Adobe Photoshop Full Step-by-Step Guide 2025
Adobe Photoshop — Full Step-by-Step Guide

Adobe Photoshop — Full Step-by-Step Guide

A practical, original, step-by-step guide to installing, learning, and using Adobe Photoshop for photo editing, design, and everyday workflows.

What is Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop is a professional image editing and digital design application used for photo retouching, compositing, digital painting, graphic design, and preparing images for web or print. It is layer-based and supports both pixel and vector editing, powerful selection tools, masking, non-destructive adjustments, and extensibility via plugins and scripts.

Editions & Licensing

Photoshop is distributed primarily through Adobe Creative Cloud as a subscription. There are individual and business plans, and Photoshop is also bundled with other Creative Cloud apps (e.g., Lightroom, Illustrator). Adobe provides a free trial — use it to test before subscribing.

System Requirements (general)

  • 64-bit operating system: Windows or macOS
  • At least 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended for heavy work)
  • Disk space: several GB for installation + scratch disk (SSD recommended)
  • GPU with dedicated memory recommended for GPU-accelerated features
  • Internet connection for activation, updates, and Creative Cloud features

Download & Install (Step-by-step)

Before you start

Create an Adobe ID (email + password) if you don't have one. Back up important work and close other apps during installation.

Install on Windows (Step-by-step)

  1. Open the Creative Cloud desktop app or go to Adobe's website and sign in with your Adobe ID.
  2. Locate Photoshop in the list of apps and click Install (or Start free trial if you want to try first).
  3. Follow the installer prompts. Choose install location if needed and allow the installer to create necessary folders.
  4. When the installer finishes, launch Photoshop from the Creative Cloud app or Start Menu.
  5. Sign in with your Adobe ID to activate the license or start the trial.

Install on macOS (Step-by-step)

  1. Open the Creative Cloud app or Adobe website and sign in with your Adobe ID.
  2. Click Install next to Photoshop. The Creative Cloud app will download and install the app.
  3. Grant permissions if macOS asks for filesystem access or screen recording for certain features.
  4. Open Photoshop from the Applications folder or the Creative Cloud app and sign in to activate.

Troubleshooting installation

  • If installation fails, temporarily disable antivirus or firewall and retry.
  • Ensure you have enough disk space and a stable internet connection.
  • Update your OS to a supported version if the installer refuses to run.

Interface Tour — Workspace & Tools

Understanding the workspace helps you find the tools you need quickly.

  • Menu Bar — top: File, Edit, Image, Layer, Select, Filter, View, Window, Help.
  • Options Bar — context-aware settings for the active tool (under the menu bar).
  • Tools Panel — usually on the left; contains Move, Marquee, Lasso, Brush, Eraser, Gradient, Text, Zoom, and more.
  • Panels / Dock — right side: Layers, Properties, Adjustments, Libraries, History, Channels.
  • Document Window — center: your open image or canvas.

Quick tour of essential tools

  • Move (V) — move layers and selections.
  • Rectangular/Elliptical Marquee (M) — basic geometric selections.
  • Lasso (L), Polygonal Lasso — freehand and polygonal selections.
  • Quick Selection / Magic Wand (W) — fast automatic selections by tone/color.
  • Crop (C) — crop and straighten images.
  • Brush (B) — paint; core tool for painting and masking.
  • Spot Healing / Healing Brush / Patch — retouch skin and remove small elements.
  • Clone Stamp (S) — copy pixels from one area to another.
  • Pen Tool (P) — precise vector paths and shapes.

Basic Workflow — Start to Finish (Step-by-step)

  1. Create or open a document: File > New (choose resolution, color mode, background) or File > Open to open an existing image.
  2. Set up your workspace: Window menu to show Layers, Properties, Adjustments, Histogram as needed.
  3. Duplicate the background layer: Right-click > Duplicate Layer — keep original untouched.
  4. Crop & straighten: use Crop tool (C) and the straighten handle if needed.
  5. Global adjustments: Add an Adjustment Layer (Levels, Curves, Exposure, Vibrance). Use non-destructive adjustments rather than Image > Adjustments.
  6. Local edits: Make selections or paint layer masks to confine adjustments to parts of the image.
  7. Retouch: Remove blemishes with Spot Healing or Clone Stamp and refine using Frequency Separation for skin retouching (advanced).
  8. Sharpen & final touch: Convert a duplicate to a Smart Object and apply a Smart Filter (e.g., Unsharp Mask) or use Selective Sharpening with masks.
  9. Export: Save the PSD for future edits. Export a web-friendly JPEG/PNG via File > Export > Export As or File > Save a Copy for other formats.

