Activate Every Layer Except The Background Layer January 10, 2017. Posted in: Tip Of The Day. Press Ctrl Alt A (Mac: Command Option A) To activate every layer except the Background layer. « Previous Photoshop Tip: | Next Photoshop Tip: » Get The Tip of The Day in Your Inbox! Sign-up for the PTC Newsletter to receive a weekly re-cap of the Tips of The Day. That way you'll never miss a tip. You'll also get instant access to the Subscriber Only Tutorials! Enter your email below to sign up! Your Email Address: You Can Also Get Daily Tips On Your Feed! Every Photoshop Tip of The Day is posted in our Facebook & Google Plus, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest pages.