4 Simple Photoshop Toolbar Tips for Beginners
When you first open Photoshop, are you overwhelmed by the crowded icons on the left toolbar? The Zoom tool, Lasso, Brush… every tool seems to shout, "I'm important!"
But there are a few simple tricks to using the toolbar. Once you learn them, you'll feel right at home with Photoshop and even boost your productivity.
In this article, you will learn:
- How to Customize Your Personal Photoshop Toolbar?
- How to Reveal Hidden Menus in the Toolbar?
- One-Tap Tool Switching: Are You Fast Enough?
- How to Get the Toolbar Back in Photoshop?
- Conclusion
How to Customize Your Personal Photoshop Toolbar?
Did you know you can adjust Photoshop's toolbar to match your workflow?
Click the "Edit" menu at the top, then choose "Toolbar." This will bring up the toolbar list you know.
You can also right-click the ellipsis icon above the Color Picker on the left toolbar. Select "Edit Toolbar" from the menu to open the same panel.
In the Customize Toolbar panel, simply drag the tools around. Put your favorites where they're easy to reach and remove any tools you rarely use by dragging them off. This helps reduce visual clutter.
When you're done, click "Done" and your Photoshop toolbar is now uniquely yours!
How to Reveal Hidden Menus in the Toolbar?
Each icon in the toolbar has a small triangle in its bottom right corner. This triangle is the key to a hidden menu.
For example, if you click on the Lasso Tool, you might only see the regular lasso. But if you hold down the left mouse button or right-click it, the hidden Polygonal Lasso and Magnetic Lasso tools will appear!
This trick lets you quickly switch between different tools. (You can also use Shift plus the corresponding shortcut to cycle through tools in the same category.)
One-Tap Tool Switching: Are You Fast Enough?
Imagine you're halfway through painting and suddenly need to switch back to the selection tool. Would you fumble around clicking? That's too slow!
Try these "magic" shortcuts:
- Move Tool (to drag elements): V
- Brush Tool (your painting buddy): B
- Lasso Tool (for free selection): L
- Marquee Tool (for rectangular or elliptical selections): M
- Crop Tool (a must for editing): C
Advanced Tip:
Hold Shift and press a shortcut to cycle through similar tools. For example, Shift + M lets you toggle between the Rectangular and Elliptical marquee tools.
These shortcuts are easy to remember, but in the heat of a project you might still mix them up. Plus, a keyboard isn't always the most efficient tool after long hours.
That's why we recommend the TourBox, a creative console that can boost your design and workflow. With TourBox, you don't need to memorize shortcuts. Just map your favorite ones to its buttons and knobs, and work faster and more precisely.
It's just like using a game controller for your video games! And TourBox does even more. Click our photo editing page to learn more.
How to Get the Toolbar Back in Photoshop?
Sometimes you might accidentally make a mistake and find the Photoshop toolbar has disappeared, leaving you confused.
Don't worry. To bring it back, just press the Tab key and it will reappear instantly!
You can also restore it manually by clicking "Window" in the top menu and then selecting "Tools." The toolbar will show up on your screen.
If your toolbar still doesn't look right after adjustments, you can reset it. Go to "Window" → "Workspace" → "Reset Essentials" (if you're using the default workspace) to return Photoshop to its original setup.
Conclusion
Photoshop isn't just about knowing how to use it. It's about working smarter! The four simple toolbar tips we shared can give you a head start on your creative projects. So next time you fire up Photoshop, give these tricks a try.
And if you're curious about TourBox and often create on your iPad, check out our TourBox Elite Plus. It's sure to be your best sidekick for mastering Photoshop.