Layers — The Core Concept

Layers are like stacked transparent sheets. Each layer holds content and can be independently edited. Learn to use them well and your edits become flexible and reversible.

Key layer operations (step-by-step)

  1. Create a new layer: Layer > New > Layer or click the New Layer icon in the Layers panel.
  2. Rename a layer: double-click the layer name in the Layers panel.
  3. Group layers: Select multiple layers then press Ctrl/Cmd + G to keep the Layers panel tidy.
  4. Change blending mode: Use the Blending Mode dropdown above the layers to try Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Soft Light, etc.
  5. Opacity & Fill: Use the Opacity slider to make a whole layer transparent. Fill affects only the layer's fill, not its effects.
  6. Layer styles: Double-click a layer to add Drop Shadow, Stroke, Inner Glow, etc.

Selections & Masks

Selections choose pixel areas. Masks hide or reveal pixels non-destructively. Combine both to make powerful edits.

Step-by-step: Quick object extraction

  1. Choose Quick Selection (W) and drag across the subject to create a rough selection.
  2. Click Select Subject (Options bar) to let Photoshop try an automatic selection for people/objects.
  3. Open Select > Select and Mask to refine edges: use the Refine Edge Brush to clean hair and fur.
  4. Output to Layer Mask. Now the background is hidden non-destructively and you can add a new background on the layer below.

    5. Masks vs Erase

    Prefer masks: they allow you to paint black to hide, white to reveal, and gray for partial transparency. Erasing permanently deletes pixels.

Retouching & Object Removal — Practical Steps

Remove small blemishes (quick)

  1. Duplicate the layer to preserve the original.
  2. Select Spot Healing Brush tool, set Mode to Content-Aware.
  3. Paint over blemish; Photoshop blends surrounding texture automatically.

    4. Remove larger objects

    1. Make a loose selection around the object using Lasso or Marquee.
    2. Edit > Content-Aware Fill; Photoshop will analyze surrounding pixels. Use the sampling brush to include/exclude areas and click OK when satisfied.
    3. Refine with Clone Stamp or Healing Brush to correct repeating patterns.

      4. Portrait retouch — simple safe workflow

      1. Work on a duplicated layer.
      2. Use Spot Healing for small spots.
      3. Create a new layer for frequency separation (advanced step — see Advanced Techniques).
      4. Use Dodge/Burn on a 50% gray layer (set blending to Overlay) for subtle contours.

Advanced Techniques

Smart Objects & Smart Filters

Convert a layer to a Smart Object to apply filters non-destructively. You can double-click the Smart Filter to edit its settings later.

Frequency Separation (summary steps)

  1. Duplicate the layer twice: name one Low Frequency and the other High Frequency.
  2. On Low Frequency: apply Gaussian Blur to remove fine detail (keeps color/tones).
  3. On High Frequency: set blending to Linear Light and use Image > Apply Image to subtract the Low Frequency from the original, preserving texture.
  4. Retouch color/tones on the Low layer and texture on the High layer separately.

    5. Composite / Double Exposure

    1. Place your base image and the secondary image on separate layers.
    2. Use blending modes (Screen, Lighten) and masks to combine.
    3. Use adjustment layers clipped to layers to fine-tune color and contrast.

      4. Camera Raw filter

      Open Raw files in Camera Raw or apply Camera Raw Filter to a Smart Object to get powerful exposure, color, and lens corrections nondestructively.

Exporting & Saving (Step-by-step)

Choose formats based on use: PSD for source files, TIFF for high-quality interchange, JPEG for web photos, PNG for images that need transparency, and SVG/AI for vector/export where applicable.

Save master file

  1. File > Save As > Photoshop (PSD) — keeps layers and history for future edits.

    2. Save for web / social media

    1. File > Export > Export As: choose format (JPEG/PNG), set quality, resize if needed, and ensure convert to sRGB for consistent web colors.
    2. Alternatively use File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) for precise control over file size and optimization.

      3. Print-ready files

      1. Use CMYK when preparing for commercial print (consult printer for profile).
      2. File > Print to preview bleed and marks; set image resolution to 300 ppi for high quality print.

Performance Tips & Troubleshooting

  • Assign a fast drive (SSD) as your Primary Scratch Disk: Preferences > Performance.
  • Increase reserved RAM for Photoshop in Preferences > Performance.
  • Enable GPU acceleration if available.
  • Close other memory-heavy apps when working with very large files.
  • If Photoshop crashes on launch, reset preferences by holding Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Cmd+Opt+Shift (Mac) while launching and confirm the reset.

Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet (Windows / Mac)

ActionWindowsmacOS
UndoCtrl + ZCmd + Z
Step BackwardCtrl + Alt + ZCmd + Option + Z
CopyCtrl + CCmd + C
PasteCtrl + VCmd + V
Duplicate LayerCtrl + JCmd + J
Free TransformCtrl + TCmd + T
Fill (content-aware)Shift + F5Shift + F5
Zoom In / OutCtrl + + / Ctrl + -Cmd + + / Cmd + -
Toggle Layer MaskAlt + Click (on mask)Option + Click

Tip: Hover over tools in the toolbar to see the keyboard shortcut. Customize shortcuts with Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.

Best Practices & Workflow Tips

  • Work non-destructively: use layers, masks, Smart Objects, and Adjustment Layers.
  • Keep your PSD organized with descriptive layer names and groups.
  • Save iterative versions: project_v1.psd, project_v2.psd to avoid accidental loss.
  • Use snap-to-guides, grids, and rulers for precise layouts (View > Rulers & View > New Guide).
  • Calibrate your monitor for accurate color work when color accuracy matters.

Overview of Key AI Tools

  • Generative Fill — Generate or replace image content using text prompts and surrounding pixels.
  • Neural Filters — A suite of creative and corrective filters (e.g., Skin Smoothing, Smart Portrait, Style Transfer, Colorize).
  • Select Subject & Object Selection — Faster, AI-based subject extraction with refined edges for humans, animals, and objects.
  • Sky Replacement — Detects and swaps skies, matching tone and lighting automatically.
  • Super Resolution — Upscales images while preserving detail using learned models.
  • Background Remove (Refine Edge + Mask AI) — Intelligent masking tools that preserve hair and fur.
  • Content-Aware Fill (AI improvements) — More context-aware fills for larger or textured areas.
  • Camera Raw + AI enhancements — Smart auto adjustments and denoise tuned for raw files.

Generative Fill — What it is and When to Use

Generative Fill uses text prompts to create or replace image areas. It blends generative AI outputs with the existing photo context. Use it for:

  • Removing or replacing objects and filling the area seamlessly.
  • Extending backgrounds (expand canvas and ask Photoshop to fill believable content).
  • Adding props, textures, or environmental elements that did not exist in the shot.

Step-by-step: Replace an object with Generative Fill

  1. Duplicate your background layer: Ctrl/Cmd + J — always work non-destructively.
  2. Make a selection around the object to remove with Lasso (L) or Quick Selection (W).
  3. Right-click the selection and choose Generative Fill, or go to Edit > Generative Fill if that menu is available.
  4. Enter a concise text prompt describing what should replace it (e.g., “clean wooden floor continuing” or “blue vintage bicycle”).
  5. Preview the results and choose the best variation. Use the mask layer to refine any imperfect edges (paint mask with a soft brush).
  6. If the generated content needs color or perspective tweaks, clip an Adjustment Layer (Levels/Curves) to the generated layer and refine.

Tips for better Generative Fill results

  • Keep prompts simple and concrete. Mention style, lighting, or color if important ("sunlit, warm tones").
  • For textures or repeated patterns, generate in smaller sections to avoid repetitive artifacts.
  • Combine with existing background cloning if the AI produces visible seams—use Clone Stamp and Healing Brush with a low flow setting.

Neural Filters — Practical Guide

Neural Filters are model-based filters that can adjust facial expressions, age, hair thickness, colorization, and more. They run in a separate workspace where results can be previewed and fine-tuned.

Common Neural Filters & How to Use Them

  • Skin Smoothing: Reduces skin texture blemishes while retaining pores—use subtlety to avoid plastic look.
  • Smart Portrait: Slightly change head tilt, gaze, or expression. Best used conservatively for natural results.
  • Colorize: Automatically colorizes black-and-white photos—fine-tune skin and clothing colors after the filter applies.
  • Style Transfer: Apply painterly or photographic styles—use layer masks to apply style only where desired.

Step-by-step: Using Neural Filters

  1. Convert your photo layer to a Smart Object: Right-click > Convert to Smart Object (allows non-destructive editing).
  2. Go to Filter > Neural Filters. Choose a filter from the Beta or Featured list.
  3. Toggle the filter on, adjust sliders gradually, and preview results at 100% zoom for fidelity.
  4. Output to New Layer to keep the original intact; then refine the new layer with masks or reduced opacity for subtlety.

Neural Filters tips

  • Always check results at 100% zoom and across skin tones — models can behave differently on varied textures.
  • Use a low strength and blend with opacity, especially for portraits.
  • Combine multiple small corrections rather than one strong filter for more believable edits.

Select Subject & Object Selection

AI selection tools dramatically speed up masking tasks. They use learned segmentation to detect subjects automatically, including humans, animals, vehicles, and other objects.

