t Know
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open Preferences (to enable the History Log) | Ctrl K | Command K |
| Force the legacy Refine Edge dialog (hold, then click Select and Mask) | Shift | Shift |
| Open a flattened version of a layered PSD | Shift Alt | Shift Option |
| Activate the Eyedropper Tool | I | I |
Photoshop Trick 01 – Bring Back Select and Mask in Photoshop
Photoshop 2015.5 introduced the Select and Mask Workspace and removed the old Refine Edge (Refine Mask) dialog box.
If you prefer to use the old dialog box when working with selections, then use this little-known shortcut in Photoshop 2017 and newer. It will bring back the Refine Edge dialog box.
Press-and-hold Shift (Windows) or Shift (macOS) with a selection or mask active and go to Select > Select and Mask.
This will open the Refine Edge window instead of the Select and Mask Workspace!
Photoshop Trick 02 – Keep a Text Record of Every Step With Photoshop’s History Log
To keep a text record of every step you have done to an image, turn on Photoshop’s History Log.
Press CtrlK (Windows) or CommandK (macOS) to bring up the Preferences panel. In the History Log tab, click on the History Log check box. Then click Text File, choose a location to save the file, and give it a name.
You can now start working on your image, and Photoshop will record every step you take. To review the steps, find the text file and double-click on it.
Photoshop Trick 03 – Open a Flattened Version of a Layered PSD
To open a flattened version of a layered PSD file, go to File > Open, find the PSD file you would like to open. Click on it once to select it. Then hold down ShiftAlt (Windows) or ShiftOption (macOS) and click Open. Photoshop will ask you if you want to “Read the composite data instead.” Press OK, and a flattened version of that file will open up.
This is an excellent way to open a large file that usually takes a long time to open. In case you only want to show it to someone or share it in an email or on social media.
Remember always to do a “Save As.” Saving the document will override the original file, and you will lose all your layers.
Note:
This is my Adobe Max interview mentioned in this tutorial.
Photoshop Trick 04 – Protect Your Images
When sending a copy of a project to a client, you may want to protect the file, so it requires a password to print or edit. This will prevent your client from using it before you get paid!
To protect your file, save it as a PDF (File > Save As… and choose Photoshop PDF). In the Save PDF dialog box, click “Security,” and under “Permissions,” you can enter a password to prevent printing and editing.
You can view the files in Acrobat, but you won’t be able to print them or copy them.
Photoshop Trick 05 – Select Any Color From Outside of Photoshop
To select any color outside of Photoshop, activate the Eyedropper tool (I (Windows) or I (macOS)).
Then left-click-and-hold inside your image in Photoshop and drag the cursor outside Photoshop to any other window or application.
Sample the color you like, then release your mouse button, and the sampled color will appear as your new Foreground color.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a selection or mask active, hold Shift (Windows) or Shift (macOS) and choose Select and Mask from the Select menu. Photoshop opens the legacy Refine Edge dialog instead of the Select and Mask workspace. This has worked in every version since Photoshop 2017.
The History Log, found in Preferences, writes a plain text file that records every step you take on an image. It lists each adjustment layer, filter, and layer style along with its exact settings, so you can look back at exactly how you built an effect.
Select the PSD in the File > Open dialog, then hold ShiftAlt (Windows) or ShiftOption (macOS) and click Open. Photoshop loads a flattened copy of the file instead of every layer, which opens much faster on a large document. Always use Save As afterward so you do not overwrite your original layered file.
Save the document as a Photoshop PDF, then click Security in the Save Adobe PDF dialog. Under Permissions, set a password to restrict printing, editing, and copying. Anyone who opens the PDF in Acrobat needs that password to unlock those actions.
Yes. Select the Eyedropper Tool, click inside your canvas, and keep holding the mouse button as you drag past the edge of the Photoshop window. Drop it onto any other open app or browser window, and the color under your cursor becomes your new foreground color.
Photoshop 2017 (version 18.0) or the current version. The video was recorded in Photoshop 2017, and all five tricks still work the same way in the current version of Photoshop.
A saved History Log file lets you retrace exactly how you built an effect. That is useful for writing your own tutorials, billing a client for the time an edit took, or repeating a look on another photo.
Try These Photoshop Tricks You Don’t Know Today
These five Photoshop tricks you don’t know are all quick wins.
A faster dialog box, an automatic paper trail, a faster file open, a locked PDF, and color sampling from anywhere on your screen.
None of them need a new tool or a plugin. They just use parts of Photoshop that are already sitting in front of you.
Watch the video above for the full walkthrough, and comment on the video if you have a question.
Selections and Masking Mastery
Complete course includes 2.5 hours of step-by-step lessons, 6 structured modules, downloadable practice files, and custom Photoshop brushes. Everything you need to master selections and masks in one place.
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Nice tips except for #4, protecting your work. Someone could still get the image using a screenshot or screen grab app or program.
Vince,
They could. But what good would that be? It would be a low-res screen capture. If you are designing a flyer for someone for example, a screen capture won’t be good enough to print.
I was just pointing it out. Sorry to bother you.
very nice and great information
Thank you!
trick 5 saved my life.
Awesome! I’m glad you found it useful!
LOVE IT!!! Thank you
You’re welcome, Sandra!
Loved it and saved it. THANK YOU so much.
good ! Thks