If you’re like most Photoshop users, you probably know how to use the tools in the toolbar and the menus, but you might not be familiar with some of the more advanced features. One of those features is the Layers panel. The Layers panel is a hidden panel that’s located on the left side of the screen. It’s divided into three sections: The Layers Panel Menu, The Layers Panel Toolbar, and The Layers Panel Contents. The Layers Panel Menu contains options that are specific to layers: New Layer, Duplicate Layer, Delete Layer, Rename Layer, and Edit Layer Properties. The Layers Panel Toolbar contains tools that are specific to layers: Move Tool (for moving layers), Select Tool (for selecting layers), Type Tool (for entering layer text), and Zoom In/Out (for zooming in or out on a layer). The Layers Panel Contents contains information about each layer in your document: Name (the name of the layer), Location (where the layer is located in your document), Size (the size of the layer), Opacity (how much of the background color is visible when this layer is active), and Fill Mode (whether or not this layer will be filled with color). To use the Layers panel, first open it by clicking its icon on the toolbar or by pressing Ctrl+L. Then click one of the icons in either section of the panel to open its menu or toolbar menu item. For example, if you want to change a property for a selected layer, click its icon in either section of the panel and then click Properties. If you want to add or delete a layer from your document, click one of its icons in either section of the panel and then click Add/Delete Layer. ..
Photoshop is an incredibly flexible program. To keep the interface flexible, Photoshop uses “Panels” for each tool or feature.
For example, here’s how I have Photoshop set up. Everything on the right hand side is a different Panel. There are a couple of near-universal panels that you will need to use every time you use Photoshop, like the Layers panel. In every one of my Photoshop tutorials for How-To Geek, like how to add falling snow to your photos, I’ve told you to do something with it. But what happens if you can’t find it?
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Since Photoshop’s interface is so customizable, it’s very easy to accidentally close or misplace an important panel like the Layers Panel. If you can’t see it, all you have to do is go to the Window menu. All the panels that you currently have on display are marked with a tick. To reveal the Layers Panel, click Layers.
And just like that, the Layers Panel will appear, ready for you to use it.
It’s the exact same with any other Panel in Photoshop. If you’re ever following a tutorial and you’re told to go to the Channels Panel or Path Panel, if you don’t know where it is, just open the Window menu and select it.