Step-by-step: Fast subject extraction

  1. Open the image and choose Select > Subject. Photoshop returns a quick selection.
  2. Refine using Select and Mask — switch to Refine Edge Brush for hair and fur.
  3. Output to Layer Mask and refine locally with a low-opacity brush on the mask.

Tips

  • If Select Subject misses an object, use Object Selection (rectangle or lasso mode) to nudge the selection and then combine selections (Select > Modify > Expand/Contract as needed).
  • For complex scenes, create multiple masks for different subjects and fine-tune them separately.

Super Resolution (Upscaling) — Practical Steps

Super Resolution intelligently upscales images (double the pixel dimensions or more) while preserving perceived detail — useful for prints and recovering usable crops.

Step-by-step: Using Super Resolution

  1. Open a RAW or JPEG image in Camera Raw (File > Open or right-click > Open in Camera Raw).
  2. Right-click the preview and choose Enhance... then check Super Resolution. Click Enhance.
  3. Photoshop creates a new DNG file with doubled dimensions. Open and continue edits non-destructively.

Tips

  • Use Super Resolution on raw originals when possible — more starting data leads to better results.
  • After upscaling, apply gentle sharpening and noise reduction; avoid oversharpening which can create halos.

Content-Aware & Background AI Improvements

Content-Aware Fill and background removal continue to improve with AI. The workspace allows you to control sampling areas and preview multiple fills.

Step-by-step: Advanced Content-Aware Fill

  1. Make a selection around the object to remove.
  2. Go to Edit > Content-Aware Fill. In the workspace, paint the sampling area to include or exclude regions.
  3. Experiment with Color Adaptation and Rotation Adaptation options. Generate multiple alternatives and choose the best result.

Tips

  • For repeating textures (brick, sand), sample symmetrical areas and then use clone/patch to remove repeating patterns.
  • Combine Content-Aware Fill with layer masks for fine blending and with Generative Fill for creative replacements.

Practical AI-Powered Workflows

1. Quick Editorial Fix (30–90 seconds)

  1. Open RAW in Camera Raw — apply Auto, then minor exposure/crop.
  2. Use Select Subject > Layer Mask to isolate model from background.
  3. Apply Skin Smoothing (Neural Filter) on a Smart Object, output to new layer, reduce opacity to taste.
  4. Use Generative Fill to clean small distractions in the background.
  5. Export web JPEG with Export As (sRGB, quality 80).

2. Creative Composite (10–30 minutes)

  1. Extract subject with Select Subject & Select and Mask.
  2. Place subject on new background; use Generative Fill to extend lighting and ground shadows.
  3. Color-match with Curves/Match Color; use Camera Raw Filter for global filmic look.

Quality & Finishing Tips

  • Always work on Smart Objects where filters are applied so you can revert or change settings later.
  • Keep original files: save a master PSD and work copies for exported versions.
  • Check skin tones and faces at 100% when using Neural Filters to avoid unnatural smoothing or artifacts.
  • Mask generated content and blend edges using a soft brush at low opacity for invisibility.

Ethics, Privacy & Attribution

AI tools are powerful but raise ethical questions. Consider the following:

  • Consent: When editing portraits, ensure subjects consent to significant manipulations.
  • Attribution: If your work uses generated content in commercial or public contexts, check Adobe's terms and local regulations about disclosure.
  • Deepfake risks: Avoid using AI tools to produce misleading or harmful content (e.g., fake news).

Performance & Troubleshooting

  • AI features can be GPU- and memory-intensive. Use a modern GPU and increase RAM allocation in Preferences > Performance.
  • Keep Photoshop updated to access bug fixes for AI models and stability improvements.
  • If an AI filter hangs, convert the layer to Smart Object or purge cache and retry.

Shortcuts & Frequently Asked Questions

ActionShortcut
Duplicate layerCtrl/Cmd + J
Convert to Smart ObjectRight-click layer > Convert to Smart Object
Open Neural FiltersFilter > Neural Filters
Open Content-Aware FillEdit > Content-Aware Fill

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Photoshop without a subscription?

Adobe primarily sells Photoshop through Creative Cloud subscription. Occasionally, bundled licenses are available for organizations — but there is no permanently free full version.

Is Photoshop hard to learn?

Photoshop has a learning curve, but start with the basic tools (crop, levels, spot healing, layers) and practice small projects. Tutorials and consistent practice accelerate learning dramatically.

Should I learn Lightroom or Photoshop first?

If you do a lot of photo organization and batch raw editing, Lightroom is faster. For detailed pixel-level retouch, composites, and graphic design, Photoshop is the tool of choice. Many professionals use both.

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