"Open as layers in Photoshop" not functioning in Lightroom on Mac or Windows

Question

I have Lightroom (v9.6) and Photoshop (v27.11) up to date on both my Mac and Windows PC, and the “open as layers in photoshop” function does not work on either system. Photoshop and lightroom both work on their own, but I can not import any lightroom photos to photoshop. Specifically, I want to do a focus stack and no longer can. Anyone know a workaround to open pictures from lightroom as layers in photoshop?

On the topic, why is focus stacking not available directly in lightroom? I can do panoramic stitching, HDR merges, etc. in lightroom but not a focus stack? Please add this feature to Lr.

CORCTON34033231 · Answer

Hi, while that handoff isn't working for you, there is a reliable workaround for the focus stack itself:

1. Export/save the frames from Lightroom to a local folder at full size.

2. In Photoshop, choose File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack — that puts them into one layered document, which is what Open as Layers would have given you.

3. Select all the layers, run Edit > Auto-Align Layers with Auto, then Edit > Auto-Blend Layers and choose Stack Images. That Auto-Blend step is the actual focus-stack merge.

On your second question: Lightroom doesn't have a built-in focus-stack merge like its Panorama/HDR merges — Adobe's own focus-stacking guide does the blending in Photoshop with Auto-Blend Layers, and Lightroom's part is just handing the selected photos over. Hope the workaround gets your stack done!

Adobe guide: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/discover/focus-stacking.html

Load Files into Stack (Help): https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/image-stacks.html

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.