How to copy in Photoshop. How to copy a selected area to a new layer in Photoshop

A selection in Photoshop is an area of an image outlined using some tool that creates a selection. You can perform various manipulations with the selected area: copying, transforming, moving and others. The selected area can be considered an independent object.

This tutorial will show you how to copy selected areas.

As mentioned above, the selected area is an independent object, so it can be copied in any available way.

Let's get started.

The first method is the most famous and widespread. These are the keyboard shortcuts CTRL+C And CTRL+V.

In this way, you can copy the selected area not only within one document, but also to another. A new layer is created automatically.

The second method is the easiest and fastest - keyboard shortcut CTRL+J. A new layer with a copy of the selected area is also created automatically. Works only within one document.

The third method is to copy the selected area within one layer. Here we need a tool "Move" and key ALT.

After selecting the area, you need to take the tool "Move", pinch ALT and drag the selection in the desired direction. Then ALT let's go.

If you press and hold while moving SHIFT, then the area will move only in the direction in which we started moving (horizontally or vertically).

The fourth method concerns copying an area to new document.

After highlighting, you must press CTRL+C, then CTRL+N, then CTRL+V.

What are we doing? The first step is to copy the selection to the clipboard. Secondly, we create a new document, and the document is automatically created with the size of the selection.

The third step is to paste into the document what was on the clipboard.

The fifth method is to copy the selected area onto an existing document. This is where the tool comes in handy again. "Move".

Create a selection, take the tool "Move" and drag the area to the tab of the document to which we want to copy this area.

Without releasing the mouse button, wait until the document opens, and, again without releasing the mouse button, move the cursor to the canvas.

These were five ways to copy a selection to new layer or other document. Use all these techniques, because in different situations you will have to act differently.

Duplicate layer- this is a complete copy of it, duplicated along with all the superimposed settings and parameters.

There are many reasons to create a duplicate, for example, to reproduce some separate element in the image (stars in the sky); multiply the layer to experiment with each copy; duplicate the text layer with all the styles, and change only the text itself; make a copy, thereby saving the intermediate result, and continue working on the copy. You can come up with a dozen more examples, which indicates the usefulness of this function.

Methods for creating a duplicate layer

Method 1

Hotkey to create a duplicate layer: Ctrl+J

Perhaps this is the most quick way. Just remember to first make the layer you want to copy active.

Method 2 Menu command

Select the following command from the main menu: Layers - New - Copy to new layer(Layer via Copy).

Method 3 By drag and drop

There are shortcut buttons at the bottom of the Layers palette. Among them there is a button Create New Layer.

Hold down the layer with the left mouse button and, without releasing the key, drag it onto this icon. You will see that the icon appears as if pressed in, then release the key. The layer will immediately be duplicated and appear first in the list.

Method 4 By dragging with a keyboard key

Unlike previous method, here you need to drag first by holding Alt key. When you start moving, you will notice that the mouse pointer arrow will change into a double black and white arrow. It means you're doing everything right.

The main advantage of this method is that you indicate to Photoshop the place on the palette where the copy should appear. One move - two birds with one stone.

Method 5 Palette menu

As has been said many times, the palette menu includes all the basic commands for its management. Let me remind you that it opens by pressing the button in the upper right corner (do not confuse it with the closing cross). At the very top of the list of commands you will find Duplicate layer...(Duplicate Layer).

The peculiarity of this method is in the dialog box that opens. In it you can enter a new name for the layer, and also send it to another open tab programs. It's kind of like copying a layer and pasting it into another document.

Method 6 Context menu

Nobody canceled the right mouse button. It works on many Photoshop tools. If you click on it on any of the layers, a menu will appear possible actions, including the command to create a duplicate.

How to duplicate a layer fragment

Photoshop allows you to also send a fragment of an image to a new layer. To do this, let’s turn to the knowledge of what it is, because with its help we can carry out this action.

So, first you need to create a selection using a suitable selection tool, for example, using .

Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J to send the contents of the selection to a new layer. Pay attention to the palette - the original image remains unchanged and we have another layer. So we did nothing more than duplicate fragment.

Note

Using hotkeys Shift+Ctrl+J You can cut out a fragment from the original image and then copy it to a new layer. In this case, in place of the fragment there will be transparent background(in simple terms, an empty hole). What if this background layer, then the current one will shine through.

Copying and pasting layers

Good old teams "Copy paste" they haven’t gone anywhere in Photoshop, but when it comes to creating copies of layers, they would be very useful.

Using these commands, copies of layers can be distributed both within one palette, simply pasting them into the right place, and sent to others. For example, you created beautiful design text in one of their projects and decided that it could be used in another project.

To copy a layer to the clipboard, you first need to Select entire layer Ctrl+A (or a fragment of it using the selection tool), then Copy its Ctrl+C, and after that in in the right place and press Ctrl+V - Insert.

When copying, the scale of the layer's contents will be preserved. In other words, if you copied a picture with a height of 600 pixels, then it, of course, will not fit on a layer with a height of 400 pixels. To do this you will need to resize using Ctrl+T.

