Top 10 hacks to improve

productivity in PS
Hack #1 - Scratch disk
Photoshop takes up a lot of your system’s memory. It can slow down significantly when multiple
apps are running at the same time. If you have an external hard drive, set it up as scratch disk to
improve performance. Hit cmd (or ctrl) + K > Scratch Disk and check the box on an external hard
drive.

Hack #2 - Keyboard shortcuts

“Shortcuts save you 1 hour for every 8 hours you spent in PS” - Andy Anderson from
InfiniteSkills. Learn shortcuts for tools that you use frequently to improve your productivity.
Read this for starters.

Hack #3 - Move tool

Use the move tool to drag and drop an image/layer from one file to another instead of copy &
paste. Each time you copy a file, it stays on the clipboard and can slow down PS if the size is
large.

Hack #4 - Customise tools panel

Let’s face it, you don’t use all the tools all the time. Customise the panel so you can locate the
ones you really need easily. Go to Edit > Toolbar to customise your very own tools panel.

Hack #5 - Photoshop actions

If you find yourself repeating certain steps all the time, record it as a Photoshop Action to
automate for you the next time!

Hack #6 - Customise workspace

Customising workspace is like personalising your office. Add/remove panels, customise your
own menu, tools and go to the top right hand corner, click the drop down menu > New
Workspace to save it.

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Hack #7 - Background colour
Our focus and attention increase when there’s less distraction. Darkening the background colour
on your PS workspace improves your focus and protects your eyes from getting tired easily. Hit
cmd (or ctrl) + K > Interface to change the Colour Theme to a darker one.

Hack #8 - Smart object

Convert a layer to smart object saves you time when you’re not happy with the filter you’ve
applied. Instead of starting all over again, click on the filter to fine tune the effect. Left click on a
layer > Convert to Smart Object.

Hack #9 - Switch to 8 Bits/Channel

Everyone is telling you to edit in 16 bits/channel. Although that is true but it can slow down the
system when layers start building up. Consider switching to 8 bits/channel when you’re done
with major tonal and colour adjustment. You don’t need 16 bits to apply filters after all! Go to
Image > Mode > 8 Bits/Channel.

Hack #10 - Clear the channels panel

If you’ve created luminosity or saved custom masks in the channels panel, remember to clear it
before saving your file. Keeping these masks increase the file size, saving and loading time.

I hope these hacks will help you to be more

productive in your workflow! Thanks again for
subscribing to Fotographee :)

-Yaopey

www.fotographee.com