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Participant
Jun 12, 2025 12:15 AM UTC
Open for Voting

Command, Option, Shift + E stopped working / Merge a copy of all visible layers into target layer

Hi everyone, since I bought a new MacBook, I installed the latest version of Photoshop, and the "Merge a copy of all visible layers into target layer" action with the famous Command, Option, Shift + E stopped working.

It still works perfectly on my other iMac, and it also worked on my previous MacBook, but on my new MacBook, when I press the usual keys, nothing happens.

 

I installed and uninstalled. I spoke to support (they told me the craziest things, like my plan didn't access that keyboard option, haha).
I installed an older version. NOTHING. All the other keyboard shortcuts work, except for this one.

 

I read in another post that they talk about another app that could be hijacking my keyboard shortcuts, but I booted into Safe Mode and it doesn't work either.

 

What do you think it could be? I'm not the only person this happens to, I've spoken to other colleagues (I'm a photographer) and they're having the same problem.

This option isn't in the menu to select it, is it? Any ideas on how to replace this while this is being fixed?

8 replies

Peru Bob
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 2:39 PM UTC
quote

that´s not the same, that erase all layers into one layer

By @Rosario_Helman5661

 

Duplicate all layers.

Make the original layers not visible.

Then Press alt while selecting Layer > Merge Visible from the menu as suggested by c.pfaffenbichler .

 

 

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c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 2:36 PM UTC

Are you sure you were pressing the alt-key while invoking the menu item? 

Edit: I am a Mac user and my Mac-keyboard has two alt-keys, maybe yours are marked »opt«. 

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c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 2:35 PM UTC

It does not. Edit: … if the alt-key is pressed as indicated in my previous post. 

Are you thinking of Layer > Flatten Image? 

 

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Participant
Jun 12, 2025 2:29 PM UTC

that´s not the same, that erase all layers into one layer  😞 

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c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 2:23 PM UTC
quote

This option isn't in the menu to select it, is it?

Press alt while selecting Layer > Merge Visible from the menu. 

 

Edit: This could be recorded in an Action and assigned another keyborad shortcut. 

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Participant
Jun 12, 2025 12:54 PM UTC

already done that, twice, non working 

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Peru Bob
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 12:39 AM UTC
Peru Bob
Community Expert
Community Expert
Jun 12, 2025 12:37 AM UTC

Try resetting the tools and/or preferences.
To restore preferences quickly using a keyboard shortcut:

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (Mac OS) as you start Photoshop. You are prompted to delete the current settings. The new preferences files are created the next time you start Photoshop.
Note: Using the keyboard shortcut, preference files for custom shortcuts, workspaces, and color settings will also be reset to default.

from here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#restore_preferences

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