If you notice an error in the text, select it and press Ctrl + Enter. Thank you!

More or less advanced user programs Adobe Photoshop Already familiar with the concept of layers. Layers are an important component of a graphics editor, which makes it easier to edit an image and also gives big advantage when working with images. Not everyone knows all the functionality of the layers panel, although some functions will be useful for professionals. For example, how to copy a layer in Photoshop CC to another image? In addition to this issue, we will consider duplicating layers, moving them and shifting them.

How to copy a layer in Photoshop

As stated earlier, layers are essential element which you need to know how to use. Without it, it would be impossible to retouch photos and create graphic objects at the proper level. And it often happens that you have to copy and duplicate layers.

When designing a project, you have to resort to creating new documents, where you need to transfer all the developments that were there earlier. Before copying layers in Photoshop, you must use the following instructions:

Open two images in different documents, which will be hidden in the tabs (let’s assume that the first image is the original, and the second is where the layers need to be moved).
On the first layer, we select the layers necessary for the user.
On final stage You can use one of the three proposed methods. The first method is to reformat all the layers into one and select all the elements in the image, and then paste the copied image into a new document. The second is to select the layers and use the mouse to move them from one directory to another. Last method- on the panel quick access select the "Move" tool and drag the desired layer onto the new image.

You can also consider one of the questions: how to copy a layer in Photoshop using the keyboard? You need to select the one you need and press the button combination on the image itself: Alt + left button mice.

Duplicating layers

Let's look at the duplicate function from two positions: inside an image and between images. The second method is practically no different from copying a layer in Photoshop. Once the user masters these functions, editing images will become much easier.

Inside the image. You need to select the one you want in the layers section and right-click on it, then select “Create a duplicate layer.” in which you should specify the name of the new layer.
Between images. Open two images (as in the case of copying). Select the layer (or group) we need and create a duplicate of the entire list of selected elements. The final touch will be to transfer from one to another using one of the methods that were indicated in the section “How to copy a layer in Photoshop.”

Changing the order

The Photoshop environment obeys a certain rule - layers seem to be superimposed on each other. This means that the bottom one will be hidden behind all the others. Working with layers involves changing this order - changing them to Photoshop is easier simple. Just use the cursor and simply move the layers to a new location. But it is worth keeping in mind that new ones will be added on top of the selected one, and not all layers combined.

Other operations with layers

It will be useful to highlight some more actions with layers that can definitely be useful in practical activities.

Blend options. This feature allows you to edit a layer, change its transparency, stroke, shadows and much more.
Rasterize the layer. If you are working with vector graphics or with a smart object, then for further work you may need them this function.
Convert to Smart Object. Helps the user edit any objects without losing image quality.

The article is about a small nuance that allows you to use the copy to new layer function. Not everyone knows about the mode in which this convenient command works in Photoshop. The lesson is intended for a beginner audience.

It often happens that it is necessary to transfer an already selected part of the image to the transparent background of a new layer.

To do this, click once on the tool Magic wand. And then you will have access to the Layer via Copy function, which can be easily called by right-clicking the mouse. In the Russian version, this will mean copying to a new layer. Select this line, and your selected area will immediately appear on a new layer. That's all the wisdom.

Often for beginners this simple operation causes difficulty precisely because the Photoshop program performs this command not in all modes. It does not display a context menu in Pen, Lasso, Move, or other modes. She silently demands that the instrument, namely the Magic Wand, be displayed. And then context menu when you press right button The mouse immediately becomes bright and ready for use.

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Good day everyone, my dear friends. That's what I told you about. But what should we do next with her now? In the same article I mentioned that they can be copied, moved, transformed, scaled, etc. But if we talk about all this here, then we definitely won’t fit it into one article. Therefore, I will talk about one thing.

I decided to do this in this way: let’s leave transformation and scaling for articles on relevant topics, but today I’ll just tell you how to copy a selected area in Photoshop. And we will learn how to do this both inside one document and by copying this area to another document.

Ready? Then what are we waiting for? Go!

Let's say you have selected some area or object, and now you want there to be a lot of such objects on the document. It is more than possible to do all this. Moreover, I will even show you 2 methods, and you decide which one you like best.

1 way

Let's say you have selected an object and want to copy it. Nothing could be simpler. Press copy combination. Do you know her? Right CTRL+C. We automatically create a new layer, but don’t pay attention to that for now. In a few lessons we'll get into layers and you'll find out everything.

These are the simple ways I wanted to show you. But in general, for a good mastery of Photoshop and each tool separately, I recommend that you look through this wonderful video course, thanks to which you can easily master Photoshop. The course is beautifully structured, everything is told in human language, and it is designed for any level of user. Be sure to watch it if you want to learn how to work in Photoshop.

Well, I guess I’m done for today. I hope that the article was useful and interesting for you. And by the way, what method do you use (or decide to use)? Write in the comments.. Well, I wish you good luck in your further conquest of Photoshop. See you. Bye bye!

Best regards, Dmitry Kostin